Evaluating Your Site For Solar Energy...Do I Get Enough Sun?

  Silly question, I know.  But will solar power hot water and solar power systems work at my house or apartment? 

   You might be interested in using solar energy at your home but you are not sure on several issues such as; whether the place where your home is located can enable you to adequately tap solar energy. Some of the major issues that you might consider are obstacles around your home area and cloud cover. However, you need not to worry about cover because information from the meteorological department says that any site across the state is good for the collection of solar power. Some areas are however more endowed with solar energy than others though should not be a major issue.

Site Obstruction Survey 

  The solar panel acts on the principle that it must be exposed to solar energy as much as possible in order to adequately harness enough energy. This therefore means that the location of the solar panel should be free of obstacles.

  Before installing the solar panel you should ensure that the sun rays can totally cover its surface area.

Sun’s Path Across The Sky 

  This might sound far fetched but the sun has a path follows across the sky. This path however, is not a fixed route; it changes from season to season. It is therefore very important to construct a place for your solar panel with this information in mind.  Assuming that the sun will follow this or that route without being could prove to an exercise in futility.

  The sun rises from the east and sets on the west; this is true based on the two equinoxes based on the equinoxes, during solar noon, the sun's altitude can be found by subtracting ninety degrees form the altitude of the location that you are in. If you are in an area, for example where the latitude is twenty degrees then it follows that the suns altitude on the equinoxes will be equivalent to twenty degrees subtracted from ninety degrees giving you seventy degrees. Everywhere on earth, on the equinox the length of the day is normally twelve hours. There is an equinox that normally occurs between, March twenty first and ends on September twenty first.

  In the northern hemisphere, the shortest day of the year occurs on the twenty first day of December. It is called the winter solstice. On this day the sun will rise on the south east and set on the south west. Solar noon altitude will be 23.5 adrift in degrees from the one it was on at equinox.

  During summer the longest day will definitely be the summer solstice which occurs on the twenty first day of June in the northern hemisphere. On this particular day the sun will come up from the north east and sets in the North West. During this period the suns altitude at noon will increase by twenty three point five degrees of the degrees it was during the equinox.

  The 23.5 degrees that is frequently used in the calculations is the earth’s axis tilt in relation to the earth’s orbit plane. Winter solstice occurs when the earths tilt in the North Pole is away from the sun; on the other hand summer solstice occurs when the earths tilt at the South Pole is towards the sun. When installing the solar panel at your place of residence or any other place it is essential that you locate it an area where it will be constantly exposed to the suns rays.

Surveys of Obstacle 

  This refers to the procedure of looking out for other physical objects that may block the sun away from the solar panel. It is important to check the position of the sun in your area during given periods of time of the year. This can easily be attained by looking for a copy of the sun cart of your area. The sun chart will help you understand the various routes followed by the sun through out the year.

  The position of the sun every minute all year round which is documented in the solar chart is also referred to as Azimuth and Elevation. To personally make an elevation gage there is a set of procedure that you need to follow. You need to attach a copy of the elevation gage on small cardboard. Carefully cut the cardboard paying attention to the site line. At the points where the lines intersect insert a nail. Attach a string on the nail while on the other end of the string tie a small weight.

  The procedure for making the azimuth angle gage also involves sticking a copy of the Azimuth gage on a small piece of cardboard paper. Find a narrow piece of straight wood and make a hole using a drilling machine at the one of the extreme ends. Insert a nail in the hole made and middle of the circle of reference

Carrying out Survey of The Site 

  The surface where you will be placing you solar panel should be reasonably level. To put to use the elements that you have made it advisable to know exactly where the true south is. This is done on the basis of one assumption. The sun during solar noon sets towards the south. Knowledge of the time when the sun sets and rises in your locality is also very important. These facts can be easily obtained from a copy of the local dailies. You should also take into account that the there is a difference between the solar noon and the actual day time noon.

  Other than the above mentioned method you can also find out where the true south is by using a compass.

Interpreting the Results 

  For a variety of solar panels if you can access half a day of uninterrupted solar then it will be able to function perfectly well. Any blockages need to be carefully examined to find out why they occur at what time, the total period of blockage and how they can be avoided.

  However, in case the blockages span over a long period of time then you can remove the solar panel from its current location to a location where it will get adequate sunlight. Solar panels are put too much use during winter. Because of the extremely cold weather no one wants to be exposed to the extremely cold conditions.

  Understanding how the solar panel works, its basic principles as well as where to locate it can go along way in successfully utilizing the natural resources. Governments nowadays advocate for safer means of energy production. This is due to the global warming effects caused by other sources of energy for example coal and petroleum products.

  There are several companies specializing in the manufacture of solar panels. The solar panels have varying lifetimes. Some only last a few years while some can go for ages. There are also home made panels. The decision on which one to buy will depend on your needs.

Projects of Space Heating 

  Space heating solar panels are more effective than ordinary solar panels. However their installation and use involve the several steps of installation just as the ones discussed above. There are passive space heating panels as will active space heating panels. These solar panels can be used to virtually do a lot of energy related work. Both active space heating panels as well as passive space heating panels involves a lot of procedures of construction. The can be placed on the walls, on roof tops as well as on the ground. Their surface areas are normally large thus the amount of energy stored is big.

  There is another solar electricity system called photovoltaic. This solar system has captured the imagination of many people. There are four common types of this design of solar panels. It is though a very costly method of obtaining energy from the sun. Even though it is costly one can easily buy the components and make home made panel very easily. Information about photovoltaic solar systems can be found online or at approved solar panel stores.