Considering going green for your home energy? You'll need to compare solar power and wind power in their feasibility. There's much research to be done if you are trying to decide which option is better. Let's look at the analysis needed to decide if you'll learn how to build solar panels for power, or how to build a windmill for power.
Solar power and wind power have several things in common:
* either one will allow you to generate some level of your own power.
* Both require a "battery bank" to store any extra power until it's needed.
* Both require a good set of DIY instructions
* You'll have to buy parts
* You'll have to dedicate at least one weekend to getting it built
* either one will increase the value of your home
* both require an inverter to sync the flows of energy
* Units can be built and sold as an extra income
Solar power has several advantages:
* No moving parts to wear out.
* May be able to mount these on the rooftop, doing away with using precious yard space.
Wind power has several advantages as well:
* You won't have to climb on the roof to install or repair it.
* No need to worry about it not producing power due to getting covered over with snow or leaves.
* The weight of the snow won't be testing the seals or damaging them.
* Less chance for serious damage in areas prone to hail storms.
This is only a small list, but it's realistic. These are some of the major differences between these two systems. Both types of power are rather technical, which means that a thorough manual is required for either one. Either can be built by a layman with some time and patience.
If you're undecided, you should first check the feasibility of wind power. A great resource with maps for most any area in the USA:
http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/maps.html
They have a long list of mapped regions as well as a chart with the meanings of the different ratings. If you're not in the US, try typing your country followed by wind maps into Google and you should have plenty of resources to choose from. Mapping the winds has become a common exercise for most countries.
Next, check the placement of your solar panels to see if you like where you'll end up. There is a website with some free calculation resources to help you determine the placement:
http://www.jgiesen.de/SME/index.htm
This website is maintained by Jürgen Giesen. It is slow to load, but worth the wait. You'll need you longitude and latitude for the calculations on this page. A GPS, an atlas or even Google Earth may give you this information.
A few other items that will help you make a more informed choice:
* The energy output of the windmill or solar panel - This will depend on the amount of wind or sun in your particular area.
* Your typical energy consumption - You can either use your previous power bills (most show consumption), or you can add the energy consumption of the appliances in your home.
You may also want to know the size or number of the solar panels or windmills needed to achieve enough energy for you to live off the grid. Don't overlook this in your calculations.
Which ever you decide, either alternative will provide you with a real sense of pride. It will be a welcome change when you get your next power bill after getting it in place.
Still thinking that you should
Build Solar Panels for Power? There's a very good diy manual that includes videos for the difficult steps and, they even have support available in case the manual and videos aren't enough. Check it out at
http://www.nopowerbill.info. There is also a DIY manual included to make a wind turbine. The right choice for either option.
