Solar Technology

As solar technology continues to improve there are a few things we can do to improve our chances of success when we employ solar technology. I am sure that every household will utilize some sort of solar technology in the near future if they are not already using it.
The giant photovoltaic array pictured above is part of 70,000 tracker panels that generate up to 15 megawatts of power at Nellis Air Force Base.

The interesting part of the array is that it does not rank near the top of photovoltaic arrays in the world. The United States has not developed the large photovoltaic arrays like other countries.

I do not think we will see huge arrays like these in the future in the United States. I think we will do smaller things to utilize solar technology. I was reading the other day about what C.P has spent over the last 9 years at his home.

This was a very good breakdown of the costs for a total off-grid environment over a 9 year period. The initial take away points are that over the 108 month period that one household managed to save $458 by producing all their power without an electric bill. Can you see why critics say that solar is not worth the investment. Chances are that C.P. would have had a smaller bill than the average home due to better choices than the average home.

One thing that is not quickly apparent is the fact that the family had the $156 per month for an average electric bill to utilize elsewhere in their budget. I also think you have to account for the peace of mind knowing that they would always have power even if the grid goes down. There is a benefit to having your own power plant and controlling all the factors instead of relying on something outside your control.

Solar technology continues to improve and the costs will continue to decrease making it more economical. There are three things that we can do now to get ready for better success utilizing solar technology.

The first positive step would be to replace your electric stove with a gas, propane, or wood powered option. Obviously this should be done when the current one needs replacing or when a remodel happens.

The second thing to be done when possible is to replace your electric hot water heater. There are many options here including a gas hot water heater, a tankless water heater that does not use electric, and even a solar powered hot water that is very efficient and utilized for hundreds of years.

The last step is something that should be done sooner rather than later. Convert something in your life to solar technology in the next 6 months. There are many options and one that could be utilized right now is recharging our mobile devices. A mobile charging platform like the Restore or sCharger will allow all of us to utilize solar technology now and also provide a mobile recharging platform for the ubiquitous mobile devices that are prevalent everywhere now!

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