by Lyndon W

Created on: August 08, 2010   Last Updated: August 12, 2010

Needless to say, solar power is the most abundant energy that we can obtain on planet Earth now. Looking at it closer, the Sun gives us more than just light and heat. The main idea now is how best to utilize this ‘free’ energy for our own use and save money.

A quick look at the costs: Individual solar panels alone may set you back by $300-$700 each, and providing between 60 and 200 watts of power per day. Although powering your entire home or workspace exclusively with a home solar panel system may not be cost-effective, however, energy costs can still be substantially reduced with it hand-in-hand.  This solves monetary problem for people both at home and work saddled with high electricity bills.

Some systems that you might want to consider are as follows:

Solar cooking system. Worry no more about running out of cooking gas or electricity. The only disadvantage is that solar cooking requires more patience by waiting longer. However, the wait is worth it, considering that tasteful and healthy food can still be churned out without worrying about paying your gas or electricity bill.

Solar recharging system. There are several portable and affordable systems that allow you to charge small electronics. For instance, they include hooking up the system to the charging of mobile phones, laptops, PDAs, rechargeable batteries and other devices.

Solar lighting system. Lighting up your entire space becomes a breeze. Because of the ability to store solar power, it can also light up your house at nights.

Solar heating system. Heating up your home or office uses up a lot of electricity. Keeping warm should not be a costly issue. You can keep your house cosy and warm using the solar heating system without worrying about costs. It is also a good way to heat up your water supply for baths and showers.

With one or a combination of these systems, you should be on the road to long term savings, and having less dependency on your local power supplier. The high initial costs of installation may be daunting to many, but it is indeed well worth it over the long run. Depending on where you reside, do check out on tax credits that might be available for both business and individuals. Rebates might also be in existence to assist on installation cost, or even be able to make money with excess energy generated by you and sold back to your local power company.

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