3 compelling reasons to go solar right now
Americans are bracing for expensive energy bills this winter – with President Biden even offering billions of dollars in assistance as the economy continues to face sky-high inflation.
As families look for ways to cut energy costs with smart home technologies and best practices like closing doors, sealing cracks, removing air conditioning units, and more, some may be considering a more long-term solution: solar power.
In a nutshell, solar panels help turn sunlight into electricity.
"Solar technologies convert sunlight into electrical energy either through photovoltaic (PV) panels or through mirrors that concentrate solar radiation. This energy can be used to generate electricity or be stored in batteries or thermal storage," the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) describes.
Sounds good, right? If you're interested in learning more about solar panels or how to utilize solar energy, then reach out to an expert for assistance. Click here to get a free quote from one of the top companies in the space.
What are 3 advantages of going solar?
Before you take the plunge and change your habits completely, you probably want to know more about solar power and why more families are starting to incorporate it into their lifestyles.
Here are three convincing reasons to go solar today:
Cost of going solar has dropped
At one point, cost was a major reason why homeowners were hesitant to install solar panels. However, times have changed – and prices have been declining for years. The cost of solar goes down every year, the EERE says.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), solar installation costs have declined by more than 60% over the past decade. And solar isn't just popular in sunny states like California or Florida. States across the country have started incorporating solar energy.
The cost of solar equipment is generally calculated by comparing dollars per watt.
"An average-sized residential system has dropped from a pre-incentive price of $40,000 in 2010 to roughly $20,000 today, while recent utility-scale prices range from $16/MWh - $35/MWh, competitive with all other forms of generation," the SEIA explains online. That total cost doesn't take into account the tax benefits that come with using solar power either.
Price can vary depending on your location and needs. Insert your zip code and get a quote.
Save on energy bills
Another key reason to switch to solar is to save on energy bills. The typical cost of heating a home this winter will increase 18% – to around $1,208, per the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, adding that lower income households will be hit hardest.
While you'll need to spend money to install solar panels and get set up properly, you should see a significant difference in your utility bills by becoming more green.
Community solar can lead to bill savings between 5% to 25%, said the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), citing a 2021 report called Sharing the Sun: Community Solar Deployment, Subscription Savings, and Energy Burden Reduction.
Boston-based solar energy company EnergySage estimates most solar power users can save anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 over the lifetime of their solar system.
Total savings can vary depending on your location (amount of available sunlight), the type of solar energy system you're using, how much electricity you use, the size of your home, whether you bought or leased your system, your local utility and more. Take a look at your utility bill. Then review how many watts your household uses to determine potential savings.
Reduce your carbon footprint
Aside from the multiple perks solar energy will provide to you financially, it will also benefit the planet.
"Each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of solar that is generated will substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions like CO2, as well as other dangerous pollutants such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Solar also reduces water consumption and withdrawal," the U.S. Department of Energy states online.
