Ever since the birth of our planet, the sun’s energy has been used to bring life to earth.  And over the centuries man has employed this energy for a number of uses:

It has been used in horticulture to grow food in greenhouses, as natural lighting in ancient Roman temples, for water treatment in 3rd world countries, and it has been concentrated and used for thermal heating in power plants, to name just a few.

But what are the ways on how to solar power your home with this renewable energy source?

Currently there are 4 main household ways: solar electricity, solar cooking, solar water heating, and passive solar technology.

Solar Electricity:

Better known as photovoltaic energy, many homes throughout the world produce their own electricity with solar panel systems.  How it works is small silicon cells are joined together to form panels. These panels are aimed directly at the sun, or in the direction where the most sunlight occurs – south-facing in the northern hemisphere, and north-facing in the southern hemisphere.

As sunlight hits the panels, they are charged, and generate an electric current that flows through an inverter, into batteries to store the energy.  This electricity can then be used to power a variety of appliances in the home, depending on how much wattage is produced.

Other than its environmental safety, the advantage of solar electricity is that it has become affordable and effective for anyone to use – people are now able to make their own systems at home for under $200.  But it is advisable to first get a solar energy guide to provide you step-by-step instructions. For your convenience we have a list of the top guides out there, which you can see in our reviews section.

Solar Cooking:

Solar cooking is a very popular way of preparing food in third world countries, since no fuel or electricity is required.  However there is no reason every household cannot use a solar cooker at home – unless you live in absolute darkness.

The solar cooker is basically a parabolic reflector, that concentrates sunlight into a central point where a box is fixed. It is in this box where the food is cooked.
The box can cook food for up to five people.  Although food is cooked in one pot, the number of varied dishes you can make is limited to your imagination.  Not only can it be used for boiling, but you can roast and bake in it too.

The only limitation of the cooker is the time it takes to cook the food, but if you think of all the health and energy-saving benefits and it’s portability, waiting a little longer is a small price to pay.

Solar Water Heating:

Initially used by campers and other travelers as portable hot water showers, solar water heaters are now used at home in place of traditional geysers.

How the system works is water is pumped slowly through a solar collector with coiled black copper pipes facing the sun.  These pipes absorb heat from the sun, which in turn heat the water. The heated water is then stored in an insulated reservoir, which can then be used when needed – even to heat your swimming pool.

Since water needs to be pumped continuously, this system works best in conjunction with solar electricity that can be used to power the pump.

Some energy-conscious laundromats have used solar water heating successfully for their industrial washing machines. In fact, the water can get so hot, they have to mix it with cold water to get the right temperature. This has cut their energy bills tremendously and increased their business since customers enjoy supporting green initiatives.

Passive Solar Technology:

In American households almost 50% of the energy consumed is used to power their heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Just imagine how your electricity bill would decrease if you made use of passive solar technology at home. Passive solar technology is the intelligent use of the environment, sunshine, heat-retaining building materials and house planning and layout to naturally regulate the temperature, ventilation and even lighting in homes.

A simple way of natural air conditioning would be planting deciduous trees on the southern side of buildings to provide cool shade in summer, and for their bare branches to allow warm sunlight through in winter.

For ventilation a solar chimney can be installed. As the chimney heats up in the sun, the air in it warms and rises, causing fresh cool air to be pulled through the house and up the chimney.

Like the Romans used to provide light in their temples, large windows can be strategically placed to allow as much natural light in as possible into the house.  This would replace the need for conventional electric lighting.

So you can see, applying passive solar solutions to your home will not turn it into a house full of gadgets, but rather make it efficient, environmentally friendly and help you save money.  Although some of the solutions – like the solar chimney -  can be expensive to install, you can expect to get a return on your investment within 3 to 4 years, thereafter providing you a free lifetime service.

Final Words:

With so many solar solutions for households to use, gone are the days that we have to rely on utility companies for us the live a comfortable lifestyle.  And as technology advances and more information becomes available, these solutions will get cheaper and easier for everyone to afford and use. Right now, it is possible for average income individuals to get solar solutions. It is just a matter of whether they have the ambition, courage and environmental awareness  to learn how to solar power their home.

If you're interested in making your own power at home, then why don't you Try Earth4Energy For Free? Also, have a look at our in-depth Earth4Energy Review. Thanks for visiting!

• Deep Cycle Batteries Offer Environmentally Friendly, Efficient Power Thanks to increasing interest in reducing carbon footprint and lessening dependence on fossil fuels, the reliable, cost-efficient deep cycle battery is being utilized in more and more environmentally friendly applications. If you've heard of these batteries before, you probably are familiar with their use in storing energy generated by......
• Solar Energy Advantages And Disadvantages: Find Them Out by Jim Martin The sun is free for everybody to use. Irrespective of religion and nationality, the sun shines upon all of us in all its glory. Since the very dawn of history, the sun has been showering its light and warmth upon us. Thanks to modern science and technology,......
• Causes Of Land Pollution And Recycling Facts Have you ever wondered if what you know about the causes of land pollution is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on the facts about solar energy. Solar energy is energy from the sun. When the sun is shining solar energy......
• Solar Power House - Why Thin Film Solar Panels are Time Magazine's Invention of the Year by Mike Toll If you intend to construct a solar power house, of course you want to have the best power for the least cash. Although there was a time when it was expensive to create a sun power solar house, today with technological advancements it is becoming cheaper and......
• The Benefits of Home Power Solar LED Lights Home power solar LED lights are the latest in solar power products to hit the market. By being free of relying on traditional electricity sources, these modern lights are a dream for designers when it comes to outdoor lighting. How solar power LED lights came about: Ever since solar power......

• Employ Solar Power and Save Energy with Solar Power Inverters by Evans D. Smith Everyone knows that one of the sad times we face every month is receiving our costly electric bill. The price keeps on accelerating and it seems to be troublesome of us to get rid of it. But we are lucky that solar electricity is an alternative......
• How to Buy the Right Water Heater A water heater is an essential appliance that is commonly overlooked in many homes. Typically they will provide years of service, and you may never realize that it is either terribly inefficient or even faulty. Here are some tips to help you determine whether your current water heater should be......
• Green Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Toyota Prius Hybrid vehicles are being converted by their owners into vehicles that run purely on electricity. People who drive hybrid vehicles that are easy on gas to begin with are becoming increasingly interested in the idea of converting their vehicles from completely gasoline powered to completely electricity based. Drivers who own......
• Learn How To Enhance Your Home With Solar Power Now The hot topic these days around the globe is “scarcity of power”. As a country moves towards the peak of growth, so also does its demand for power. Reports show that there are many houses using power more than that used by a small industry! It is because, in the......
• Home Solar Power System - Is It Suitable For Your Home? Are you tired of your electricity bills running over the roof and assume of going solar? Installing home solar power system can considerably reduce what you pay money for energy, not to say the advantages to the environment. However, sun energy could be tough and there are some questions you......