Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Passive solar gives many affordable options

Solar energy is certainly the most popular clean energy source but is it also the best? People are becoming more interested into clean energy choices because our continued use of fossil fuels is leading to major environmental issues that threaten our future well-being, such as climate change.

There is a variety of different clean energy choices available today many of which are supported with tax benefits and other financial incentives from governments and local utilities which can decrease the costs tremendously. Throughout this article are the most important reasons why using passive solar is one of the wisest clean energy options.

Many people are not aware that they can begin to use solar without spending a penny, in fact, one will save money. This can be achieved by making passive solar choices, for instance by simply allowing the sun to pour in your windows in winter to help you heat and adding heavy thermal curtains in the summer to prevent overheating, can reduce your electric bill and is a viable way to take advantage of passive solar energy.

There are several inexpensive standalone solar technologies that give you an opportunity to make good use of the energy of the sun and save money in the process. Such is, for instance, a standalone outdoor solar lighting system that can be used to make your yard safer at night while saving you money on your electric bill.

You can utilize solar energy for various purposes in your yard and garden. As an example solar pool heaters and lights that are both very affordable as well as efficient. One can also purchase a floating solar heater for your pool that would simply give your existing system an assist. This sort of heater can also be used for specific purposes such as in garden ponds if the type of fish you keep cannot tolerate the winter temperatures in your area.
This concept was first studied by Socrates, a classical Greek philosopher, almost 2500 years ago. In early literature this concept is known as "Socratic House". "Socratic House" is a hypothetical description of energy efficient house. The essence of Socrates' studies was influence of the Sun movement to the shape, form and construction of a building.
People that are planning a new home can make tremendous use of passive solar power. There are many architects who know how to make the most use of energy efficient materials and window placement to help you heat and cool your home with the very least possible use of fossil fuels. Even though this type of construction is a bit more expensive at the outset, the amount of money you save in the long run will make your investment well worth it, because if you eventually decide to sell your estate it will worth more than the ones without this construction. Add to this many states and local governments that offer grants, rebates or other incentives and passive solar energy will certainly seem like a profitable option, particularly on the long run.

For any purpose that you do not have to run electrical wiring you can save a significant amount of money and you can improve your energy independence in the process. When choosing the site for your new home or getaway, look for property that has southern exposure and good solar insolation values in order to make your solar energy systems as cost-effective as possible.

Choosing solar is indeed a wise option, not just from environmental but also from economic point of view. A typical solar energy system does not lose much in its efficiency for 25-30 years, and there is very little if no maintenance at all.

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