Solar Power Cost

Article On Solar Panels

Flip a switch, and the lights turn on. Plug in a power cord, and electricity flows. Our household power needs are instantly met, and until recently, we've given little thought to the costs—both economic and environmental—of having electricity so readily available. But green awareness casts a different light on this everyday convenience. In the United States, electrical power is generated by facilities that rely on (in descending order) coal, natural gas, or nuclear power—all sources that come with serious environmental caveats. As for price, electricity is still relatively affordable although the dollar amount varies by region (ranging from five cents per kilowatt-hour in Wyoming to 16 cents per kilowatt-hour in Connecticut). With the average American household use at 11,000 kilowatt-hours per year, the average residential annual electrical price tag comes in under $1,000—but costs are bound to increase as the environmental toll mounts.

One of the greenest things you can do is tap into the power of the sun for some or all of your home's electrical needs. Do you need to live in sunny California to take advantage of the sun's energy? Not at all. As long as a portion of your roof gets full sunlight between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. year-round, you're a candidate for rooftop-mounted solar panels, which have improved vastly in both looks and technology in recent years. Whereas solar panels (in the 1970s and '80s) once were used almost exclusively for heating your home's water supply, today there are many applications of solar power—from providing your home's electricity to heating the swimming pool. Best of all, there are state and federal tax incentives and rebates that are making it more affordable for homeowners to follow their green conscience, reimbursing 25% or more of installation costs.

For more information on solar energy please check out our blog Help me Sun !!

Looking for Sustainable Energy? Understand Why Solar Is King

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.

Sustainable Energy

Solar energy is just one example — no matter how much you use, the supply will never end (okay, it may end after billions of years, but your using solar power won’t make
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.

The following sections cover reasons why solar is a great investment, both financially and environmentally.
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/

Installing Solar Panels For Homes

Solar energy technology has evolved over the years with the capability to get you completely off the grid even if you live in a housing tract. When you envision a solar-powered home do you see a cabin in the woods where the only energy you can get is from solar and wind, or do you see large, unattractive panels on roofs where people are constantly worrying about their electrical consumption. Do you envision not being able to enjoy the big-screen televisions, multiple refrigerators, or even living without air conditioning in a hot climate? These views on solar capabilities are much different today as the demand for solar energy has become vital in this economy. Getting off-the-grid is no longer only a dream, but is becoming a reality for residential and commercial properties.

Solar panel technology and know-how has developed more efficient and affordable systems you can install for your home. Even though the solar option is still more expensive to install than conventional power, with fuel and utility expenses rising, the demand for solar energy rising-and the industry is prepared to meet that demand. Many newly built homes are being constructed with a solar panel array on the roof that is less obtrusive than the huge panels of earlier times. The solar panels of today are much more efficient and can convert an abundant amount of energy with a smaller size than in the past. This makes them more inconspicuous and, although a solar array on a roof will still be seen, it will blend in substantially more with your building, actually looking very attractive and "modern".
Generating solar electricity is really a new concept for some people. The "old" off-the-grid stereotype does not fit in the economy of today with its advanced technology. When you see houses with solar arrays on the roof today, these homes are often connected to conventional utilities also. By utilizing a mixture of traditional energy and solar energy, these homeowners are able to drastically slash their electricity costs and not sacrifice their lifestyle at all in the way they use electricity. It is highly likely that the homeowners of today can churn out a sufficient amount of solar energy to meet their needs and even have excess energy they can sell back to the utility companies for a change, rather than getting charged for the energy they consume.
Installing a solar array on your roof does not cost as much as many expect. Local and federal government is subsidizing the costs of installing solar panels for homes in many ways. There are at least 10 federal incentives you can get for installing renewable and efficient energy. Most federal programs contain tax credits, corporate and private exemptions and special loans and grants for residential home mortgages and renewable energy manufacturing. Most, if not all states offer incentives as well, including local rebates, property tax incentives, sales tax incentives, and many more. Some states even take care of up to 70 percent of installation costs. If you are thinking about installing solar panels for your home, here are a few facts you will need to know to help you in making the decision to go solar.

About Solar Panels for Homes

Solar panels, or photovoltaic systems, convert sunlight into electrical energy. Every solar panel is composed usually of a group of about 30-40 solar cells made with crystalline silicon or some other type of sun absorbing material. The materials they are made of are highly efficient at absorbing light. Each solar panel is simply a series of solar cells connected all together and encased in a shielding enclosure with a clear face to allow sun to enter and a solid backing. The entire panel is sealed to prevent moisture from degrading the panel.
The part of the solar cell the sunlight is absorbed into is considered to be electrically negative, and the bottom of each cell is considered to be electrically positive. When the sun is absorbed into the silicon cells, electrons are knocked loose and travel from the top (electrically negative) to the bottom (electrically positive) layer. This sun-induced electrical energy is passed through the contacts in the top layer and is routed through the circuit array, producing electrical power.

Effectiveness of Solar Panels in Your Area

Solar panel systems can churn out sufficient electricity under optimal conditions to power all the lights and electrical appliances in a typical American home and even to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The efficiency of your solar panels really depends on your location. Solar panels are installed on whichever surface of your house gets the majority of solar exposure-in southern climates this is the north-facing side, and in northern climates it is the south-facing side.
If your residential home does not get an average of six hours of constant sunlight everyday throughout the year, you will not generate as much energy. Also, the sun shines stronger in some areas than in others. A home in less sunny areas will need more solar panels to produce the same energy as a home with less solar panel in a sunnier area.

Not enough sunlight?

Even if you do not get enough sun to generate electricity to satisfy all of your energy needs, you can still benefit greatly by installing solar panels for your home. The majority of modern homes with solar panels installed are not entirely off-the-grid. Many homes use both solar panels and conventional utilities. Doing it this way, they reduce the cost of their electricity consumption and depend less on the conventional power received from the utility company. They are not completely off-the-grid, but they can still conserve energy while continuing to make use of all the appliances they are accustomed to.

How much will Solar Panels cost?

If you do not go the "hybrid" route of being partly on the grid and supplementing your energy with solar, you should expect your installation to cost more. Getting completely off the grid generally costs about $12 to $15 per watt. This equates to $12K to $15K per kilowatt hour of energy you want to produce. Compared to upwards of $35K per mile the utility company would charge you to run electric lines to your location, solar energy is much more cost effective. If your home is in an isolated area where commercial electricity is not available, the only way to get electricity is to rely on solar energy. The cost of installing solar panels is far outweighed by the significant breaks in your electric bill as a result. Even so, it will take a few years to realize a return on your investment and less time if you are able to sell excess energy back to the utility company.
Solar panels are a fantastic way to save on energy and resources. Combining solar power with wind turbines and other alternative energy sources can make you totally self-sufficient. To be successful in reaping the benefits of alternative energy, you should be sure to do all you can to make your home energy-efficient by installing things like Energy Star appliances, efficient light bulbs, efficient cooling and heating systems and other efficient appliances. In addition, separate dedicated energy systems can be used such as solar and geothermal water heating systems for your pool and/or bath, using portable solar panel systems for areas where you do not need electricity all the time and, generally, just learning about your energy consumption habits to insure your home is energy efficient and eco-friendly.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Installing-Solar-Panels-For-Homes&id=4213865