DIY SOLAR CELLS GUIDE

Did you know that all the energy of the earths known oil, coal, and natural gas reserves is equalled by the energy from just three weeks of solar energy? The quantity of energy from the sun that reaches the earth is astounding. The good news is that this solar energy is now more affordable and more widely available to homeowners than ever before. If you use a DIY solar power home guide you can save another 25 percent on the overall cost.

Photovoltaic energy harnesses the power of the sunshine to supply your home with electricity. PV power is reliable and virtually maintenance free, does not produce greenhouse gasses, and, above all, is renewable as long as the sun keeps shining.
There are three basic types of silicon solar cells, single crystal, polycrystalline and amorphous.

1: Single crystal cells are made in long bars and then sliced into round or hexagonal wafers. This method is labour intensive and wasteful but these are the most efficient cells. They harness as much as 25 percent under ideal conditions.

2: Polycrystalline cells are made from molten silicon and formed into ingots they are then sliced into squares. This method is cheaper then single cells but they will only harness about 15 percent. One advantage to this type is that they are square and can be fit together tighter.

3: Amorphous silicon is a method in which silicon is sprayed into a thin film onto a metal or glass backing. They are very easy to make and the least expensive to produce. They are the least efficient harnessing only 5 percent.

Harnessing solar energy through solar panels isn’t enough though. You need to make sure you are not wasting this energy in other ways. For instance a hot water drip from a leaky faucet at the rate of 1 drip per second could waste 2300 gallons of hot water a year. That’s as much as a 40 watt bulb left on 24-7