ODL Solar Powered Dimmer For Tubular Skylights

With the new Solar Powered Dimmer from ODL, homeowners can save more than 30 percent on energy bills. ODL ENERGY STAR-qualified Tubular Skylights, now with the Solar Powered Dimmer, are perfect for any room in the home where light is limited. Tubular skylights admit natural light into a room without causing “hot spots,” which are typically formed by traditional roof skylights. The Solar Powered Dimmer allows homeowners control over the amount of light entering through their tubular skylight. The ENERGY STAR Tubular Skylight also features the patented Solar Lens Dome, which gathers sunlight even during low-light hours in the morning, late afternoon, or during the winter, to maximize light into the tube. Additionally, the “two-piece” kit makes installation a snap.

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ODL Solar Powered Dimmer for Tubular Skylights

Parabolic Trough Solar Field Technology

The term "Parabolic Trough Solar Field Technology" may be quite a mouth full. But what does it actually mean?

This article will explain what parabolic trough solar field technology is and how this form of alternative energy works to provide solar energy on a broad scale.

Parabolic troughs are a solar energy collecting devices which are used to concentrate sunlight on a specific point.

To understand a little more about this you have to know that solar energy is split up into several different fields or methods.

1. Photovoltaic Solar Energy: this is where solar panels are used to convert sunlight directly into electricity.
2. Solar Water Heating: This is a method of heating up water through the use of solar energy, usually done through flat-plate collectors on the roof of a house. It is a very efficient and energy saving way of heating water even in colder climates.
3. Concentrated Solar Power: Concentrated solar power is created by redirecting or focusing direct sunlight on a certain area in order to heat up liquids or gasses which are then used to generate electricity. Currently this last method is one of the cheapest ways to convert solar energy into electricity.

Concentrated Solar Power

Parabolic troughs belong to the last category I mentioned, concentrated solar power. It is one of the ways of redirecting sunlight and focusing it on a central point.

The focal point (the point where all the sunlight converges) will become extremely hot - hot enough to melt steel, in fact, if a large enough parabolic reflector is used.

To utilize the heat generated by the parabolic reflector, a tube is placed at the focal point and a liquid is pumped through the tube. Due to the amount of heat generated, the liquid inside the tube is heated rapidly, and turned into steam.

Steam then travels through a piping system to a steam turbine, where it is used to generate electricity. And that is what concentrated solar power is in all its simplicity.

Several different methods of achieving the same result have been developed, all of which fall under the category of concentrated solar power technology. Another good example are solar towers.

Parabolic Trough Solar Energy Plants

A parabolic trough power plant consists of a solar field, a number of parabolic mirrors in the form of troughs alongside each other. There are many parallel rows of these solar collectors across the solar field (see picture).

A heat collection element, in the form of tubing placed at the focal point of the troughs, fluid is then pumped through the tubing and is heated as it passes along the sections of parabolic troughs.

The heated fluid is then converted to steam and lead to steam turbines which in turn convert it into electricity.

That's the basic setup of a parabolic trough energy plant.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About the Author:
Anna supports the use of solar energy for a cleaner environment and a better future. To learn more, visit her website on Solar Power and Alternative Energy.

Slash Your Home Energy Costs

Slash Your Home Energy Costs Without Adding A Single Watt of Extra Energy Or Compromising Your Lifestyle.

It is becoming a popular craze these days to generate your own energy to cut your power bills.

Solar, wind, and other sources can supplement your energy supply in whole or in part. But, wouldn't it be great if you were able to do something that would allow you to get the same amount of benefit for a fraction of thecost or time required to install these other energy sources?

Of course you would! For example, it may cost you $10,000 for a certain amount of solar equipment to give you a certain amount of benefit. But what if you were able to get the same benefit for $1000?

How? This is the question that many people are asking because everyone is programmed to believe that turning down the thermostat so that you freeze in your own home and throwing a thin little bit of insulation around your water heater are the smart things to do!

Most people are also becoming programmed to believe that making your own electricity at home is also the answer. But I'm not interested in anything that takes a lot of time, money or effort.

If you want to know what the power companies, the green builders, and other so-called green thinkers aren't telling you wouldn't that be worth a few minutes of your time to find out?

Check it out here:
Slash Your Home Energy Costs

Join the growing number of people who are Saving on Home Energy costs right now.

Sincerely,
Peter Lindemann

© Peter Lindemann - All Rights reserved

Peter Lindemann has been educating thousands of people over the years in various renewable energy technologies and sciences. He also has the #1 searched website on Free Energy in the world.

