| A massive amount of solar power is delivered daily to | | | | household electricity. Because the costs of |
| the Earth in the form of sunrays, which provides | | | | conventional energy are spiraling and PV systems are |
| energy for all forms of life on Earth, influences the | | | | becoming cheaper, within a few years, installing |
| ocean's currents, the wind and prevailing atmospheric | | | | photovoltaic arrays will be the order of the day. |
| conditions. The solar power that is needed to perform | | | | A single module is enough to run a small appliance, but |
| these tasks represents only a fraction of the daily | | | | a household would require a group of arrays, which |
| quota of available energy, the remainder goes mostly | | | | would form part of the building's roofing material. A |
| unused. | | | | solar cell collects electrons and directs them as DC |
| Solar energy is a free commodity that can be | | | | electricity, to a conductor, which is wired to a battery |
| harnessed and converted into a range of valuable | | | | bank to store the charge. As power is drawn from the |
| products. Because of the depletion of known reserves | | | | batteries it passes through an inverter that converts it |
| and the ever increasing costs of conventional energy | | | | to AC electricity, making it suitable for domestic use. |
| sources, solar power is becoming more readily | | | | Solar electricity can be produced and used by |
| accepted as an alternative energy source. Energy | | | | individuals or fed into a community grid system. |
| from the sun is renewable, sustainable, clean and | | | | As fossil fuel reserves are depleted and more |
| efficient and in most cases, the solar panel and | | | | sophisticated production methods are needed to |
| installation charges, are the only costs involved. | | | | maintain adequate supplies, one must not forget that |
| Ancient civilizations relied upon passive solar energy | | | | the world's population is growing at an ever increasing |
| for lighting, heating and ventilation. Their crops were | | | | rate, thus increasing demand. Put simply, all the easy to |
| planted in accordance with the sun's movements, and | | | | get stuff is gone and we are using what is left at an |
| survived because of the photosynthetic process | | | | ever increasing rate. Soon, the costs involved in |
| energized by the sun, which synthesizes | | | | producing conventional energy will be prohibitive. |
| carbohydrates and releases oxygen into the | | | | The answer folks is the sun in the sky. |
| atmosphere. Because of the discovery of huge | | | | Harnessing solar energy, gleaned from the sun's rays |
| deposits of fossil fuels, and to date, their ease of | | | | is not rocket science, actually, employing passive solar |
| harvesting, the development of solar power has been | | | | energy is common sense. Once a solar hot water |
| neglected, mainly because free commodities are | | | | service is installed, the house windows are positioned |
| difficult to tax. | | | | so as to take advantage of the sun's rays, and a |
| Owing to the modern development of photovoltaic | | | | photovoltaic array is installed on the roof, you are well |
| cells, production costs are decreasing and more and | | | | on your way to a substantial saving on your energy |
| more people are installing PV in order to produce their | | | | costs. Not to mention, doing your bit to save the planet. |