More and more American homeowners are considering installing solar panels on their homes, with 46% of them saying that they’ve seriously considered doing so in the past year (2020).
There are a number of different reasons why people might want to switch to solar energy, from environmental concerns to cost savings.
Are you thinking about installing solar panels on your home in the near future, but aren’t sure if it’s worth it?
While there are certainly solar energy pros and cons, many homeowners are deciding that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Let’s take a look at 7 benefits of solar energy to help you decide whether it’s the right choice for your home.
What is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is just what it sounds like: it’s a free source of energy from the Sun that is captured and converted into electric or thermal energy. The most abundant and cleanest renewable energy source that we know today is the solar energy, which can be used to generate electric power, heat water, provide light, and create a comfortable environment without the steep costs of using nonrenewable resources.
How Does Solar Energy Work?
There are three primary ways that solar power can be harnessed from the sun. These are photovoltaics, solar heating and cooling, and concentrating solar power. When you have solar panels on the roof of your home, these panels convert sunlight into electrical energy and then the electricity can either be used or stored in thermal or battery storage.
If you’re interested in solar energy and the rebates and grants available to you as a homeowner, take a look at this article.
1. Solar Energy Can Reduce or Even Eliminate Your Electric Bills
Every month, we all have to pay for the electricity that was consumed in the previous month. Whether you own a home, a business, or both, your energy bill more than likely consumes a good chunk of your income each month.
When you invest in solar panels for your house or business, you can help reduce your energy bills and possibly even eliminate them.
According to some estimates, using solar panels can reduce your electric bill by up to 50% each month. One of the great things about these systems is that you can harness the power of the sun when is present and you can utilize the grid when it is not. Once your solar panels are installed, you only have to pay for the power that comes from the electric company as the power of the sun is free.
2. Can Protect You From Rising Energy Prices
Residential electricity prices have been increasing by 3% each year on average. When you invest in solar energy, you can help to protect yourself against future potential increases in the cost of electricity.
Having solar PV panels can help you better manage your expenses, rather than having to adapt to the unpredictable cost of energy in the future.
3. Can Increase Your Property Value
There have been a number of studies that have found that houses that have solar energy systems installed tend to sell more quickly and have a higher fair market value than those that don’t have solar energy systems. It is more and more common for appraisers to consider the value of solar installations when they are determining the value of a home.
Having a solar energy system installed on your roof has become a demand for home buyers that learned about the advantages of solar energy.
4. Solar Energy Helps You To Protect The Environment
Increasingly, individual Americans are becoming concerned with their individual impact on the environment. Because solar panels utilize the power of the sun, which is a renewable resource, they don’t have any emissions and don’t contribute to pollution.
At this point, most solar energy systems are still tied into the electrical grid. While some individuals and families have made the decision to go completely off-grid, for many other Americans this is not possible or practical. Installing solar panels on your home is a reasonable middle ground, while you’re still tied into the larger energy system you can help to reduce your own impact.
5. Creates Jobs and Helps Your Local Economy
As solar energy grows as an industry, it continues to produce more jobs at home in the U.S. The Solar Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting solar energy, claims that the solar industry adds jobs to the U.S. economy much faster than the overall economy does.
One of the great things about solar energy-related jobs is that they can’t be outsourced and they are often higher-paying. This means that increased dependence on solar energy rather than other energy sources is a plus for our overall economy as a country.
6. Makes U.S. Energy More Independent
Roughly 63% of the energy used in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels, namely petroleum, coal, and natural gas. Many of the fossil fuels we use we import from other countries, namely Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Colombia.
Global energy markets are always fluctuating, and that puts the U.S. in a vulnerable position. If we are able to produce more of our own energy, our country can be increasingly insulated from changes in the overall market globally.
7. Solar Energy Is a Renewable Resource
We’ve saved one of the best benefits of solar energy for last. While other forms of fuel we use are finite and non-renewable, solar energy is a renewable resource. That means that so long as there is a sun, we can harness its power to produce energy.
Are You Thinking About Installing a Solar Power System on Your Roof?
After China, the U.S. is the next big energy consumer in the today’s world. Since most of this energy is produced using nonrenewable resources (fossil fuels), this high level of energy consumption causes concerns.
While homeowners in the U.S. that have installed solar panels on their roof are still in the minority, it’s possible that solar power could be better a great source of energy for the country and for the environment as well.
Did you find this article on solar energy interesting? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our green energy blog for more fascinating and informative content!
