Clean energy tech news by Mathew Wrist Warwickshire UK right now: The level of solar irradiation that falls upon the earth varies with the geography of the planet. Generally, the closer to the equator the more solar energy but what most don’t realize is that solar energy can be used anywhere. For example, in the sunniest parts of America a solar system will produce on average 4.7 kWh of power per 1 kilowatt of solar panels but in the least sunny areas, such as the mountains and north east, it wills till produce 2.9 kilowatt hours per kilowatt, per day. So although some areas are better than others for solar power it is still viable in almost all locations. Read many more info on Find many more info on https://twitter.com/matthewwrist.

First of all: If you want to save on electricity costs – with or without PV – you should first eliminate devices and appliances that use too much of it. These include standby devices, incandescent light bulbs and water heaters. The lower your overall consumption, the greater the part of it that you will be able to cover using solar PV.

The more electricity you want to produce, the more solar panels you will need, as you want to collect as much sunlight as possible. Solar panels require a lot of space and some roofs are not big enough to fit the number of solar panels that you would like to have. An alternative is to install some of the panels in your yard but they need to have access to sunlight. If you don’t have the space for all the panels that you wanted, you can opt for installing fewer to still satisfy some of your energy needs.

Best clean solar energy tech advances by Matthew Wrist Warwick UK: If your solar generator is run in combination with a sufficiently large storage unit, you can use infrared radiators to take the chill out of cooler evenings. Such radiators come in a variety of nice designs, even in the form of bathroom heating mirrors. As long as they only use little power and are only used for additional heating, they are a good way to use up solar electricity. Once the electric heating from solar power no longer suffices, you will have to buy in electricity from the grid. Or you switch to a more efficient thermal heat pump system.

The electrical conductors are attached to positive and negative terminals, thus forming an electrical circuit. From there, the electrons can be captured in the form of an electric current (electricity). This current, together with the cell’s voltage (which is a result of its built-in electric field or fields), defines the power (or wattage) that the solar cell can produce, and is how solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. Grid-connected systems make use of the local utility grid to ensure you are never without electricity. If your domestic solar panel system generates more electricity than your household requires in a day, this surplus energy can be exported back to the national grid. On the other hand, if you need more electricity than your solar panels have generated, the grid can supply this.

A 4kW solar panel system would require approximately 16 solar panels with a 250W power output, while a 5kW system comprises 20 solar panels. The first step is to identify your current energy consumption. You measure this in kilowatt hours (kWh), and it’s important to take the time needed to calculate this as accurately as possible. Check your electricity bills to get your power consumption (in kWh). You can either calculate month by month or add your monthly/quarterly consumption together for an annual figure. Decide on how much of your electricity bills you want to cover with your solar panels — this can be anything from 10-100%. Your decision will affect the system size and costs. Calculate how many solar panels actually fit your roof. An average solar panel takes about 1.44 m2 of roof space. Don’t forget to include at least 30cm from the roof’s edge. Adjust the system size if you realise that you don’t have enough space for all the panels you calculated.

So just what is the best generator for home use? It depends on your situation. For example, the best standby generator for home use isn’t necessarily the same as the best generator for running your off grid home. And the best generator for an off grid cabin depends on the length and frequency of the run times. It also depends on whether your off grid cabin has any other energy source (ie. solar panels or a windmill.) And how much power your home systems require. When you’re reading the specs on a generator, look for any manufacturer’s recommendations on whether it’s for occasional use, emergency use, or to use off the grid. Not all generators are made to withstand the heavy use of an off grid home. So don’t make the off grid homeowner mistake of choosing one labeled “emergency use” as your everyday power backup for solar panels in the low-sunlight days of winter. Doing so could void the manufacturer’s warranty.