Category Archives: Solar Power

How Does a Solar Pool Heater Work?

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One can greatly reduce the swimming pool by installing a solar pool heater. Solar pool heaters are cost-effective whether you are using a gas or heat pump pool heaters. Individuals using solar pool heaters claim they have a low operating cost.  Most pool owners do not understand how solar pool heaters work and that that is why we have prepared this guide. Read on to learn more about how solar pool heaters work.

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Basics of Solar Pool Heater

To understand how solar pool heaters work, it is best to start looking at major components of solar pool heating systems.

  • A pump– Pumps help circulates water through the collector and filter and back to the pool.
  • A solar collector– A collector is a device through which pool water is circulated for it to be heated by solar energy.
  • A filter– Before water is pumped through the collector, it’s vital to remove any leaves, debris, and dirt present. A filter helps get rid of any occurring debris.
  • Dirty filters use a lot of power to circulate the water. In order to maintain a solar pool effectively, you need to ensure that the cartridge filter is clean. Check https://roboticpoolcleanerscompared.com/ for more tips on how to maintain filters for optimal functioning.
  • A flow control valve– when you have plans to install a solar pool heater, one requires an automatic or manual device to divert water to the solar collector.

Working of a Solar Pool Heater

Pool water is pumped to the collector. Before water gets to the collector, it goes through a filter to remove any leaves, debris, and dirt.  In the solar collector, the water is heated by the sun before it’s returned to the pool.  If you live in a hot climate area, the collector can be used to cool the pool during summer months.  This is possible if you circulate water through the collector at night.

With a flow control valve, water is diverted to the collector the moment the collector temperature is higher than that of the pool.  However, when the collector temperature is equal to the pool’s temperature, the filtered water only bypasses the collector before it’s returned to the pool.

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Solar pool collectors vary in type and material used depending on your climate and also how you purpose to use the collector.  Unglazed collector systems are best when you mainly use your pool when the temperature is above the freezing point.  These types of collectors do not have a glass covering (The glazing). Such collectors are made of heavy plastic treated with UV light inhibitors or heavy-duty rubbers.

Due to their inexpensive designs and parts, unglazed collectors are less expensive when compared to their glazed counterparts.  If you have an indoor pool, unglazed collectors are also effective, especially when designed to drain back to the pool when they not in use.

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Unglazed collectors are the best option considering they are cost-effective and easy to install.  Note the type of collector you use in your pool highly influences how effective your solar pool heater is. Now that you understand unglazed pool heaters are unmatched when it comes to performance let’s now look at how to buy the best solar pool heater.

Selecting the right collector can be a daunting task but for the best results, make sure you choose the right heater. Most people buy the right solar pool heater, which makes the whole process a waste of time and money. To correct this problem, lets us look at how one should select a solar pool heater.

How to Select the Right Solar Pool Heater?

Buying a solar pool heater can be an expensive exercise considering it might cost you between $3,000 and $4,000. A car title loan can be the perfect way to cover those costs and keep your pool heated year- round. Once you install a good solar heater, it provides a payback of 7 to years depending on the quality of the solar and how it was installed among other factors.

Before you buy and install any solar heating system, make sure you look into the following

  • Evaluate your site’s solar resource – This is an important consideration bearing in mind the effectiveness of a solar pool heater depends on the amount of solar energy that reaches your pool.
  • Sizing a solar pool heater – The size of a solar pool heating system is determined by several factors.  For example, you need to consider your pool size, length of the swimming season, collector efficiency, desired pool temperature, and average regional temperatures.
  • Sitting a solar pool heating system on a collector – This is another major factor one should look at considering collectors have to be mounted on roofs or anywhere near the pool for better orientation and exposure.
  • Checking the efficiency of the solar pool heater – one should also consider how efficient a given heater is before buying by checking the heater’s thermal performance rating.  A thermal performance rating is either measured in Btu (British thermal unit) or megajoules (MJ) per square meter.
  • Comparing solar swimming pool heating system cost – Before making a purchase, one should estimate and compare the cost associated with different solar heater models.  To estimate and compare cost, one should look at the total installation cost, the number of collector panels required to heat your pool, and a collector’s thermal performance rating.
  • Building codes and costs – one should also take time to consider installation costs before buying a solar pool heater.
  • Installation and maintenance – One should also be considerate about how a solar pool heating system will be installed before buying. The installation process depends on several factors such as climate, building codes requirements, and safety issues. After installation, one should also consider how the system will be maintained considering proper maintenance; solar pool heaters can run smoothly for 5-10 years.

