Looking for Sustainable Energy?
The words ‘renewable’ and ‘sustainable’ are being knocked around quite a bit, and both are strongly associated with energy conservation. Renewable forms of energy constantly replenish themselves with little or no human effort.
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the sun burn out any faster).
Other examples of renewables include firewood, water (through hydroelectric dams), and wind power. Note, however, that firewood is notoriously polluting; the term renewable does not necessarily imply good environmentalism.
Firewood also has another potentially severe drawback in that people go out into forests and cut down trees, often without much thought to the overall health of the forest (a good example of not seeing the forest from the trees).
To make sure that resources last, humans need to focus on conservation, recycling, environmental restoration, and renewable energy sources. Sustainability is commonly associated with such a holistic approach to personal lifestyle.
Not only are sustainable forms of energy renewable, but they also have the ability to keep the planet Earth’s ecosystem up and running, in perpetuity. Sustainable energy, such as solar, is nonpolluting to the greatest extent possible.
The basic notion behind sustainable energy sources is that by their use, society is not compromising future generations’ health and well-being, nor their ability to use their own sustainable resources to any less capacity than we have. Who can argue with this very fundamental version of the Golden Rule?
Understand Why Solar Is King
Solar power has historically been more expensive than other energy options, but that’s changing fast because of government investment in technologies, as well as the simple fact that many more people are investing in solar, which results in economies of scale. Solar energy equipment increases your financial standing in basically two ways:
- Savings on your monthly bills.
- Appreciation of your home’s value.
Reaping financial rewards Solar is an investment; you must actively go out and purchase solar equipment and install it at your home. However, after the initial costs, not only do you save money from lowering your energy bill, but you also may see the value of your home increase.
Comparing savings
So how does investing in solar compare to other investments, such as the stock market, a savings account, or a new kitchen?
To compare, you need to calculate your payback period. Payback period is a measure of how long it takes to recoup your upfront investment with the costs you save. If you install a solar water heater system for $4,000 and it saves you $50 a month on your power bill, the system will pay for itself in 80 months, or 62⁄3 years. (Though you may easily cut that time in half if the price of oil skyrockets and utility rates double, for example, during a war in the Middle East.)
Now consider other ways you can spend that money. With investments in remodeling, such as a new kitchen, you get no monthly cost reductions at all unless you’re installing new appliances that are more energy-efficient.
If you put the same $4,000 into an interest-bearing bank account, you may get $20 a month in interest. After 80 months, you’d make $2,000 in compounded interest, or half your investment. And if you put the same money into the stock market, you may enjoy a return of $3,400. Of course, you can also lose the entire thing and drive yourself nuts with regret!
To play it safe, choose a variety of investments and decide how much you want to put toward solar power. Stock portfolio managers consider hedging an important facet of a good portfolio.
In short, if you install solar, you’ll be relatively risk free from exploding energy costs. Showing a little appreciation When you go solar, your home appreciates. Realtors can give you statistics that estimate how much the value will go up, given the type of investment and the area you live in.
According to the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers (NAREA), for every dollar you save annually in energy costs with solar equipment, the value of your home increases by up to 20 times your annual energy savings, depending on the type of system you install. For a solar water heater investment of $4,000, the value of your home may increase by at least that much!
How can this be? Solar is catching on, and homebuyers are willing to pay more for solar homes that promise energy savings.
So save the $$ and Earth by using solar panels..
Source: http://www.rungreenpower.com/2010/11/22/sustainable-energy-understand-solar-king/
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