The world of tomorrow is today for solar panel dealers and their customers, who are finally seeing an explosion in this alternative energy system. Remarkably, we have been hearing about our solar future, always presented as an inevitability, for a full half-century. During that time both investors and the public have been awaiting the moment this remarkable technology became financially viable.
Formally referred to as photovoltaics, solar power has been with us as far back as the 1880s. For most of its existence, the struggle has been to find a workable, cost-effective material. Silicon displaced silver selenite, which in turn had displaced copper oxide. Photovoltaic power has also had to exist in an environment already dominated by the major fossil fuels, which were usually cheaper.
Photovoltaics first stepped into the public consciousness during the 1960s as public discourse became obsessed with a possible scarcity of coal. This concern became a similar concern over oil scarcity in the following decade and beyond. Further, the public has grown increasingly nervous about the adverse environmental impact of fossil fuels. Finally, the question of energy independence has made oil problematic as an ever-greater percentage of the world's oil supply has come from the politically troublesome Middle East.
Meanwhile, the main delay in bringing solar to market in a big way has been stretches of time of inexpensive fossil fuels. Oil became cheap during the mid-'80s and until the mid-90s. The early 21st Century brought us news of enormous untapped reserves of natural gas, all domestic. It also goes without saying that solar is in competition with wind turbines and all the other alternative energy systems.
Those interested in photovoltaics may select a grid-connected system, in which the system complements that service given by the local power company. Consumers choosing this option can save quite a bit on their power bill, but still have their city's power grid as a support. Those who live where winters are dark can use the grid to provide their power during these months only. Grid-connected systems are typically less expensive up-front because they don't use batteries to store excess power.
This much said, one of the most attractive aspects of photovoltaic energy, particularly today, is precisely the opportunity it offers to get completely off the grid. This resonates with the free, decentered ethic of the early 21st Century generally. As photovoltaics is an intermittent energy system, those using it this way will need batteries to store extra energy for nighttime or clouds, as well as a generator, just in case.
It should not be necessary to be visited by a sales rep, considering the simplicity of these systems. Contact with the dealer by phone or online should be quite enough. It's likely the only person who'll need to visit your home will be the installer.
Somewhere on the building you should have a surface broad enough for a solar panel which faces a southerly or southwestern direction, and has nothing obstructing the Sun between, at last, 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Once installed, the panels need almost no maintenance and should last between 25 and 50 years. Call your local solar panel dealers, who will explain anything else you need to know.
Formally referred to as photovoltaics, solar power has been with us as far back as the 1880s. For most of its existence, the struggle has been to find a workable, cost-effective material. Silicon displaced silver selenite, which in turn had displaced copper oxide. Photovoltaic power has also had to exist in an environment already dominated by the major fossil fuels, which were usually cheaper.
Photovoltaics first stepped into the public consciousness during the 1960s as public discourse became obsessed with a possible scarcity of coal. This concern became a similar concern over oil scarcity in the following decade and beyond. Further, the public has grown increasingly nervous about the adverse environmental impact of fossil fuels. Finally, the question of energy independence has made oil problematic as an ever-greater percentage of the world's oil supply has come from the politically troublesome Middle East.
Meanwhile, the main delay in bringing solar to market in a big way has been stretches of time of inexpensive fossil fuels. Oil became cheap during the mid-'80s and until the mid-90s. The early 21st Century brought us news of enormous untapped reserves of natural gas, all domestic. It also goes without saying that solar is in competition with wind turbines and all the other alternative energy systems.
Those interested in photovoltaics may select a grid-connected system, in which the system complements that service given by the local power company. Consumers choosing this option can save quite a bit on their power bill, but still have their city's power grid as a support. Those who live where winters are dark can use the grid to provide their power during these months only. Grid-connected systems are typically less expensive up-front because they don't use batteries to store excess power.
This much said, one of the most attractive aspects of photovoltaic energy, particularly today, is precisely the opportunity it offers to get completely off the grid. This resonates with the free, decentered ethic of the early 21st Century generally. As photovoltaics is an intermittent energy system, those using it this way will need batteries to store extra energy for nighttime or clouds, as well as a generator, just in case.
It should not be necessary to be visited by a sales rep, considering the simplicity of these systems. Contact with the dealer by phone or online should be quite enough. It's likely the only person who'll need to visit your home will be the installer.
Somewhere on the building you should have a surface broad enough for a solar panel which faces a southerly or southwestern direction, and has nothing obstructing the Sun between, at last, 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Once installed, the panels need almost no maintenance and should last between 25 and 50 years. Call your local solar panel dealers, who will explain anything else you need to know.
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You can find details about the reasons why you should install photovoltaic panels on your roof and more information about reputable solar panel dealers at http://clearenergy-inc.com/ now.
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