DIY Solar Power

The Prius, Toyota’s flagship hybrid vehicle, is set to get a solar system upgrade for its latest version (version 3) scheduled for release in 2010.

The Prius which is a hybrid vehicle which runs on Toyota’s hybrid synergy drive, will come equipped with a roof covered entirely in solar panels.

Disappointingly the panels will only provide power for the cars air-conditioning unit, in order to reduce energy consumption and reduce the load on the motor vehicles electrical system.

Whilst this doesnt represent a huge step forward to the goal of running production vehicles on solar energy it is nevertheless a small step, one which we hope other motor vehicle production companies will follow suite

Check out the following link on how you can get involved in moving toward solar energy and creat your own solar panels Home Made Solar Power

The future of our current energy resources is a bleak one. Not only are we chewing up our finite energy sources at a rate of consumption never seen before, we are also faced with rising costs and being at the whim of politically unstable countries. Add to this the likelihood that China and India are set to become a couple of the world’s most wealthy countries and the resulting massive increase in energy consumption from their people taking up electrical appliances and motor vehicles that they could not afford before, is frightening both in terms of the fuel being used up and the massive increased detrimental environmental impact.

As we move deeper into the inevitable worsening economic situation we are all currently faced with, it seem logical that we turn to energy resource that are cheap, renewable, locally harvested and environmentally friendly in nature.

One such product that can fulfill all these requirements is DIY Solar Power. DIY (which stands for “Do It Yourself”) Solar Power is fast gaining popularity. There are several major companies that sell DIY solar power kits and an equally large number of companies which sell DIY solar power guides.

For most households on a budget the DIY solar power guides are the cheapest alternative. Priced at around $40 they represent excellent value for money. The guides, often delivered in video as well as written (illustrated) format, show you what materials you need to assemble your own solar panels and generator for under $200, as well as where you can source them (surprisingly your local hardware store should stock all of the necessary components).

Once assembles the DIY solar power kits require little to no maintenance (the little refers to the mess our feathered friends might leave behind from time to time). The money saved can be staggering. Depending on the number of solar panels you produce, you can save as much as 80% off your power bill, as well as allowing yourself the luxury of being less frugal with your energy consumption and providing you peace of mind in the knowledge you are playing your part in keeping the environment healthy.

To check out the best DIY Solar Power guides available today check out the following link diy solar power kits reviewed

As stated before here at SolarPowerDIY.info we will be taking a look from time to time into other alternative energy sources as well as our main focus which is solar energy. Today we take a look at the idea of changing to electric powered cars and other vehicles (also known as PHEV’s) to help off set the rising cost (financial, environmental and political) of traditional fossil fuels.

Filling up at the gas station is becoming an extremely expensive necessity. With sky rocketing fuel prices and uncertain / uneasy foreign relations with the major oil companies, most of the worlds western countries are for the first time starting to take alternative energies and concepts such as electric powered cars seriously.

Added to the economic and political issues are the increasingly alarming environmental issues, particularly the harmful effects of carbon emissions given off by the combustion of fossil fuels. Added to this we have the concern that fossil fuels is an extremely slow renewing energy source, one which we are using up much faster than can generated, which in turn leads us to fuel shortages.

It is no surprise then, that governments and the major players in the energy stakes are starting to pour money into the researching and development of alternative energies for our transport needs, in particular natural gas, solar and electric powered cars.

Electricity, whilst not the cleanest of fuel sources, is much, much cleaner than fossil fuels its also much cheaper, is locally produced and regulated, which means we are not held to ransom by foreign countries in particular those with conflicting political ideologies, even more reasons to move to electric powered cars.

With the likely shift to solar power for residential energy needs, there will be more than enough electricity resources available to run our electric powered cars.

Currently our cars spew out massive amounts of carbon emissions, these emissions are next to impossible to thwart as they are being given of by millions of cars all over the globe. Alarmingly the numbers of car owners on earth looks set to triple as the residents of the increasingly wealthy china move for the first time into car ownership. Producing electric powered cars on the other hand makes the task of controlling emissions much simpler as the majority of emissions would be generated at power plants, this in turn leads to localized emission hot spots which would be much easier to control.

Over the next few articles we will take a further look into the pros and cons of gas, solar and electric powered cars and vehicles.

In the meantime you can help the environment and save some money by looking into DIY Solar power

You cannot define renewable energy that easily. It is the general term used for a whole range of unconventional energy sources, so the definition has to be all-encompassing. As most experts put it, renewable energy is any energy source that occurs naturally and very widely.