For best results, there are a few practices adopted when installing a solar pool heater. One of these practices involves using unglazed collectors which are cheap yet effective. Additionally, pool owners are advised to go for top-rated solar pool heaters available on sale.

Evaluate Your Current Pool Maintenance Costs

It is also beneficial to think about how much you’re currently spending on your pool, between pool chemicals, water, and electric costs of running the pump. There’s also always the potential for pools to leak and cause flood damage in homes, for which you need to have a reserve, or extra monthly insurance cost. Once you know your pool’s current monthly cost, it’s easier to determine the real value that a solar pool heater can provide.

Tool Required for Installation

When installing a solar pool heater, there are several tools one should use.  Most of these tools are also vital as they highly influence how a solar pool heater works.   These tools include:

  • A solar collector
  • A filter
  • A pump
  • A flow control valve

ROI of Commercial Solar Panels for Business Owners

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The way business owners think about solar panels has changed. Less than ten years ago, businesses were concerned about whether solar power would provide them with the energy they need. Now, that question is almost never asked, because it’s been answered. Two of the biggest companies in the world, Google and Walmart, have installed dozens of solar plants at their headquarters. Solar energy has been shown to work well for big business. Now florida llc want to know how solar panels can provide them with a strong ROI.

It’s said money doesn’t grow on trees, but in the case of solar panels, it does fall from the sky.

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Commercial Solar Panels Decrease Energy Costs

Solar panels cut down on the amount of energy you pay for, because all day every day, you’re producing your own.

There is a common misconception that solar panels only work when the sun is blaring but this isn’t the case. Even on an average day in the depths of a British Winter, solar panels produce enough energy.

When you generate your own solar power, you only have to switch to the National Grid at night. With most small businesses using less power at night, this can offer huge savings.

More than that, small business owners protect themselves from losses due to energy price increases. As the cost of using the National Grid rises, solar panels save a small business owner more and more money.

Generate a Passive Income

Feed-in-tariffs (FIT) offer a big ROI for business owners who want to install solar panels. FIT is a government scheme which intends to encourage people to adopt low-carbon and renewable energy technologies, by paying them to do so.

Under FIT, every unit of energy your solar PV system generates is paid for whether you use that energy or not, and you’re paid for any energy your system produces that goes back into the national grid.

This allows small business owners to generate a passive income for twenty years, guaranteed by the UK government. As if it couldn’t get any better, all the money earned under FIT is completely tax free.

The Cost of Installation Has Decreased

Many small business owners were reluctant to switch to solar panels because of the high initial outlay. Since the launch of the FIT scheme, the cost of installation has decreased dramatically, which means business owners will see their solar panels generate returns faster now than at any other point.

There are plenty of subsidies available to those who are looking to install commercial solar panels, because the government wants renewable energy to work for individuals and businesses. This also means the return on investment for solar panel technologies is at a high.

Helping the Environment Helps Your Business

If businesses are looking for sustainable and long-term growth, thinking conscientiously about the environment is crucial. With global temperatures rising, the rising costs of food and energy are going to have a massive impact on how consumers spend their money.

Solar panels have low maintenance cost

Switching to sustainable energy now has a positive impact on the ecosystem, which protects the pockets of consumers of your products for years to come. Decreased outgoings for energy means greater savings, and a show of environmental care can increase your prestige in a crowded market.

The Return on Investment

The safest commercial solar panels for investment cost very little to maintain once they’re installed, and can last up to thirty years. The estimated savings for residential properties over a twenty-year period is around £9,000, and for commercial properties that figure extends even higher; a small business can look to save £16,000.

No planning permission is required for businesses to install solar panels, saving you time which can save you money. Low installation costs, a decrease in energy outgoings and the generation of a passive income means the ROI of solar panels is higher now than at any other point. Solar energy works wonders for your business and the planet.

