Solar Power

Today we look at the future and how to make it better. We can do this in many ways but one of the major ways to help the world and the environment is energy conservation. Energy conservation has been happening all around the world for many years. In the late 15th century Leonardo Da Vinci conceived of an industrial use of solar power by employing concave mirrors to heat water. However this was many years ago, and with new technologies we have been able to improve Leonardo Da Vinci’s original plans of improving the world (“Solar Power History”). We can all do our part in helping the environment, starting with energy conservation. When considering energy conservation today there are a lot of things you can do to make your lives better and to help the environment. For instance there is wind power, solar power, proper insulation, southern exposure of windows, low voltage lighting, plus many more. After a lot of research and consideration to all possible energy conservation possibilities we decided Solar Power would be the best outcome and solution for our clients.

The main two types of energy conservation out there today are wind power and solar power; both are an excellent choice in helping to save energy, however after considering the advantages and disadvantages of both options, solar power was on the top of the list. Let’s start with taking a closer look at solar power vs. wind power (“Discover the true facts about Solar Energy”). The main advantage of solar power is that the solar panels give off no pollution. Solar panels are very quite while doing their job, while as wind turbines can be noise. When digging deeper into both options we found that in Canada our location does not have a steady wind, which in turn means that the amount of energy produced from the wind turbines is extremely unpredictable. Whereas solar panels in Canada at the same location, we can pretty much guarantee five hours of efficient sun a day at a minimum. Solar panels are also very easily installed, and when installed on the roof of your house they are just as durable as your shingles and can actually protect your shingles, making them last longer. Being able to install them on your roof also solves the problem of space. Another advantage over wind power is that once on your roof you do not see the panels, where as a wind turbine placed on your property you would see all the time. Another amazing advantage of solar panels is the cost, other than the initial cost panels, the amount of energy saved and used from the panels will pay off in the years to come, not only that but the unused energy saved from the panels the city will buy from you to use on the grid somewhere else, giving you money. One of the great pros of solar energy is the ability to harness electricity in remote locations that are not linked to a national grid. A prime example of this is in space, where satellites are powered by high efficiency solar cells.


Solar power is used all around the world and has become an excellent source of energy conservation; however there are some negatives that come along with it. For instance, the major con of solar energy is the initial cost of solar cells/panels. Currently, prices of highly efficient solar cells can be above $1000, and many households today will need more than one. This makes the initial installation of solar panels very costly. And unlike the United States, Canada does not give big a taxable refund for installing Solar Panels. Another con of using solar panels is that the panels are only able to generate electricity during daylight hours, and only 5 hours out of 12 are at the suns maximum capability. This means for around half of each day, the solar panels are not producing energy for your home. This also takes into affect the weather in Canada, lucky we do not get that much rain, and even though it is cold a majority of the year, the sun is still shining. Pollution can also be a con of solar energy, as pollution levels can affect a solar cells efficiency, this would be a major con for businesses or industry wishing to install solar panels in heavily polluted areas, such as cities.

With solar power being the overall smarter choice we now look into how they work and the success of them. There are two types of commonly used solar power methods; photovoltaic or “solar cells” and concentrating solar power plants. Photovoltaic uses PV cells that are set on panels and collect the suns light and directly convert it to energy. Concentrating solar power plants are able to make electricity by using the heat from solar thermal collectors. Theses collectors then heat fluid which produces steam and this steam powers a generator. We will be focusing on photovoltaic because this is more commonly used in Canada and can be more personalized to the amount of power the individual household would like to be taking from a solar source. Photovoltaic uses panels on top on the household’s roof. These panels can be used for simple things like heating pools or water heaters but larger systems can be used to heat a whole house entirely. Photovoltaic systems have the option of having a battery to collect unused energy. This unused energy can be sold back to the city if the system is used in combination with traditional electrical energy through a “grid system”.

SolarWall is a Canadian based company, it has been around for over 30 years, and has done projects all over the world. However we based in on two case studies showing the great advantages and success of solar panels. Located on the SolarWall website we found the two Case Histories we wanted to focus on, we could not find any detached housing case histories, but by showing these two totally different companies and their success it proves that solar power can be successful in all ways. The two companies we picked where, The Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation, a multi residential building located in Sudbury, Ontario and built over 1972. The other company was Owens Corning and industrial building located in Toronto, Ontario. Both case Histories can be located in the next section of our report, 3.0.

When deciding to make your house energy efficient using solar panels there is a lot of things you should consider. For instance the main thing to consider is money, solar panels are extremely expensive, and the amount of panels needs for your home plays a big factor as well. However the location of your house also affects the price in which you pay, this meaning living in the United States vs. Canada. When you reside in the United States, although each state is different, the government taxable rebate for using solar panels is sustainably higher than the Canadian Government. The most you can receive back from the Canadian Government today for purchasing solar panel systems is $1,350, and that is a maximum which only lasts until February 2010 from the Ontario Renovation Tax Rebate. As of that time the Canadian Government will be taken away. Where as in the United States there are currently two tax credits you can receive for photovoltaic panels, they are: Federal Solar Tax Credit, which will give you 30% back when you purchase solar panels. The other is: State Solar Rebate, which could get you up to 50% back when purchasing solar panels. In all whether you reside in Canada or the United States, once you have paid the initial fee of the solar panels you will never have to see and electrical bill again (“Solar Panels and Solar Water Heating Systems”).

There are many options when it comes to how a house will use solar energy panels. The panels can be used in conjunction with the traditional electrical grid, or the house may be entirely powered by solar panels. We will be looking at what would happen if our client were to heat their house entirely with photovoltaic solar panels. We understand and have taken into consideration how expensive it will be initially for them to choose solar panels (especially in Canada) but we also know that our client has no budget. Firstly our client would need to understand that they would have to be practicing energy conservation constantly so that their system would be able to produce enough energy. They would need to practice water conservation and use fewer appliances (like the dishwasher) or less electronics (like televisions). We know that our client is already energy conscious and would like an eco-friendly house so these small changes will be something that they will be more willing to try than other households. We will be making some assumptions so that the solar panel system can work in full effectiveness. The house will need to have proper insulation and highly rated energy efficient windows to help conserve more energy so the system can be used to power other things. There will also need to be a lot of southern window exposure, which the house currently has quite a bit of, by the client can consider putting more windows in as well. Southern facing windows will help the client to use less lighting and heating power from the system. The lighting that is being used in conjunction with the solar panel system will need to be a lower voltage than what is commonly used by houses on the grid system. Even though our client will be using fewer appliances, they should also try to purchase energy efficient appliances to help conserve energy from the panel system. Our clients will most likely need 4 solar panel systems that consist of 10 – 12 panels each and cost about $10,000 to $14,000 each. We know that our client does not have a budget, but if they were to decide that this was too costly for them, they could start with one or two systems and use them along with the traditional grid system. This could still be a very effective way to save energy because it will help to save them money on their electrical bill, they will receive money back from the grid system with the unused energy they store, and they can add the other systems gradually once they have enough money.



In all we have done a lot of research to find the best possible way to save energy for our clients and Solar Power was the solution. With the use of technology today we know that solar panels are the best and most efficient that can be, saving us on electricity bills and helping the environment. Today there are a lot of options for energy conservation, and we should all take part in saving energy and making a better world. Not only for today but for the future!!