Free Home Energy - Solar Or Wind?

Many people are concerned about their rising energy bills and want to do something about reducing the cost of energy at home. There is a bewildering array of energy generating devices available at a wide range of prices. The major two energy sources available to most people are solar and wind. So which do you choose?

Each has distinct advantages and disadvantages. The one that is most appropriate for you will depend very much on your location and the weather you can expect year-round where you live.

Solar comes in two main types. Firstly the generation of electricity from solar cells and secondly the capture of heat by using water or liquid filled panels.

The cost of electrical panels is coming down all the time and this technology, which was once the domain of large corporate installations only, is now affordable at home. However, you do need a large area of panels to create meaningful amounts of electricity.

Liquid filled panels are becoming increasingly popular and are remarkably efficient. The return on the capital investment can be very quick and this makes them a very attractive proposition. Most of these need to be installed by professional installers and therefore haven’t yet reached the realms of DIY installations.

There are very few places in the world which don’t have regular winds blowing. Wind turbines are therefore a good energy source, but there will be times when the wind drops and even the most efficient turbine will not generate electricity. Turbines now come in all sorts of shapes and sizes so it should be possible to find one or more which will easily and cosmetically fit into your home environment.

The answer to the question of solar or wind is that you almost certainly should use a bit of both. Each one will have dead times because of the weather, but there will be very much fewer times when both technologies go dead at the same time.