PV Gap

Kirk Said:

Do it yourself Solar Panels?

We Answered:

http://www.usedsolarpanel.net/
http://www.homemadeenergy.org/
Building your own solar panel and making use of solar power not only makes for an intelligent, respectful use of the planet's resources but it can improve the lives of all us. After learning how to make a solar panel, you could sleep soundly in the knowledge that you can make electricity to power your home and are contributing less to harmful emissions. If this is not motivation enough then read on...
Imagine for a moment, a situation where you would be smiling with glee instead of gasping with sheer terror when you receive your electric bill. Sound impossible? Well, think again. By building your own solar panel, the utility company could end up paying you for the surplus energy your DIY solar panel produces. When it cannot make electricity, at nighttime for example, you can use power from the grid.
Many countries including; Australia, Canada, Israel, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Spain and some states in the US have introduced something called a Feed-In Tariff which means customers get paid for the electricity made on their property using a DIY solar panel.
Of course, this doesn't apply everywhere. I'm sure there are other schemes which differ from country to country, so it is important to find out which one applies to you before you make one.
So, how much does it cost? That of course relies on your budget as there are many different ways you can go about building your own solar panel. It all depends on what your energy needs are, how much of the work you can do yourself and what you are willing to compromise on. You have to consider the following things and how much they cost:
Materials

 http://www.earth4energy.com/
http://www.greendiyenergy.com/
There are DIY solar panel kits available that are ready to be assembled and have everything you need to make it, of course, these cost much more. However, it is possible to find nearly all of the materials in your local hardware store cheaply and learn how to make a solar panel easily. The only thing you may want to buy ( it is possible to make these at home but its not recommended!) are solar cells. These are what convert the sunlight and make electricity but you can buy these easily online. You can even buy broken ones and repair them, saving even more by making this.
Tools
This can be done using common tools but you may need to buy a soldering iron if you don't already have one.
Plans
Now this is the really important part, learning how to make a solar panel. It is no good doing all the research and getting all the materials, if the plans you are building your own solar panel from do not produce a working version at the end of it all. There are loads of guides on the Internet but I would always recommend buying plans with easy-to-follow instructions on this from a reputable company who knows what they are talking about.

Author: Joseph Park Other Blog Links
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