There have been more than 2 million solar panel installations across the country.
Many people have added this technology to their homes or businesses as a way to
power their lives.
Solar power has been around for many years and is continually gaining popularity. But many people still have questions or concerns about the process and wonder if it's really worth the initial investment and effort to get installed. There's a lot that can be said about solar power for the home, so we're just going to cover the basics.
Here are the top seven benefits of
switching to solar power in your home.
1.
Reduces Energy Bill
The most obvious (and most
convincing) benefit of switching to a solar power system is the decrease in
your monthly energy bill. It's the thing that most people are interested in
when they begin looking into this different energy source for good reason! When you switch to a provider like Direct Energy Houston, you'll see how much you can benefit in the future from their renewable solar power energy systems.
When you are using solar energy you
are essentially producing your own energy. That eliminates the need to purchase
power from the local utility company. So while you pay upfront for the
equipment and installation, you will likely pay significantly less each month
saving you in the long run.
Most people who switch to solar
power in their homes also see these savings almost immediately. There's no wait
period or downtime, as long as there's the sun!
2.
Energy Production
Speaking of this energy production
from solar panels, the excess that is not used at your home can often be sold
back to your local utility company. They'll then disperse it back out to their
other customers.
This scenario is a win-win situation
for everyone involved; you get paid extra for the energy produced from your
equipment and the utility company has more (at a lower rate) energy to sell.
These types of agreements are made all of the time and can be a real benefit to
the solar power owner.
So not only is your monthly bill
going to be less, you're going to be making money at the same time.
3.
Available Tax Credits
Another way that solar power for the
home can make you money is through tax credits. These are offered by both the
federal and state governments.
It's a pretty straightforward
process to add solar power investments to your yearly tax return but you must
be using a commercial solar power provider. They have the accreditation and approval from the
government which is why you'll be able to get the tax credits and save yourself
even more money.
A typical solar power user will get
a 30% federal tax credit, which means 30% of the cost of installation can be
deducted from your taxes. That often results in major savings overall and a
higher return.
4.
Fewer Power Outages
Power outages may be rare but they
disrupt daily life and can cause major problems if they happen at the right
time. Using a solar power bank will significantly reduce the number of power
outages you experience.
Often, your solar panels are making
more energy than you're expending in your home. If you choose, that extra
energy can be stored in backup batteries that can be used in case of a power
outage. Basically just like a backup generator would be but it's all from
energy previously produced in your panels.
This is a great way to have some
stockpiles in case of an emergency so you won't be left in need of help.
5.
Available in All Situations
For many solar power sounds too good
to be true or like it would only be worth it if your life in an extremely sunny
place. But actually, solar power is a great option for pretty much every
location.
While places that have year-round
sunny days with high temperatures will definitely produce more solar energy. A
typical, mild climate place will also see many of the same benefits. It doesn't
take a lot of light to produce energy. And even the light that comes through on
cloudy days adds up to make a difference overall.
There are different setups for a
variety of home situations as well. It's highly likely that there's an option
that will work for you, no matter your living conditions.
6.
Protects the Environment
Saving money and having a stockpile
of energy are great and helpful benefits of utilizing solar power. But there's
also more broad benefits that impact the whole world.
The traditional ways that energy has
been produced for decades have very serious, negative consequences for the
planet.
Those are caused by the emissions
that come from the procedures that must happen to produce the energy. Solar
energy has none of those and has essentially zero impact on the planet. It's a
much greener option and one that you can feel confident in for many years to
come.
7.
Creates Jobs
Another more broad benefit of using
solar power is that the industry has created many jobs across the nation, which
is always a good thing and boosts the economy overall.
The jobs come from a variety of
places across the industry. Utility companies have customer service
representatives that cover solar power, installation technicians, and
maintenance crews. There's also engineers and scientist who are continually
working for these companies to improve and develop new technologies.
It's always a bonus to be able to
stimulate the local economy and more opportunities in your area.
Benefits
of Adding Solar Power
Solar power is a great choice for
almost any home because it can be installed in a variety of ways, will save you
money overall, and doesn't have a negative impact on the world. It also has a
long lifespan and low maintenance costs.
When you take a deeper look it's
easy to see why so many people have converted to solar energy to power their
homes.
If you're interested in learning more about the energy industry and the new technologies available, check out our other articles.