| Over the course of a single day, the entire United | | | | temperature. |
| States receives enough energy directly from the sun | | | | 4. Now you can carefully remove and remaining black |
| to power the entire country for more than a year. | | | | flakes from the copper sheet. |
| But it is because of the world's reliance on fossil fuels | | | | 5. Get an empty 2 Liter plastic bottle and cut the top |
| that this power source remains untapped. | | | | off. |
| But now you can easily begin to take advantage of | | | | 6. Without coming into contact with each, mold both |
| this free and money saving resource with do it | | | | copper squares to fit flush up against the outer walls |
| yourself solar power systems. There are some very | | | | of the bottle. |
| good DIY Energy Guides available that step you | | | | 7. Using alligator clips, attach both copper squares to |
| through the entire project from start to finish for | | | | the inside of the bottle. |
| only a fraction of the cost of a commercial solar | | | | 8. Add a few tablespoons of salt to some warm |
| power system. In fact, people all over the world, just | | | | water and dissolve. |
| like you, are now saving hundreds to thousands of | | | | 9. Once cooled, carefully add the salt water solution |
| dollars each year by making their own solar panels. | | | | to the bottle up the point that it covers the copper |
| This simple do it yourself solar power project is easy | | | | squares while leaving a at least an inch of copper out |
| and a great demonstration of how simple solar | | | | of the water. |
| power really is. All you need to get started is a few | | | | 10. Place you new solar generator out in direct |
| cheap supplies, many you can find around the house, | | | | sunlight. |
| and a clean working space. | | | | 11. Use volt and amp meter to measure the power |
| Do It Yourself Solar Power Project Directions | | | | output of the solar generator by attaching the leads |
| 1. Get a small sheet of copper and using a pair of | | | | to the alligator clips. |
| shears, cut the copper into two equal sized squares | | | | While this simple do it yourself solar power |
| that are small enough to fit on an electric stove top | | | | experiment isn't going to power your home, it is a |
| burner. | | | | fun demonstration of how simple and easy solar |
| 2. Place one of the copper squares on an electric | | | | energy really is to work with. Making your own solar |
| burner and heat it until the copper turns entirely black. | | | | panels is not much more involved than this, especially |
| 3. Leave the copper square to return to room | | | | when using a proven step-by-step solar power guide. |