A good way to start out with solar is to explore solar water heating first. This will give you a useable source of hot water and it’s inexpensive compared to photovoltaic cells.

And if you are mechanically inclined you can make a lot or even all of it yourself. You just have to make sure you incorporate a few safety items that a regular hot water system doesn’t need. Solar heat can far exceed the temperature limits of a normal water system. Pipes can break, hot water tanks can explode or vent extremely hot water with no notice.

But as long as you install safety devices it’s a great idea that pays for itself a lot quicker then solar electric panels.


Also look into solar air heaters for some free room heat. A solar air heater is about the size of a medium window and produces as much heat as a 1500-watt electric heater.

It needs a small electric fan to circulate air, but a very small solar panel and a computer fan can work for this. Making it 100% free heat.