Solar Panels and Self Sufficiency

Solar panels: taking us into the future

It can’t be denied that solar energy is sustainable; as long as there is a sun there will be power to harness. As more and more people catch on to the idea of solar panels being the smart way to supplement their power needs, there are more and more innovations within the field. An average home can expect to save a substantial amount of money on its electricity bills by installing a solar heating or electricity system and this requires only a reasonable outlay. But what about the people who are brave enough to experiment? To take things further and to push the limits of what is “normal” or socially acceptable? Many more people today are planning or building their own homes than was once the norm; as these people seek out the best materials and systems it is undeniable that solar energy often leaps out as a fantastic way to build a home which not only makes sense financially but also goes some way to securing the environment and reducing carbon emissions.

Solar panels and thinking outside the box

There have and will always be, people who think outside the box with regards to the fundamentals of life. In Beijing for instance it is accepted as a fact that space is at a premium and rents are high, there is not always a huge choice with regards to location and square footage! One innovative and undeniably brave man decided that using solar panels and some ingenuity could free him from the burden of over priced apartments and give him the lifestyle he craved. The young architect built an “Egg Home” from little more than bamboo, bags of grass seed and some solar panels. The structure was only a little over six feet in length and the solar panels powered nothing more than a lamp; this basic but ingenious build was to be the mans home for a number of months and it arguably freed him from high rents and long commutes; this is only one, if rather extreme example of how solar energy can benefit the brave.

The suburban “House of Solar Panels”

 A more reasonable but nonetheless life changing build comes from the USA where a New Jersey man has reinvented his traditional style home to be completely free of utility bills. This house has its own “Power centre” in the garage and boasts 56 solar panels upon its roof. By a process of converting water into hydrogen as a compliment to the energy supplied by solar power, the owner of the home is now totally self sufficient.

On an average day, the solar panels on the roof of the house are able to create energy which amounts to around 90kw hours worth of electricity; since the owner of the house estimates that only around 10kw hours of electricity are consumed in a typical day by the household, he has plenty left over for night time usage; the remainder is stored in batteries and is ingeniously used to power an “Electrolyser” which is a device for turning basic tap-water into hydrogen. The hydrogen created is stored and then used during the darker winter period to power the homes electrical goods. There is no waste as the water which remains is used again. Innovators like this are paving the way for more ordinary homes to begin sharing in the abundance of energy which is available right now. Clever use of complimentary devices are freeing people from heavy utility bills and giving people the chance to be totally self sufficient.