Slash Your Home Energy Costs

Build Your Own Pool Solar Panels

Pool solar panels as main heating systems allow one to save money considerably, not to mention that the contribution to the reduction of toxic emissions is not to be overlooked. In terms of solar applications, pool heating has proved highly successful, particularly since the systems are considered both very simple and affordable at the same time. Pool solar panels require the use of unglazed plastic collectors, given the fact that the pool itself functions as the main thermal storage recipient. Under the action of the pump that controls the water filtration circuit, the water in the pool will actually be sent in the solar collectors.

We can consider pool solar panels and light energy as another type of fuel and it actually behaves as such; the result is that it will bring the water temperature at a level that is comfortable for swimming. Through the diversion of the water through the numerous tiny passages in the solar energy collector, water is automatically heated. The warm water is sent back into the pool by the filtration pump until all the volume has reached a certain temperature level. When the heating process is over, water is not longer passed through the solar collectors but sent directly back into he pool.

Despite a very widely spread opinion that the pool solar panels have to face south, manufacturers point out that this is not a must-follow rule. The only condition for the proper functioning of the system is that the pool solar panels be exposed to the sun light as much as possible throughout the day. The inclination angle in a certain direction is very often influenced by the type of mounting used for the installation of the system. A heated pool is a great idea no matter the climate particularly since many home owners would like to take a swim early in the morning. After a chilly night for instance, the water in the pool will be too cold for a comfortable swim.

Do not buy very expensive equipment that doesn't influence the efficiency of the pool solar panels. This is the case with highly insulated housings used for advanced water heaters; such items do not increase the working rate of the pool solar panels, and often prove a waste. Before purchasing the system make sure you learn everything you need to know on the winterizing procedure. Other than that, pool solar panels do not require any special maintenance efforts, and are therefore very easy to work with.

About the Author:

Want to learn about pool solar panels? Visit our website: A Beginner's Guide To Solar Panels

How To Build Solar Panels

Plenty of people have been looking into installing solar panels in an effort to combat rising energy costs. When most of these people see the prices of the professionally installed panels they realize it may not be a luxury they can afford. There is an easier, more cost efficient way to harness power from the sun and that is to learn how to make solar panels for yourself.

Any motivated do-it-yourselfer can learn how to make solar panels for their home, workshop or business. When compared to the cost of purchasing and installing a pre-made solar energy system, learning how to make solar panels for your energy needs and the materials you need to execute the project are far less. By learning how to make solar panels for yourself, you have greater control over the size and design of your system as well.

Once you have a quality manual and you have learned how to make solar panels, the supplies are fairly simple to find. Most can be found at your local hardware store like, plywood, sheets of glass, and a roll of copper wire. It is also easy to locate inexpensive solar or photovoltaic cells to use in your project. Many are available over the Internet or you may have a retailer available locally. One you’ve learned how to make solar panels and you have your supplies, it usually takes about a day to assemble a 100-watt panel. This is the perfect amount of electricity to operate small appliances or a small workshop.

The most important step is finding a quality manual with detailed instructions for learning how to make solar panels. In many cases you get what you pay for, so don’t be afraid to spend a few extra dollars on a well-reviewed instruction manual. Overall, the cost of the making your own panels is so low, the price of the how to guide is minimal-you will still be paying way less learning how to make solar panels on your own than purchasing a professionally installed system.

With a little bit effort, you can be on your way to learning how to make solar panels to meet your energy needs. Then sit back and bask in the pride the next time the power goes out on your block. Your lights will still be on because you learned how to make solar panels and your energy supply is still in your battery bank.

Living On Green Energy And Off The Grid

With today's rising energy costs, and no relief in sight, many consumers are looking to live "off the grid." Even with an initial investment that can be steep, the benefits make it much more economical in the long run.

There are small and some not so small ways why off the grid living is a good alternative today. Even though the economical outlay can be steep at first, in the long run it definitely makes more sense for the environment.

Raising your own food is a good way to begin living off the grid. This way, you eat organically while being secure in the knowledge that no dangerous hormones or chemicals are being introduced into your animals.

A cow can provide milk, butter and ultimately beef and leather. Chickens can provide eggs and meat, and flavoring for soup stock. Sheep can provide wool for warmth, and lambs for food; while goats are very good milk producers. Once you have a garden set up, you should never be short of vegetables. Canning and freezing is simple and cost effective for greens all winter long.

People that choose to live off the grid usually do require transportation, but with the availability of hybrid cars; and the research towards possible ethanol fueled cars; wanting to avoid oil products is not as much of a hindrance now. The Amish have the best means of transportation with their horse and buggies. Of course, maintenance on the buggies and upkeep for the horses can be time consuming, but the benefit of no oil product consumption is a great motivator. Horses can also be used for plowing fields, entertainment and also as income if breeding is something one was interested in.

