DIY Solar Panels Project: Homepage
Hello and welcome to the DIY Solar Panels Project website. My name is Tony Mello, and I have set up this website to help people who want to learn how to make their own home solar energy system.
My personal reasons for becoming interested in renewable energy were largely environmental, however at the time that I first became interested in making my own DIY solar panels I was also looking for a fun and interesting DIY project to complete in my spare time.
Back in 2006 I spent some time traveling the world, and one of my favorite experiences was diving and snorkeling on coral reefs. After becoming fascinated with this remarkable ecosystem I did some research to find out more about the organisms that inhabit the reef. What I found is that coral reefs all over the world are being absolutely hammered by rising sea surface temperatures. In a nutshell, increasing sea temperatures were causing the corals themselves to die. As the corals are the basis of the whole reef ecosystem and food chain, this was having profound affects and causing huge destruction. This kept me awake at night for a long time as I worried about what local people throughout the worlds tropics would eat when the fish that the reefs provided were gone. I also despaired for the world that my children would inherit from our generation. I decided that I had to do whatever I could to help the situation.
Fast forward to 2008 and I was back at home and still trying to do my bit for the environment. I was also looking for a new DIY project to complete in my spare time. It was at this point that I became interested in installing a renewable energy system in my new home. The idea of harnessing the natural energy that is all around us was very appealing to me, as were the energy bill savings and tax credits that would result from installing a renewable energy system. The area where I live receives a good amount of sunlight for most of the year, and so I decided that solar panels were the way forward.
I looked in to purchasing a ready built solar panel system, but they were incredibly expensive and just not economically viable at all for me. Also, I was really excited about installing a system myself and learning all the new skills that go hand in hand with DIY projects. I did some research on the internet and found out that all of the components needed to make your own solar panels cost a total of under $300. I decided that this was well within my budget and I committed to having a go at making my own DIY solar panels.
When I began building my first solar energy system, I was using information from all over the internet, as well as a few text books that I took out of my local library. Having information from all over the place made it very difficult and I spent a long time putting together a system that really was pretty poor. While I really enjoyed the DIY solar panels project, and the learning experience that came along with it, I was really frustrated that my system didn’t work very well. I decided in the end to dismantle my first attempt and try to salvage as many components as possible.
I felt a bit disappointed and thought about giving up on the idea, however I had really enjoyed my DIY solar panels project, and in truth I think that it was my enjoyment of the project that kept me going. I went back to the drawing board and did some more research. I found some better solar panel plans and went back to work. I spent another couple of hundred dollars on better equipment and went back in to the shed. A few weeks later and I had my second solar energy system. This one worked much better, generating a good amount of power and saving me a decent sum on my energy bills.
A few months after completing my second DIY solar panels attempt, I came across a couple of fantastic step by step guides to building solar panels. I knew as soon as I saw them that they were exactly what I had needed from the beginning, and I cursed my luck at not discovering them sooner. I learned so much from these guides and really wish that I had come across them at the beginning. To help you avoid wasting time and money trying to build a DIY solar panels system by trial and error (like I did), I have listed my favorite step by step guides in the Recommended Products section of this website. Since reading these step by step guides to build a solar panel I have gone back to my solar energy system and made some quite dramatic improvements. I have also now built and installed a small wind turbine to generate even more power.
While I am by no means completely off grid, I feel great that I am doing my bit for the environment and reducing my carbon footprint. I have also become very passionate about renewable energy and encouraging others to build solar panels themselves. I have always enjoyed DIY, but building renewable energy systems has really taken this satisfaction to a whole new level. I am now planning to improve my solar energy system further by adding a couple more panels. My goal is to go off grid for at least 3 months of the year by 2012, and maybe even sell some energy back to my electricity supplier (what a great feeling that would be).
I hope that my story has inspired you to have a go at building your own DIY solar panels. I strongly encourage you to start by purchasing one of the top step by step guides in the Recommended Products section of this website. These guides will get you off on the right foot and save you the time and money that I wasted trying to learn everything myself from scattered sources of information.
Please feel free to browse the information on my website for more information about building your own DIY solar panels. I also highly recommend that you sign up to my DIY Green Energy Email Newsletter, which is packed full of information and advice for installing your own renewable energy systems as well as other great DIY projects and money saving ideas for your home. As a special offer to subscribers I am also currently giving away a fantastic free report entitled “Renewable Energy and Other Money Saving Secrets For Your Home”. Don’t miss out, fill in the form below to get instant access to these great free resources and get started on your DIY renewable energy journey.
Thank you for visiting DIY Solar Panels Project .Com, and the best of success with your DIY solar panels project.
Tony Mello
