You hear about solar panels — and how they’re currently ‘all the rage’ when it comes to generating energy. Your neighbor across the street probably has bragged about the solar panels on his home. This likely includes a regurgitation of random statistics that contextually make no sense. This information is aimed at helping understand the process of solar panels. It will cover the functionality of solar panels, the potential costs associated with solar panels, and the money saved when transitioning over.
What Are Solar Panels?
Essentially, the solar panels use energy from the sun and covert it into electricity. From there, the electricity can then power one’s home. Normally, the panels are placed on the roof of one’s home in order to fully power it. Some might be curious as to what happens when the sun goes down. As it normally works, excess energy is stored onto a small power grid placed on the home. This electricity/power is then used to keep the house functional in the evening.
Benefits
For those who like to live in remote situations — where there isn’t a necessity in having to be linked to a main power source — solar panels would be a great alternative. Normally, those living ‘off the grid’ usually have to go through the process of having utility poles/cables installed on the property. This can be both time consuming and highly costly. By using a solar-based plan, one avoids those headaches. In addition, some estimates believe that one can live for upwards of 30 years without having to make any sort of alterations/tweaks.
Additionally, solar panels are meant to help the environment. It’s a clean source of energy — and not one which will damage the environment. Being able to contribute to the slowing of climate change is both gratifying and responsible in nature.
Costs
Normally, solar panels are priced by watt. Some estimates have each watt costing approximately $2.50 to $3.30. As such, one could see the total cost of solar panels registering anywhere between $10,000-$15,000 (depending on the size of the home). Depending on the state in which you live, some utility companies will pay home owners a credit for going solar. Not only would home owners save money, but you’d get paid with $0 spend out of one’s own pocket. This also would theoretically allow home owners to add value to their homes.
There are ways to check for price estimates. Most solar companies can give quotes based upon zip codes and locations. This is a nice way to get a brief glimpse into what the process may entail. Additionally, talking to friends and family who’ve gone through the same solar panel transition would be wise. While the internet does offer extensive reviews on some of these companies, the word of mouth with a trusted love one also will suffice quite well.
Saving?
Aside from environmental benefits, a main goal of solar panels is to show the resident how much money they can save on electric bills. There are a number of estimations which may vary based upon location (among other factors). However, some printed approximations view savings from anywhere between $400/annually to $3,400/annually. Much of that depends on the type of system installed.
Image Source: Semper Solaris