A Solar Power System Doesn't Have to Power the Entire House
There's no denying it any longer: the fossil fuel supply is running out, and eventually we will not have access to the oil and petroleum products that we have been embracing for the past century. In order to make sure that we do not suffer an energy crisis in the future, the time to develop and adopt new energy sources is now.
Many homeowners are doing their part by installing a solar power system in their home. A solar power system doesn't have to be overly complicated or power the entire house; many solar enthusiasts choose to start small with a passive solar power system or a system that is only meant to power part of their needs. This seems to be the wisest way to go as the transition is being made to alternative fuels from fossil fuels.
Some Solar Requirements
Before you can install a solar power system in your home, though, there are a few things you need to consider. The location of your home is one of the most important factors that you'll need to keep in mind. The geographic location of your home and its relative distance from the equator can affect the quality of the solar power possible for you.
If you live in a location and climate where the sun is almost always covered with clouds, solar power will be difficult for you to harness and utilize effectively. Homes that only receive significant sunlight for part of the year - such as homes in the very far north - will rely more on their backup energy source during the dark times of the year.
The orientation of your house, or how it is situated in its surroundings, also has a large impact on the solar power possibilities available to you. If your home is in the middle of a grove of very large trees, not much sunlight will be able to reach your solar panels. For maximum effectiveness, your solar panels should be able to be aimed at solar south or very close to it.
Will we ever see the adoption of a widespread solar power system encompassing many or all homes in the United States? It seems unlikely that solar will be our primary source of power in the future, but it will certainly be present and utilized to a greater degree than it is now. As technology improves and prices come down, we may even find ourselves eventually using solar power as a primary means of powering homes.
