Top 10 Advantages of Solar Energy

With the rising cost of energy and global warming on everyone's mind, many people are starting to consider solar energy as a possible option for their homes. While there are certainly some disadvantages to using solar panels, such as installation costs and limited availability in certain geographical areas (like Alaska), there is no denying that this form of renewable energy has numerous advantages that make it well worth considering. Here are ten reasons why you should seriously consider going green with your home's power supply:

Solar power is clean, renewable energy. While it might be debatable whether or not humans are actually changing the world's climate, there is no denying that fossil fuels certainly are doing their part in burning up our planet's oxygen and releasing them into the atmosphere. In fact, a study from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has shown that carbon emissions from vehicles have been significantly reduced in areas where people use solar panels to generate electricity for their homes. This is a very important factor to consider when looking at your own personal impact on the Earth and all of its inhabitants.

Not only does using solar energy help you save money, but installing these systems can also make you eligible for tax credits from your state or federal government. In many cases, individuals can receive up to 30% back on their expenses when they use solar panels for energy production. (Source - The Green Revolt) Some states have even introduced legislation that require utilities to purchase excess electricity from individual homes if they have a renewable energy system installed - a great way to ensure your investment will pay off!

Solar power is available anywhere in the world. While availability varies depending upon where you live and whether or not you own property (some apartment buildings won't allow you to place solar panels on top of roofs), those who rent or lease may still be able to install such systems as long as they get permission from their landlords. Even renters should look into other options like purchasing portable chargers for laptops and cell phones.

Since the equipment and installation of solar panels is handled by professionals, you can save time and money on labor costs. While it may be possible to install such a system yourself, this would require purchasing individual components and doing quite a bit of research on factors like proper placement and wiring techniques. This may sound like something that could save you some money in the short term (especially since you wouldn't need to pay someone else), but chances are you would end up spending more than if you had just hired an experienced contractor from the start. Many people don't even bother trying to handle such projects themselves because it is outside their comfort zone or they weren't properly informed about how to go about handling similar tasks.

Solar energy panels are usually very low maintenance. Once they are installed, you can keep them running smoothly by simply dusting off the panels every once in a while and lubricating moving parts with some WD-40 or similar products. A typical solar panel will last around 30 years without requiring any sort of repair or replacement, making it one of the lowest-maintenance options available today. This is especially appealing to people who don't have the time or interest in climbing on their roofs every few months to make sure everything is still functional. 6.

As long as your roof doesn't already contain shingles that were put down within the past five years, you won't even need to remove your existing rooftop in order to install solar panels. Many people who go the solar power route make sure to check their shingles before buying anything, because if your roof isn't in good shape you would need to invest in a new one (which can be pricey) or risk leaks and other problems for as long as you own the home.

Solar panels may allow you to take advantage of net metering. This is a program that will grant credits to individuals who generate more electricity than they consume at any given time during the billing cycle AND send excess power back into the utility grid. Using such systems means that you will likely utilize free or low-cost energy from daylight throughout many months of the year, which should help reduce your utility bills every month - no matter what the weather conditions happen to be.

You can choose whether or not you want to sell excess power back into the grid and receive credits, or store that energy in batteries for future use inside or outside of your home - especially during emergency situations when the power goes out for several days at a time. Many people are surprised to learn that most communities have backup generators powering essential items like street lights, hospitals, residential buildings, etc., but these are designed to only last for a few hours at best before they need to be refueled or replaced with another power source. When these generators fail (or run out of fuel), whatever is left running on solar energy will stop working as well unless there is an alternative system in place.

People who make a significant investment by going with solar energy will usually receive tax credits from the government. In most cases you will need to complete an application for methods of alternative energy in order to qualify for this type of discount, but once it is approved you could save up to 30% on your overall expenditures involved with getting a solar panel system installed on your property. This will help more people feel safer about investing in something that may seem like a risky venture at first glance due to the high costs involved.

Solar panels can be used independently or in conjunction with other energy sources and types of power generation equipment. Depending on how much space and money you have available, it might even be possible to use some of the energy collected by solar panels to heat your pool or hot tub as well as powering other items. This is the case because solar energy doesn't need to be stored in batteries, so once the panels have been installed you can utilize all of that free power whenever necessary without worrying about draining a storage area or reducing how much juice you will have available later on.