PV Gap

Wanda Said:

where can i buy a cheaper solar energy for my 5 bedroom house?

We Answered:

You have to find a unit that is appropriate for your area of the country. Only this past year did a unit become available that was economically viable in Minnesota. However, it is only adequate for a small home (my sister and BIL are installing one this year).

If you go to Google and type in "solar energy economical" followed by your state, you can get access to your states information on solar energy. Sometimes, it's actually funded by the power company.

Joy Said:

Why don't we use Solar Energy to its fullest potential - in every house and in every car?

We Answered:

It's expensive, and in this economy it's very hard for individuals to implement solar everywhere. We need to focus on now –to use our current fuel sources more efficiently. When we burn coal, when we power steam engines with nuclear power plants, we have about 8-12% of that energy actually usable by us. The rest is wasted into heat energy.

Good luck!

Katrina Said:

How does solar energy turn into the elctricity in your house?

We Answered:

Photons from the light of the sun strike atoms in a solar cell and cause electrons to move. This electricity coming out of the cell (assuming a completed circuit) goes to a storage battery and/or an inverter which converts the DC (what batteries and solar cells generate) to AC (which household appliances use).

Curtis Said:

how a two family house can be run on solar energy?

We Answered:

A typical family household (in Europe) uses 20 - 40 kWh/day.
If we assume 60 kWh/day for your two family house, a south-facing roof at the perfect angle towards the sun, an average of 4hrs of sunshine a day (Southern Europe) and 15% cell efficiency, you'd need 100 sqm of solar panels (installation cost EUR50000-70000).
This is just a rough estimate, please contact a local expert to make a more exact calculation for your situation (incl. subsidies, etc.).

Jerome Said:

how is solar energy practical for the house ?

We Answered:

Define "practical".

There are different ways you can use solar energy for your house.

Most folks think of solar panels for electricity, but it's also possible to use the heat to help heat your water.

Of course, once the sun goes down, you lose your energy source.

Overall, solar energy can help reduce our use of other forms of energy (e.g. coal, natural gas) but we're quite a ways from completely replacing our electricity plants with solar panels.