Electricity bills can be expensive. While there are many ways to cut costs (and avoid wasting electricity), one of the most comprehensive ways is to install solar panels on your home.
Today, we will discuss how solar panels generate electricity, how solar technologies are good for the environment, and how they can save you money.
How Solar Panels Generate Electricity?
Solar panels produce electricity and are a source of renewable energy for our world. A solar panel produces electrical energy by converting sunlight and solar radiation into energy that can then be stored in batteries or exported back into power lines for others to use. Basically, when the sunlight hits the panels, they soak up the sun and save up all that good energy for when you’re ready to turn on the lights or watch TV.
Most solar power systems include an inverter, which converts direct current (DC) electricity produced by the solar panels into the alternating current (AC) used throughout homes and businesses.
The batteries associated with a solar system are rechargeable and refillable, so as long as there is sunlight, you have infinite renewable energy sources. Of course, years down the line you may need to replace those batteries because they wear eventually, sort of like a car battery. Who knows though, solar technologies are advancing rapidly and tech companies are always finding ways to improve lithium batteries, inverters, and the panels themselves.
The Cost of Using Solar Energy
While there is a cost to installing equipment to use solar radiation as your power source, there is an even greater cost for all of us if we don’t start using it more.
Solar panels are environmentally-friendly because they reduce the need for fossil fuels (and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions). Instead of using oils and gasses that emit harmful toxins into the atmosphere, they simply harness the sun’s energy for electricity generation. Genius! Solar power also has a much smaller carbon footprint than traditional electricity-generating methods, and the panels last about 30 years (or more).
Solar Panels Save Money
More and more people are realizing the savings solar panels can offer them. People who install these panels on their homes (or on a community-owned utility system) typically save at least 20% of their annual power costs, and some people save as much as 80%.
How Can Solar Panels Save Money?
There are many ways that solar panels can save money:
- Residences produce excess energy during the day (which is stored in batteries or exported back to the main power grid). When the sun goes down, this stored energy can be used as needed.
- Solar installations for businesses can lower utility bills by 25%-30%. And if they produce more electricity than necessary, any remaining power is sold back into the main grid.
- Selling credits on the power you don’t use also brings in extra income! Some people with existing solar panels sell their credits to others who want clean energy for their homes or businesses but don’t have the means to do so themselves.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, harnessing the sun’s energy is a great way to save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
Installing a solar panel, or multiple panels, really isn’t that difficult, and a lot of people hook up their entire system themselves. However, if you are going to do it yourself, make sure to consult your solar company and also a professional roofing company for instructions prior to attaching the panels to your roof. It’s not a job you want to do more than once, and you certainly don’t want to damage your roof.
If you would like additional information about how this process works and how it will affect your existing or new roof, visit Peak to Peak Roofing’s website today.