Diy Home Electricity: Wind Power Vs. Solar Power

The two most well known environmentally safe methods of creating renewable energy are solar power and wind power. In this article I will compare and contrast these two methods. If you are considering whether to go the solar power or wind power route for your own home's electricity source then you should make sure you read this article first as you may learn something which helps you make the right decision on which way to go.

Solar power is also commonly known as solar energy. It is a method which harnesses the incredible power of the sun (which is 93,000,000 miles away from earth) to create electricity.

When people think of solar power they often think of solar panels. These are also known as solar cells and by their more technical name photovoltaic cells. These are devices which take light and turn it into electricity using something called the photoelectric effect.

While most people think of solar panels as a rather new invention, this is actually not the case at all. The first solar panels were created by a man named Charles Fritts way back in the 1880s and they've been used to power satellites since 1954!

The amount of sunlight that your home gets should be a consideration when deciding whether solar power is the right choice for your "DIY" renewable energy source. If you live in an area where there are far more cloudy days than average (such as in Washington State) then it may not be advisable to go the solar route, perhaps a windmill may be more suited for you.

Wind power currently makes up very little of the world's electricity production. Currently wind only accounts for about 1% of the worldwide electricity produced. But although it's usage is still quite low, it has been increasing rapidly over the last 8 years and most assume that it's use will increase further in the future, particularly with new President Barack Obama taking office looking to take America's economy in a more "green" direction.

Either wind power or solar power (or perhaps even both together) would be a good choice for most people who want to power their homes themselves. Both choices create environmentally friendly renewable energy that is great for the environment.

Again, like with solar power, you need to consider where you live before deciding if wind power is right for you. If you live in a place that is particularly windy then you should definitely consider it, on the other hand you may want to think twice if your area is more calm than most. Check weather websites online for comparisons if you are not sure.

I've heard some people worry about not having sufficient power going when the sun goes down if they are using solar panels or when it the wind stops blowing if they are using windmills and decide against going this route. But that's really a nonsensical fear because these types of systems are equipped with batteries for storing excess energy created when it's very sunny or very windy so that it can be used when it's not so sunny (like during the night) or when it's not s windy.

It may also be a better choice economically because with a renewable source of energy, a home owner will no longer have to send money to the electric company for the electric bill every month. In fact, many electric companies will actually buy any excess electricity created by DIY home based solar panels and windmills.

Imagine having the electric company pay you instead of you paying them and saving the environment while you're at it. That's exactly the admirable position where many people using solar & wind power at home find themselves today.