Solar Home Power Systems: Passive, Active or Grid?
The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates that over 200,000 U.S. homes will be powered off-grid by alternative solar energy by the end of 2010. While the production of solar equipment requires some inputs of capital, energy and materials, the resultant system will provide power for many years with very little cost or maintenance. Home solar power systems, and homes that rely on solar power stations \’on-the-grid\’ are becoming more popular as many governments offer incentives to home owners to join the solar revolution.
There are three different ways of capturing solar energy for home use: passively, concentrating light and heat, or by photovoltaic cells. Passive solar is the easiest and most economical, where there is no mechanical action and the heating properties are simply a matter of good design suited to your local climate. Homes can be designed to capture or reflect heat through placement, ventilation and materials, maximising summer cooling and winter heating. The “One Tonne Home” in Sweden (designed by Gert Wing
