Solar and wind power are great alternatives to traditional power sources because of their lower environmental footprint, return on investment, and lower maintenance. Solar energy is obtained from the sun’s radiation, and it can be converted to electricity or heat. Wind power is, you guessed it, obtained from the energy of passing wind. They are freely available and thanks to advances in technology, we can now harness even more of this abundant energy both more efficiently and for less money.
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Benefits of Using Solar Power
Environmentally Friendly
Solar energy is one of the most environmentally friendly energy sources on the planet. It does not create any noise or produce greenhouse gases and does not pollute our land or water. With the reduction of environmentally harmful practices like fracking and deep-well drilling, solar energy use is one of the key strategies to reducing the consumption of fossil fuels by humans across the globe.
Saves you Money
Solar panels can be produced cheaply and have a long life. After the initial cost you will be generating your own electricity. This means that you will be using less from your utility supplier and saving you money on your energy bills. If your local energy supplier or government has a system in place, you can also make money by selling the unused electricity, which you have generated, back to the grid. Some local governments also give solar system grants which can make your green investment even more beneficial.
Available During or Just Before Peak Energy Times
Energy demand tends to be higher from 11:00-16:00 and then early in the evening. This is also the period when the price of electricity peaks. Solar energy conveniently reaches its maximum production capacity during or just before those hours.
Can be Used in Remote and Off Grid Situations
Wherever the sun shines, solar energy can be deployed. This is particularly useful for remote regions with no access to any other source of electricity. Great for off grid tiny homes and cottages that aren’t connected to the grid. Also great for boats and recreational vehicles for extra energy when engines aren’t running.
Solar Power can Reduce Electricity Transportation losses
When electricity is transported long distances some of that energy dissipates as heat. The longer the distances between the production and the supply points, the more energy is lost. Having solar panels close to the point of use can reduce these losses.
Solar Energy can Help with Grid Security
The grid is less vulnerable to blackouts if there are many, widely distributed power plants. A grid with a lot of solar energy can have thousands of energy production centers which are widely spread out. This improves the security of the grid in case of overload, natural or human-caused disasters.
Solar Panels are Low Maintenance
After a solar system is installed, it mostly runs itself. There is no noise and no moving parts. Some weather events may make it necessary to clean off the panels at infrequent intervals, however they can be installed in such a way that even this is reduced to a manageable level.
Benefits of Using a Hybrid Solar Power System
Wind power enjoys many of the same benefits of solar power but is associated with different weather and environmental conditions. One of the great drawbacks of both wind and solar is that they are intermittent generators of energy. Thankfully, wind and solar are complementary energy sources. Meaning that, much of the time, when the sun is out there is little wind and when there is no sun it is windy! By combining these sources in a hybrid solar power system we utilize both sunny and stormy weather conditions and get a more continuous supply of energy. This reduces our need for batteries and storage capacity thus reducing the monetary, material and environmental costs of power generation.
Best 500W Hybrid Solar Power System
If you are looking for a small hybrid kit, the Eco-Worthy 500W 600W 12V/24V expandable system is a good choice. You can choose from different options. Either the 500W 12V or 600W 24V systems. This system should be enough to power your RV, boat or a super efficient tiny home.
- 400W wind generator produces about 60kWh per month in 10.5m/s average winds.
- 100 Watt 12V Mono solar panels are backed by 25-year linear power guarantee.
- Pure Sine Wave Inverter provides high-quality AC power equivalent to grid power to protect your household appliances and electronic equipment.
Includes
- 1 x 400W Wind Turbine Generator
- 1 or 2 x 100W Mono Solar Panel (I recommend getting 2 x 100W solar panels)
- 1 x 20A Hybrid Controller
- All Connecting Cables
- 1 or 2 x “Z” mounting Brackets for Solar Panel Installation
Optional
- 1 x 600W 12V-110V Pure Sine Wave Inverter
- 1 x 100Ah 12V Lead Acid AGM Battery
Best 1000W Hybrid Solar Power System
The Eco-Worthy 1000W 24V expandable hybrid kit should be big enough for your RV, boat or tiny home.
- A 400W wind generator produces about 60kWh per month in 10.5m/s average winds.
- 100 Watt 12V Mono solar panel is backed by 25-year linear power guarantee.
- Pure Sine Wave Inverter provides high-quality AC power equivalent to grid power to protect your household appliances and electronic equipment.
Includes
- 1 x 400W Wind Turbine Generator
- 6 x 100W Mono Solar Panel
- 1 x 20A Hybrid Controller
- 1 x 1500W 24V-110V Pure Sine Wave Inverter
- All Connecting Cables
- 6 x “Z” mounting Brackets for Solar Panel Installation
Optional
- 1x 100Ah Lead Acid 12V AGM Solar Battery
Replace Lead Acid with Lithium Batteries for Efficiency and Convenience with Your Hybrid Solar Power System
Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries have twice the power, half the weight, and last 8 times longer than a sealed lead acid battery. They charge 4 times quicker and require no maintenance. Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries are extremely safe and less toxicity for the environment. They get up to 80% capacity for 3000-4000 cycles in recommended conditions. The typical Lead Acid battery gets 300-400 cycles.
Along with the choices below Renogy has a wide range of deep cycle batteries to choose from. With batteries all the way up to the 12V 400A Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery with an an exceptional lifespan of more than 3800 cycles at a whopping 5120 Watt-hours!
Both Renogy and Eco-Worthy make excellent, high quality batteries and come in many different sizes to fit your needs.
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Sizes
Renogy 12V 50Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
- Rated Energy: 640 Watt-hours
- Weight: 14.7 lbs.
- 2000 cycles at 80% DOD
Eco-Worthy LiFePO4 12V 100Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
- Rated Energy: 1280 Watt-hours
- Weight: 25.5 lbs.
- 3000 cycles at 80% DOD (Depth of Discharge)
Renogy 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
- Rated Energy: 1280 Watt-hours
- Weight: 26lbs
- 4000 cycles at 80% DOD
- 3000 cycles at 80% DOD
- 3000 cycles at 80% DOD
- 3000 cycles at 80% DOD