Solar and Wind Power

Due to the recent hot trend of “going green,” homeowners all across the US and the world are looking into building their own solar panels and generating all their own electricity. But you have to be careful when doing this, because there’s a lot of bad information out there about how to build solar panels, how much they cost, and how long they last.

Don’t believe anyone who says solar panels are extremely expensive. If you buy them through a big company, that is the case – you can expect to spend $20,000 or more if you want to go that route and be “professional.”

Assuming you do it yourself, though, you can get the same great results at a fraction of the price with 2 different but equally viable approaches.

One method is to simply buy already-made solar panels – don’t go for new ones, though. Go for ones that are broken or chipped and not functioning at 100%, and go through eBay, your local hardware store, or even the highway patrol.

Why highway patrol? Well, solar panels are used along many highways in the US, and traffic accidents often result in broken solar panels – so this can be a great source for making your home 100% green. And it’s something not too many people know about.

The second approach: You can build your own panels by buying individual solar cells – either on eBay or from your local hardware store. Just search or ask for “chipped” or “broken” cells, and you’re in business. The advantage is that these cells are very, very cheap – but the disadvantage is that it will take a weekend or two to assemble everything.

Another big myth about solar power: you can eliminate your electric bill 100% with solar panels. It would be nice if it were true, but it just isn’t the case – at least for most people.

One big problem with this is that not everyone lives in the ideal area for solar power – if you’re in Alaska, or your house is in the shade, you’ll have a tough time extracting much power from your solar panels.

But even without that, the average house would require solar panels with the capacity for thousands of kilowatts to go 100% “off the grid.” And if you use air-conditioning, you’ll need double what the typical home would require.

The good news is that even if the solar panels don’t completely eliminate your electric bill, they can still save you a lot of money – and when used in conjunction with wind turbines, you might be able to go 100% off the grid.

The third myth is that do-it-yourself solar panels will fall apart easily, or are very fragile. Don’t get me wrong – nothing lasts forever, and solar panels are no exception.

It starts with proper construction: prevent moisture from getting in by using silicone, and then use flexi-glass on the outside to prevent water, dust, and debris from settling on top.

And then there’s maintenance – you need to clean your panels, check the wiring, and clean out moisture at least once a year. Do this, and your solar panels will last for years and power your house long into the future.