Why You Should Be Investing in Solar Panels?

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The future is green, and it’s more important to get on board with it than ever before. The past year has seen countless climate change related natural disasters, from the recent devastating mega-fires in California to frequent hurricanes sweeping the US and the Caribbean.

Solar panels are becoming much more accessible, for homeowners and for businesses. Traditional roof-rack solar panels can now be installed for as little as around $3,000, and are practically a no-brainer due to the energy savings you’ll make over time (you could even totally eliminate your electricity bill). Not to mention that you’ll be doing your part to help the environment in our planet’s time of need.

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Solar panels are becoming more accessible, for homeowners and businesses

If you’ve always found chunky solar panels ugly and off-putting, business magnate Elon Musk has a solution. His electric car and solar panel company Tesla has recently unveiled invisible solar roof tiles. The tiles look exactly like normal roof slates, but capture the sun’s energy without drawing attention. These tiles are paving the way to normalizing sustainable, beautiful eco-homes.

To further convince you about seriously considering installing solar panels for your home, check out our list of top reasons why solar panels will benefit your household or business.

Slash Your Energy Bills

After the initial investment of purchasing the panels and installation, the energy produced is all yours. Even if you consume more energy than your panels can produce, you’ll make drastic savings on what you are currently paying by purchasing all your electricity from the grid.

You’ll make even more amazing savings if you live in a sunny state or country – prices in Brisbane, Australia, are particularly low to purchase and install solar panels. And as the city enjoys on average 261 days of sun per year, panels there will produce more than enough energy to power homes all year round.

Energy costs are only set to rise and rise – meaning that by investing in solar panels now, you’ll never feel the strain of your electricity bills going up again. This is an especially smart idea for business owners with fluctuating income, as you can more easily predict your cashflow with fixed energy prices.

Increase the Value of Your Home

If you are open to the possibility of moving to a new house in the future, you will be able to sell your current property at an increased value by equipping it with solar panels. It’s an attractive prospect for buyers if a potential home comes with very small or no electricity bills, so you’ll be making a huge return on your investment in this way, too.

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Note: Be wary of ‘renting your roof’ to solar panel companies if you can’t afford to purchase the panels outright. You may want to ‘go green’ in any way you can, but buying panels is by far the most practical way to enjoy the benefits. The lengthy leases that come with rental panel contracts (often 25 years) have been seen to put off mortgage lenders.

It’s highly recommended that if you want to benefit from free electricity and help the environment with solar, you should save up first to increase the value of your property – not render it unsellable.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

As we said, it’s never been so important to do your bit to save our eco-system. The polar ice caps are melting faster than has ever been recorded, and the earth is suffering terrible effects. As well as hurricanes and fires, we’ve also experienced floods, earthquakes and landslides all over the world this year.

In the large scheme of things, installing solar panels doesn’t seem like it will help much, but if everyone did their part to be more eco-conscious, we could significantly reduce the strain of destructive fossil fuels on the environment. By equipping your property with solar panels, you will save money while making steps to saving the environment – a tough offer to turn down!

Utilizing green energy within your business has even better rewards. Marketing your business as eco-conscious and sustainable is a great way to attract customers and impress existing ones. In recent years, studies into consumer activity have found that sustainability is a big shopping priority, especially among the millennial generation. Corporate solar panels will increase your revenue by expanding your customer base AND saving your business’s energy bills.

So – what are you waiting for? Contact a solar energy company today, who will be more than happy to assist you on your green energy journey.

Benefits of Solar Lighting in Gardens

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When it comes to your home, it is natural that you want it to look great. However, it is not just the interior of your property you need to focus on but also the exterior. If you love to spend time in your garden, there are various ways in which you can make it look better. One of these is to use the right lighting and for many people, this means investing in solar lights for the garden.

Choosing solar lights offers a range of benefits including making a big difference to the overall appearance of your garden by using these lights. There are many different designs and types of solar lights, which means you can find the perfect ones for your garden. If interested to get one, bestoftools.com has reviewed the best solar-powered garden lights and many other useful gardening tools.In this article, we will look at some of the key benefits of using solar lights for your garden.

