Equity In Energy
Honest look at what's better for each individual. Solar makes sense for some and doesn't for others
18/01/2019
Solar Power Outperforming Wind As Renewable Energy Becomes Commonplace Green electricity projects are gradually ditching their niche status as U.S. and European proliferation continues
04/11/2018
09/07/2018
Tesla ditches Home Depot as sales partner for home solar products Tesla, as part of a broader restructuring, is pulling sales staff and residential solar products from Home Depot stores.
09/07/2018
Tesla is preparing to close a dozen solar facilities in 9 states Tesla's move last week to cut 9 percent of its workforce will sharply downsize the residential solar business it bought two years ago in a controversial $2.6 billion deal.
09/07/2018
With Tesla Solar Floundering, Is Vivint Solar The Answer? With Tesla's solar enterprise on shaky ground, is there a national residential solar provider that can get solar on everyone's roof? Vivint Solar thinks it can.
09/07/2018
Wind and solar are called clean for a reason Compared to other human activities, wind and solar power have a significantly lower impact on local wildlife.
07/04/2018
https://phys.org/news/2018-04-solar-pv-track-coal-oil.amp
Solar PV and wind are on track to replace all coal, oil and gas within two decades Solar photovoltaic and wind power are rapidly getting cheaper and more abundant – so much so that they are on track to entirely supplant fossil fuels worldwide within two decades, with the time frame depending mostly on politics. The protestation from some politicians that we need to build new coa...
07/04/2018
Solar is so hot right now: Context for 2017’s 98 GW of photovoltaic panels That's the good news. The bad news is we keep demanding more energy.
10 Irresistible Reasons to Go Solar
Solar energy is the power provided by the sun, harnessed through technology called photovoltaic (PV) cells, which turn sunlight directly into electricity.
For a layman’s description of the “photovoltaic effect,” when sunshine hits the PV cell, the photons of light excite the electrons in the cell, causing them to flow and generate electricity.
Homeowners around the country, and cities around the world, are installing solar panel systems on their roofs to take advantage of this clean, renewable way to generate power.
So why should you go solar? How does it benefit you?
Here are 10 of the top motivations for homeowners and business owners–and even some renters–to make the switch from traditional electricity to solar power.
1.) It’s good for the environment.
Unlike conventional power, solar produces no harmful emissions that hurt the environment. It’s a clean, renewable process that uses the most natural of all resources: the sun.
Even the energy used to produce the PV cells is paid back soon after. Depending on the type, Energy Pay-Back Time (EPBT) for PV and CPV systems is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1.4 years. After that point, it’s all renewable, all the time.
In the U.S., fossil fuels are used to generate 68% of the electricity we consume, and the resulting emissions from the combustion of those fuels aren’t good, including:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) – a greenhouse gas which contributes to global warmingCarbon monoxide (CO) –Sulfur dioxide (SO2) – causes acid rain, which is harmful to plants and to animals that live in water, also exacerbating respiratory illnesses and heart diseasesNitrogen oxides (NOx) – contributes to ground-level ozone, which irritates and damages lungsParticulate matter (PM) – causes hazy conditions in cities and scenic areas. Coupled with ozone it contributes to asthma and chronic bronchitisMercury and other heavy metals – hazardous to human and animal health
Compare all that with the emission-free technology of solar energy and solar becomes the obvious solution.
2.) It’s a solid home investment.
It’s fair to say that many of the home improvements that you will make won’t add quite the equal value to your house as the money that you put into them. Solar energy, on the other hand, will save you money from your energy bill each month.
In addition, the investment that you make in solar, will add its exact property value–or more–to your home, should you decide to sell it later on.
A study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California showed that across the board, buyers were willing to pay $15,000 extra for a home with an average-sized solar panel system. Not only is this likely to amount to more than your original investment, it’s a return on investment that is in addition to the money you have saved on energy all the while that you owned the house.
In a challenging market, solar panels can even be the difference in selling your house or not, an added bonus that gives potential buyers a reason to consider your house over others as their next long term home.
