Can we make our homes solar?

Muscat, Oct 7 - When we say ‘solar home’, we mean all applications that can convert solar energy into some form or energy for meeting the daily needs within our home.

How about transformation of homes from energy-consuming homes to energy-producing homes through the acquisition of solar-powered devices? Ever thought of doing something about your high electricity bills?

Since we know electricity can meet all our needs inside the house, the first thing that comes to our mind is why do we need it and how much does it cost to provide our houses with solar-powered applications.

Can we really succeed in using solar energy applications at our homes and reduce the problem of high electricity bills in a safe way for the environment?

Well, solar energy is one of the most important sources of renewable energy. It is a continuous energy that can always be obtained without any hindrance. That is very suitable for us in the Gulf thanks to the sunny weather always.

Solar energy is the light and heat emitted from the sun, which humans have harnessed since ancient times using constantly evolving technologies.

Solar energy technologies include the use of solar thermal energy for direct heating, electrical energy, power generation using photovoltaic panels as well as architectural designs that rely on solar energy. These are technologies that can contribute significantly to some of the world’s most pressing problems. Minister of Education Madiha al Shaibani said, “The project contributes to the use of renewable energy from the local environment to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that are harmful to the environment.”

Shell Oman Development Company recently celebrated the launch of the first three solar schools in the Sultanate.

‘Solar Energy in Schools’ is one of the pillars of the Social Investment Initiative, ‘Shell Gift for the Nation’, in which Shell has trained a number of small and medium-sized enterprises and awarded contracts for installing solar systems in 22 schools across the country in the next few years. The Um Al Fadl Nizwa School, the Sultan Qaboos Balabri School and the Khawla Bint Al Hakim School in Salalah are the first three solar schools. If an entire school can be operated by solar energy, can’t we operate our houses with this type of energy. Some people would say, “No, we can’t. It is expensive, demanding and requires experts.”

Ok, then I would happily mention a whole village in Al Bidiyah where I visited once a friend. They all agreed to use solar energy to illuminate fences around houses. People nowadays are more aware about using solar energy at homes. A family has shown an ideal way of implementing solar energy. They say they are happy to use different applications using solar energy. “I am happy with my electricity bills in the recent months. I started by reading about solar applications and visited shops selling them and I chose what was suitable for my house. I could buy them easily too,” said a family member.

Solar energy is sustainable. It is also renewable. It can be used as fuel for cars, or to boil water or illuminate our homes.

Through the use of solar panels, we can generate electricity from our own source and allow us to exit the public electricity grid. In other words, we will not be in need of electricity companies to save electricity, nor do we have to pay electricity bills.

Yusif Zahir Mohammed al Salmi, general supervisor at the General Directorate of Education in Al Batinah South, said, “We, as specialists, have manufactured solar-powered devices and presented models at a workshop on solar energy and technology at the Observatory of Astronomy. I have noticed people are more interested in the use of solar energy these days.”

Thanks to people interested in this field, we can make a change in our lives. Just start reading about solar equipment or go to the nearest shop selling these tools.

Just ask yourself if it is difficult to buy an external light with a solar cell panel for RO 30 and keep your electricity bills low for months or years or whether you would prefer to stay away from all these technologies and keep paying money for consuming electricity and polluting the environment.

SIHAM AL SAIDI