Buying clothes is becoming much more expensive these days. Children as young as five can't go to school in hand me downs or thrift store clothing because they will be teased. When living off the grid, you don't need to be stylish, and you probably have no desire to be stylish either. Spinning wool from your sheep, and knitting or weaving clothes and blankets is a great way to save money. Of course, these days, handspun wool can be a great income generator, as well as wool products, such as handknit sweaters and socks. Buying fabric from a local merchant is less expensive than buying clothes in a store, and can be just as nice as long as you know the basics of sewing. For some, sewing may be difficult, but that is an easy hurdle to overcome. There is always someone who would be willing to barter, especially if you are located near anyone else who chooses off the grid living. Sharing your talents with others make self sustainable living much more enjoyable.

Generating heat and energy is always a concern for those who choose to live off the grid. There are several choices available, but the initial investment can be steep. Once the infrastructure is setup, there is no reason to pay your power bill monthly, or to worry that you are going to freeze in the middle of the night during a storm. Having your own power supply means freedom from being at the mercy of repair crews in the middle of the night when the power line has been knocked down, and also is much safer. Power is not vital to survival, and life can be enjoyable without it.

There are two power supply options with readily available instructions online. Solar and wind energy can be very efficient, and have the benefit of being much cleaner than coal, oil or gas, and definitely much safer than nuclear power plants. There are several sources of this information available... just search "off grid living"

The Amish community is a good example of living off the grid. They have even been able to integrate into the community without sacrificing their values or their way of life. If more people were willing and able to follow their lead, our carbon footprint would be lessened, and our dependence on foreign oil would be nonexistent.

If we each made some small progress in living green, there would be more people willing to make that next step to move off the grid, and our world would be a much cleaner home for all.

About the Author:
Andrew Oke is very interested in renewable energy.He has 16 years experience living off the grid, and has completely built his own renewable energy system. Visit his website at Living Off The Grid
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Living on Green Energy

6 Ways To Reduce Your Energy Usage At Home

Today, a good deal more people are more and more aware of the amount of energy they consumed every day and what effect it was having on our planet. If you are among these people and are looking for a way to help out with the environment and cut back on your energy usage, here are six simple steps to assisting you save on the amount of energy you use.

1. 1. Turn off all of the lights in your home that you are not using, and can you do with less lights? For the next month try to making a genuine commitment to stick to it and compare your current utility bill with next month’s and see how much money you actually could save over the long term just by doing this simple adjustment.
   
   As a matter of fact your mother likely taught you to turn off the lights when you are not in a room, and mother always right. Even with low wattage bulbs, it can help to make a difference to keep them switched off when you are not using them.
   


2. Replace your old thermostat with a digital programmable thermostat if your home does not have one. This way, you can set the thermostat to run the heat or air conditioning less when you are not at home, and then set the temperature to go back to comfortable levels just before you return home. If the system is not running all day it will cut back significantly on the amount of energy you use.


3. Use solar power whenever you can. If you use outdoor lights, then switch these over to run on solar energy. You can also get a portable solar charger that can charge up small appliances like cell phones and laptops. While people mainly use these devices on the go, you can also routinely use them in the home as well.


4. Cut down your hot water use. You can achieve this by using warm or even cold water to wash your clothes and hang up your clothes outside to dry, it will smell fresher too.


5. Be sure all the bulbs in your home have been changed over to the low wattage compact fluorescents. The old style incandescent bulbs can almost triple your energy usage. Also, have outdoor lights with the capability to turn on at night and able to turn themselves off during the daylight hours. This way even if you forget to turn the light off it will not be operating all day.


6. In the winter months, open your drapes on the sunny side of your house to let the sun in to warm your home, you will be amaze how much energy you could save. And naturally you do the opposite in the summer and close the drapes to keep the sun out.

Simply by utilizing these simple steps and you will be able to cut back on your energy consumption. Not only will you be working to save the environment, but you will also be reducing your utility bills as well.

About The Author:
For more ideas and tips on saving energy (and you money) please visit http://www.healthygreenlivingtoday.com and produce your home made energy here... http://www.funbiznow.com/product/home-made-energy.html

Converting To A Solar Home

There are many affordable options to convert your home into a solar home and solar energy technologies can supply for several different uses in a solar home. Passive solar design can provide heating, cooling and natural light for your home. Solar electricity options are available to power home appliances and solar water heating can provide hot water options for laundry and general household water use (showers, cooking, cleaning). When planning a solar home it is important to consider which solar energy options are most efficient, and cost effective for your situation.

