diy green energy

Photovoltaic systems (photo - meaning light and voltaic - electricity) convert solar energy from the sun directly into electricity. The panels are made up of a number of silicon cells which are linked together in modules.

When sunlight strikes the solar panels the electrons in the silicon are stimulated and flow through built in wires to create electricity. The panels are easily installed (usually on the roof) and are positioned to collect as much solar radiation as possible.

The current produced is a direct current (DC), whereas as most conventional household appliances run on an alternating current (AC), so an inverter is needed to convert this. The system can be stand alone or connected to the national grid. If you are opting for the former you will need a battery bank to store the electricity in.

Fossil fuels are non-renewable and diminishing in their supply and burning them creates carbon dioxide which is the number one contributor to global warming.

Installing PV systems to harness green energy requires no planning permission and is a clean, reliable and quiet source of electricity. If positioned correctly and sized according to the household's needs, solar panels are incredibly effective. The only time where solar electricity is not available is on cloudy days and at night, but that is easily managed with the use of batteries - allowing a constant flow of electricity when needed. Power bills will be reduced to a minimum or entirely eliminated, especially if the household works to make the house as energy efficient as possible.

Solar power can be combined with wind power to create a hybrid solar-wind system that can be used in stand alone systems or connected to the grid. Solar-wind hybrids use small wind turbine generators and solar panels to generate electricity. This creates a more dependable and consistent supply of electricity than using either system on their own, as it allows for changing weather patterns and the different seasons. For example wind speeds are often low in summer periods where sunlight is usually at its premium and in winter the winds are often a lot stronger when there may not me as much sunshine.

In most hybrid solar-wind systems, the solar panels collect and convert light into green energy and the wind turbines collect energy from the wind. The energy is then regulated by solar wind charge controllers and stored in the battery bank where a built in inverter changes the current from DC to AC.

You can even build your own wind turbine!