The potential of solar energy is unlimited. With a little bit of planning and research, you can find a way to make use of the energy from the Sun in all kinds of ways. This article is going to list some of the most useful and practical ways in which you can apply solar energy to your life.
Heating
One of the obvious and most common uses for solar energy is to heat buildings and homes. If you live in the northern part of the country, even if you have heat pumps, you’re still going to benefit from having a source of solar heat available. There are so many different ways that you can use solar energy to heat your home. You can install either a heat-pump system or a solar-heating system. The important thing to keep in mind is that both of these systems require some form of collection or storage to make use of the energy from the Sun. This could take the form of solar-powered water heaters or storage containers or it could be as simple as installing a couple of solar panels on the roof to generate electricity which you can use to charge up a thermos flask or battery.
Depending on how large your home or business is, you’re going to have an idea of how much energy you need to collect in order to sufficiently heat it. If you live in a temperate climate zone, you’re going to need somewhere in the region of seven to ten solar panels in order to adequately heat your home. The energy generated by these panels will be sufficient to warm your home for approximately six to seven hours before you need to add more. If you live in a more northern climate, you might need more than ten solar panels in order to get the same benefits. The rule of thumb is that, generally, you’re going to need two or three times the amount of energy that you need in the southern parts of the country. If you’re in the UK and you’re looking to install a system, check out our article on the best solar heat collectors for a detailed review of the different types of collectors available and the best prices for these.
Cooling
Just because your home is heated doesn’t mean that it doesn’t get warm and stuffy during the day. Even in the spring when the temperatures are rising, it can still get stuffy and damp inside your home. In order to make your interior a bit more comfortable, you’re going to need to look into investing in a whole-house ventilation system which is both efficient and effective at removing damp air from your property. When you’re running your ventilation system, you’re also going to need to bear in mind that it runs on electricity, so you’ll need to look into investing in solar energy generation as well. The great thing about having a whole-house ventilation system is that it can be used to supply air to other rooms in the event that one of them gets too hot or too cold. This is why it’s important to keep an eye on the overall efficiency of your individual rooms when planning any air-quality improvements. When one room is too hot while the rest of the house is cool, it’s going to be a great way to improve the comfort level of all of the other rooms in the house by drawing in more fresh air through the ventilation system. This is why you need to look into purchasing a whole-house ventilation system if you’re planning on using air-con to cool your home.
The reverse is also true. If one of the rooms is cold and all the others are hot, you’re going to need to close off one of the rooms or areas in some way in order to maintain the desired temperature gradient throughout the house. If you really want to be efficient, you might want to think about using an underfloor heating system in which rooms are connected via a network of pipes running throughout the house. If this is the kind of setup you’re looking for, you’re going to have to bear in mind that underfloor heating requires a lot of space, so you’re going to need to make sure that you plan out every room in your house in advance in order to ensure that everything fits in perfectly. If you haven’t got the space or if this is not an option for you, electric blankets are another great way to keep your home cool as well as offering additional comfort when put around the bed. You can use the same heating technology that you use for your home, but you’ll likely want to purchase separate units for the different rooms as well. If you have a larger home, you might want to look into purchasing an individual unit for each bedroom as well as an outdoor space which can be used to enjoy the space’s bounty of sunshine and fresh air.
Lighting
When the Sun is up, it’s a beautiful thing. Whether you live in a large city or a small one, there’s always going to be plenty of sunshine to take advantage of. If you live in a place where the Sun is visible for a lot of the day, you’re going to want to look into investing in some high-efficiency lighting which is both environmentally friendly and economical. If you want to save some money, you’re going to want to think about alternative lighting such as LEDs or even motion-sensor light switches. When the Sun is shining brightly, it can be difficult to make out various items around the home and can even pose some risks to your health if you don’t have proper eye protection. If you’re planning on spending a lot of time outside during the day, you might want to invest in some high-efficiency illuminating products or wear corrective lenses or sunglasses when outside.
Power
A household without power is like a ship without a rudder. If you’re in the UK and you’re looking for a way to generate your own electricity, you’re going to need to look into alternative and green energy sources for your home. If you want to produce as much electricity as you can, you’re going to need to consider installing solar cells on your roof in order to generate enough electricity to run all your home appliances. If you have a large enough solar array, you can even get electricity credits through your local power company to reduce your bills.
The great thing about having solar power is that it’s free. You don’t need to buy any fuel and it doesn’t get contaminated like some forms of power generation does. Even better, some power companies offer cash incentives to households which generate their own electricity from renewable sources, so if you’re looking into getting power for your home, check out all the various grants and rebates which are available to you.
Cooking
When you get your first taste of freshly-baked bread, the first thing that you’re going to want to do is eat it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s sandwich time or brunch has gone ahead and it’s dinnertime, when that scent goes up, your stomach is immediately beginning to grumble. If you live in a place where groceries are available, you’re going to want to look into installing either a traditional oven or a charcoal grill. If you have the space, you might want to think about buying a food truck so that you can pull up and park outside your home and offer your cooking skills to those who want to eat what you make.
If you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, you might want to think about getting one of those pizza ovens which uses very little gas or electricity to bake incredible pizzas. You can get a taste of this luxury by getting a bonjoro oven or even a wood-fired oven. These traditional ovens which are both beautiful to look at and operate efficiently are a great way to bake a gorgeous pie or cake while conserving resources and money. If you want to use your oven to its fullest potential without worrying about running out of fuel or electricity, you can always get an external fuel supply which will allow you to cook whatever you want whenever you want without any restrictions. If you’re in the UK, check out our guide to the different types of pizza ovens available and the best prices for these as well as our guide to the Best Electric Hobbies Which One Should You Buy?
Laundry
If you live in a large household, you’re going to need an efficient and eco-friendly way to wash all those clothes andlinens which are going to be produced throughout the year. When you get your clothes washed and dried, it typically produces a lot of heat and energy which is both unnecesary and harmful. If you want to keep your interiors cool and comfortable, you’re going to want to look into having a washing machine which is both eco-friendly and has a low power-usage. If you have a large enough space, you can even get a front-loading washer and dryer which are more efficient as well as eco-friendly.