With the energy crisis creating enormous problems for governments all across the world, more and more countries are looking at other renewable sources of energy to help overcome the crisis in the short term basis as well as with the intention of using alternative energy solutions that would be more viable in the long term.

Of all the other solutions that have been tested, many have found that solar power for homes is the most cost effective and risk free system that is available at present.

Many solar power systems for homes have been put into place to test the viability of using solar energy as an alternate source of power. This could then eventually take the place of electricity obtained through other means.

Even now, many remote areas that cannot be connected to the electrical grid are looking at the advantages of solar energy from sunlight while some who do have access to the power grid are also turning to solar power systems for their homes and offices.

The basic principal of a solar power system is to use solar panels that harness sunlight which is then converted in to DC or direct current which is then stored in batteries to be used as and when necessary.

Inverters are used to change the DC into AC so that the energy thus received can be made available to power heating systems, water, air coolers and even electronic gadgets such as computers and cameras.

Although solar power for homes is cheap and popular among many communities there are some who question the feasibility of this source of energy. It can be argued that solar power may not be suitable for all homes and locations because in order to achieve success with this system the panels must be exposed to direct sunlight.

While this would pose no problems for homes in countries near the equator, the same cannot be said of locations in the arctic or even in areas where sun shines only rarely or even when it does it’s a watery sun that would not be able to provide enough energy for the purpose of powering any heating systems.

Having said that, there’s no denying the fact that many people both in urban and rural areas have come to realize the benefits of solar energy for homes and most of them have now started building their own home made solar panels to suit their specific needs with the hope of becoming more self sufficient in the future, as far as their energy consumption is concerned. This has led to a whole enthusiast community in solar energy where people are doing their own experiments on a low cost basis. If you are just starting out this is a gold mine of information, from DIY solar panels, to learning how to wire the panels and doing your own solar panel installation.