Key Benefits of Solar Lighting in Gardens

There are multiple benefits you can look forward to when you choose solar lighting for your garden rather than other types of lighting. One of the key benefits is financial, as you can expect far lower bills from your energy company if the lights you use are solar powered according to an expert from Provision Power & Gas. The great thing about this is that you can enjoy having a garden that looks beautiful and lights up as it gets darker, yet you won’t have to worry about your energy bill rising.

Another great thing about choosing solar lights is that you can do your part for the environment. When you turn to solar lighting, you can draw on the energy from the sun to light up your garden and make it look more attractive. We all need to do our part when it comes to the planet and by conserving energy by using natural sources, you won’t have to worry about wasting energy and paying higher bills as a result. Everyone wants their garden to look nice so they can enjoy pleasant surroundings when outdoors, and this is a great way to make your garden look magical.

Of course, one of the key reasons people choose solar lights is so they can boost the aesthetic appeal of their garden. With so many different lights to choose from, you can select the perfect ones for your garden. This includes everything from outdoor fairy lights through to ground lights, hanging solar lanterns, and much more. The right lights will help to add not only light to your garden but also color and stunning beauty.

Transforming Your Outdoor Areas

By investing in solar lighting, you can help to transform your outdoor areas and enjoy having a wonderful place to relax. You can use solar lighting both at the front and back of your home so you can help to improve the appearance of all of your outdoor space. The simplicity of these lights makes them even more appealing, as you simply need to position them in the right place where they can get plenty of sun during the day.

On-Grid Vs Off Grid: Choose the Best Power for Your Home

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While fuel and electricity costs rise, many households are moving to solar power systems. The easiest solution that one can find is to opt for solar panel systems.

Curious about what solar panel systems are?

Sunshine is available to using abundance, and solar systems use efficient technology to harvest and turn this energy into electricity with pre-defined methods. Solar power panels serve the purpose of collecting solar energy and converting it through the photovoltaic (PV) effect into electric power. Many homes have a roof or backyard, which can be used for installing solar systems to generate electricity.

A home solar system must provide ample electrical energy to meet all home power needs. It provides AC power, as typically all households use AC power to operate lighting systems, electronics, appliances and machinery such as machines, refrigerators, mixers, fans, air conditioners, TVs and music systems.vThe price of the home solar power plant varies on its size and type.

On-grid and off-grid solar systems come in two types of solar power plants. Let’s look at the difference between the two:

1. Off-Grid Solar System

An off-grid solar system is well designed to generate enough power throughout the year to meet the needs of a household, even in the depths of winter, when there is less sunshine. However, since there is no electricity grid connection to an off-grid solar system, battery storage is necessary.

The high cost of batteries and inverters implies that the off-grid solar system is costly than the alternatives, so they are usually needed only in more remote areas far from the grid. Nevertheless, battery costs are reducing at a high rate, so the demand for an off-grid solar system is now increasing, even in cities and towns.

Advantages of An Off-Grid Solar System

  • Such an off-grid solar system can function independently and not rely on the grid.
  • They generate enough electricity that can be collected and used at night.
  • These are suitable for remote areas that do not have grid power access.
  • Shutdowns and infrastructure faults won’t affect the power supply.

2. On-Grid Solar System

On-grid solar systems are the most widely solar product used by homeowners. Such systems do not need batteries and are connected to the public electricity grid and use solar inverters. Any surplus solar power you produce is sold to the electricity grid, and the energy you sell is usually paid a feed-in tariff (FiT) or credits.

Solar inverters are an essential part of a residential solar energy system, convert the electricity your solar panels create into a form that can be used by the appliances, lighting, and other electronics. Learn more about solar inverters here.

Unlike an off-grid solar system, because of safety reasons, these are unable to work or generate electricity during a blackout. Because blackouts usually occur when the electricity grid is disabled, if the solar inverter had fed energy into a broken grid, it would endanger the safety of the people fixing the network’s faults. Most on-grid solar systems with battery storage can separate itself from the grid (known as islanding) and continue to supply some power during a blackout.

Advantages of An On-Grid Solar System

  • On-grid solar systems are incredibly cost-effective and easy to install.
  • By balancing electricity bills in just 3-8 years, you can recoup the cost of your expenditures.
  • Residential users can earn a passive income for the surplus energy generated by the system.