Additionally, in most states solar panels will notincrease your property taxes. 38 states currently have property tax exemptions that exclude the added value of a solar panel system from being considered in the valuation of a property for taxation purposes.
3.) Solar Energy systems are durable.
Solar panels have no moving parts, and so are not damaged easily. This lowers the chance for an interruption in service.
All solar panels are exhaustively tested to ensure that they can withstand high winds and extreme weather conditions, such as hail and heavy snowfall. Every solar panel used by skilled installers is guaranteed to be as strong or stronger than your roof itself.
Even if something should occur that damages your solar panels, most systems come with a 10 year warranty, guaranteed by the original installer, that covers serious damage to the panels.
4.) Solar can actually make you money!
Some states, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires electricity suppliers to secure a portion of their electricity from solar generators. Rather than investing in systems of their own, in applicable states this has resulted in what is called an SREC market. Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC) are created for every megawatt-hour of solar electricity created. So if your system is consistently generating more energy than you are consuming, you have the opportunity to sell that energy back at a premium.
Every state’s program is different, with the value of an SREC determined by the market and subject to supply and demand constraints.
New Jersey’s SREC market is the largest in the nation, with recent market prices among the highest on record.Massachusetts has two separate SREC markets to help bridge the state’s goal of installing 1,600 MW of solar capacity by 2020.
In most other states, even those that are not yet participating in an SREC market, any excess solar energy that was generated but not consumed can be pushed back onto the grid, to be sold back to the electricity provider. Many utility companies are required to purchase this excess generation, even if it is usually bought at a reduced rate.
This form of extra income brings us to the next big reason to go solar…
5.) Solar could help you afford that home improvement you’ve been wanting.
Installing a home solar system offers an opportunity to design other home improvements with that addition in mind. For instance, some people consider a swimming pool or hot tub with renewable energy in mind. According to a report from the National Resource Defense Council, pool owners typically pay $500 more per year in energy bills. By combining the two home improvements, your solar system can be designed to cover the extra energy usage, using one investment to pay for the other.
Plus, remember the money you’ll be saving on electric bills and it all adds up to enough to make whatever home improvements you desire. There aren’t many home improvements that cost less than a solar panel system or are subject to tax credits from the government, and none of them save on monthly costs, instead often costing more. No home improvement can be more worth your money than a renewable energy system.
6.) Solar has a fixed energy cost.
Electricity from utility providers is never guaranteed a set price, rising and falling seemingly without cause or effect. And without any other option, consumers have no choice but to pay whatever the current price is.
The cost for a solar system, on the other hand, remains the same. If you choose to lease or finance your system, then you have a set, minimal monthly payment that replaces your electricity bill. If you purchase your panels in full, from then on your energy cost becomes $0.
That’s right, $0.
7.) Being ahead of the curve.
The signs are everywhere. Even pushing against the agendas of fossil fuel companies and dirty energy generators, the future of energy is renewable and clean energy.
For the first time in 2016, renewable energies will make up most of this year’s additions to the power grid. Solar, natural gas, and wind together make up 93% of the total 26 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale generating capacity that will be added this year.
The U.S. has risen to the 4th highest usage of solar PV power, still lagging far behind China, Germany and Japan in cumulative solar capacity. And just as with any major change, every person, every step helps!
San Francisco is one such step toward sustainability, as it recently voted unanimously on a city ordinance that would require all new buildings to have solar panels. It is the first requirement of its kind in the United States, following the lead of France from the previous year.
By converting to solar energy now, you have the chance to be one step ahead, to join the innovators and trailblazers around the world.
8.) You can use your Solar Energy all day.
One of the many myths about solar power involves perceived limitations on the energy-generating potential of solar panels. Solar energy is generated from daylight, not sunlight. So even on cloudy, rainy days, your panels will be working to produce energy. All that energy accumulates in the morning and afternoon hours, the whole time that the sun is up, producing more electricity than you can use.
