Solar Panel Facts

You may be wondering, “What is the cost of solar panels?” Can I afford them? How long will it take before I save enough in electrical costs so that they pay for themselves?

Determining the cost of solar panels is a complicated issue. You have to take into consideration facts like where you live, how much sunlight is available, how much power do you use and more. While the size of your house might SEEM like a concern, what really matters more is how efficient is your home. A tiny home with no insulation might generate more electrical costs than a brand new, energy efficient large home.

So, in order to find out the price for solar panels, you will need to determine your energy usage, determine the average amount of sunlight, and use that information to find out how many watts of power you will need. You’ll also want to look into the current tax incentives that are available and subtract that from your cost.

But, really, you’re thinking, “How much does it COST?” It will probably run upwards of $30,000 dollars to install a 5 kw system, which is what most houses would need to cover all of their electrical needs. The amount will vary based on the kind of solar panels you choose, who does the installation, your location and many other variables.

So, the short answer is that if you’re not planning on staying in your house for quite a few years, you probably shouldn’t count on the system paying for itself. Of course, there are many other reasons to have a solar system, and prices do continue to come down as time passes. And the current tax credits available may allow you to cut the cost of installation in half.

If you’re not looking for whole house solar, then there are still ways that you can install solar around your home. If you have a swimming pool, you can install a solar pool heater, and it will probably cost you less than $5,000. Solar water heaters will run you even less than that and provide excellent savings.

So, whether you’re looking for a whole house system or something smaller, the cost of solar energy is a bit steep to begin with, but well worth it in the long run. In the future we’ll address ways you can save money on solar. Is it possible to find used solar cells? How about free solar panels? Check back with us for the answer to those questions and more.

What is Solar Power?

Solar power is the process of using light from sun and turning it into an energy source that can power everything from toys to your own house. It has become a reliable environmentally friendly (green)  alternative to regular power sources. It has even been used in outer space!

Solar power is used in toys, homes, lighting, architectural projects, cooking and pretty much anything that can run on electricity. It has become even more popular as the cost of oil and gas continues to rise and as people have become more concerned about the environmental impact of other energy sources.

Solar panels are designed to collect the power from the sun. Once solar energy is collected by the solar panels it has to be converted into energy. This can be done by a process called solar thermal application. It involves using the energy from the  sun to directly heat air or liquids. The process of photoelectric application involves the use of photovoltaic cells to convert the energy from the solar panels into electricity.

Solar power poses no harm to the environment. However, other threats to the environment may affect the ability to use solar power in the future. Global dimming is the result of pollution. It allows less sunlight to reach the surface of the Earth. A recent concern is global dimming, an effect of pollution that is allowing less sunlight to reach the Earth’s surface.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is an organization of electric utility companies and the solar industry. They joined together to find solutions to meet our  energy needs. SEPA is a network of more than one hundred companies. Fifty are utility companies, twenty five are solar companies, and the rest are various types of businesses. They share experiences, knowledge, and information about solar energy programs. They also discuss policies and technology relating to their fields of interest.

Is solar energy right for you?

There are advantages to using solar power over other engergy sources like oil, gas, nuclear, etc. Solar energy is free. It can be used in areas where electricity can’t be set up easily. The sun is not a resource that is going to be depleted. Disadvantages are that it doesn’t work at night. The cost of creating solar power stations to store such energy is very expensive. In some area of the world, solar energy just isn’t an option because the climate does not allow for enough sun light to be used by solar panels. In most cases, solar power is an excellent environmentally friendly alternative to other sources of energy.