Owning a home should be one of your priorities in life. Having your own home has many advantages. The main reason to own your own house is to gain financial wealth. By owning your house you will have financial responsibilities. You will not only pay for your house (mortgage) but for your utility bill as well. The cost for electricity and water can be (very) expensive.

Today there are houses on the market which are well-furnished and have a very low monthly energy cost. These houses are installed with the latest state-of-the-art energy saving lighting and heating systems.

These houses are sold as a solar-powered residential unit (SPRU) or commonly known as a solar home. The monthly energy consumption costs are much lower and are energy efficient compared to traditional homes.

First we will discuss the traditional homes. Traditional homes are filled with lighting and energy equipment that is conventional in nature. 45 percent of the energy consumed in almost all households around the world is reserved for heating and cooling. 55 percent of the conventional energy used in homes is accounted to the use of electricity.

Most of this conventional energy is generated through burning fossil fuels. Because of the higher demand of fossil fuel usage, there is an increase in the prices that is carried to the monthly electric bills of a regular household consumer. That is why there is an increase both in the generation and distribution charges of electric utility companies.

When we look at the features of these solar homes it can be said that they are build to capture energy from the sunlight and transforming it into a highly efficient source of energy. Thus, the home will more efficient with the consumption of electricity, water heating, space heating in winter, and space cooling in summer. This will lead to a lower electricity bill and that our aim.

Let's briefly explain how the SPRU System Works

The sunlight will enter the solar panels which will be converted into DC electricity. This DC electricity that is produced enters the inverter and turns it into 120-volt AC electricity that is the standard voltage needed by home appliances. AC electricity will be entering the utility panel of the house and distribute it to electricity loads such as appliances and lighting equipments.

When there is excess solar energy generated, it can be stored in the battery as DC electricity. This can be used to supply your house electricity in case of a power failure or at night time.

The SPRU Components

Using the energy generated from the sun is relatively economical and at the same time environmental in nature. However, before you experience the comfort of a modern solar home, you need to be familiarized with the components that will be used. These are briefly discussed in the preceding items.

*Photovoltaic cells- it is the capturing element of your solar home. It generally consists of a small cell which holds a silicon substance under glass. When the rays of the sun hit the cell, the silicon initiates an electrical reaction that produces a charge. This charge is collected by small wires.

*Solar panel- a collection of solar cells that constitutes as a unit in a frame.

*Solar system- it is an interconnected sets of solar panels. Remember that a single solar panel cannot provide enough electricity. It converts enough sunlight into electricity.

*Inverter- it converts the direct current (DC) generated by solar panels into alternating current (AC) power that can be used in home or fed back into a utility power grid system.