Currently, all solar energy providers keep you connected to the grid. So any excess energy is pushed back onto the grid, actually causing your utility meter to spin backward, crediting your account. Then, in the evening hours, you will be using the credited energy from the meter. This excess energy does not expire and is similar to rollover minutes with your telephone company.
9.) Solar Energy is cool!
Let’s face it, what’s cooler than the sun powering your home?
And that is quite literally true. One study by UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering found that PV panels act as “roof shades” to keep buildings cool, in addition to supplying them with clean power. This makes sense. Solar panels soak up the sun’s rays, directing them away from the roof, whereas a roof without panels would allow heat to pe*****te through it into the inside of the building.
When calculating the amount saved on cooling the building, the research team found that it was equal to getting a five percent discount on the solar panels’ price of the lifetime of the system.
But the “cool factor” is ever-present with solar energy too.
Just look at the world’s first solar road, opened in the Netherlands in November 2014 and performing even better than expected. In its first six months it produced 3,000 kilowatt-hours of energy, enough to power a single small household for a year. Plus, it was built specifically for bike traffic, and has welcomed hundreds of thousands of cyclists along its energy efficient path.
The application of solar power is limitless! Ever need energy in hard to manage places? Solar to the rescue!
Solar powered generatorsSolar Pool Heating RingsSolar Teracotta Water FilterHybrid Solar Electric Oven
And since your house is the single biggest consumer of energy you will ever have, why not start there, standing out in the coolest way under the sun?
10.) Either way, you can’t keep the money.
Whether you’re spending money to make an investment in solar energy, or giving that money to your utility provider, it is still money that is being spent. Deciding to go solar is very much similar to deciding to purchase a home. You can invest in yourself and take control of your energy costs, or continue to pay your utility provider for rented energy monthly, owing them frequent payments and remaining subject to their fees and requirements.
Every step towards independence, from owning a home to controlling your energy, gives you the freedom to make additional choices about how you live and own your own life. Going solar, purchasing a solar energy system for your house, is a way to invest in yourself and your family, and makes a big statement about how you choose to spend–and consume–your resources.
Just think…this could be you!
30/03/2018
Prince William county is giving a nice incentive for solar power owners.
http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/finance/Pages/SOLAR.aspx
22/03/2018
Hurry, We are approaching the time to get a solar system approved and installed before the end of the year to get the full take credit.
Next year you'll lose thousands of the tax credits.
https://news.energysage.com/congress-extends-the-solar-tax-credit/
Why the Solar Tax Credit Extension is a Big Deal in 2018 | EnergySage Wondering how the extension of the solar tax credit will impact your solar decision? EnergySage has everything you need to know about the ITC.
21/02/2018
http://costofsolar.com/is-my-home-worth-more-with-solar-energy/
How Installing Solar Panels Can Boost Property Value You already know that installing solar panels can instantly lower your electricity bill. But did you also know that solar can raise your home's property value as well?
11/02/2018
https://news.energysage.com/should-i-go-solar-now-or-wait/
Should I Go Solar Now Or Wait? | EnergySage As residential solar costs continue to plummet, homeowners continue to wonder: should I go solar now or wait? Here's the simple explanation
11/02/2018
Get Solar now or Wait?
We are Energy experts and are looking to save you money while improving our nation energy system. We have no up front cost and always save you money. We are dedicated to providing you with the best option that fits your life.
Our options are a low consistent monthly payment for a limited time, then no cost beyond that time for your energy needs.
Or we can cut your current electric bill close to half at no cost to you.
And remember with us you will always pay less than you are paying now for your electricity.
Our systems have 20 year 100% warranty to cover anything, including acts of nature.
04/02/2018
04/02/2018
https://us.sunpower.com/blog/2017/10/25/how-does-solar-energy-work/
How Does Solar Energy Work | SunPower Solar Blog Learn about the science behind solar energy and how solar panels work.
TED: Ideas worth spreading TED.com, home of TED Talks, is a global initiative about ideas worth spreading via TEDx, the TED Prize, TED Books, TED Conferences, TED-Ed and more.