I'm searching for a cheap way to build a solar panel rather than buying the ones from solar manufacturers. I would like to stay under $1,000 dollars. I think I can save a ton of money because the sun is always shining on my house where I like. Is it posssible to capture some of this light and convert it into energy than can power certain appliances in my house? What would I need to buy? How much time and effort woulld it take? Where can I get the items I need? Thanks.

You have a few options.

Probably the easiest thing you can do is to make a flat plate collector to generate hot water. If you live in a cold climate, you will have to use evacuated tubes which will blow your budget.  The idea is to use a flat plate collector as a pre-heater for your existing hot water system. This will save you money. You can't do a complete solar heating system for your water because it will not fit your budget.

Your second option is to put a solar panel on your roof that will convert sunlight into energy that your home can use. Now get it out of your head that you are going to "make" a solar panel. Do you "make" a computer in your home? No. You don't have the equipment to stamp out a CPU chip or a motherboard. Likewise you can't build a good solar panel at home because you don't have the equipment. What you do is to "assemble" or "build" a computer. You buy the modular parts and then just plug them all together and screw on the computer case. A solar panel system is the same way. You buy the individual parts that make up a solar panel system and then you just plug them together.

The first thing you need to do is to buy a solar panel. Because of your budget, I recommend this 80W panel that will cost about $460. Get it on Amazon here:

80W Solar Panel

The next thing you need is a solar charge controller. This will regulate the flow of electricity from your solar panel to the battery you are charging. You don't want to overcharge or undercharge your battery. A controller will make sure that doesn't happen. Plus, it will tell you when your battery is no longer charging property so you can buy a new one. 

I recommend this cheap solar controller that will cost about $25. Get it on Amazon here:

Sunforce 7 Amp Charge Controller

Now you will need an inverter. An inverter will take the DC power from your 12 volt battery and convert it into AC power (110V - 220V depending on where you live) like the kind you use in your home. Here is a crazy fire sale special on Amazon for a good inverter that is selling for $30:

Universal 12V DC to 110V-220V AC Power Inverter plus + 5V USB Adapter

Next you need a 12 volt deep cycle battery. This is the more expensive "gel" kind that can be completely charged down without damaging the cells. Cost $225.

MK Deep Cycle Gel Cell 12 Volt Battery

That's it. You should be able to put this rather robust setup together for about $800. This is a good piece-meal approach to solar power. Basically, this setup will allow you to run one small appliance off of this. You could run a light near your computer or something like that. Start off small. Then, when you feel comfortable, you can build upon this setup. Notice that the solar panels I recommended above are modular which means you can just plug in additional solar panels to them. Also, you can buy another deep cycle battery and put two batteries together by wiring them in parallel creating what is called a battery bank.

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I think this might be a great idea as it would slow the ice caps from melting in Antartica. Also, because the sun shines 24 hours a day wouldn't it be a great way to generate energy from solar power?

There is not 24 hours of sunlight at the Antartica all the time. Twenty four hours of daylight occurs for several months over summer, while there is complete darkness for several months during winter.

Solar panels are expensive. Building a solar panel the size of Antartica would cost too much money.

Even if you did make a solar panel that big, you would have to transfer the energy along wires to where it could be plugged in to the power grid. Energy transported over wire generates heat. This heat from the wire lowers the amount of energy that is being carried along the wire. The formula is electrical current squares multiplied by the resistance of the wire. Antartica is so far away from civilization that the current carried in the wire would be completely dissipated by the time it reached civilization.

Another problem with this is construction. It would cost a ton of money and life to build and maintain a power station that big there.

Finally, there are treaties between nations not to develop in Antartica and so it would be politically challenging to do such a thing.

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Will this lead to the end of big-budget, blockbuster movies and the end of action movies. Will they be replaced by smaller, more family-friendly films that don't require a huge amount of money and resources to produce?

By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer

LOS ANGELES - From "green carpets" at awards shows to organic fruit served to actors on sets, Hollywood is going all out to promote itself as being environmentally hip.

But is it all just show?

No amount of public service announcements or celebrities driving hybrid cars can mask the fact that movie and TV production is a gritty industrial operation, consuming enormous amounts of power to feed bright lights, run sophisticated cameras, and feed a cast of thousands.

Studios' back lots host cavernous soundstages that must be air-conditioned to counter the heat produced by decades-old lighting technology. Huge manufacturing facilities consume wood, steel, paint and plastic to build sets that are often torn down and tossed out after filming ends.

The energy guzzling continues on the exhibition side, too, with multiplexes drawing millions of kilowatts to power old-school popcorn makers and clunky film projectors that cash-strapped theater owners are reluctant to replace.

