Rik DeGunther

The words “solar power” often bring to mind solar panels and photovoltaic (PV) solar systems, but you can harness the sun’s energy in a number of smaller ways. The practical and affordable solar projects listed here are ones anyone can build or take advantage of. They explain how to use solar energy to purify drinking water, enjoy a portable shower, and cool your house.

If you want to make alternative energy a part of your life, either through your car, home, or at work, you should understand some basic energy terminology and the various alternative energy sources being used and developed.

In your solar power system, you need inverters to take the low-voltage, high-current signals from the PV panels and convert them into 120VAC or 240VAC, which is directly compatible with grid power. Inverters cost around $0.70 per watt, or around $2,600 for a typical application. From a reliability standpoint, they are generally the weak link in any PV system, so quality is a must.

Solar power is very useful for water supply systems. The most common applications are for household water supplies and agricultural and livestock needs. Of course, using utility-provided water is more economical in most places, but in remote locations, it's simply not available. The pipes and trenches that would be required to get to the desired site are often prohibitively expensive.

An integral collector system (ICS) batch system lets you use solar energy to supplement your water heater. If you live in a mild climate, you can install a simple ICS system because you don't have to worry about freezing conditions and super hot conditions. Even if these conditions are rare, you can still install an ICS if you take a few precautions.

To green up your lifestyle and save a bunch of money, you can create a simple homemade solar pool-heating system. You lower the submersible pump into the pool water so it'll always be primed. The pump runs off the 12VDC that the PV module supplies. The amount of water the pump passes through the solar collector panel depends entirely on how much sunlight is incident on the PV module: At night, the pump doesn't run at all.

Most photovoltaic (PV) customers are interested in solar powering their homes because they realize that solar power is good for the environment, among other things. Few other investments can positively impact the environment as much as an intertie (utility-connected) PV system. Here's a short list of PV system advantages: Lower utility bills: The most obvious advantage of installing solar PV is that you'll reduce your electric utility bills.

Using the sun to purify drinking water is a great solar project for the do-it-yourselfer. A solar-powered purification system the size of a microwave oven can yield up to 3 gallons of purified drinking water on a sunny day. Here’s what you need for a basic solar powered water purifier like the one shown in the figure: Wooden or sheet metal enclosure Reflective material like aluminum foil Black paint, used for barbeque pits Sheet of glass Insulation (the white foam kind is fine) Glue (silicon sealant or similar weather-resistant material) Black tray that can absorb heat Catch trough and container for purified water A cross-section of a water purification system.

An attic vent fan powered by solar energy can help cool your home. During the summer, attic temperatures can reach over 160°F. All that heat stays up there at night, and it sinks into your house through the insulation in your ceiling. A properly designed solar attic vent fan can remove a lot of air over the course of a day, cooling your house in the process.