Is Passive Solar or Active Solar better for your home?

If you are considering making the switch to solar power as a way of reducing energy costs, you may wonder whether passive solar or active solar systems will meet your needs best. Without understanding more about each of these systems and their applications it can be difficult to make that decision. Here is what you need to know.

All solar systems use the sun but they do it in different ways. Some may be used to provide heat for a home, others can provide a constant source of hot water. Still other systems can generate power so that a homeowner can reduce their energy bill and even go off grid in some cases. One thing that surprises many people is that these systems can be used in areas where sunlight is weak or intermittent. The key is to choosing a system that will work for your needs and the environment you live in.

Active Solar Power
These systems use solar panels to generate power or to heat water. They do require the installation of special panels and can be expensive in the beginning. Over time, the reduced costs that you will pay to heat or power your home will help defray the cost of the system. Because they use panels to actively harness solar energy, these systems are not dependent on the orientation of a home or the construction materials made to build that home.

Passive Solar Power
Passive solar systems rely on home orientation. This is the direction that a home faces. With passive solar systems, a home generally needs a southern orientation in order to take full advantage of sunlight in an area. Windows are positioned in the home in such a way that they let in the maximum amount of light and heat. Using windows and doors that are designed to prevent heat from escaping will mean that the home can be kept quite warm and that heating and lighting bills can be reduced.

Before deciding which system you want to install, you should consider what you want to use solar power to do. If you want to heat your home and it is positioned properly, you may find that a passive system will work best. If power generation is your goal or you have a home that does not have a southern orientation you may find that you will need to look at active solar power systems rather than passive systems.