Choose Between On-Grid Vs Off-Grid Solar Systems to Fit Your Needs

Solar power systems are a form of clean, renewable energy, and they have many benefits depending on the type of system you chose. Knowing the advantages of both an on-grid and off-grid solar system, you can select the one according to your needs. With the right solar system and proper installation, you can have clean and cost-effective energy, without being worried about maintenance problems.

Degradation of Solar Panels – 4 Main Causes

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With the continued hikes in Australian energy bills, deciding to use solar panels to help with or replace your electricity supply seems a sound option. The downside is the considerable investment which makes the question of how long do solar panels last in Australia under typical weather and climate conditions reasonable to ask.

The problem with this question is how you and the manufacturer define normal conditions, as these will vary considerably from area to area. Rather, when looking at the lifespan of solar panels, we should look into the materials used in their construction and the overall manufacturing quality.

How To Improve Solar Panel Efficiency

What are the 4 Main Factors Affecting the Degradation of Solar Panels

Many factors affect solar panel longevity; however, the principal elements for degradation can be distilled down into four leading causes.

Probably the most obvious is manufacturing quality, but there are also less obvious factors that also can have considerable impact on solar panel lifespan. These include light-induced degradation, potential-induced degradation, and aging.

Each of these factors on its own can shorten a panel’s lifespan but generally, it is a combination of all these factors that will have the biggest impact.

1. What is Light-Induced Degradation

Although light is the element that the solar panel turns into energy, it can also be the cause of some of the most severe reasons for degradation in a solar panel. They generally occur during the installation phase, and so severe issues will typically be flagged up at this point.

Light-induced degradation affects every solar panel. This type of degradation has three forms: initial light-degradation, direct light-induced, and ultraviolet light-induced. All three of them significantly affect the efficiency and expected lifespan of your solar panels.

Direct Light-Induced Degradation

Direct light-induced degradation usually occurs during the installation process of the solar panels. The problems are caused by direct sunlight.

The light intensity damages the photovoltaic cell’s electrical components from the heat it generates before the panel is connected to the system. The result is the cell’s photovoltaic can distort and become misshapen, which reduces the overall efficiency of the panel in question.

Although, in some circumstances, particularly with poorly manufactured panels, usually the effect is minor and expected. Once the panels are installed and connected to the system, further problems are generally the result of aging.

Initial light-degradation and Ultraviolet Light

Initial light-degradation happens when the panels are first exposed to the sun, and a reaction takes place between the outside environment and the crystalline silicon cells. For well-made panels, this is minor and only lasts a few hours.

As the panels are exposed to the sunlight the constant exposure ultraviolet (UV) rays will degrade the photovoltaic cells within as well as forming a layer of boron dioxide on the surface, bringing down the efficiency. The choice of photovoltaic cell within the panel can have a huge bearing on the degradation with cheaper thin-fil or polycrystalline performing less well.

2. Potential-Induced Degradation

Another form of degradation that can affect solar panels is ‘potential-induced degradation.’ Unlike the forms of light-induced degradation we have discussed above, potential-induced degradation is not inevitable and is usually related to the quality of components in and manufacture of the solar panel.

Potential-induced degradation takes place when the voltages between the photovoltaic cells and frame do not align. This ends up resulting in the energy being produced leaking, making the panels far less efficient as they send less voltage to the inverter.

3. Age-Related Decay

Photovoltaic cells inside the solar panel will gradually perform less well as time passes. The older they become the less energy they produce, ultimately making them inefficient; according to research, for good-quality panels, this works out to be 0.5% a year.

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In addition, the overall condition of the panel can deteriorate because of weather conditions. Solar panels that are subject to climate conditions that go between extreme fare less well, and areas that are prone to violent hailstorms can also result in damage and loss of efficiency.

4. Manufacturing Quality

Although we have left manufacturing quality to last it is almost certainly the most important factor. All of the previous factors that impact the condition of a solar panel and their efficiency can be lessened with better quality panels.

When purchasing, solar panel quality should be top of the list of requirements. You should look for panels that have monocrystalline photovoltaic cells as these have greater durability. You should also ensure the panel’s efficiency is A-rated as these convert more than 20% more sunlight. Finally, it would help if you looked for independent quality mark ratings.