Nuclear power is the origin for most renewable energy sources. This nuclear power is the one from the sun. In a huge nuclear reaction, the sun creates energy in form of light and heat which we can use in the form of natural energy. The sun is the number one source of solar power, wind power and biomass energy. Many call fossil fuels for biomass energy but it’s limited and have several calamitous side effects.

The US federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory has a good renewable energy program that researches the latest energy-saving building techniques. Scientists have realized that energy efficiency is the way to go, and this body educates people in this aspect.

They cooperate with the leaders of the construction industry, highlight attempts to try to build using renewable energy and give information to producers as well as consumers how they can save money by using this type of energy. NREL also collaborate with agencies to set a rule of thumb for buildings and other energy consuming contrivances.

The use of renewable energy is beneficial for the our sadly polluted world. Wind and solar energy are two main types of this energy. Bio fuels, geothermal energy and wave or tidal power are fast becoming more popular in areas where they can be applied.

What is the difference between renewable and alternative energy?

Many people are not aware of the slight difference between the two. Renewable energy is essentially natural; it is the energy we can derive from the sun or wind or waves. Alternative energy, however, includes biofuels and nuclear energy sources which are not totally healthy options.

The infrastructure we have is suited for fossil fuels, even though renewable energy or green energy more cost effective. Our government has not been busy taking any steps to change things and go in for green energy sources. With the present situation worsening every day, we have to get a change really soon.

A good thing about fossil fuels is the easy way we can store the energy we get, a procedure that is more complicated with renewable or green energy sources. Solar power, for instance, is not that effective in cloudy weather. Without any wind, that source of energy cannot be made use of. This and the fact that initial costs to get energy from these unconventional sources are relatively high, have lent it a small drawback when we compare to traditional energy sources.

Whilst the primary focus of this blog is solar energy, it is certainly not the only alternative energy option out there. So over the next series of articles we will be taking a look into a number of alternative energies and the pros and cons associated with each type.

Just a few of the energy sources we will be looking into are

1. Wind Power
2. Solar Power
3. Geothermal Power
4. Hydroelectric
5. Hydrogen Power
6. Biodiesel
   
7. Other Gas driven energy’s

There are of course many others we will look into in the future as well as other more practical tips you can employ with existing power sources, to save both power and money. There are many simple things householders can do around the house everyday to save money and help the environment, see our article Top 10 Environmental and Money Saving Tips for more information

For now a good place to start may be taking a look back at one of our earlier articles on solar energy Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Power

I thought a good idea would be to kick of this blog with a Top 10 list!, so without further adue I present to you 10 Environmental and Money Saving Tips :

1. Switch your hot water system to solar, and insulate your hot water tank with an insulating jacket to trap the heat in, the jacket it pays for itself within months, after which time you will start to benefit from saving money. Check with your local government as many provide a substantial rebate on solar installation costs.
2. Buy smaller energy dependent devices if possible, for example buying a smaller car, smaller fridge, smaller heaters all use much less energy.
3. Consider buying a hybrid car or look for alternative fuel solutions and modifications such as water4gas or Making Biodiesel at Home.
4. Insulating your roof is one best ways to save money and energy, in most cases its a pretty simple DIY (Do It Yourself Project).
5. It’s estimated that around a third of heat is lost in a building via uninsulated cavity walls. If you install insulation in the cavities you can save literally hundreds of dollars a year as it reduces the need to maintain heating as once a room reaches a comfortable temperature, you can turn the heating appliances off or down for long periods of time as the insulation will maintain the temperature.
6. Fit a “water saver” fitting on your shower head to reduce the amount of surplus water that is lost and shower with a bucket in the shower, thats right! leave a bucket in the shower cubicle, I don’t mean shower using the bucket lol, but use it to catch the excess water, then you can reuse it in areas such as your garden, you will be surprised how much money you can save by doing this.
7. Get yourself a 4minute timer hourglass, the South Australian government recently issued these free to all households, taking a shower chews through around 15litres per minute, the average shower lasts 7 minutes per day, using the timer to knock 3 minutes of your shower time results in 45 liters being saved per person per day!
8. Double glazing cuts heat loss through windows by 50% and could cut your heating bill by a few hundred dollars a year. keep the heat out in the summer and the warm in in the winter, also has the added benefit of reducing noise, particularly good if you live in a busy area.
9. Fit your house out with Energy saving bulbs, Energy saving light bulbs not only help cut your energy costs  but they also last up to 10 times as long as conventional bulbs.
10. When buying appliances always check out the the more energy efficient products, most countries have a policy of labeling the energy efficiency rating of a product these days, in particular white goods.

So there you have it my top 10 Environmental and Money Saving Tips

What energy / money saving ideas do you use in your life… comment below and let us know!