14 DAY TRIAL // Many of you (myself included) have probably dreamed of possessing a solar power kit. But as some of you may have already found out, these kits are pretty rare and generally very expensive. And because they don't produce a lot of power, people prefer other solutions to solar energy. But it seems that non-conventional means to produce electricity are back and several companies have already announced that they will re-enter the solar-panel market. BrightLightSolar is among the first to offer such a kit and they've promised that all the needed quantity of solar kits will be found in the market.
The solar unit comes with a rated power of 325W and contains just about everything you need to set up your own "power plant" in a matter of minutes. Regarding the system, BLS website states:
"Our Remote Solar Home Power System Kit gives you all the components required to install an off-grid system in your home, office or caravan. The system can be customized to suit your specific needs. The base system includes:
* 325 Watt solar panel array using branded solar panels (typically BP Solar or Kyocera) w/25 year manufacturer warranty * Morningstar Prostar 30A charge controller with LED status indicators and capacity to install two additional panels * 10 metre module array output cable with weatherproof/UV sheathing to connect panels with system charge controller * 200 AH Energy deep cycle sealed solar GEL battery capacity * 550 Watt Steca Pure sine wave inverter to convert battery DC output to UK mains 230 VAC. Capable of taking surges up to 3 times rated capacity in order to accomodate motor or refrigerator compressor surges * Junction Box"
The system will be delivered in 7-10 days and weights about 150kg. The expected price is about $4000 for the 325W kit. And just in case you need more juice and you hate the oil crisis, BSL also produces larger panels that provide a lot more power.