An RV (recreational vehicle) can be a good way to de-stress and “get away from it all.” Here are 4 ways that solar energy can make your RVing experience even more enjoyable.

#1 – Solar energy gives you more parking options.
If you never park anywhere but at an RV park or campground with electrical hookups then you probably don’t need to invest in solar. But what if you’re taking a long trip and have to spend the night in a parking lot? Or you want to go somewhere more isolated? Parking lots and “the middle of nowhere” don’t usually have electrical hookups.

If you have a “house battery” that’s fully charged (usually from running the vehicle engine) you may be able to get by with that – if you avoid using too many electrical “gadgets.” But it doesn’t take much to drain a battery. Solar panels can keep the house battery charged even when you’re nowhere near a plug and not running the engine. If you have solar you won’t have to worry about running out of electricity – or spend a lot of time at the end of the day when everyone’s tired driving around trying to find a place with plugins.

#2 – Solar energy is cleaner than other power sources.
There is of course another way to have electricity when the RV’s not plugged in – a generator. But generators have some disadvantages. For one thing, they all use some kind of fossil fuel, which when burned produces fumes that are not only nasty to breathe but also polluting. A solar panel, on the other hand, gets all its “fuel” from the sun. It doesn’t make any fumes – which makes it a cleaner choice for RV power than a generator.

#3 – Solar power is quieter than other power sources.
If you’ve never been near a generator when it’s running you probably haven’t noticed this, but generators are LOUD (those capitals are deliberate). Yes, some are quieter than others. But none are going to be absolutely silent, because they’re engines, and engines have moving parts that make noise. Maybe a generator won’t bother you, especially if there’s a thick wall between it and your living space in the RV. But if there are other people nearby there’s a good chance it will bother them – and that combined with the fumes is why a lot of places don’t allow generators. Which means that even if you have one you may not be able to use it.

Solar panels, on the other hand, are not engines – they don’t have any moving parts to make noise. Which means they are silent.

#4 – Solar power is cheaper than other power sources.
If you need “portable power” for your RV your two main choices are solar and a generator. Generators come in different sizes and the prices vary by size, but they are probably cheaper to buy than a solar panel setup. However – generators don’t have just an upfront cost. In order to keep them running you have to “feed” them with whatever fuel they use – gasoline, diesel, propane, or maybe natural gas. So generators have a regular cost as well – for the fuel. And the more you use them, the more fuel you have to buy and the more it costs to keep them going. And that’s not counting the regular maintenance they need to keep everything running smoothly.

Solar panel systems can have a fairly steep upfront cost (depending on their size and complexity). But once they’re up and running that cost will go way down. There’s no fuel to buy for them and because they have no moving parts they don’t need much maintenance. In fact, most of the care of a solar panel consists of keeping the panel surface clean, and possibly – because RVs are mobile – making sure it doesn’t come in contact with anything that could damage it. If those two needs are met then a solar setup can last for a very long time – probably a lot longer than a generator, and maybe even longer than the RV! (in which case you move the setup to your new RV)

Solar energy isn’t the right choice for everyone. But if you need a way to have power when your RV isn’t plugged in and you don’t mind spending a little more upfront – and saving a lot later – then solar may be worth a look.

Solar energy is an issue that is quite making a buzz right now. This only means that it is becoming more and more urgent that is why people are talking about it more and more. Nevertheless, what is important these days is to know the facts. If solar power is really the solutions to our problems, then why is it not being used in a grander scale? This is because as much as it has many advantages; it also has disadvantages that stop the authorities from totally using it as the main source of electricity for every country.

Pros | Advantages

Let us start with the familiar things first. Using this type of energy source has many advantages and most of these advantages are exactly what we are looking for in an alternative power source. First, solar energy is the cleanest form of alternative energy. It is what we need in these days where pollution is slowly degrading the planet. Another known advantage of using it is its sustainability. Our common source of electricity, which is fossil – based, although efficient, is definitely finite. Soon, it would run out of resources and we cannot possibly grow or produce some of it back. Not to mention that it is the leading cause of air pollution, which promotes global warming in a frightening proportion. That is why having an energy source, which is renewable and sustainable, is definitely spot on.

Cons | Disadvantages

If that is the case, why can not every country use it as their main electricity or power source? Why can’t every country go fully off the grid? The reason behind this is that it also has disadvantages that are very much significant. First, it would cost us a fortune just to power a single house. Powering an entire village or a city costs much more. That is why there are only few plants available in the planet and their services are expensive. Another disadvantage is that it takes a while for it to generate the same amount of electricity that regular, fossil – based power plants can provide us. Therefore, in terms of efficiency, solar power cannot stay on top of it.

