Does it make any sense to install solar panels on a home? Can the average house be powered entirely by solar energy? How about wind energy? Are either of these options cost-effective enough to be able to stop relying on the big electric companies?
I have read that solar panels are not yet efficient enough to be really realistic, but is that still the case? How much longer will it take for the technology to develop to the point that it makes sense to get solar panels and quit using the electric company?
Without any hesitation, it is a good option for home use. It provides a lot of advantages to its users. Here are some of the benefits:
•Renewable
•Will last as long as the sun
•Non-polluting
•Solar cells are long-lasting and require very little maintenance
•Cost effective
•Easy to install
Getting a home solar power system has never been more cost effective and worthwhile for the investment. As the technology progresses, this renewable energy becomes cheaper and more abundant for the average investor, and more readily available. Solar energy is a clean renewable energy that is better for the environment and produces no pollutants like traditional energy forms. The cost of solar energy may be high up front, but with long term benefits such as these tax write-offs and reduced energy bills, anyone interested in saving money in the long term and reducing emissions would be crazy not to invest in a solar energy system.
Solar could generate 2.5 percent of the world’s electricity by 2025.
Hi, There IS an affordable solar energy system that is just starting to be implemented There is a cheap and easy to construct type of solar energy that does not need panels or batteries. The initial cost is low and there is no maintenance involved. The power is clean, efficient and perpetual. It is not influenced by weather, nightfall or bird dirt. You can find out more at the link below. This is truly exciting. Good luck.
There are many factors to consider when thinking if solar will work for your home, but the most important are the orientation of your potential solar array, shading from trees and other obstructions, and the size and condition of the roof. Southern access is optimal for annual solar PV system performance, but solar panels can usually be mounted on East and West-facing roofs. Shade can dramatically reduce the performance of your array.
Depending on where you live and other factors, incentives may cover up to 50+% of the cost of your solar system. Incentives are not likely to get better in the future. These incentives and rebate programs are funded by the state and Federal governments and are constantly under budgetary scrutiny. In other words, they may not be around forever. The purpose of these incentive initiatives is to spur deployment of renewable power. As more and more systems are installed, the rebates will phase out. The time to act is now.
Many companies out there will do a solar evaluation of your house at no cost so you can better understand the economics of the project.
I also included a link about wind vs. solar so you understand the options. For a home, solar is typically a more viable choice.
I think it important to separate two questions, whether solar or wind is cost-effective, and whether one can stop relying on electric companies.
Most people today are not really concerned with whether they use the electric company or not; they simply want to save money. To this end, they get solar or wind installed to supply a portion of their power, but keep the connection to the power grid. It’s still saving money. We have such an arrangement, and our electric bill is about $60 a year ($5 a month). Whether it makes sense for you depends on where you live. It wouldn’t hurt to contact a solar installer for a free quote.
It is also possible to be completely disconnected from the electric company, but if a house does that, and still expects to use electricity, then they will need batteries. The end cost is almost always higher than using the plain old power company, if the house already has electric service connected.
On an unrelated note, watch out for those DIY guides that suggest you can make and install your own panels, they’re ripoffs.
The problem really isn’t energy production but energy storage. For solar to be feasible you need to charge batteries when the sun is out right? OK, so batteries are big heavy expensive things and it takes a lot of them to power something like a refrigerator or an electric stove. Solve the energy storage problem and you’ve really done something for mankind and the planet.
Solar energy is definitely a good option, especially if you are in a region with low to moderate strength weather. Over time it really will save you a lot of money, but that is not just limited to installing solar panels. Skylights are a great way to cut electricity costs by lighting your house with primarily natural light, and then Solar Panels will take care of the little electrical lighting you will need. However, if you are in an area constantly battered by heavy weather then skylights are probably not that great an idea.
Depends on what area of the country you are in. Is it very sunny or windy? Does your state give you rebates or feed in tarrifs? How much does your electricity cost now? Mine is about 30c/kwh delivered. If I used as much as a typical household it would make sense for me to go solar. I use less than 100 kwh per month though so it doesn’t at the moment. If you plan to stay in your house for 10 or more years, do it definately. It will boost up the value of your house, get it noticed and you will lock in your power rate for the next 20-50 years- no inflation.
My family just got Going Green solar panels for $18,000 (no we’re not rich we’re LOWER middle class). They are great. We still get power at night and during cloudy or dark hours. We live in Mesa, AZ so we have lots of sunshine, but for a while it’s been a bit cloudy. We always have power because there is backup stuff the Solar company gives us. You can monitor the amount of power you get 24/7 on a special website made for only you. There is also another website that gives you visuals on whats going on
Ex.
which solar panels get the most, graphs that tell you how much energy you get at certain times of the day
how many Watts you’ve produced
how many lightbulbs you could power
you can even specify a time and day and how much power you got during that time
It’s pretty cool, sometimes the Solar Power graphs make a picture. It’s hard to explain kind of, if you want more info email me.
🙂
Answer mine please!!!! http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtlCMwbVGJT1OJrB4Dd5FdTsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20110118180439AAuducR
we got a solar panel about 2 months ago and our bill was getting up to $500 and now amazingly it dropped to $150 and the bills come out every 3 months so i am guessing we will lower the bill again to about $75. it’s amazing how much you save i was majorly shocked. GET IT!
if there is enough sunlight throughout the year, then yes, though of course there is also an intermittency issue that needs to be considered since the sun doesn’t shine the entire day
http://www.renewables-info.com/solar_energy/solar_energy_articles.html
Yes to install solar panels on your home is the best idea, especially if you are planning on saving money on your electrical bill. The average home can defiantly be 100% powered on solar energy alone, and in fact create surplus energy to sell back to electric companies for cash return rewards.
Everyone will always have their own opinions on what they believe is effective; but fact remains that solar energy is the most effective energy source out there today, with that being said, this could only draw the conclusion that solar energy can be effective enough to power a home, they are powering car, planes, computers,etc… technology is already past needing the power companies as a electric source, it’s up to us as homeowners to put them out of business, instead of them putting us in financial debt, with their useless power bills. If you need more in debt information about solar energy visit http://www.diysolarpanelguides.net/blog