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Home solar panels are major parts of the hardware you need to obtain electricity from sunlight for domestic applications. A solar panel is an active, direct way of harnessing the energy of the sun that impacted on the surface of the earth as sunlight. Thus, such panel derives its input from a renewable energy source, and its use in homes greatly contributes to a greener planet. Basically, a solar panel is an assembly of solar cells which are interconnected and packaged as a module. A solar cell, by the way, is another name for the photovoltaic cell. It is commonly made of crystalline silicon which generates electricity when exposed to sunlight through the photovoltaic effect. For commercial panels, conversion rates vary from 5 to 18%, with an average of 12%. Researchers hope to increase the top figure to 30%. Solar panels, in general, are products of different methods of manufacture and materials used. As a result, not all of them are created equal. Home solar panels are available in types suited for your geographical location. If your area has much sunlight, go for concentrating solar collectors which have panels angled to absorb direct sunlight. Otherwise, use non-concentrating solar collectors, which can absorb not only direct but also reflected sunlight. Solar panels available in the market could have power output that ranges from 60 to around 200 watts. They are designed to work best for stand-alone systems or grid-tied systems, or both. Most brands have efficiency at the end of the standard range: 18% level. The more efficient a panel is, the less period of time that it will pay for itself in terms of electric bill savings. The present figure is 10 years. When efficiency of 25% will be achieved in the future, that can be reduced to 3-5 years. Retail prices of solar panels are around $1,000. Installing a complete home solar system costs $20,000 on the average if done by professionals, but there are DIY plans that claim just a fraction of that cost, and even much lower if you rebuild broken panels yourself. A list of popular brands includes Evergreen, Kyocera, Sanyo, Uni-Solar, Everstep, Mitsubishi and Sharp. Most manufactures offer 20 to 25 years warranty for their products. Some add value to their product by claiming low impact on environment from manufacturing. The improved efficiency and the lowering cost of panels, together with incentives from local, state and federal governments, have contributed to the trend of cheaper solar energy. For those who are adventurous and attracted by the much lower cost of DIY home solar panels, you must remember that for a successful project, you need the proper tools and know-how that you can obtain from guides offered in the market. The tools and the guide surely add up to extra cost, not to mention the time involved, but this results in a much cheaper installation overall. Most often, people planning to install home solar panels do not go for powering the entire house
by solar energy, because of the high investments involved. They may choose to heat only the water, for example, and reduce the electric bill by 30% as a result. The required investment then drops to something like $4,000.
To sustain a greener planet or to profit from reduced bills with affordable investments, solar energy through home solar panels hold the key in these areas. Just find a local vendor, or go online, and withing a week you will be able to start enjoying your new home solar system and the savings it brings.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allan_Hagens
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