Have you noticed more and more solar energy uses are becoming available for your home? This is the year for solar energy. The demand for solar power is at an all-time high and panels are cheaper and more efficient than ever. Residential solar energy systems are still one of the most popular uses for clean energy from the sun, but today homeowners are going all out by using solar power in new ways.

The Best Solar Energy Uses for your Home this Season

If you’re like many other people who are interested in living a more eco-friendly life and lowering your energy bills at the same time, there are a lot of ways to use solar power. Here are a few interesting ways you can utilize it around the house, even if you’ve already made the investment in a solar panel system for your home.

Solar Energy is even in Solar Powered Tree Houses

More and more adults are beginning to rediscover the tree houses they enjoyed in their youth. But these tree houses are outdoor retreats that offer creature comforts. One of those creature comforts is electricity.

But using traditional electricity hook ups is just too expensive and impractical for most tree houses. The solution – solar power. We touched on the solar powered tree house trend a little while back, highlighting a stand out example called The Skysphere. Some solar powered tree houses double as an office and others can accommodate guests. Getting electricity through a solar system truly makes these additional outdoor abodes fully functional, smart spaces.

Keeping your Garden Green With Green Energy

First, there were solar powered garden lights. But gardeners tend to be among the most environmentally friendly people so it’s no surprise the solar powered options are expanding. People with a green thumb can now incorporate solar energy to power their irrigation system.

Solar powered irrigation systems are outfitted with a pump that has solar cells built into the electric motor. Many systems can also be automated for maximum efficiency and are carefully tuned to minimize water waste.

Want to add another unique solar element to your garden? Put a few plants in color changing solar powered pots.

Solar Powered Home Security for Home Safety

Security is important to many homeowners for good reason. But making your home safe doesn’t have to increase your eco-footprint. You can now buy solar powered, motion detector LED security lights that also have a video camera. The camera connects wirelessly to transmit video in real time. No hard-wiring is needed, which means you can install the system in a spot that gets adequate sunlight.

You can also find solar powered security cameras that are on their own. Geckoeye makes a camera that can be stuck to a window to provide surveillance inside your home.

Take a look at these solar power tips from Energy.gov.

Solar Powered House Numbers

Strategic lighting can make a home more aesthetically pleasing while serving a purpose. That’s certainly the case with solar powered house numbers. Throughout the day the solar cells build up a charge, and as soon as the sun goes down the numbers automatically light up for 8-10 hours. They make your home easier for guests to find without adding to your monthly electric bill.

For more green home energy tips on Stagetecture, visit our archives.