by Eve Redstone

Created on: November 12, 2008   Last Updated: November 21, 2008

Home solar energy is a viable option for powering the modern home. Home solar energy uses energy that is free from the sun to provide electricity for our homes.

The biggest advantage of a residential solar power system is that is essentially free after installation, with no dependency on the grid once it is up and running. Maintenance is usually minimal, involving a quick scrub down of the panels once or twice a year, and an adjustment of their placement to catch the sun at some latitudes. Solar energy appeals as it is one of the cleanest forms of energy available for us to use. Some electricity companies even buy back excess production from the producers (you).

The biggest disadvantage of home solar energy is the initial set up cost. Fully independent systems can be very expensive to buy and install, but many places have grants available to help with this. If there is a problem with the system it can be expensive to put right. The batteries needed for a truly independent (off-grid) system need replacing at varying frequencies and these have their own ecological impact.

Technology in the field of solar energy is constantly moving and modern residential solar panels are very efficient at converting the sun's energy to electricity. Old residential solar panels were large, heavy and inefficient, but even they could power a home. Modern residential solar panels can be as thin and light as a piece of paper, and yet still strong enough to walk on. Modern residential solar panels are more efficient at converting sunlight to electricity than older ones, meaning that the roof area needed to produce a meaningful amount of energy is reduced. Even in more northerly climates enough energy can often be produced on a winter's day to run a house.

To be effective a residential solar power system needs more than solar panels. In addition a storage device (batteries) and a system to convert to a suitable form of power (an inverter) are needed. (If no inverter is used all the electrical appliances in the home need to be replaced.)

A partially off grid system is the best option for most residential solar power users. With these systems the user is still attached to the mains electricity grid, feeding power into the grid during the day and taking it at night. Depending on the home's electricity usage homes then get paid for their over production or pay for their over use.

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