So how is a solar shed different to a regular shed? The answer is to be found in the way that a power meeting differs from just any old meeting – the presence or absence of power, and in the case of our shed, specifically solar power.

An obvious problem with garden sheds though is that other little word “garden”. A shed that sits, as the name suggests, in the garden is not easy to supply electricity to. The solution has in the past always involved laying out a power supply cable from the main house to the shed.

This then entails digging up vast tracts of garden for a trench in which to safely bury and protect said cable from the next oaf with a shovel. And even if you get that far it’s all a terrible fire risk anyway – sheds being wooden buildings and all.

Then there’s question of what exactly are you planning on doing in your shed that actually needs 220 volts (or a more wimpy 110v for US residents)? Of course, the number of different answers you might get to this question is proportional to the number of people you might ask.

You might want to over-winter tender plants, use it as a potting shed, or a simple workshop. Some folk just like to have a place they can go and read the newspaper or a book in peace, sheltered from the elements. More ambitious types might aim to setup a reasonably well equipped office or study complete with computers and basic heating.

However, there are certain elements you will need almost regardless of your specific plans for your shed. Chief amongst these has to be lighting – if you can’t see what you’re doing then you may as well call the whole thing off. Next comes any tools, appliances or other electrically powered devices. Finally you might want to give some thought to cooling/heating if it can get either very hot or cold where you are.

That’s where you’re going to need some power. But luckily all sheds share a useful characteristic, which is a large amount of otherwise wasted surface area (namely the roof) which is ideal as a platform for a solar panel or several.

The modern solar panel is an amazingly effective device that each day will tirelessly convert even the weakest sunlight (and even on an overcast day) into oodles of free electricity. Your job is simply to collect this and store it until you need to make use of it. Thankfully Count Alessandro Volta, an eminent Italian scientist, foresaw this need just a shade over 200 years ago when he developed the voltaic pile (i.e. the battery).

One of the many cute aspects of solar panels is that they invariably output 12 volts (thanks again Count Volta) DC which is coincidentally (or not) exactly what all “low-voltage” power packs, lighting and other appliances use as input. So when you’re using any of this kit during the day it’s automatically kept topped up on trickle charge, and the surplus can be diverted to a larger deep-cycle battery for use when the sun goes down.

Of course this pattern of collecting, storing and using solar generated electricity repeats more or less endlessly without ever costing anything to maintain or harming the environment. So whether you harbour ambitions to kit out a home office, pen a best seller, or simply have a den to lounge about in peace and comfort, a solar shed could be just the thing.

If you found this short article interesting then you’ll certainly want to check out this more in-depth article about solar sheds.