Low-cost Solar Energy Ideas You Can Experiment With

At present solar energy remains one of the most expensive forms of renewable energy because of the high cost of solar cells

. However, you can still save some money on your energy bills by creating your own low cost solar energy panel which can power virtually any appliance in your home, even a computer and a TV.

It will cost you less than $300, with the bulk of the cost accounted for by the solar panel itself. You will also need a 12-volt rechargeable battery which will store the energy generated by the solar panel and is where the appliances will be plugged in.

To make the solar panel, you have to install it in a frame that you can place on your roof or other area where it will receive a lot of sun. Once you've made the panel, connect it and the battery to a solar charger controller. Then attach a DC input that will allow you to operate DC-powered appliances such as electric fans and vacuum cleaners from this low cost energy source. If you want to operate AC appliances from your solar panel, you will need to buy an inverter to convert the power in the battery to AC.

As an alternative to a solar panel, you can attach flexible photovoltaic solar cells to a curtain to make a solar curtain. All you have to do is sew the solar cells onto an existing curtain and place the rechargeable batteries on the hem. Stitch the wires connecting the cells to the battery onto the curtains to prevent unnecessary movement. Hang the curtain onto the window where it will receive the most sunlight. If the solar cells are not pre-wired, use a multimeter to determine the positive and negative locations; solder the battery wire at these points and seal with electrical tape before connecting them to the battery.

If you're feeling more adventurous, you can also make your own low-cost solar energy panels using sheets of copper plating and a plastic food container. First you will need to cut a sheet of copper plating as big as the container you will use to house your solar panel. Cut the sheet in half then heat one piece on an electric burner until it develops a black coating; don't remove it at once but keep it burning for another half-an-hour. Once it's cool, clean it off until the black coating has been removed but do not scrub or bend the copper panel. Place the two plates upright into the plastic container with one end flush with the bottom and the edges against the walls of the container; glue them into place. Fill the container halfway with a solution of water and 1 teaspoon of salt; make sure the top of the panels does not get wet. Finally, attach a connector to each of the plates above the waterline. The plate that you heated will have a negative charge while the other plate has a positive charge. After attaching a DC input to the battery, you can now use it to power small appliances or lights.

by: Robert Mcdonough

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