SOLAR.
Learn about the benefits and applications of solar energy in our rapidly changing world.
Solar Energy
What's all the fuss about?
Solar energy is one of the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available. Solar technologies can harness this energy for a variety of uses, including generating electricity, providing light or a comfortable interior environment, and heating water for domestic, commercial, or industrial use. It’s a clean source of power that holds immense potential for homeowners seeking to reduce their carbon footprint while saving on energy costs.
Benefits of Solar
Why should you go solar?
Home Value
Each solar panel will greatly increase your home’s value. One study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory showed that on average, solar increased the value of a home by about $15,000. In fact, when analyzing home buying trends from March 2018 to February 2019, Zillow found that homes with solar panels sold for 4.1% more than homes without them. Another 2015 study conducted by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that solar PV energy systems increased the value of a home by about $15,000.
Independence
Energy independence allows homeowners to take power into their own hands and control where your home is getting energy from. Residential solar panels allow you to pull less energy from the grid. With the addition of solar batteries, solar panels could make your home self-reliant and independent. A solar system with a battery can also help you power your home during an outage or blackout. Overall, solar panels add stability and flexibility to the electricity you get from the grid.
Electric Bill
Solar energy can also save you money in the short term as well. By going solar, residential energy users can see significant savings in their home energy bills. Electricity prices are slowly growing as well, an estimated 5.4% growth for the 12-month period starting last February, according to the Consumer Price Index. A solar panel system can reduce or eliminate your electric bill completely. Not to mention solar panels don’t require much maintenance after installation, thus saving you money from fixing a busted electric panel. Not to mention Solar panels have very low failure rates because they don’t have moving parts, especially when you choose a reliable brand and a trusted installer.
Environmental
Solar is a renewable source of energy, meaning that the sun's power won't deplete as we use it to make solar electricity. The sun’s energy will never run out for now, so you can always take advantage of it, without hurting the earth! By decreasing air pollution, solar can prevent $167 billion in health and environmental damages, as well as save more than 25,000 lives. In large cities, a household switch to renewable sources like solar panels can eliminate the equivalent of 5,000 pounds of carbon emissions from coal.
Pricing and Tax
It's ROI is really great, actually.
Solar panels offer a cheap addition to cut some money off your monthly-electricity bill. Financial returns and lower monthly utility bills are also major incentives for going solar. A solar electric system provides an opportunity for anyone who is looking to reduce monthly utility bills and make a long-term, low-risk investment. Have a look:
- Net Metering: When excess electricity is produced by your solar system, it is sent back to the grid and the electric company must buy that energy from you. Consumers that sell their extra energy to the electric company can then use that amount to offset their total electric bill.
- SREC: Solar renewable energy credits, or SRECs, can help home solar system owners earn a return on solar. Some states set a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which requires electrical companies to get a portion of its electricity from renewable sources like home solar. To meet the RPS, electric companies can buy solar credits from home solar energy systems. Home solar system owners can sell SRECs through an aggregator like SRECTrade, which bundles up their SRECs and sells them to the electric company.
- Electric Bill Cuts: Many people choose to get solar and batteries through third party ownership, allowing them all the benefits of the system for just a low monthly rate. However, another option is to buy your entire system outright. The average cost of solar panels is about $16,200 – $21,420.9. Depending on where you live, the government may reimburse you for a large portion of your payment and may even pay it back in a fairly short amount of time thanks to the federal solar tax credit, local rebates, net metering, and more.
- Tax Cuts: As of 2020, you're also eligible for the federal tax credit if you buy your own home solar system. The tax credit can reduce the cost of a solar installation by 26%. That means if you purchase a 6-kilowatt system for $18,300, you’ll pay $12,810 after you receive your tax credit.–In addition to the federal solar investment tax credit, states and cities may also provide cash repayments for your solar system to further reduce the cost of your solar system. The amount of the solar tax credit will vary from state to state. (Visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) to find tax credits and rebates available in your area.)
Providers
Let's get started.
Palmetto
Palmetto is one of the largest solar companies in the USA. It offers a wide variety of services from installation to assistance. Palmetto has fair prices and fantastic support along the full transition to solar, making it an absolute stellar choice for homeowners.
SunPower
SunPower is one of the best options for people not exactly looking for a full transition to solar. SunPower offers cheap prices and a multitude of different options to lightly convert to solar power. With tech support on par with the quality of the technology, SunPower is an excellent choice for switching to solar.
Tesla
Tesla solar panels offer the lowest price of solar panels in the USA, being one of the most chosen options for people with a budget. Along with the extraordinary price, Tesla's solar panels are second to none. You won’t be disappointed with Tesla Solar.