A passive solar home utilizes home design to provide heating, cooling and natural light without the use of any special equipment. A passive solar home basically uses the environment to accomplish great reductions in energy use. A passive solar home uses construction materials and design to utilize the sun’s heat during winter months and block the sun’s heat during summer months. There are several passive solar techniques you can use in a solar home, direct gain, radiant heat from sunlight passing directly into a living space and being absorbed by furniture, flooring etc and usually achieved with south facing window installations, indirect gain, involving an attached Trombe wall that collects heat and distributes it throughout the home by the use of fans, thermal mass, which are materials that naturally collect and store heat such as brick or stone, and passive cooling, which generally includes overhangs for south-facing windows to block the sun during summer months for cooling the solar home.

Another feature often found in a solar home is the use of solar electricity. Solar electricity is generated when photovoltaic cells are used to absorb sunlight and convert it into usable electricity. The energy produced by solar panels must be converted to DC (household power) through the use of an inverter. Solar electricity can be used to supplement metered electric already being received by a solar home or with the use of a battery storage bank, can be used as the only electric source for the home. If the later is going to be used, it is suggested that owners of the solar home have a generator available for backup power.

Solar water heating is one of the most common uses of solar energy in a solar home. There are two kinds of solar water heating available for solar home use. The first is a closed loop system, which can be used in areas that are not prone to freezing. These systems use water filled tubes that are heated directly by the sun. A closed loop system uses an anti-freeze type liquid to collect heat from the sun and then the heated liquid is used to heat household water via a heat exchanger.

Regardless of which steps you take toward converting to a solar home, energy efficiency is the most important attribute to a successful solar home operation. Energy efficiency minimizes the need for heating, cooling and electricity. Using higher insulation levels, more energy efficient windows, appliance and lighting than used in traditional construction, you will already be saving yourself a lot of money and energy. However these changes may not be an option when converting an existing home into a solar home, so make any changes possible to your home energy efficiency and adapt other solar practices to convert your existing home into a solar home.

Passive Solar Homes In A Green World

The popular word today is GREEN, meaning protecting our environment, enhancing our ecology, conserving our energy and, also, fighting global warming, pollution and waste.

Utilizing the solar system, instead of fuel, for space heating is part of GREEN. And that's where solar homes come in.

The Traditional Way: Active Solar Homes
Early on, architects learned to harness the sun to heat our homes and minimize our dependence on imported oil. South-facing solar panels on the roof, with circulating water, can produce free domestic hot water. This system is still popular and is cost-effective.

Multiple such panels, with anti-freeze liquid instead of water, and with elaborate pumps and insulated storage tanks have been used for space heating. This system is called "active solar," due to the hardware involved in the system, and it is not cost-effective.

Another upcoming system, born out of the space age, is "photovoltaic." Photovoltaic roof panels use sun power to run the house's entire electrical system. This option is clean, efficient and almost care-free, but very costly to install. However, it does have future potentials as costs come down.

The Practical Way: Passive Solar Homes

"Passive solar" is an old concept with a new shine. Energy-saving passive solar does away with costly panels and mechanical devices and taps directly into the sun's energy and house orientation to heat the home. The advancement of technology and available materials has further enhanced the system.

So what's in a passive solar home? A typical one has the major rooms facing south, or nearly-south. The house is constructed with thick insulation in walls and ceilings to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer. Window and door glazing is double-paned for better insulation (in colder climates, triple-glazing is recommended). A wood-burning stove is selected over a fireplace to optimize heat efficiency.

Most windows and glass doors are on the south side for solar gain. Roof overhangs shade the house from high summer sun. Strategically placed clerestory windows create air circulation by convection for summer cooling.

Benefits and Limitations

Passive solar homes work when solar radiation is collected inside the home and stored in sun spaces, such as sun rooms, and also in thermal media areas, such as masonry walls and thick, ceramic-finished concrete floors. Solar heat stored in these elements is then slowly released after sunset to keep the home warm.

Passive solar has its limitations, too. For instance, some lots might not be fit for solar homes, such as when the site is overwhelmed by tall trees or a barrier. Also, solar design usually requires some sort of back-up heating system for prolonged sunless days or severe weather.

The Bottom Line

It is estimated that passive solar homes can cut fuel consumption by almost 60% or more, especially when wood-burning stoves are utilized. So consider going green and building a passive solar home for your family.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com

About Charles Koty, A.I.A.:
Charles Koty is an award-winning architect, specializing in passive solar homes, with plans featured in numerous home magazines including Better Homes and Gardens, Architectural Designs, House Beautiful, and many others. View his available home plans at www.nationalhomeplans.com