Generating Electricity at Home with Solar Panels
As the world focuses more and more on global warming and carbon emissions, homeowners are left wondering how to best do their part to help. Beyond just making your home more energy efficient, there is another step that is becoming popular — solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
A PV system includes a series of panels typically mounted on the roof of your home. These panels convert sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts, no fuel, and no pollution. Is a solar PV system right for you? To determine this, you have to be aware of the pros as well as the cons.
PV systems can be somewhat expensive, averaging $20,000 to $30,000. Fortunately, federal and state government incentives and tax credits have been established to help pay up to 40% of your PV system. There are many benefits of solar PV:
- You produce electricity, so you do not have to pay power companies
- Once you pay off your system, the electricity you produce is yours, free of charge
- If electricity prices rise more than expected, your system cost stays the same, increasing your return on investment and saving you even more
- A solar system adds value to your home — for every dollar you spend to improve the efficiency of your home, the home's value increases by $20 or more
- Systems can be designed to provide backup power in emergencies, so you won’t have to worry if the grid goes down.
- Some insurance companies are starting to offer discounts on premiums for customers with solar
However, some consider the environmental benefits even more impressive:
- Solar power leaves the air as it is, contributing no radiation, carbon, or other air pollutants, as does burning coal, gas, or oil, or nuclear
- Solar can help fight global warming and reduce the need to build new power plants (most people don’t realize more than 50% of U.S. electricity is produced by burning coal!)
- Solar produces no noise or waste in its production
- The solar fuel supply is renewable — it’s there day in and day out. Even on cloudy days, there is some solar energy.
To magnify the benefits of a solar PV system, the first thing you should do is figure out how to reduce your home’s energy use. With a more efficient home, not only will you be more comfortable, but you’ll require a smaller (and cheaper) PV system. Call an experienced contractor like GreenHomes to get a complete home energy assessment — they will provide you with an honest set of recommendations.
So, the bottom line is, if you want to watch your utility meter spin backwards, protect the environment, or just be more energy independent, solar PV just may be right for you!
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Generating Electricity at Home with Solar Panels