Conclusion

As we have seen, the answer to how long do solar panels last depends on how each degradation factor affects the solar panel. If you purchase well you should get at least 25 years of usage out of a panel. If you don’t not, you could be looking to replace them in half that time!

The quality of the materials and production of the panel can directly affect the other factors that impact on its longevity. Poorly made panels can impact the chance of potential-induced degradation occurring, as well as the amount of light-related degradation that occurs.

Indeed it can also influence how well the panel ages in climatic conditions. Buying cheap is very likely to be a false economy and necessitate the early replacement of your panels.

3 Major Benefits of Using Solar Inverter as a Primary Source of Residential Energy

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In recent years, the solar inverter market has witnessed a surge in demand. That’s because  people have started realizing the benefits of switching to solar energy for residential as well as commercial use. Even the central and state governments are stressing on the need to switch to solar energy. They are even offering various subsidies for installing solar power systems on both residential and commercial properties. So why do you think the government is encouraging the shift from local grids to solar energy. Well, in this post, we discuss just that. Listed below are three important reasons/benefits of using a solar inverter as a primary source source of residential energy. Let’s read on:

benefits of solar inverter

1. It is a clean source of energy

While one of the reasons for shifting from fossil fuels to solar is that fossil fuels are exhaustible and are not going to last forever, an even more significant reason for this shift is that unlike fossil fuels that cause a lot of pollution, solar energy is a clean and green source of energy. It helps reduce the carbon footprint which is the need of the hour. And this reflects in the way governments across the globe have been encouraging renewable sources of energy.

India, too, is not an exception, and that is evident from the fact that the Indian government is providing subsidies for installing solar inverter systems. And the good thing is that many people across the country have already started installing solar inverter systems on their residential and commercial properties. So, if you too want to do your bit towards making the Earth a better place to live, go solar!

2. It helps save a lot of money

Well, if you have been worried about the initial investment cost of installing a solar inverter system, we already told you that the Government of India provides subsidies for installing solar inverter systems. And if this reason is not enough let us also tell you that one of the major benefits of installing a solar inverter system is that you are able to generate electricity for free. That’s because the solar energy from the Sun is a free source of energy.

Also, the yearly savings that most households make after installing solar inverter systems are such that they are able to recover their initial cost of investment within 6-7 years. And since the average lifespan of a solar inverter system is anywhere between 15 to 20 years, it means that one is able to make substantial returns on their investment once they have recovered their initial investment cost.

Now isn’t that an awesome reason for you to take the plunge?

3. It provides relief from long and frequent power cuts

Here’s another major benefit of installing a solar inverter system. If you live in an area where there are long and frequent power cuts and even the normal UPS inverter is not of much help, then installing a solar inverter system will help you reduce your dependence on your local grid. In fact, solar inverter systems have gained a lot of popularity in areas where there’s no local grid.

For example, you may be aware of the latest trend of people buying vacation homes at faraway locations. Most of these locations lack a local grid, and therefore, people rely on solar inverter systems for their energy needs.

Ready to make a move?

If you haven’t shifted to solar already, it’s high time you make a move. We suggest you to get in touch with the solar experts’ team at a reputable brand such as Luminous India and they would walk you through the process of choosing the right solar inverter system for your residential property.

The Unending Benefits of Solar Street Lights

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Solar power is getting increasing popularity as a dependable source for street lighting all over the world. Some of the benefits associated with solar street lights include reduced dependence on conventional energy, conservation of energy and less reliance on the national grid. In countries experiencing abundance of sunlight, solar lights are the best option to illuminate the streets, garden, parks and other public spaces.

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Solar-powered lights are a perfect eco-friendly green lighting solution

Nowadays, solar street lights are powered by PV panels, in-built battery, LED lights and smart sensors, all integrated into a single compact unit. Solar LED street lights have emerged as a cost-effective and environment-friendly to light up roads and public spaces. LED lights are widely acknowledged for energy conservation, are long-lasting and good-looking, and are maintenance-free. These characteristics make LED-based solar street lights well-suited for commercial as well as domestic lighting applications.

