The Advantages of Residential Solar Energy

residential solar energy
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Free, renewable energy is becoming increasingly popular among home owners with solar energy in particular really taking off. As fossil fuel prices continue to rise, more and more home owners are choosing to have solar panels installed as an answer to their energy solutions. The efficiency of solar panels is not in doubt and although our ancestors have looked to harness the power of the sun for millennia, modern solar panels and the techniques used to manufacture them now make them a realistic and cost efficient solution for eco-friendly homes.

Although there are pros and cons when it comes to solar power we’ll start with the advantages of solar energy.

Better Relations with Public Utilities

Homeowners who install solar panels are known to have much better relationships with the local utilities companies as you can actually provide them with electricity. Any surplus energy you create can be sold back to your energy company for use elsewhere. In addition to this your self-dependency means that utility companies can provide power elsewhere and it drives down prices in these areas. Obviously you save a lot of money on your own utility bills too!

Incentives

Some state agencies and the federal government itself offer big incentives and subsidiaries for home owners who install solar heating devices and solar panels on their properties. These can include tax credits and rebates which can reduce the upfront cost of buying solar panels by up to 50%; not to be sniffed at.

Environmental Impact

One huge benefit of solar power is that it reduces the negative impact of fossil fuels on our planet; it emits no greenhouse gases and fells no forests, it requires no drilling and no mining. Solar panels and solar batteries deliver clean energy.

Free and Abundant

Solar energy is free at the point of access and is abundantly available. Even during the coldest months of the year and the cloudiest days of the week, solar panels can still harness the sun’s energy and convert it into clean electricity for use or storage in solar batteries.

Accessibility

Simply put, solar energy is available anywhere on the globe. There are many remote areas with homeowners who cannot be connected to the traditional electricity grid; solar panels and batteries are perfect for these homes. Wherever you are in the world you can use solar panels to collect and use the sun’s energy and covert it to usable clean energy. Your location in respect of the Equator will help inform which type of panel you should use as well as how many you will need to produce the requisite amount of electricity.

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There aren’t too many disadvantages of residential solar energy; I suppose you could say that the upfront purchase of solar panels and their installation could be one of them, but you will start to see savings on your energy bills straight away and there is also the aforementioned subsidiaries to consider too.

In conclusion residential solar energy is a worthwhile venture for any serious homeowner who wants to save money, be more efficient and help the environment simultaneously.