• Solar Heating-There is many variations of this type of heating in use today. As we strive for new means of heating our homes and business, there comes along solar heating. Heating our homes by means of reflective metal or mirrors is a reality. By heating outside air using the energy from the sun we can redirect the heated air through duct work like a forced air furnace basically works. This means of using the power of the sun is a simple way to heat our homes during day light hours, subsidizing our energy cost.
• Solar Voltaic-This use of the sun is becoming the most popular way to generate electricity versus other means that use our planets depleting fossil fuels. Through the use of solar cells which are made into solar panels we can produce environmentally safe energy. A solar cell or solar photovoltaic cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the suns light energy to electricity. A group of these cells form a solar panel that collects the solar light energy from the sun to produce electricity. A group of solar panels needed to power a house or business is called a solar array. There are other components used to make up a solar panel system which involve changing the current to useable household current but this will give you an idea of how a system is designed. Other uses of this type of technology is used in such devices as solar yard lights, solar exhaust fans, and photo eyes used to control outdoor lighting.
• Solar Water Heating-Solar water heating has been used for many years by many European countries and is well established as a viable means of heating water. There are basically two types of systems in use today, a closed system, and a system that pumps the hot water. First, let us look at the closed loop system that has a capture tank mounted above the radiant coils, usually mounted on the roof. By using a series of tubes facing the sun the water will heat and be moved to the storage tank by what is known as “thermo siphoning” ,which is the same principle as hot air raising. By using our existing water pressure the tank mounted on the roof will feed when needed my turning on a faucet. The system which uses a small pump to circulate the water can be mounted just about any convenient location facing the sun. This is what is known as an open system because of the use of an external or auxiliary pump. The holding tank for this system can be mounted at ground level. This system is used mainly for larger systems needing more water storage.
• Solar Architecture-The use of building design where walls, windows, and floors are made to collect heat from solar energy is called passive solar building design. This type of building design does not use mechanical or electrical devices. House can be designed to store heat in the winter and reject heat in the summer. The principle of this solar design is to position windows facing south during the winter sun, and to have shading during the warm summer months. This type of construction is mainly for newer homes but can be applied to or adapted to existing homes and businesses. All this can be achieved by the use of stone, concrete, and tile to produce what is known as thermo mass.

There are many other new discoveries being used to harness the power of the sun, one which I did not mention above but involves the use of a large magnifying glass concentrating solar energy on a spot, producing very high temperatures. The use of this type of heat is almost endless.

The basic of solar energy is just the first in a series of articles that I will publish on uses of solar technology.

 Direct flow solar heater-The first type we will discuss uses your pool pump to circulate the hot water. This type of system will raise the temperature of your pool by 10 degrees or more. A series of tubes or piping is placed on your roof. It is all sized according to the volume of your pool. This is a do-it-yourself installation with included instructions. Can be installed on roof, ground, or a rack system. The system must be easy to drain for winter. There are no added electric cost or fuel bills to pay, strictly runs on solar energy with the use of your existing pool pump.

 Solar pool heater with existing system-If you already have an existing pool heater, gas or heat pump type, then you can save money by installing a direct flow system. Incorporating the same system as mentioned above with a system of valves, you can save money on your energy cost to heat your pool.

 Indirect flow solar heater-Some bigger systems or commercial pools may need to use added pump motors to help circulate the heater pool water. These systems use what are called auxiliary pumps to aid pumping the water into the collectors.

So how do all these systems work? Using solar collectors; which are made of special polypropylene, water is circulated through a series of tubes in these collectors. These collectors are made to withstand ultra violet rays of the sun and usually have a warranty of ten plus years. The sun’s energy is used to heat the water in these tubes, and then is circulated back to the pool. Some systems can be made totally automated by controlling the water temperature using a special controller. Unlike solar hot water heating systems which are mounted inside of a collector box, and operate at higher temperatures, these pool heater systems operate between 85 to 100 degrees F. if you want to extend your swimming pool season then you may want to heat your pool with solar energy.

Before you decide to begin, it is important to notice that you have several different types of home made diy wind power generators, which means you will most likely want to do some investigation to determine which kind of small wind power is good for you.

For instance, several wind generators can be purchased by means of ready-made packages, even though additional versions require you to construct the actual generator from the ground-up.

Many people that diy wind power generators start off the actual procedure understanding that they will have to do some trials prior to having the system functioning efficiently, therefore it is best to begin the actual work having a specific level of patience.

Furthermore, remember that there is certainly a significant variance in wind flow for small wind power generation, size as well as power generation potential. For that reason, make sure you already know exactly which wind generator blueprints you are gonna utilize prior to deciding to get going.

These types of steps can be found that will help you obtain a common concept of what exactly is involved with building the wind generator so you can, subsequently, notice exactly how simple it actually can be. You’ll want to obtain specific blueprints when making your own diy wind power.
Click here to get the best diy guide to build your own small wind power.

