We are living in greener and greener times. People are harnessing the power of the sun through solar panels. It is a great idea that is really catching on. It only a matter of time that this becomes the norm and we will all be better off for it.
Solar panels are a great way to offset energy costs, reduce the environmental impact of your home and provides a host of other benefits, like supporting local businesses that specialize in these services and helping to contribute to energy independence.
If you are looking to install panels on your home? Here are some of the top benefits to doing so:
1 – Reduce or Even Eliminate Your Energy Bills
It is pretty amazing. Even an average amount of sun is enough to power a house of three kids and two adults at net zero energy consumption. On warmer days, one will generate a lot more energy than what is consumed. On hot summer days, when you are running the air conditioning, or on cloudy days, you draw from the grid.
Even if you live somewhere that is often cloudy, these locations typically receive more than two hours of sunlight per day. Sunny locations receive an average of 5.5 hours of sunlight per day.
Although sunny days will produce more solar energy, solar panels will continue to draw energy even when the weather is cloudy. Indirect, or diffused, sunlight will still help to power your home. Cloudy days usually produce around 10 to 20 percent of the power generated on sunny days.
2 – Earn Tax Credits and Rebates
This is a huge benefit that many aren’t aware of. But your solar panels are actually paying you. To start, you get 30 percent of the total costs back from equipment bought and installation as a federal income tax credit when you file your taxes. This means you could save $7,500 on a solar system worth $25,000.
Combine this with state and local rebates and Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and the total costs can be cut in half. The SRECs are generated throughout the year. You can sell them to utility companies which generate a very impressive return on the initial investment.
The idea behind the act is to incentivize the continued growth of the solar industry.
The investment has a payback period of only 3.5 years, while the solar panels have a warranty of 10 years and useful life of 25 years. What this translates to, is you generate free electricity and extra credits for over 20+ years.
To boot, many installers offer no-cost installation. They front all of the money for the panels and installation and charge for the electricity at a reduced rate. They are basically “leasing” your roof space and giving you a discount on the electricity in return.
This is a good option for homeowners who do not want to make the initial investment or would prefer a no-money-down option. The installer collects all the proceeds from the SRECs in this case.
3 – You Can Start Saving From Day One
Annual energy costs wind up in the thousands. The average annual energy expenditure per person is $3,052, including transportation and residential energy. Solar power can reduce or eliminate these costs the moment they are installed. The panels also offer long-term savings, because it’s basically free to capture the power of the sun.
Solar panels significantly improve your home’s resale value as well. Most home buyers understand what a home with solar panels means. It is even more enticing because the system is already in place and the buyer doesn’t have to make the initial investment and installation. Most homeowners see a $5,911 resale value increase per installed kilowatt. That means if you install a 3.1 kilowatt system, you could improve your home’s resale value by nearly $18,000! Pretty Amazing!
4 – Helping the Environment Helps Us All
Solar power systems produce clean, pure energy from the sun. Installing solar panels on your home helps combat greenhouse gas emissions and reduces our collective dependence on fossil fuel.
Traditional electricity is sourced from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. When fossil fuels are burned to produce electricity, they emit harmful gases that are the primary cause of air pollution and global climate change. Not only are these fossil fuels bad for the environment, they are also a finite resource. One day it is going to run out. Because of this, the price is constantly fluctuating and can increase greatly in a short period of time.
On a side note, fossil fuel production requires significant water resources and causes water pollution, solar energy requires little to no water to operate. So, not only does solar power not pollute water resources, it also doesn’t put a strain on the world’s water supply.
Solar power also works during a drought or heat wave. Coal, natural gas and nuclear power use large amounts of water for cooling so drought conditions are an issue. During heat waves or severe droughts, electricity generation is at risk. But solar power systems do not require water to generate electricity.
These are just a few of the best reasons why you need to look into solar energy today. Call us at Net 0 Energy to discuss your solar options. Net 0 Energy is based in Palm Beach, Florida and has been installing solar panels residentially and commercially in the South East for over a decade.
In Conclusion
Net 0 Energy Homes employs a highly experienced team of expert solar panel installers of domestic and commercial solar panel (PV) systems across South Florida, including West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Florida Keys, and the Bahamas.
We also provide and install radiant barrier attack shield, quality insulation, solar water heaters, solar pool heaters, and a myriad of other amazing products to keep your homes heating and cooling costs as low as modern science will allow.
Net 0 Zero Energy solar electricity systems are made of high quality US manufactured modules of top tier quality. While our solar water heating systems are manufactured by Solar Development Incorporated, Florida’s oldest solar manufacturer located in Palm Beach County since 1974.