Many people are turning to hydroponic gardening as an alternative to traditional home garden because the system does not require soil and uses less water. This is an ecologically friendly way to raise the freshest produce with the minimal amount of space. However, do you know that you can further reduce the environmental footprint of these gardens?
Photo: roatanisland.net
There are many benefits of hydroponic gardening, and with the use of solar power, you can significantly reduce its power requirement. Hydroponics garden require an electric-powered pump to circulate the water and nutrients in the reservoir. With the use of solar power, you can now eliminate the need to plug in and make your garden self-sustaining.
The solar power industry is fast developing, with advanced technology that allows even smaller solar panels to provide more than enough electricity to power the pump necessary for your garden. All you need to know is exactly how much current and voltage does your setup needs. The average solar power cell can produce approximately 45 milliwatts of electricity per square inch, so you can now calculate how many square inches or feet of solar panel will be required.
Since solar-powered hydroponics is dependent on sunlight power, you can purchase a solar battery for the cloudy days. The use of solar electric panel in your hydroponic garden is an excellent way to save on energy and save money, especially in these tough economic times where growing your own food is much less expensive than buying from your local market.
