If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

One of the difficulties that solar and renewable energy have faced in the past is that it requires people to learn about it. People are busy and they are also reluctant to change and learn. It is much easier to get energy from traditional sources that seem to “magically” transfer power and electricity to homes through the wires of the electricity grid. However, we are becoming increasingly aware of problems with this entrenched attitude. We seem to hear almost daily about power blackouts and brownouts, along with warnings about dwindling energy supplies.

One way to begin to educate yourself and your children about energy and electricity is to purchase one of many different kinds of small solar energy systems. From solar toys to solar lights to portable solar panels, small solar electric systems make it easy to learn some of the basics of energy. You can learn about the generation of energy and get an idea of how it is limited by certain factors. Your kids can use a small solar toy or solar energy kit to see directly the relationship between energy generation and availability. From your solar light, you will learn that a sunlit day will make the light shine powerfully that evening. Conversely, you will notice a relationship between cloudy days and dimness or lack of light from your solar light. While a small portable solar panel provides energy for your boat or RV, it can also teach the need for energy storage (the battery) and conservation. Even a solar light gives you a micro-version of all electricity systems: the panel generates energy, the wires transfer it, a battery stores it and the light bulb uses it.

One of the unfortunate effects of the convenience of the energy grid is that people remain largely unaware of aspects of energy production and the need for its proper management. When we plug into a wall and get instant energy, it’s easy to forget that that energy is finite and inhibited by circumstances.

The effect of holding a small solar electric system in your hands takes some of the mystery out of energy and power. Energy is no longer something “made” at a distant generating station or power plant. The effect is, well, empowering. It’s similar to the way that personal fitness and some styles of alternative health give you a measure of control over your own health. Build on the knowledge you get from a small solar electric system, learn about generating your own energy and you will have increased authority over your household power, a vital area of your life.

Purchasing a small solar electric system like those found in solar toys or other gadgets can be a simple and efficient way to introduce both you and your family to solar energy. This knowledge just may come in handy in the coming years, as solar energy and other kinds of renewable energy systems become a bigger part of grid generation and more popular as the publicly owned “power plants.”

About the author: Written by: Jim Fritz. Jim Fritz has been researching the benefits of solar energy for several years and is a contributing writer for

What is a solar energy panel?

A solar energy panel collects energy from the sunlight and converts it into direct current (DC) electricity. Two oppositely charged slices of silicon are placed together below a piece of glass and as the protons in the sunlight knock the negatively charged neutrons away from the silicon the electric field created by the two adjoining pieces of silicon attract the neutron. Small pieces of wire catch the neutrons and when they connect they create direct current electricity. The wires connect to an inverter that changes the direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) that we use in our homes.

Solar panels, known as photovoltaic (literally meaning “electricity from sunlight”) are placed on the roof of your house, the roof of your garage or even as stand alone panels in your garden. Government grants are freely available to help pay for the panels and installation so do a little research and find out what you’re entitled to.

Domestic uses for solar panels.

A quick glance around your local gardening or home improvement store will show you that the amount and quality of solar powered goods are increasing. Garden lighting, water features and much more are now readily available powered by the sun but there really is so much more that solar power and solar panels can offer. If you’ve got a swimming pool you can heat that, or you can heat your hot water boiler with only a couple of solar panels or, alternatively, you may be considering powering your entire house with the rays of the sun.

PV roof tiles are not only available but also much more affordable than you probably think. If it’s time to replace your roof or you’re considering having it retiled for any reason then PV tiles are a much more viable alternative and after a year or two they will have undoubtedly made up the slight increase in cost you may face for the initial purchase and fitting. You need very little room in your house and fitting a grid tie system means you can sell surplus energy to the grid; all in all if you have full roof solar panels you can expect to reduce your annual energy cost by 75% to 100%. That’s a big saving, especially if you were only considering solar in order to try and do your bit to save the environment.

Can I buy solar panels anywhere?

Most electronics stores and garden or home improvement stores or will stock solar powered goods at the very least; find the right store and they will sell everything you need. If you don’t know what you’re doing with electronics it is highly advisable that you seek professional guidance, and a quick search on the Internet or a flick through your phone book will find several distributors and fitters of PV tiles and grid tie systems.

About the author: Written by: Peter Lenkefi. For more more information about solar energy panels please visit Alternative Solar Energy.