5 Easy and Affordable Ways to Start Using Solar Power

There is so much talk
of green and clean energy these days, most people have at least thought
about how they can use solar in their lives.  The problem is that with a
tough economy and bleak jobs market, most people just don’t have the
money to invest in solar.  Here are 5 cheap and easy ways to start using
solar power that won’t break the bank.

1.  Affordable Grid
Tie Kits Are Here For The Handy Homeowner
Thanks to rapid
advancements in inverter technology, you can install a solar grid tie
kit
on your home for far less then ever before.  It used to cost at least
$10,000 to install a small system on a home.  But using micro-inverters
and 200W panels, homeowners can install a single panel and inverter for
about $1000 and start to reap the benefits of free energy from the sun.  

Many homeowners are adding panels on a
regular basis, on Earth Day, or as their budget allows.   The new
technology allows you to add on to your system as you wish, without
spending a fortune.  You could start with a 230W system, add a panel
every 3 months or as your finances allow, and have a 4000W system that
covered your entire power bill in a few years.

2.  Solar Leasing
Programs Often Cost You NOTHING
Now that solar has gone mainstream and is a
viable investment, companies like SunRun have leasing programs
to help homeowners get started in renewable energy.  Here’s how it
works:  

• A local installer works with a solar financing company like
  SunRun to evaluate the suitability of your home for solar.
• If your situation is
  right, the financing company will pay the installer to put the panels on
  your home, usually at zero cost to you.
• The financing company
  owns and maintains the panels, and receives any rebates associated with
  the installation.
• You get charged a
  fixed, discounted rate for your electricity for the life of the lease,
  usually 20-25 years.  
• You save money in the
  short term in the discounted and fixed rate, plus you won’t experience
  the sharp rate increases that are inevitable as carbon taxes and
  renewable subsidies become more prevalent.
• You can choose to
  purchase the system from the financing company and reduce your energy
  bills to nearly zero.

Best of all, you get the satisfaction of
knowing that you are saving money AND helping the environment at the
same time!

3.  Simple RV, Boat
& Golf Cart Systems Keep You Charged Up
Many people forget
that they are various uses for solar panels.  Boats, RVs and even golf
carts are great uses for solar.  Solar panels generate direct current,
or DC power, which is what most boats and RV’s need anyway.  Adding a
simple panel and charge controller to the system will keep the batteries
charged, save the expense of charging those batteries, and allow you
stay out longer and go farther.  

In most cases the panels will allow you get
rid of the generator or shore power you relied on before.  For folks in
southern climates that use golf carts in lieu of traditional vehicles, a
200W solar golf cart
kit means
you can say goodbye to the power cord and hello to lower energy bills.
 Starter kits can be as little as $100, the larger units are over $1000.

4.  Take Your Stuff
‘Off the Grid’
It was not that long ago and that the components in solar
power systems were so complicated that using an electrician to install
them was a must.  That is not the case these days (and thank goodness
for that!).  Simple ‘plug and play’ solar power kits now allow you to
gather, store, and use the sun’s energy easily.  They work much the way a
computer does, you simply plug the panel into the control box (like you
would a computer monitor), and then plug the control box into a battery
(like you would plug the computer into the wall).  Then, start plugging
your stuff into the control box.  


This is a great system for remote cabins,
work sheds, or garages.  Often people that live in hurricane country
keep them for backup power when the inevitable outage comes.  They’re
great for campers and travellers too that have added laptops, iPhones
and stereos to their ‘can’t live without’ list when they’re in the back
country.  These kits can be had for as little as $300 and can be
expanded for your future needs.  

5.  Make Your Space Brighter and More
Comfortable With the Power of the Sun
Unfortunately solar lighting has gotten
a bad rap by the proliferation of those poorly made solar garden
lights.  There are, believe it or not, great solar lights out there that
are high quality and look terrific.  Many communities are doing away
with the gas lamps that appear on every front lawn because they are
expensive to run and maintain.  A nice solar lamp post
light
can replace the gas lamp, spruce up your yard, and cost less than $200
in most cases.


There are also tons of affordable options for
heating and cooling your home with solar.  Solar air heaters have recently become
more popular, and they have the added benefit of using recycled cans in
many cases.  There are even solar air
conditioners now, too.  These use the sun to heat the medium in the
cooling process, whereas traditional AC’s use electricity.  These new
solar AC’s are about 50% more efficient than their traditional
counterparts.

So
solar doesn’t have to be out of reach for everyone.  With a wide
variety of applications and prices, solar power can help you save money
and the planet.

Kriss
Bergethon is a Solar Power expert and author
from Colorado.  For more information visit his site at Solar Panels.