Home Solar Energy System A Good Investment?
Everyone has heard of solar energy and knows how it has the potential, along with other renewable energy sources, to save the planet from death by pollution. Everyone agrees that this is a good thing and should receive all the support it needs. People think the government should do more to encourage solar energy – everyone wants a solar powered car!
But ask people what is their involvement in solar energy on a personal level and the normal response is a blank stare or an “It’s not practical / doesn’t meet our needs / I’m waiting for the process to drop.” In other words, it seems that solar power for the home in the form of home solar energy systems is something that is great in theory but is not of much immediate relevance.
A common argument made by solar energy enthusiasts is that 20 days of sunshine has the same energy potential as all the fossil fuel on Earth. This may be true, but it is difficult to translate into individual experience!
Solar energy became popular in the early 1980s when the aftermath of the energy crisis, advancement in solar energy technology and Federal tax cuts made it an attractive option. In 1984 over 16 million square feet of solar collectors were sold in the US. The subsequent fall in fuel prices and the removal of the tax cuts saw the demand drop.
Today, solar energy is more attractive than ever. The cost of producing solar energy is still high, but has dropped by over 90% when compared to the process of 20 years ago. And the prices are still falling. True, the cost of installing a home solar energy system is not cheap and can run from $10,000 to $40,000 and more. But you will be able to reduce your energy bills significantly. With proper house design and using passive solar energy methods in conjunction with a home solar energy system, it may even be possible to bring your dependence on commercially generated power to zero. In other words, future energy costs will involve only the home solar energy system maintenance. And even if you cannot totally remove your dependence on the power grid, the reduction on your commercial power consumption will be big.
Another plus point of installing a home solar energy system is that today most electric companies are willing to buy back excess power that a home may produce – say during the day when no one is at home to consume the solar power being generated. This amount fed back into the grid will be adjusted against what you have consumed, bringing down your electricity bills even further.
There are also a host of incentives available including personal tax, sales tax and property rebates, discounts, loans and grants for those who install home solar energy systems. Making use of these can bring down the initial cost by up to 50% or even more.
Don’t dismiss solar energy as something for the future or not relevant to you. It makes sense today – check out the facts and see for yourself about installing a home solar energy system.
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Filed under: House and Home
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