However, these disadvantages are only applicable as of the moment. Every year, improvements are birthed inside labs. These improvements have made it possible for manufacturers to produce panels that are cheaper. Who knows what would be the next improvement? All we could bet on is that in the near future, all of these disadvantages shall be vanquished.

The Province of Ontario has made a strong commitment to closing down its coal fired power plants. In doing this, Ontario has become the first Province, even country to make this commitment. To meet this goal, Ontario has modeled a renewable energy program which closely resembles that of Germany’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT).

Which Programs are Available?

Ontario’s FIT programs are geared for projects less than 10kW (microFIT), and projects between 10kW and less than 500kW (FIT).

If you’re a homeowner, farmer or a small business owner, the OPA has an opportunity for you to develop a very small “micro” renewable energy generation project which is 10 kW or less in size. You are guaranteed to be paid a fixed price for all produced energy for 20 years.

Following Germany’s Lead

Roughly 20 years ago, Germany launched its Feed-in Tariff program, allowing its citizens to earn for feeding renewable energy into the grid. The rate is fixed depending on technology and application, guaranteed for 20 years.

More Sun than Germany?

This fact can sometimes surprise most; Ontario has more than 10-15% more sun compared to that of Southern Germany. Ontario is a great environment for solar energy production because of great sun radiation, and cooler temperatures. Solar panels will function more efficiently in cooler weather, which brings an increase in overall energy production.

What is the Financial Incentive?

Roof mounted microFIT PV systems have the highest rate, at 80.2 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). Ground mounted microFIT systems, tracker or fixed, have a payout of 64.2 cents per kWh.

FIT systems offer rates of 71.3 cents per kWh for rooftop projects between 10kW and 250kW, 63.5 cents per kWh for projects between 250kW and 500kW, and 53.9 cents per kWh over 500kW. Ground mounted systems between 10kW and 10MW offer rates of 44.3 cents per kWh.

Benefits of Ontario’s FIT Program

The program is designed to cover the costs of the system (purchase, installation, connection and operating costs), while allowing you a reasonable return on your investment.

Not only will you be earning money, you’ll also be contributing to a healthier environment for all of us. You’ll also be helping the province of Ontario replace its coal-fired power plants by 2014, reducing greenhouse gases, and other pollutants. You’ll be part of North America’s largest climate change initiative.

Green Job Creation

The FIT program is also creating new “green” jobs and opportunities for Ontario’s residents, as thousands of jobs and college courses have been created over the last few years.

Whether rural masses or the urban masses, everyone is facing problem with the pollution spread in atmosphere. The gradual depletion of renewable energy sources is a major concern even for the government. Renewable energy is very important because it is harnessed from natural resources like solar energy, wind energy, tides, water etc. This exhaustion of fossil fuels is one of the main reasons which contribute to Global Warming. So much of depletion is pushing all the powerful countries to adopt the renewable source of energy. The major function of exploiting natural resources is it is less expensive and does not lead to any kind of pollution. We all are striving for pollution free environments then let’s just stick to the solar power systems. One must first know completely what is solar energy? People have been using the energy of sunlight from ancient times like drying the cloth. With times it has advanced in a better way like generating electricity, producing coal, natural gas and oil. Solar Energy products like solar panels for homes are now broadly utilized in India and other countries as well.

The population of India is mounting and that is why the power needs are also rising. The disproportionate use of Fossil fuels is already going on and soon we are moving towards a time when they will be depleted completely. We need to turn to renewable energy sources to meet our needs. Using solar energy efficiently seems to be a perfect solution. It is the most consistent resource accessible today. It has huge potential and we should think of strategies to harness the energy totally. The solar energy facts are known to the world. There are many solar solutions like solar generators, solar heating systems and solar inverters.

The solar inverters are made up of Photovoltaic systems. Whenever the sunlight reflects on the semiconductor material then the energy is absorbed in the photovoltaic cells. The energy moves in different layers and an electric current is produced which is stored in the battery. This electricity is much economical and contamination free. Using this electricity in our household or various industries won’t affect the environment in any way. Many renowned and prestigious companies manufacture various power protection devices like online UPS, voltage regulator and inverter. The customers are bound to get a complete value of money here. The perfect solution of energy problem is only using solar energy.