DIY Solar Power Projects You Can Try at Home
Do-it-yourself solar power projects can help you spend less money on energy, and help you reduce your household's carbon emissions. What's more, the projects are not expensive at all.
There are different types of DIY solar power projects you can choose from. Be sure to pick the one that will meet your needs.
In the solar thermal category, you can choose among home solar power ideas, solar space heating, solar water heating, passive solar cooling, sunspaces greenhouses, and solar pool heating. These projects will help you use the sun's energy to heat your home and/or your water supply.
Passive solar power set-ups in the home make your living area more energy-efficient. You could do this along with a solar heating project, especially if you live in a place where winters are cold. Solar space heating is more cost-effective as compared with solar electric systems.
But if you are located off the grid, you can also try your hand at do-it-yourself solar electric projects. You can make a simple PV solar system that can power your water pump and other electronic devices. You might also want to combine this with wind and hydro systems.
Then, there are the do-it-yourself solar cooking projects. Solar cooking is the safest, simplest, and most convenient method of cooking your food without using of fossil fuels or conventional electricity sources, and without producing unwarranted heat in your kitchen. Solar cookers are not just for cooking. They can also heat water for your household, preserve fruits and tomatoes, sanitize utensils and dishes, and kill insects in grains. These are just a few of the ways solar ovens and cookers can help your household.
Whatever your particular circumstances, you should be able to find DIY solar power projects that will suit your requirements. There are tons to choose from - solar powered lighting, water pumping, conservation, solar space heating, home solar power, solar water heating, greenhouses, passive solar cooling techniques, solar pool heating, solar electricity, solar cooking, solar drying, and even solar vehicles. The level of expertise required for these projects ranges from complete novice to experienced professional. You can also pick up DIY kits from stores but some projects can be made from things you commonly find at home.
