Inspired by the Sun!                  

Solar Energy Information Database: SC Origin carries an intuitive set of solar energy books including how to power your home using solar energy and the fundaments of electric vehicles.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Solar Power for your Home gives you the latest updates on solar systems and other energy solutions.

Publisher Comments:

• Solar power is starting to make a resurgence in the energy market. This book should benefit from the Department of Energy's recently enacted "Million Solar Roofs" campaign aimed at increasing America's use of solar power
• Competitive books are written by authors with either solar system engineering backgrounds or without any real credentials at all. Dan Ramsey is a knowledgeable and recognizable book-writing veteran within the home-improvement category
• This book is the first aimed at the average homeowner who is interested in affordable and independent power generation and wants to determine whether solar power is the way to go and what's involved, but who is not interested in (or capable of) doing the actual installation

Synopsis:

The perfect source for solar powerfully illustrated.

Solar Power (photovoltaics) is now a one-billion-dollar industry, and its poised to grow rapidly in the near future as more pressure is placed on limited fossil fuel resources and as advances in solar technology drive down the costs of residential solar systems.  This book helps readers understand the basics of solar power and other renewable energy sources, explore whether solar power makes sense for them, what their options are, and whats involved with installing various on and off-grid systems.

The Solar Electric House is undoubtedly the most complete book on the very expansive and complicated subject of photovoltaic (PV).  Unlike many trades, finding good information on PV use and installation with the right amount of technical detail and handholding in book format is not easy.

Few comprehensive guides on the subject exist to begin with and to make matters worse, a lot of misinformation has been spread around by those with a stake in the game, leaving the consumer and property owner wondering what to do.

Publisher
"Among the country’s leading designers of solar homes."

Book Description
Solar electricity is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity by solar photovoltaic cells.  It is a truly elegant means of producing electricity on site, allowing you to take control of your energy destiny and create your own lifestyle without concern for energy supply or environmental harm.  No pollution, no by-products, no depletion of resources, these solid-state devices simply make electricity out of sunlight.  Solar electricity is the ideal source of power for an environmentally-responsive home where it’s a luxury residence or a rustic vacation retreat.  With the right design, the sunlight that falls on your homesite will power your home.  Your solar electric system can also be easily configured to provide on-site recharging of solar/electric vehicles allowing you to meet your transportation needs with renewable energy.  The Solar Electric House will tell you everything you need to know to decide if photovoltaics are for you, including:

• Systems options and economics
• Stand-alone and utility interactive systems
• Descriptions of all key components
• How to determine your electricity requirements
• How to design a solar electric house
  
  

Going Solar contains everything that a budding or experienced solar enthusiast could wish for.  By distilling thousands of years of history and knowledge into one book, Tomm Stanley brings together the work of pioneering solar designers, some of the greatest scientists that the world has known and a range of modern, practical applications for hands-on people to create a delicious brew of thought provoking, solar thermal discussion. Enthusiastically coaxing readers through the essential concepts at work in fields of study as diverse as history, geography, nuclear physics, thermodynamics and astronomy, Going Solar reveals the "how's" and "why's" behind the solar heating phenomenon.  When the subject matter turns to a study of devices that use solar heat, readers have a firm grasp of the natural forces at work and an appreciation of how the technology might be applied in their own lives.  Written in easy-to-understand language for everyday people and the scientifically challenged, Going Solar contains a delightful blend of humor, fact and function that continually guides readers back to the purpose of its making; understanding and effectively using the warmth found in sunlight for our day-to-day lives.

Demand for solar power has grown consistently by 20 to 25% per annum over the past 20 years.  In the past few years this rate has actually climbed to 40%. Why?  Advances in solar cells, lower costs of using solar power, unpredictable utility rates, consumer frustration with the lack of utility choices, and environmental issues have all converged to create a renewed interest in and rising demand for solar power.

Over 25 states, and many more municipalities, are now offering tax and utility credits to those who use solar energy.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Solar Power for Your Home will show average readers how to generate their own electricity with solar panels. The book will cover everything short of how to physically install solar panels; something that should be left to the experts.