There aren’t many barriers keeping people from choosing solar power. The standout one is the somewhat large capital outlay required.  The cost of installation for a solar power system that will power an average home is very high compared to the cost of doing nothing and using grid power.  However, there are a few ways to get around the price of installation and maximize the value you’re getting.  Here are a few money-saving tips on making solar power work. Save On Installation  It is actually feasible to construct solar panels by yourself from materials, and install them yourself. The problem with this mainly centres around the fact you may not be legally allowed to tinker with the electrical systems of your household at your leisure. Typically this is the field of electrical contractors. There are certain safety standards in many countries and although it may seem unfair, the ‘mad professor’ homemade solar panels that you made from acid and fire are not safe to hook up to the power grid as well as illegal. A better way is to stay on grid power and make the change gradually.  Start with a few solar appliances and work your way up to your home eventually being completely solar powered.  Lots of people start with a solar water heater since this cuts down significantly on utility bills.  Another great choice is to invest in solar ceiling fans; they’ll keep the house cool and reduce your energy needs. Panel Position  Make sure that your panels are well positioned facing the sun so that you can get maximum capacity from them.  If you live in the northern hemisphere, this means that they should be pointed southward.  They get the most capacity from direct sunlight.  Make sure that they are getting hit directly by the sun at noon. Keep Your Roof Clean  Make sure that your solar panels are free from obstructions such as overhanging branches.  You should also take special care to keep the roof clean.  Dust and debris on the roof will make a major difference in how well your panels soak up the sun.  Work roof cleaning into your regular house cleaning routine. Install Somewhere Else  In some areas, it might be better to keep your panels off the roof.  There are mounts that you can buy in order to put your panels wherever you’d like.  You can make them free-standing, or hang them on a nearby pole.  Some folks put their solar panels on the old RV or boat that is sitting in the driveway.  You can put some on the roof and some in other high-sunlight areas.  Get creative and get the most out of the sunshine. Sell Your Energy Back  You might be able to sell your excess energy back to the electric company.  In most areas there are government rebates for energy that you produce over your needs.  See what kinds of deals there are in your area. Going solar isn’t cheap initially but there are some ways that you can maybe cut corners and save a bit. It starts paying for itself after a few years, and people who have made the switch feel that it is well worth it.  These are just a few ways to maximize the value you get from your solar panels and to get the most of the sun’s free and natural energy.   Sun Connect are Australia’s experts on solar panel sales and installations. If you are looking at switching to solar power, you should talk to us. If you would like to read another article by us, have a read of – 17 Things You Can Do To Reduce Climate Charge   Read more »

Buying solar driveway lights might just be the best decision you have ever made for your home. Solar powered lights might be a relatively new phenomenon but the technology of solar power lights is simply amazing and practical. Just imagine how great it would be if you could have a large driveway light or any other outdoor light like that and it did not cost you anything in terms of electric bills? You cannot imagine that can you? Because you have always been used to hearing just how ‘expensive’ outdoor lights and driveway lights can be and it is not wrong. Outdoor lights are usually very heavy duty lights that require a lot of electricity to light them for longer time periods. Some people actually have outdoor lights but keep them turned off most of the time because they just cannot afford the electricity bills. This is something that will not be a problem for you when you buy solar driveway lights. Solar powered lights will have absolutely no impact on the amount or cost of your bill because they do not use that electricity that we are used to. Instead these lights work in a very different way. Solar powered lights will have a kind of solar panel installed in them somewhere which turns the sunlight they receive into energy. This energy gets stored in the accompanying battery inside the light and it charges the battery. When the evening arises and the sunlight is gone, the LED in the light, receive charge from the battery and turns on. So it charges the whole day in the sun and then uses the charge stored to turn on the LED of the light. This is a great way to just have a light that you do not have to worry about so much. There are also no power cords to worry about and no power outlets to worry about and there is no wiring. This is why not only do they give the added beauty of cordless lighting but they can also be installed on your own with amazing ease. You do not even need the help of a technician or something. You can just do the installing on your own! How amazing is that right? Truly amazing! This is how solar powered lighting can be the perfect form of lighting for anywhere in the outdoors. There are many other forms of solar powered lighting – other than solar driveway lights. You can buy patio umbrella lights or other kinds of different lights depending on your usage and need. Read more »

With ever rising energy costs it's more important then ever to try and lower our energy use as much as possible. Doing so will not only save us money it will also lessen the burden on the environment. Read more »