A two-year study released last year by the University of California at Los Angeles concluded that special effects explosions, idling vehicles and diesel generators make the entertainment industry a major Southern California polluter, second only to the oil industry.

Still, financial and public pressures have resulted in many studios expanding their environmental efforts, doing everything from using a biodiesel fuel mixture to run the generators on the set of the Fox show "24" to converting Warner Bros.' enormous set-building facility to solar energy.

"Public consciousness on this issue has changed dramatically," said Kyle Tanger, a principal at Clear Carbon Consulting. "The talent themselves are requesting it from some of the studios. And a lot of these things make economic sense."

Economic benefit can come to studios directly, by switching to more efficient lighting or cooling systems or driving hybrid cars on location, which can save gas. Other projects, such as installing solar power, can take decades to pay off.

But there are other benefits that are harder to quantify. Besides the public relations angle, many performers and other employees want to work with eco-friendly companies, so it also helps in recruiting and retaining employees, Tanger said.

Form and function merged at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards show.

To symbolize its commitment to energy conservation, Fox had wanted to replace the traditional red carpet with a green one.

The tradition-bound Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which gives the awards, politely said "no."

But the carpet that ended up cushioning the heels of such stars as Sally Field and America Ferrera was made from recycled plastic bottles and later cut into pieces and donated to several local schools.

"No doubt some efforts have been window dressing. But I actually think Hollywood is doing far more than people are giving it credit for," said Terry Tamminen, who served as an adviser to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger before starting his own environmental consulting company.

One convenient yet controversial method is the purchase of carbon credits by studios and producers to offset the greenhouse gases from their production activity. The credits attempt to counter such pollution by investing in environmentally friendly projects such as planting trees or funding wind power.

Studios and a growing number of other industries calculate their emissions, then write a check to one of several brokers who funnel the money to projects around the world. The goal is to become carbon neutral by funding activities that reduce an equal amount of emissions.

The 2004 Fox film "The Day After Tomorrow" and last year's Al Gore documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" offset all or some of their pollution. This year's "Evan Almighty," from Universal, donated money to the Conservation Fund to plant 2,000 trees, enough to "zero out" the greenhouse gases produced.

But the practice has come under fire by some who say it is an easy way to avoid the hard work of directly reducing pollution. Others question whether carbon credit payments are actually going to projects that make that much of a difference.

"If you're going to drive around in a big ol' Hummer and then buy carbon offsets to mitigate that, that's like getting drunk on the weekends and throwing some money through the window of an AA meeting and thinking you're doing something," said Ed Begley Jr., who was a poster child for energy conservation long before Al Gore made it trendy.

The Federal Trade Commission, meanwhile, has begun examining claims made by the nascent multimillion-dollar carbon credit industry.

Warner Bros., which bought carbon credits for the 2005 film "Syriana," has also become more aggressive at reducing emissions during all phases of production.

In addition to solar-powered set-building, the studio is recycling sets, using recycled plastic lumber in the construction of some buildings, and printing double-sided scripts where feasible.

Pieces built for the 2001 film "Ocean's 11" now sit in the Santa Monica offices of the National Resources Defense Council. Sets from this year's sequel "Ocean's 13" were donated to decorate the halls of local community colleges.

"You have to start by measuring your own footprint, then reducing it, whether through using alternative fuels, reducing electrical loads or combining trips," said Shelley Billick, vice president of
environmental initiatives at Warner Bros. Entertainment. "It's too easy to write a check, pay thousands of dollars and say, 'I'm climate neutral.'"

Last year, Fox parent News Corp. set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2010.

To further that goal, Fox Broadcasting chose its popular "24" series as a case study and to serve as a model for other television productions.

Diesel generators that power the show's lighting were switched to a mixture that uses 5 percent biodiesel fuel. That percentage will be increased in coming years. The show also has secured energy from solar and wind generation from a local utility for its soundstages.

But News Corp. has a more ambitious goal than simply reducing its own carbon emissions.

"We knew from the beginning that if our goal is to make as many carbon reductions in the world as possible, probably the best way we can do that is through our audiences," said Rachel Webber, director of energy initiatives for News Corp.

The company concluded that worldwide, it produced the equivalent of 641,150 tons of carbon dioxide. But a rough estimate revealed that the people who read its newspapers, watch its TV shows and browse its Web sites use about 7 billion tons.

"That's the greatest potential to reduce carbon, but we have to get our own house in order first," Webber said.

To reach the wider audience, Webber and a climate expert from Harvard University met with show writers and executive producers earlier this year to brainstorm on ways to integrate environmental messages into show plots.

But Webber said Fox is not forcing "tacked on" messages into its shows, but rather offering resources should writers choose to address the issue.

