Every solar power biz has a variation of the same sales pitch, “did you know going solar can save big money?” but is solar power worth it?
Maybe you’re looking to cut down on your electric bill. Maybe you’re wanting to switch to something better for our crumbling planet. Perhaps you may be asking yourself, “is solar power worth it?”
Whatever your situation may be, you’ve come looking for answers. Lucky for you, we’ve got them.
Solar Power 101
Welcome to solar power 101, a quick guide to tell you the basics of solar energy.
Are solar panels worth it? How much do solar panels cost? These and all of your questions will be answered below.
What Exactly is Solar Power?
This renewable source of energy has been in the limelight for quite a while and is one of the more discussed forms of renewable energy.
At it’s simplest, solar power is the energy that’s taken from the sun. This energy is then used in place of your standard electricity.
Explained further, the solar panels create electricity from the sunlight. This energy is then transferred through a conductive wire and to an inverter. This is where the electricity is made into AC electricity, the type you’re familiar with.
To learn more about the science of solar power, check out this article.
Why is it Important?
Solar energy is important for one main reason: it’s not a fossil fuel.
For those who don’t know, fossil fuels are pretty much what we use every day. Things like oil, coal, etc. use these.
Fossil fuels are dangerous as they produce greenhouses gasses. While it doesn’t sound dangerous, these greenhouse gasses make their way up to the Earth’s atmosphere and start breaking down the ozone in the Ozone Layer.
Despite what your ignorant neighbour says and the fake news on your Facebook feed (which is one reason why you should permanently delete Facebook), the Ozone Layer is what protects us from the dangers of the sun like harmful ultraviolet waves and solar flares.
Moving to a renewable, non-fossil fuel resource is very important, especially with the planet’s current condition.
Factors to Consider
As with any big change, switching to solar power has a handful of factors to consider.
These could determine whether or not you should switch to solar energy.
Location
First thing’s first, think about where you live.
If you live in an area that rarely gets mass amounts of sunlight, you’ll want to reconsider switching to solar.
Because the energy comes from the sun, you’ll need a decent amount of light to run off of. Despite general belief, no sun does not mean any power.
Of course, more sun means higher energy output, but even on cloudy days, you’ll still store energy. However, you’ll store energy at a decreased rate.
Mobility and Space
When it comes to mobility, solar panels don’t have much. Because the panels are in arrays, there isn’t much flexibility in how you can arrange the.
For residential properties, the space you have working with is the roof of your home. There may be an exception if you have a large amount of land. For businesses, you’ll need a lot of land real estate so you can install a sufficient amount of panels.
Once they’re up, you can’t really move the solar panels elsewhere. If something happens and you have to move, you can’t take your solar station with you.
If you move around a lot, solar panels might not be for you.
Cost
The biggest controversy surrounding solar energy is the cost. To start, you’ll want to look at how much you pay on your electricity bill.
Generally, those who spend a lot on their electricity bill save more money when switching to solar energy.
Checking out resources like an online solar calculator can help you figure that out.
One issue with solar energy is that you have to invest a lot of money into it initially. Not only this, but the payback period could take a little bit.
If this information on the cost has started to turn you away, check out this recent study that discusses how solar energy actually saves money for everyone involved.
Other Sources of Renewable Energy
What may also turn people away from solar energy is the presence of other renewable sources of energy.
Energy sources like nuclear power, hydroelectric energy, wind energy, and many more may seem more ideal than solar energy.
What’s difficult is a lot of these require specific conditions or some may be dangerous. For example, natural gas.
The retrieval of natural gas is commonly known as fracking. Fracking has long been a hot topic in politics as fracking can sometimes lead to groundwater contamination.
Fracking may use hazardous chemicals that can seep into the groundwater. Fracking can also trigger earthquakes.
There are other sources of renewable energy out there, but solar energy is one of the best.
So, is Solar Power Worth it?
Is solar power worth it? The answer to that question is relevant to you. Generally speaking, solar power is worth it in the long run if you are willing to make the investment.
When it comes down to it, depending on your needs and your situation, only you can answer that question, and we hope you go with solar power!
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