Key Features

A modern solar street light has embedded solar panel, inbuilt lithium-ion batteries, battery management system, night and motion sensors as well as automatic controls. The fully automatic device comes with LEDs, inbuilt and replaceable Lithium-ion battery and passive infrared (PIR) sensors. A typical solar street light is weather-proof and water-resistant, has low insect attraction rate and low glare and has a longer life.

The embedded solar panel converts solar power into electrical energy which is stored in the inbuilt battery, and used for dusk-to-dawn lighting operations. The main innovation of modern solar street lights is the battery management system which is facilitated by the presence of night and motion sensors.

During the first 5 hours of night, the system works at average lumens brightness. Subsequently, the intensity of the light reduces till dawn or until PIR sensor is activated by human movement. When people are within a certain radius away from the light, it automatically turns to its full brightness. This smart feature makes solar street lights device a perfect combination of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Solar powered lights have been tried and successfully tested in a wide variety of domestic and commercial applications. The device is well-suited for lighting up streets, courtyards, gardens, parks, compounds, boundary walls, car parks etc. in an eco-friendly and cost-effective manner.

Unending Benefits

Due to off-grid nature of solar street lights, solar street lights incur minimal operational costs. Such lights are wireless in nature and are independent of the utility company. Compared to conventional street lights, solar street lights require almost zero maintenance.

Due to the absence of external wires, these lights do not pose any threat of accidents like electrocution, strangulation and overheating. Infact, solar lights illuminate the streets throughout the night irrespective of power cuts and grid failures.

Solar street lights are a delight for environmentalists around the world as it can provide significant lowering of carbon footprint of individuals, homes and businesses. In other words, solar-powered lights are a perfect green lighting solution. In terms of cost, solar street lights are a better investment than conventional street lights if the capital as well as O&M costs are considered.

How to Get the Most Out Of Your Solar Power System

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So you made the environmentally and financially sound decision of going off the grid, now what? If you’re wondering how to make the most of converting to the wonderful renewable resource that is solar power then you’ve come to the right place. Solar power is a fantastic and eco-friendly alternative to using fossil-fuel-based electricity but it does take some work to get it running optimally. If you didn’t know this then don’t feel bad, consumerism is largely based on overconsumption and, ultimately, wastage – that is what has been drilled into us over the years. Here are a few tips for getting the most from your new solar power household or workplace.

1. Reduce Your Consumption

It’s no good converting your home or office to solar power if your appliances are electricity guzzlers. Start by replacing the most power-hungry models first, these will be a massive drain on your power supply and that is simply not sustainable when you’re running off of solar power alone.

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An old refrigerator uses almost four times the electricity of a new one

If you can’t replace those older appliances for their newer and more energy-efficient counterparts then you should at least only be using them once a day and one at a time.

2. Replace Obsolete Lighting

Do a lighting audit on your solar-powered home, vacation home or office and replace all of the lights that use the old type of energy-hungry bulbs, or if you can, replace just the bulbs with more energy-efficient ones.

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Lighting is one of the biggest contributors to power consumption when the bulbs are all filament globes. Filament globes produce heat as a by-product of creating light and this heat accounts for almost 90% of the total energy wasted by these bulbs. Take advantage of solar incentives in Oregon and get rewarded for living more responsibly.

3. Invest In a Gas Geyser

Your solar power system was not cheap but it will never be able to keep up if it is expected to run your electric water heater all day, every day. Invest in a gas geyser that will not use the stored energy from your solar panels but instead use gas.

The other benefit of gas geysers is they give you instant hot water so you will reduce your water consumption at the same time as reducing your power consumption.

4. Take Advantage of the Daylight

Use appliances that require the most energy during the day when your solar power is in full swing. Stagger the usage of these appliances because if you try and use them all at once they will drain more power than your solar power system is capable of producing because your energy requirements will be too high.

5. Invest In Solar Batteries

Installing solar power is just the first step in investing in a total solar energy system. The best way to make the most of your solar system is to buy solar batteries to go with it. These batteries will maximize your solar consumption by reducing the amount of electricity you will need to purchase from the grid.

solar-battery-storage

They do this by providing a safe place in which to store the solar energy collected during the day for use later in the evening. Solar batteries are a necessary upgrade for homeowners with solar-powered systems.

