Solar Energy --- an alternative source of power in the home!
By mammots
@mammots (3209)
Philippines
December 29, 2015 12:38am CST
In response to the call to stop global warming i planned on buying a basic solar panel that's capable of powering three 3 watts LED lamps and is capable of charging a cell phone. One whole set costs more than three thousand pesos ( almost 100$ ). I can order it now and pay for it after a month.
I had serious doubts about the product so i searched youtube for tutorial videos on solar panels and solar panels installed here in my country. I learned a lot and realized that utilizing solar energy is not that simple and that the solar panel i would have purchased lacked a lot of gadgets and that i wouldn't have been able to use it after all. So i cancelled my order and felt very frustrated.
Have you ever considered using solar energy as an alternative source of power in your home? If youre using solar energy what problems have you encountered so far?
15 people like this
17 responses
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
29 Dec 15
solar panels are large and heavy so only certain kinds of house roofing can support it and the power output can be limited too
2 people like this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
30 Dec 15
This is my main concern. Solar panels need to be installed on roof tops. It would most probably be destroyed when very strong typhoons hit our country and my city. Very strong typhoons capable of carrying off whole roof tops frequently visit my counry. Its a very big and real threat to an expensive investment and yes youre right power output is also limited.
2 people like this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
31 Dec 15
@arthurchappell I hope someone will come up with a simplified solar panel that even a person like me can manage. The tutorial videos i watched on youtube were made by engineers and its really very complicated.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
30 Dec 15
@mammots unless it is simplified it is unlikely to catch on and work
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14916)
• Malaysia
30 Dec 15
It'd be good to use solar energy as it's better for the environment, but I don't think we can afford to install it now. I haven't check out how much it costs, but I heard that it's definitely not cheap.
Glad that you were able to cancel the order.
2 people like this
@marguicha (215577)
• Chile
6 Feb 16
I have learned a lot about solar energy since one of my friends worked in that for some time. We discovered that we could save a lot on heating with the use of pasive solar energy that costs nothing. The most expensive thing to do is to turn energy to heat so I don´t iron most of my clothes and I gave away my dryer machine.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215577)
• Chile
6 Feb 16
@mammots You can heat water by filling a buycket with it, covering it with black plastic and exposing it to the sun. But we are getting used to working less.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
19 Jan 16
When the typhoon Glenda left us with no electricity for almost 3 weeks , my father in our hometown thought of buying a solar panel . Gosh , it costs more than 120,000 pesos ($2,666.67) .
They just bought instead rechargeable (by the sun) solar panel lamps . 
1 person likes this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
19 Jan 16
I also have one rechargeable solar lamp my sister sent me from the US. Its very easy to charge and i thought in the beginning that i would use it as overnight lighting inplace of the usual overnight lights we use but to my disappointment its power did not last up to morning at all.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32507)
• Calgary, Alberta
4 Mar 16
I use solar panels and I dont have issues with electric bills anymore. It is around 10000 dollars but at least I dont have bills anymore. I can buy something else with the money that should be spent on monthly bills.
1 person likes this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
5 Mar 16
@CaptAlbertWhisker Wow ... Your solar panel must be very large ...like as in your whole roof is covered with it for it to supply you with unlimited solar power. Is it okay if you post photos of your solar panels and solar batteries here?
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32507)
• Calgary, Alberta
5 Mar 16
@mammots Very unlimitted. I cook with an oven and an electric stove everyday so I don't buy LPG anymore. I am abusing my air conditioner without worries of a meralco bill.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26208)
• Singapore
20 Jan 16
India is giving a big push to this sunrise sector. Many offices, schools and offices are encouraged to use this to reduce grid power. It has almost attained grid parity with other sources of power. Still better battery technology is needed to store power and also net metering for feeding electricity to and flow to the grid.
I feel you need to get expert advice whether it is suitable in your case with some guarantee from the supplier - siva
1 person likes this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
6 Feb 16
@Shiva49 Here in my province there are individuals who share their extra solar energy with their community but its still not a very large area yet. I hope there would be a big company who can mass produce and distribute solar energy to every household here in my province or my country.
1 person likes this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
6 Feb 16
I have been asking around for more information about solar energy and solar panels and i have watched tutorial videos on you tube. This is how i learned that its not easy putting up solar panel.
I honestly think that India is way ahead in the utilization of solar energy by mass producing it.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26208)
• Singapore
6 Feb 16
@mammots Over time it is the future of energy. Already the cost is comparable to cheaper sources like coal and since sun is everywhere, especially above poorer countries, solar energy will be a great leveler as most countries can become energy independent - siva
1 person likes this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
3 Jan 16
Yes thats true. Its still very costly and power output is still very limited to only a few hours. I hope they ( i mean our scientist ) will find more ways to make it more conveniently accessible to all kinds of persons. Solar energy is there and readily available. It should be harnessed and not let it go to waste.
@HebrewGreekStudies (1646)
• Canada
6 Mar 16
You were right to do some more research on it, because the truth is a lot of ppl in the industry are not selling products that are very useful or helpful, and sometimes they simply don't know much about it themselves. That said, we use solar energy, and it has knocked about 400 dollars off our electric bill a month (yeh, our electric bills are that high:/), so if well researched and done right, it can be helpful. Here there is a lot of interest in it, because if not the the environment, the electric bills are becoming outragous now:/...in reality, that may be the only way some of us will change...we'll be forced to:/.
1 person likes this
@mammots (3209)
• Philippines
6 Mar 16
Wow ... your electric bill is enormous. I thought it is only in our country where electricity is expensive. I also wanted to cut down our electric bill by using solar energy but i'm still undecided. I know i will find a way to utilize solar energy in our home someday.
1 person likes this
@firstteamm (26)
• Singapore, Singapore
6 Mar 16
Can I suggest a totally different way of off grid electricity. This is by manufacturer of 5-hour energy drink. He uses a bicycle like arrangement to get your electricity supplied. Same time you get your exercise done. Here is one link that talks about that contraption, it is not an affiliate link.
Pedaling for an hour on Manoj Bhargava's 'Free Electric' hybrid bike can supply 24 hours of electricity for a rural household.
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
12 Feb 16
Solar energy is great, however the price is so expensive here that we can't afford it. Otherwise, we'd love to have solar energy!
@oneoveralpha (434)
• Brookville, Pennsylvania
29 Dec 15
I would love to switch over to solar, and even wind. I live on a farm, so we have more than enough space to have enough to supply all our power. It's just having the money to buy and install all that that's the problem.
1 person likes this
