The advantages of building your own solar power include being eligible for some tax credits from the U.S. Government. Hopefully, this will help out weigh the disadvantages. These tax credits are for Solar Energy Systems.
If you install solar water heating systems or photovoltaic systems in any fiscal year between 2006 and 2016 then you will qualify. There is also a $500 credit for home improvement, but that is totally separate. The tax credit is 30% of the cost of the units.
Installation of a small wind energy system has the same 30% tax credit. These systems must have been installed between fiscal year 2008 and 2016.
IRS Form 5695 is the form you will need. All the most popular computer based tax preparation programs will ask you about this in their survey section.
Purchasing solar power systems from manufacturers are still very expensive (disadvantage) and you may never be able to recoup the cost involved. Taking advantage of building your own solar power, with a little help from your friends, is still the way to go.
Plans for do it yourselfers are available on the Internet at very modest costs and can eliminate the huge front-end cost by building it yourself. But, you will still need professional help in attaching the system you build to your home's electrical system.
Michael Harvey has the most popular set of do it yourself instructions. He shows you where to purchase the solar cells for cheap and where to find some batteries for free (sounds like an advantage to me.)
In order to prove the system would work for anyone, Michael selected 11 different people with no particular building skills and let them use his manual. Their success was far beyond what Michael had anticipated. He wants you to have that same success so that you can join the growing number of people using solar power.
Another advantage of building solar power from a manual is that the process is fairly simple. You solder together the 2.5 volt solar cells until you get 12 volts. Then this solar panel will charge a battery. The battery connects to an inverter (yes, you will have to buy the inverter) and the inverter feeds your electrical appliances. This panel process can be done for under $200. You can price inverters at your local hardware store. I have seen similar panels online costing around $1500.
String enough of them together and you could eventually get totally off the grid and start selling energy to the electric company. A disadvantage is I don't think that this is totally realistic for most people, but the possibility is there.
Last advantage to using Michael's manual to make solar power is that he will send you updates to the manual as things change and or improve. Michael really wants you to be successful at building your own solar power.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mick_Lorimer
Monday, December 1, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
DIY Solar Panel Equipments
Before I get into the DIY Solar panels, let me tell you how this all started:
A few months ago, my wife and I decided that we wanted to install solar panels for our home. The main reason was that we felt it was the biggest thing we could do ourselves to help the environment, and it also comes with the great side benefit of cutting down our electric bill. We could debate about which one was really more important, but in the end, they were both great goals.
What we had no idea about was the huge cost associated with installing home solar panel systems. $10,000 for a smaller end system was a shock to us. It turns out after looking around on-line that this is the number one reason why people don't have them all over the place. Solar panel systems just aren't affordable for the average homeowner.
We were really disappointed, because it just wasn't in our budget. And even if it was, it would take many years for it to pay for its self in utility savings.
So that's how we ended up with DIY solar panels and never looked back.
Now, I'll admit, I'm not that handy. I wasn't so sure I could handle a project like this. But the guide I was working with turned out to be everything I needed. It was a lot easier than I expected, and I've got several panels set up now and hooked into the grid.
When we aren't using much electricity, the home made solar panels are pumping electricity back to the utility company, and our savings have been huge. Soon enough, we'll be completely self sufficient.
And the best part is coming home every day and seeing the work that I did myself that is truly helping the environment. And on a much different scale than throwing cans in the recycling bin.
Here is the guide that I use: DIY Solar Panels
I chose it particularly because it is the only one that includes videos to follow along with, and it has gotten great reviews. I'm really glad I went with it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_D._Jones
A few months ago, my wife and I decided that we wanted to install solar panels for our home. The main reason was that we felt it was the biggest thing we could do ourselves to help the environment, and it also comes with the great side benefit of cutting down our electric bill. We could debate about which one was really more important, but in the end, they were both great goals.
What we had no idea about was the huge cost associated with installing home solar panel systems. $10,000 for a smaller end system was a shock to us. It turns out after looking around on-line that this is the number one reason why people don't have them all over the place. Solar panel systems just aren't affordable for the average homeowner.
We were really disappointed, because it just wasn't in our budget. And even if it was, it would take many years for it to pay for its self in utility savings.
So that's how we ended up with DIY solar panels and never looked back.
Now, I'll admit, I'm not that handy. I wasn't so sure I could handle a project like this. But the guide I was working with turned out to be everything I needed. It was a lot easier than I expected, and I've got several panels set up now and hooked into the grid.
When we aren't using much electricity, the home made solar panels are pumping electricity back to the utility company, and our savings have been huge. Soon enough, we'll be completely self sufficient.
And the best part is coming home every day and seeing the work that I did myself that is truly helping the environment. And on a much different scale than throwing cans in the recycling bin.
Here is the guide that I use: DIY Solar Panels
I chose it particularly because it is the only one that includes videos to follow along with, and it has gotten great reviews. I'm really glad I went with it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_D._Jones
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