A growing number of people are getting the message that fossil fuels are not a sustainable energy source to take us into the future and that is why renewable energy is in the spotlight and solar panels are being touted as a future-proof solution.
Here is a look at why solar panels offer a viable energy option, including an overview of its green credentials, some persuasive reasons that might help convince you that solar panels would be a good fit in your home, plus a broader outlook regarding the overall benefits of solar power.
Save on energy costs
If you are a homeowner, it can’t have escaped your notice how the cost of heating and powering your home has continued to rise, and that is putting a squeeze on stretched household incomes.
There are numerous cost estimates from recognized sources that all point to the real possibility that installing solar panels will save you money in the long run.
You do have to factor in the up-front cost of installing solar panels in your home, but it has been suggested that it is not unrealistic to expect that your solar panel system could end up paying for itself within about five years.
This means that you could save money on your utility bills for many years to come after that payback period has expired and if you stay in your property for a decade or more, the savings on your energy bills could conceivably run into thousands of dollars.
A cleaner alternative
Global warming and climate change are hot topics right now and there are very real concerns that urgent action is needed across the globe to help save the planet by taking positive environmental action.
Your solar panel system could offset well over 150 tons of carbon dioxide over a 30 year period. Although that might not seem overly impressive in isolation, if you multiply that carbon offset benefit across millions of households around the world, you can see that it could soon add up to a significant environmental improvement.
Burning fossil fuels is damaging the planet’s ozone layer whereas solar panels are harnessing a natural that is already in abundance and will not harm the environment in the same way.
Reduce your reliance on external energy suppliers
A major plus point to consider when you are trying to decide if solar panels would be a good idea is the fact that by creating a sustainable and renewable energy source for your property you will freeing yourself from the grip of energy providers.
Local utility providers are constantly reviewing their rates and you have little control over what you pay for your energy, even if you choose to shop around and switch suppliers.
If you have solar panels installed you won’t have to worry about increased energy rates every year as you will be getting your energy directly from the sun and that gives you a greater level of control over what you pay.
There may even be the option to sell back surplus energy to the grid, giving you the chance to earn some extra money which can lower your energy costs even further.
Good use of spare land
It is always good to look at the bigger picture, and even if your primary concern is ensuring you have a reliable and clean source of energy for your home in the form of solar energy, it is worth considering how those benefits can be multiplied across the wider community.
Solar farms are starting to appear across the country and a typical solar farm can generate enough power to supply about 2,500 homes.
The fact that underutilized land can be put to such good use means that it is a cost-effective option for powering a small community and creating a grid situation for you and your neighbors.
Improved electricity efficiency
Something that is not always considered by individual households but is a relevant point when considering the option of solar energy, is that this source of energy causes less power loss compared to conventional power plant sources.
Your electricity has to be transported from the power plant to your home and those networks are expensive to create and maintain.
You would actually be reducing power loss when you install a solar panel system as the energy only has to travel a short distance from your rooftop to inside your home, compared to the journey it could have been forced to make from an energy plant in the area.
Increased grid security
It is never great when you lose power to your home and when this happens you have very little choice other than sitting it out until the power company gets your supply back up and running.
Think of your home as its own power plant and you can then see in an instant why you might have the advantage of improved grid security.
In the event of a future blackout or energy supply shortage scenario, you will increase your chance of being able to keep the lights on if you are getting your energy from solar panels rather than rely on the grid.
More energy than you will ever need
We can already see an end game for fossil fuels and sometime in the reasonably foreseeable future, we won’t be mining for coal anymore.
It makes a lot of sense to concentrate on a source of energy that is hardly likely to ever run out, the sun.
This free source of energy might cost you money to harness it and provide power to your home, but there is a reasonable chance that you will start to see the cost-saving benefits almost from the moment it is turned on.
The benefits of solar power would certainly appear to outweigh any negatives, which is why so many homeowners are switching to this environmentally-friendly option and enjoying the benefits attached to harnessing the power of the sun.
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