Many people dream of becoming energy independent. They see green energy sources not only as a way to greatly reduce their energy bills each month, but they also see it as a way to power their homes in a way that does not burn the Earth’s resources, and does not harm the environment.
The green energy sources that are the most popular are solar energy and wind energy. While there are other forms of green energy, these are the most popular because they are the two sources that are the most readily available. You do not have to relocate to take advantage of these sources, and they are both relatively inexpensive to get started with. While making a complete change-over in your home can be a serious investment, it is possible to get stated on a smaller scale, and make a gradual change-over as you can afford to.
Solar Energy
The most popular form of green energy is solar energy. It collects sunlight using solar panels that convert that light into electricity. One reason this is so popular is because the system, once in place, is relatively low maintenance. Other than keeping the solar panels clean, there is not much to do to keep your solar energy system running. Because there are not any moving parts to wear out, breakdowns do not typically happen with this type of system.
The disadvantage of a solar energy system is that it requires a lot of direct sunlight to see real benefits from the system. If you are unfortunate enough to live in an area that has considerable cloud cover on a regular basis you may not see the same benefits as someone living in a sunny location.
That does not mean that you should discount solar energy as a good energy source, it just means you will need to take steps to make the most of the times the sun is shining brightly. By increasing the number of panels you will be able to generate more energy in a shorter period of time. If you have your solar generators hooked to a battery system, you will be able to capture that extra energy to use at night, or on cloudy days.
Wind Energy
Another green energy source that has gotten quite a bit of attentions is wind energy. This form of energy harnesses the power of using propellers that turn a turbine which creates electricity. The good part about modern wind powered turbines is that they do not require a lot of wind to operate them. A steady breeze is often enough to turn the blades and begin generating electricity. Of course, the more wind you have, the quicker you will be able to generate significant amounts of electricity.
Unlike solar systems, you are not limited by the time of day for generating power. These systems will work day or night. Like the solar energy systems, you can hook a wind powered generator to a battery systems so you will have a steady supply of energy.
The biggest disadvantages of a wind energy systems is that the turbine does require more space that the solar cells, and are not as easily incorporated into the design of a house. A wind turbine also requires more maintenance that solar energy systems. It has more moving parts so you need to perform scheduled maintenance on the system to reduce the chances of a breakdown.
Green energy sources are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint without having to do away with many of the conveniences of modern life. You can lower your energy bills, and be more environmentally friendly in the process.
Jim Smoot writes for the Renewable Solar Energy website at http://www.renewable-solar-energy.com. Go there today for more information about green living, and how you can make your home energy independent.
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