|
Uses of Solar: Homes and Mobile
How practical is solar for home and mobile home/marine use? These days, it's pretty practical, especially for remote homes. Until solar power came along, people who
wanted to live in remote areas frequently had to pay large fees to have a power cable run to their house. Now, a remote home can be virtually self-sufficient with solar power. Even in areas where power lines are nearby, solar may be a viable alternative to being connected to a power company. An average home has more than enough roof area to produce
enough solar electricrity to supply all of its power needs. With an inverter, which converts direct current (DC) power from the solar cells to alternating current (AC), which is what most home appliances run on, a solar
home can look and operate very much like a home that is connected to a power line. For recreational vehicles, solar power provides the freedom to go to more remote locations, without relying on a plug-in
power source or a noisy electric generator. Systems for RVs can be small—for charging batteries only—or large enough to power the entire vehicle for a period of time. Similarly, boats can use solar power for many of
their power needs, rather than a generator or engine. |