6. Cancel Standby Modes

A lot of electrical devices like TVs, laptops and Wi-Fi’s use electricity even when they’re not in use. It might not seem like much at the time but all of that extra power consumption adds up every year and it is completely wasted. You can save on the power drawn from your solar-powered system by unplugging those devices when they are not in use.

The same applies to charging your devices, make the most of the sunlight hours by putting these devices onto charge during the day and unplugging them in the evenings. You can also charge things like power banks during the day so that you can use them to charge your devices at night instead of conventional electricity.

7. Get a Gas Stove

Cooking is one of the biggest power-draining activities around, especially with a fully electric stove and oven. Switch to a gas-powered stove and watch your electricity consumption drastically reduce.

natural-gas-applications

Gas stoves, like gas water heaters, provide an instantaneous flame, so your pots and pans will heat up so much quicker than a conventional stove. This will save your solar power system from the massive evening drain that comes with making dinner, as well as have your dinner cooked much faster than normal.

Considerations When Buying a Vacation Rental with Solar Panels

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It’s possible that one of the properties you’re considering for purchase as a vacation rental will have solar panels already installed. This can be a positive marketing point for your property in today’s increasingly environmentally conscious world.

Installed correctly, solar panels can be aesthetically pleasing. Their presence is also one of the first things people will notice about a property. So, when you get to the stage of when you’re ready to start the financing process of investing in a particular vacation rental property with solar panels, here are a couple of things you’ll need to consider as a part of your vetting process.

vacation rental with solar system

How Were They Financed?

Your first consideration will be how the panels were financed. The easiest scenario is when the owner of the property financed the panels themselves. Solar panels can add a lot of value to the property. Although the value of the panels decreases with the age of the installation, newly installed panels can add up to nearly $30,000 of value to a home.

If possible, see if you can get an idea of what the previous owner’s utilities ran prior to installation of the panels, and after. This will give you concrete information about how much the panels are saving on the electric bills.

What is the Size of the System?

You’ll also want to have an inspector give you an idea of the size of the solar system. If the previous tenants worked from home and had several family members, the installation is probably more than adequate for a vacation rental property. A smaller system for one or two people might need enhancements. Lower utility bills will allow you to charge less for your property.

What if the Panels were Leased?

Sometimes the property owner doesn’t have the money upfront to pay for the panels, so they finance them by leasing. This situation is not necessarily something that should cause you to automatically pass on the property. It’s important to find out the age of the lease. It’s possible the finance period is almost over. In this case, the cost of taking over the lease will be minimal.

There are a couple of points open for negotiation here. You can work with the finance company to see if you can reduce the amount remaining on the lease. Or you could have the remaining amount on the lease included in the selling price. The cost of solar panels is expected to go down by as much as a third by 2024, so the amounts under consideration can be expected to be less as time goes on.

Have the Panels Inspected

As in any potential property purchase, having the panels inspected prior to signing on the dotted line is mandatory. You’ll want to get an overhead inspection of the panels, which can be done by drone. Make sure the drone has a thermal camera to check for an initial check for defects.

You’ll want to perform the solar panel inspection on a sunny day. This way any defects, such as hot spots, will be more easily detected. The optimum time for such inspections is in the morning or late afternoon, to reduce glare off of the panels. If the sun is directly overhead, you may get too much glare off them and the inspection won’t be able to show you anything.

If possible, do a second drone inspection with an RGB (visible light)  camera. This inspection will turn up the presence of debris on the panels. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It can simply mean that the panels are due for a cleaning, something that hopefully has been a part of the regular maintenance of the panels.

Is There Enough Sunlight?

Another aspect of existing solar panels to consider is whether there is adequate sunlight to support them. If the panels were installed in an area shaded by trees, you not only may not be getting the full benefits of them but may have more cleaning costs associated with them.

If they are shaded because of geographical features on the property, you also may not get the full benefit of the panels.

Previously installed solar panels are not necessarily a negative when considering investing in that property as a vacation rental. They can be a great marketing point for your property as well as aesthetically pleasing. Just be sure to look into how they were financed, and get them inspected for general condition. This will ensure the panels are in good working order prior to you taking over the property.