Most of us are aware that we need to investigate alternative sources of energy. While there are rebates available, the cost of solar panels can still be prohibitive for most people which make DIY Solar Power Kits a very attractive option.
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Why would you do it?
If you have a sense of adventure, you want to do your bit to save the environment or even just to save some money, DIY Solar Power Kits make a lot of sense.
You can convert freely available solar power into electricity that can be used to power your home. Solar power kits can be quite efficient, and the amount of electricity generated depends on the number and wattage of the solar panels and the amount of direct sunlight that the solar panels receive.
Once installed, DIY Solar Power Kits are almost maintenance free. The average lifespan of solar panels is over thirty years. Not only that, but they are emission free and completely silent. One thing you need to calculate before you dive in is the length of time it takes to recoup your initial investment.
The human spirit is itself the most wonderful fairy tale that can possibly be. What a magnificent world lies enclosed within our bosoms! No solar orbit hems it in, the inexhaustible wealth of the total visible creation is outweighed by its riches!
—E. T. A. W. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Wilhelm)
Also, do you have a large enough space available that receives at least six hours of direct sun light each day? What is the pitch of your roof and are you comfortable walking on your roof? If not, you might want to consider hiring someone to install the solar panels for you. Alternatively, place your DIY Solar Power Kit on the ground in a convenient location.
What types of DIY Solar Power Kits are available?
Stand-Alone Home Power
You can make a solar power generator that can supply some or all of your electricity needs without having to be connected to the electricity grid. This can be useful, but is not limited to, people who live in remote locations.
Hybrid Home Power
You can create your solar panels to be connected to the electricity grid. If your solar panels produce more more electricity than you use at home, this will make your electricity meter run backwards. This means you'll receive a credit from the electricity company to use when your producing less electricity - such as in cloudy weather.
We live in a very low state of the world, and pay unwilling tribute to government founded on force. There is not, among the most religious and instructed men of the most religious and civil nations, a reliance on the moral sentiment, and a sufficient belief in the unity of things to persuade them that society can be maintained without artificial restraints, as well as the solar system; or that the private citizen might be reasonable, and a good neighbor, without the hint of a jail or a confiscation.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
What options do you have for DIY Solar Power Kits?
You can buy ready made kits and there are a few available on the internet. More and more people are using DIY Solar Power Kits due to the fact they are easy to install and most of the required pieces of equipment are in one package for you. You can also customize your kit and build more specialized solar arrays as you gain more knowledge of how solar systems work.
You can also buy a guide and find your own materials. I recently reviewed an ebook which shows you how to make solar panels in a single weekend. The materials are easily available from hardware stores and you can build the whole thing for less than $200. Read the Earth4Energy review here.
Making your own DIY Solar Power Kit is a great way to save money and feel good about playing your part to save the planet.