Materials needed:

1 electrical generator or magnet DC motor (home-built or bought)
3-5 rotor blades (home-built or even bought)
Pivoting bracket (that keeps the unit turned into the actual wind)
1 installation tower system (home-built or even bought)
Batteries
Wooden leftovers
Control system
Get Your Wind Turbine Products Here

Fundamental steps:

Choose your motor or generator. The unit should be able to carry a load that may be in conjuction with the load made by your rotating blades. Whenever the actual rotor blades turn, the generator will produce power that is measured in Watts. To locate motors, look on Ebay, at neighborhood merchants, or even obtain your motor through a wind generator kit.
Build your own rotor blades. You might be able to locate pre-cut rotor blades on the internet or through a wind-turbine package. Otherwise, you will have to construct your own by cutting and by using wood or other materials. A few individuals make their own rotor blades from PVC pipe that they design into air foils. Keep in mind: your rotor blades should not overload the generator, therefore building the best system might require some tests.
Build a hub. The hub is needed in order to anchor the rotor blades to the generator. It is possible to construct your hub from any kind of material, however it ought to take on disk-like shape which allows the rotor blades to rotate around the center of the hub. You will have to come across the right way to securely attach your rotor blades to the hub somehow which makes them well balanced. The actual hub unit will then end up being mounted on the generator.
Support the generator. Once your generator and hub are safely attached,you will have to support the unit using a system which allows you to place the generator securely off of the ground so that it may end up being in the path of the formidable wind currents. Keep in mind, you would like your installation method to be able to pivot in response to altering wind flow patterns. One of the ways to accomplish the actual pivoting function would be to connect your generator to a piece of board which is then mounted on a vertical pipe. The actual vertical pipe could be sized to fit somewhat snuggly into a bigger vertical tube that you could install on the device that is mounted securely on the ground. Along with this type of unit, your generator will be stable against powerful wind gusts, however it will also be able to pivot freely.
Build a tail. When your generator and installation device have been in place, make sure you fashion a tail towards the back of your generator to ensure that the generator will remain turned into the wind flow. You can create a tail utilizing PVC as well as aluminum sheets.
Water-proof your generator. You might want to create a water-resistant container around the generator in order to protect it from weather conditions.
Install a controller. It is possible to obtain the controller or else you may build one your self. The actual controller monitors the voltage within the batteries and will make certain that the power produced by the spinning rotor blades will be transformed into electrical energy that’s then either stored in your batteries or even transferred into a supplementary load in the event that the batteries happen to be completely charged. You will connect an inverter to the batteries when you are ready to make use of the stored electricity.

Prior to getting started, be sure that you grasp the actual specific plans which go with the wind generator you create. It can be best to have some knowledge of building, small power generators, and electricity so that you can reduce the danger of injuries also to make the constructing procedure more efficient. Also, make sure you have ways to stop the rotor blades from spinning once machine is installed. It may be extremely dangerous (and deadly) to have a wind generator that spins out of control.

Building your own solar panels has never been easier. With new building techniques, making your own power is now a reality. Today we have better quality solar cells that can be purchased at reasonable prices to keep your building cost to a minimum. If you are wondering what it takes to build your own solar panels, then look at the list I have compiled for you. Here are the items you will need to make your own solar panels.

• Solar cells-You will need at least 36 solar cells to start with. I purchase my cells from a company in California called Everbrite©. They have reasonable prices, plus when you order your cells you will receive extra cells because at first you will break one or two. You can order your solar cells in kits that include everything you need to get started.

• Aluminum frame-I like to beef up my solar panel by purchasing 1/8″ aluminum angle in at least 1″ dimension, so that they will last for thirty years or more. The frame is to be the strongest part of your panel, so no skimping here.

• Tempered glass-One thing that I learned about building solar panels, tempered glass is the best for making a system that will last and withstand all types of weather from hail storms, heat, and cold. I recommend 1/4″ for strength and durability. Another good point to make here is that all your soldering can be done on this tempered glass which makes an excellent heat sink.

• Encapsulate liquid-The best way to mount your finished solar cells to the glass is by using a special epoxy designed for manufacturing of solar panels. I used encapsulate from Dow© chemical called Sylgard, which comes in two parts, an A and B which when mixed will bond your cells to the glass, completely covering them from the elements. It is important to let stand for at least four days to cure.

• Soldering tools-What I have found is that a soldering iron of 40 watts works best for soldering your tab and buss wires to your cells. It is good to have extra soldering tips available, because you will be replacing them at one point during your soldering process.

• Hardware-You will need miscellaneous hardware such as 1/4″ machine screws, 1/4″ nuts, 1/4″ lock washers, small angle brackets to join your corners of the aluminum frame together, and angle brackets to hold your glass in place.

Anyone can build their own solar panels for home with the proper instruction and training. Visit Earth Power Energy Systems to see other tips about building your own renewable energy systems.