Easy Solar Energy Projects

Solar energy is getting into big attention in the early 21st century as some very wealthy organizations are investing in huge solar installations, which consist of thousands of panels. However, you can still provide yourselves with easy and humble solar energy project to do. The benefit of solar power is that it is infinitely scalable, which means that you can use it in a 50 acre mega installation, or with a single panel on a cabin in the woods. Here are some easy and do-able solar energy projects that you can consider.

Solar Energy


Steps:

  • A solar cooker is less intense version of Fresnel lens. You can make a simple one by lining the inside of a cardboard box with tinfoil.
  • You can cover the top with a piece of clear plastic or a glass. You can create high temperatures enough for cooking by pointing this contraption at the sun.
  • All you need to create in this project are some foil, a piece of glass and a box.
  • A single solar panel could utilize solar electric power in a very simple way. You will need panels, batteries and an inverter to create a full alternating current system.
  • You could also run direct current tools and appliances directly from a solar panel equipped with a regulator such as from lights, fans and radios or salvage out from a car. If there is no sunlight, you will need a battery just to run these at night.
  • Creating a solar shower is the simplest project to use solar power. Prepare a large plastic barrel and paint it black. Build a six-foot tall stand that you can put the painted plastic barrel on top.
  • Make sure the stand is sturdy as the barrel will be heavy when it is filled with water. Add a shower head or just a pipe in the bottom of the barrel with a spigot for on and off control. Fill the barrel with water before covering it. The water will get hot enough that can be used for showering on a sunny day.

Image Credit:

Flickr CC

Additional Reading:

Power from the Sun: A Practical Guide to Solar Electricity

Solar Power Your Home For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden))