Solar power and alternative energy have risen in popularity as the price of power rises.
It is beyond imagination to think about the amount of empty rooftop real estate ready for use in this country and around the world. This property is so valuable and available for occupation, especially when an emergency situation arises.
If you are unaware of its existence and enduring past power outages, just look upwards.
Alternative vs Renewable
Some less knowledgeable people use the terms renewable and alternative as synonyms. However, they don’t refer to the same type of energy. Alternative energy is the practice of drilling into the ground to bring various forms of energy to the surface.
Renewable energy will always be available because the sun continues to shine, the wind keeps blowing, the ground keeps giving off heat, and hydrogen is always present in the outer layer of our atmosphere. Any of these sources can be captured and stored for future use or they are available for immediate use. Solar energy is the fastest growing source of heat and power in the world.
Alternative energy capture tends to damage the natural infrastructure below ground and into the depths of the ocean. The prevalence of fracking to bring petroleum products to the surface seems to trigger earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Conversely, renewable energy is clean, not environmentally disruptive, and not a contributor to the global warming phenomena.
Availability is Priceless
Back in the day, homeowners on a discovery mission were tapping into solar energy as an experiment. Anyone passing by a residence could see that solar energy was in use. The huge, heavy solar panels up on the roof were at an optimal angle to catch the sun’s bright rays. Storage systems were ranging from rudimentary to non-existent, so you had to use the energy as soon as the capture was made.
Buildings have valuable real estate with no price tags due to location on rooftops, balconies, or porches – anywhere that sunlight is accessible. You don’t need to own these locations in order to utilize them on a daily or weekly basis, either. Be prepared when the grid goes down so you won’t be left in the dark for however long an outage lasts.
Storage Makes the Difference
Solar made big strides over the past 4-5 decades due to the improvements in storage, flexibility of use and the concealed capture of bright light. Sunshine is not a requirement as long as daylight is available to the user. You can capture the benefits of solar energy and store it in an appropriate battery for future use.
The batteries range from short term, light use to whole-structure ongoing power. Panels come in various styles and sizes from the compact to those hidden in roofing shingles. You do not need to own a home to benefit from off-the-grid power because flexible collectors are in use anywhere there is a surface that faces upwards – except in a dense forest. Storage does make all the difference.
Conceal Energy Capture
New methods of placing rooftop collectors have come to the mainstream consumer market. After much testing, a new roofing shingle is now available for consideration as you contemplate the replacement of your roof. It is almost impossible to tell that a roof shingle is generating some – or all – of the electricity in use.
Those people who run a business from personal living space can keep working even if the neighbors are in total darkness. The solar energy from a full battery can power computers, tablets, phones, televisions, appliances and lights. Indoor gardeners who run lights for growing plants have an alternate way to keep grow lights running. Eager survivalists can bring energy from the sun to anywhere the need for it exists.
Productive Rooftop Real Estate
The manufacturers of the new rooftop shingle put time and effort into three phases of development:
- Flexibility of the shingle itself
- Joining mechanism on edge of each shingle
- Application technique and sealant
The joining mechanisms to connect the shingles were a particular problem ripe for a solution. Wires for transmission of energy into batteries need to fit through the thin profile shingles so no one can detect a regular shingle woven into the pattern next to a solar shingle. Those wires are deep within every shingle and hooked with a joint connector on each end. This makes it easy to string a row of shingles together.
When a roof is ready for replacement, compare these new shingles to regular shingles normally used and insured. A building owner who knows that it will be necessary to shelter-in-place should take every precaution for the occupant’s health and safety. For financial security, emotional peace and a sealed roof, consider this as a strong suggestion that you take the time and get information on the newest solar collector on the market.
Your roof gets a warranty of 20 years, and you get 20 years of peaceful sleep and contentment as well as free electricity.
Want to know more? Check out these related articles:
Solar Power: Energy Alternative
Shedding A Little Light On Cheap Solar Power
Alternative Energy: Get 1500 Watts of AC from Solar
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