Solar power is getting more attention since the oil spill in the gulf of Mexico. Before that spill, many people didn’t think twice about the problems that oil can cause, they were happy that they could get it fast and get it cheap. However, drilling for millions of barrels of oil comes at a price, especially when you can’t close the leak. So now, many people are looking at greener and safer technologies for getting their energy. One of the most popular alternatives is solar power. The great thing about solar power is that it can generate free energy at the location with minimal transportation costs. Its actually the best use of energy because when the sun is shining, you get free energy.

There are different types of solar power systems like flat panels, parabolic concentrators, trough concentrators, but many are designed only for utilities. Although there are many companies that do solar power, they are cost prohibitive for the average consumer. One company that is able to provide a solar power system with a payback of less than 6 years is SolarTron Energy Systems. They are the manufacturer of the SolarBeam Concentrator, it’s a system that generates 13kW of thermal heat per hour, or 44,000 BTU’s. I guess in 2011, they will have a photovoltaic module that will produce up to 4kW of electricity. That’s mega power, and what I have heard from distributors, these systems have a payback of 6 years or less.

Solar power does not have to be expensive, and its good to see that this company is trying to offer something good, without a high price tag. Some companies feel that "going green" means you need to lose a lot of green bills (money). But that shouldn’t be the case, if you are careful you can set up a solar power system without a huge capital cost. Its time that we in North America start becoming energy independent, and protect our natural resources as much as we can.

This is 2010, it should be the time for revolutionary things, and not a time to become complacent. 100 years ago we had the industrial revolution that brought us machines and cars. What have we done that is so revolutionary? So far we have managed to create global warming and an oil spill that cannot be controlled. Alternative energy is the way of the future, and solar poweris the best technology because it does not cause noise like windmills. The interesting thing I learned about windmills is that they are causing deaths among bats because of the wind vortex they create when the wings spin. When a bat flies through there, it gets knocked unconscious and falls to the ground and dies. So although wind power is a cool idea, it has more negatives than solar power.

So, if you are looking for a good solar power system then do your homework and choose a system that has a good payback and reputation.