Solar Power: The Ultimate Guide to Solar Power Energy and Lower Bills: (Off Grid Solar Power Systems, Home Solar Power System) - Mark Prentice, James Bickel (2016)

Book 1. 20 Hacks to Build Your Own Affordable Solar Power System

Introduction

It’s truly amazing how fast technology has advanced over the years. With each passing year, things continue to advance at a faster rate. Still, with all of the progress we’ve made, it has not been without cost.

It seems that with each advancement we make a little is taken away from our environment. When scientists like Ben Franklin, Alessandro Volta, Michael Faraday, and Thomas Edison made their contributions to the world of technology there was literally no way for them to know the extent their discoveries would eventually reach.

Over the years, because of their contributions to the world of science, nearly every life on the planet has been affected by electricity. According to the World Energy Outlook Database, 83% of the planet is now reliant on electricity to get through their day. That leaves only about 1.2 billion people still in the dark but projected estimates show that number is being reduced each year by approximately 84 million.

It is clear, that electricity has become a very important part of life for the vast majority of mankind. People rely on it to cook, to clean, for transportation, and to control the temperature in their environment.

There is no question that the use of electricity has woven itself into the fabric of life in general. Unless you live in sub-Saharan Africa or somewhere in the few remaining developing countries of the world, chances are you flip a switch in your home several times a day without giving it a second thought.

However, electricity comes at a cost. In some areas it can be very expensive to maintain, in others it has proven to be extremely damaging to the environment. Still, with careful research and study one quickly learns that it is not electricity itself that has been damaging to our world; the power has been around for millennia. What poses a the real threat therefore is not electricity as much as the means by which we acquire it.

Up until the last few generations, the fuel for electricity has come predominantly from fossil fuels, which is available in limited supply. While it appears to be in abundant supply, resources for fossil fuels are becoming more difficult to tap into.

According to the site Ecotricity.co.uk, estimates predict that our current supply of fossil fuels will run out by 2088 and perhaps even sooner if the current and steady increase in production continues.

This knowledge has caused many of us to look at alternative resources for harnessing the power of electricity and turning to solar power as an option. There are many reasons why you might be considering setting up your own solar power source but the fact that you are shows that you are definitely interested in protecting the environment and saving money.

By the time you finish this book you will have a basic understanding about what to do to get solar energy in your home or office.

You will likely be surprised at how simple a project it can be, how affordable it actually is and all while lowering your carbon footprint in the process. This book will be a valuable resource in guiding you through each step needed to bring your home into the modern world of technology through solar power.