If you watch the news lately, then you don't get very happy most days. Economically we are getting worse and worse, prizes for fuel and energy have never fluctuated more, and the environment is paying the price (as always). Don't you think now is about the best time there is to start saving big on electricity and heating?



Maybe you don't realize it, but there are a few different ways you could achieve that goal. Today I will be talking about one of my favorites because of its ease and efficiency: DIY solar power. If you can harness the free and infinite power of sunlight, you can immensely reduce your cost of living, or even earn money!

Solar power can be used in an almost infinite number of ways, in and around your home or your company. A great thing about solar power systems is that they are very diverse. Let me give you just a few examples of things you could use DIY solar power for, instead of the expensive, non-renewable electricity that you are using right now.

- Hot water - radiant floor heating.

- A big energy saver: Washing your car (or your motorcycle) with solar powered warm water.

- Heating cabin/second home.

- More advanced usage like passive solar air heating, this works brilliant as well.

- For a safe atmosphere around your house or company: Apply solar power to light your driveway, garden, path, or home.

- Power all possible electric appliances in and around your home.

- Industrial and/or commercial water heating and hot water appliance.

- With the use of solar power you can heat water to heat your home with.

- If you own an indoor or outdoor swimming pool you can heat this as well.. how luxurious!

- Lighting your parking lot or your private street.

- If you want, you can apply polar power to service a construction site. For instance, think about communication equipment, computers, all kinds of tools).

- Warming the water in your hot tub, or maybe even your spa.

- Use a portable solar power device to charge your portable electronics.

- Campsite shower water heating.

- Security/motion sensor lighting.

As you can see there are loads of ways you can use a solar power system yourself to save money and at the same time save the environment. Now how would you go about getting one installed?

One possibility of course is just buying a solar power system retail. The prizes can vary a lot, but the cheapest ones are somewhere around $3000. An other option (and this I would recommend definitely for starters or smaller budgets) is building a solar power system yourself!

If you would like to get solar power, but you don't know how to get started, you can use a manual that will explain all the details. One of the best in my book is the one at DIYSolarPower.Net, because it's very detailed (also clear for beginners) and will show you exactly what you have to do to build your own solar power system.

They also have loads of information on other cheap DIY electricity subjects, that help to keep the environment clean as well. For instance wind power, building your own batteries to store the electricity you produce, and much more.