"We can't use this in a way that doesn't fit into the show," Webber said. "It can't be Jack Bauer driving in a car he otherwise wouldn't drive in."

Ultimately, any steps Hollywood takes, big or small, to reduce emissions are positive, Begley said. "There are different shades of green."

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I was recently looking at a home that costs about $6,000 (USD) to build and I want to build one. What is really neat is that they run on solar power and I want to find out more about it and what else runs off the solar system that the house uses. I am so tired of having to pay everything out in utilities and rent to where I end up owning nothing. I live in Louisiana. Here are some pictures of the home I want to build.

The story about the family that built this home is at http://www.leenks.com/link60723.htm

Can anyone give me any feedback of what is it like to totally live off the grid?

Hi. I live in Montana and myself and many others here are off the grid. Some have the solar power system where they sell the excess power they generate back to the utilities but many are just totally off the grid and don't do this.

This house you mention is great but it is a whole different world and standard of living than what most Americans are use to.

While the website you cite is cute, and the group in the UK that is actually doing these projects is good, the site doesn't tell the whole story. I know, I went there, I've saw some of their projects and other ecological living projects there. Here's the real truth that they don't tell you. The group, not the one man, that built this home is filled with very talented engineers, researchers, tradesmen, etc. that have mad skills and have chosen to apply them in this manner.

This could be a fun and financially rewarding project for you, but I am going to be brutally honest with you. For most people who try something like this, it ends up being their worst nightmare.

My home cost over $350,000 in materials and site work to achieve what I regard as comfortable off the grid living, but that is my standard. There are homes here in Montana that do just fine and they were built for less than $20,000.

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I am very interested in building my own solar powered energy system for my home. What's the cost to build or buy a residential solar panel?

One solar panel with 12V electric output costs between $100 to $250. Many of these panels are the portable kind (which are cheaper) and are a great way to reduce your dependency on your power company by generaating your own electricity.

Now a residential solar panel that is mounted on a rooftop costs more. There is the Mitsubishi 185-watt panel which costs $1,020.

But with states like CA, MA, IL, AZ (and a lot others) giving you tax incentives up to 30% of the installation cost the price is getting better and better. In fact, Congress just lifted the $2,000 cap on the 30% tax rebate. So now it is 30% off on whatever you do buy and install for your home.

And if you live in the Midwest where the wind is nearly constant, you might want to consider your own wind generator. Congress just passed the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008 which includes a $4,000 credit for homeowners who install small wind generators for power generation.

For a simple guide that shows you how to build and install your own solar panels and wind generators, go to Easily Build A Solar Panel and Wind Generator

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Where can I learn how to install solar panels and could I start my own business installing them? I live in Texas and am close to Dallas. Is there a school or something that I could attend?

I have made quite a bit of money using this eductional guide: http://www.mysolarsecret.com/

Once I did my own solar panels, a friend asked me how much it costs and when I told him a few hundred dollars, he asked if I could build him one. I charged him $250 for my labor plus another $350 for parts. It took me 1 day to build his solar panel. $250 a day is not bad

Well word of mouth took off and he told someone else and on and on. There is a huge demand for solar panels out there that is not being met because professional solar companies charge outrageous prices to install them. It's criminal that a solar power company would charge you so much that it took 5 - 15 years just to break even on your investment. What a scam. Someone should be able to break even on their investment in just a few months. So using this guide that shows you how to make solar panels for very little money, you can charge a good price for your labor and still be giving your customer a great deal.

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Fascinating video on what you can do with broken solar panels. In the video they purchase the broken solar panels really cheap, a box for $9.95. They show you where you can go to purchase broken solar panels as well. They then show you how to solder together the broken solar panels to make a AA battery charger that produces 6 volts of energy in the direct sun or 3 volts indoors).

Duration : 0:4:5

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1. Broken Solar Cells Live Auctions On Broken Solar Cells You can save a lot of money by using broken solar cells to make a solar panel. You lay the broken solar cells...

If solar panels were on a solar home built in the Southern Hemisphere, should they face north, south, east, or west? and why?

I have mine facing North. They work fine. I'm at 38deg South.

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http://www.mysolarsecret.com

Learn how to make DIY solar power panels with a great step by step instructional guide. You can also make wind mill generators.

This is the solar power guide that has taken the Internet by storm. It has literally changed the face of the solar power industry because you no longer have to spend $10,000 and more to have solar panels put on your home. Now you can build them yourself for less than $200! As a bonus, the guide also includes how to make a wind power generator. Check out a review of the guide by going to build your own solar power system

Duration : 0:1:56

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I am doing a science project and need to build solar panels (about three) of different sizes. Does anyone know a website where it says how i can build one inexpensively?

This doesn't seem to easy. Don't do anything dangerous.

http://www.mysolarsecret.com

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