Is solar energy for you? If you are considering it here are some things that you should take into consideration. The average energy consumption for an average United States residence is around ten thousand seven hundred and sixty-six Kilowatt-hours. The average monthly electric bill was one hundred twenty dollars and fifty-one cents. In places where air conditioning is necessary the electric bill could be even higher.

Things to factor in are: 

1. Amount of sunlight available

2. Size of the panel

3. Efficiency of the solar panel’s cells

The panel normally uses measures five foot five inches long and is three feet wide. They contain sixty cells linked by wires. It is the cells that convert sunlight into electric energy. The wires carry the electric current to the junction box. The junction box is where the panels connect with each other. The more cells the more energy.

While solar technology has been around for a long time, the panels have changed little. In nineteen fifty-four a five foot by three-foot panel produced enough energy to power one third of a sixty-watt light bulb. Now the panels can provide power up to five and one third sixty-watt light bulbs.

There are several reasons you should use solar power. These are:

1. They lower utility costs

2. Increases home value

3. Tax breaks and rebates

4. Financing

Lowers Utility Costs

When you use energy from the solar panels, it is energy that you do not have to pay. When you think of the energy that you do not have to pay for over time this could mean a huge saving. In some areas excess energy can be fed back into the main system and sold to the local energy company. Depending on what method you used to install solar panels your utility bill should all but disappear. Even if you use a solar panel purchase agreement it even gets paid off after time.

Solar energy is created by the solar panel’s cells absorbing sunlight. It then converts sunlight into electricity. The energy created can be used or stored. The solar panels do not create energy after the sun goes down, so they then use the stored electricity. You can use batteries to store the excess energy.

There is not much maintenance needed once they install the solar panels. You do not have to worry about added costs. Plus, solar panels are also much safer than the traditional grid electricity.

Increases the Home's Value

Since solar panels create a great deal of energy and so the home should increase in value at least by the cost of the solar system. When you consider that solar panels last up to fifty years, create lower utility bills and also an ability to sell energy to the local energy company they are more valuable than any other thing you can add to your house. When it comes time to sell your home will cause you home to be in great demand and will not be on the market long. The research has shown that homes with solar panels sell for more than houses without solar panels.

Tax Breaks and Rebates

While the cost may seem prohibitive when you consider the long run effect, they are well worth the cost. Federal tax incentives to install solar panels can offset almost one third of the purchase price. Some states also offer a state incentive. You should check with your state and see what they offer. You can also contact a solar power developer and they can tell what is available.

Financing

If even with the tax incentives and rebates, installing solar panels is still too high, you can finance them. You can enter into an agreement with the solar panel developers. A solar power purchase agreement or solar ppa is available. A solar purchase power agreement allows the manufacturer to install the panel and then sell you the power the panels produce. They sell the power to you at a lower cost than what you pay the energy company. Doing it this way will not take you long to pay them off. Using a solar power purchase agreement can allow you to get the solar panels at very little cost if no cost at all. During the time of the agreement the developer is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the solar panels. At the end of the agreement you can have it removed, continue the agreement or pay it off.

How Many Panels Will You Need?

How many panels do you need? To figure this out, you take your home's energy bill for the past year. Take the number of kilowatt hours you home uses and create an average monthly use. Then divide it by the kilowatt that the panels you are researching can produce. Then you have the magic number of how many panels you will need. If you do not feel that you figure this correctly the solar company can help you. They will walk you through step by step of choosing the panels, the financing needed and how many panels you will need.

Running Your Home With Solar Power

When you see that your electric bill has increased over the last decade and it still seems to rise then solar panels are the solution. Go ahead and look up solar panels near you. For instance, look up solar san francisco and discover how it’s easier than you might think to install solar panels. 

What to Take Away

Overall, more and more homes are becoming all electric which means that energy bills will go up. Solar panels are a way to combat this rising cost. They also make the earth a greener place to live. With solar power becoming more efficient and practical the cost of installing them has been decreasing. Now there are solar shingles that can be installed. With all the benefits of solar power it is amazing that more people do not use them. Solar power will continue to rise in popularity, especially in rural areas where utilities are scarce.