Look into the sun, and you’ll hurt your eyes. Look into solar power energy, and you’ll help the planet.
More than 3% of American electricity comes from solar power systems. This number sounds small, but it’s enough electricity for 18 million homes. If you want a great source of energy, you should start using solar power energy.
But what are the main solar power benefits? How does using solar power help the environment? What are the economic benefits of solar power?
Answer these questions and you can harness the power of the sun for your needs. Here are five great benefits of solar power.
1. Reduced Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Using solar power does not require burning carbon dioxide. Solar panels make electricity without any greenhouse gas emissions whatsoever. The electricity they make goes into your home’s wiring, and you can use it right away.
It is true that the process of manufacturing solar panels requires carbon dioxide emissions. But the emissions are not substantial. You will still reduce your home’s carbon footprint significantly by switching to solar power.
You can use solar energy in other parts of your life. You can buy an electric car and fuel its batteries using your home’s solar panels. Cars do not have panels on them, but manufacturers are working on models that do.
You should try to keep your electricity use down. Do not let appliances run or leave lights on when you do not need them. The less electricity you use, the more you can rely on your panels without using energy from the grid.
Your panels can make electricity off of moonlight and starlight. They are not as effective at night, but they may produce enough electricity to support appliances like security systems.
2. Better Air Quality
Burning fossil fuels does not just put carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It lingers in the air, spreading pollutants that can harm the body. Natural gas can pollute the air with nitrogen oxides, which can induce asthma attacks and coughing fits.
Solar panels do not produce any air pollutants while they are in operation. Some panels have heavy metals like lead, which can be hazardous. But it takes years for panels to break down, and their parts can be recycled.
Solar panels do lose some potency when they operate in areas with significant air pollution. Air pollutants like nitrogen oxides can refract sunlight so it does not reach the panels directly. Installing panels can prompt cities to reduce air pollution so residents have working panels.
3. Lower Energy Bills
Your home can maintain its grid connections after your panels go up. You should keep electricity wires in case your panels become damaged or an emergency occurs.
But you can reduce or eliminate your reliance on the grid. When you are using solar electricity, you are not ordering electricity from the utility company. Over time, this can translate into thousands of dollars in savings.
Many states have a program called net metering. When your panels produce excess electricity, they can send the excess out to the grid.
You then receive credits from your utility company for the electricity. You may be able to pay your entire utility bill off with the credits.
Besides reduced energy bills, solar panels have other economic benefits. People want to buy houses that have panels on them. You may be able to raise the asking price of your house accordingly.
Depending on the price of your panels, you may make your return on investment within a decade. You should learn more here about panel pricing before you figure out what your return on investment will be.
4. Less Infrastructure Maintenance
Solar panels are easy to maintain. Manufacturers design them to withstand direct strikes from falling trees and other objects. You should check yours after a storm, but you will not need to make any repairs.
You may need to remove dust and debris that block your panels from the sunlight. You can just use a hose or a mop to do this.
You can attach several panels together without extensive effort. As long as one panel has access to sunlight, you will continue to receive electricity.
You can also attach batteries to your panel. You may need to check that your batteries are not overheating, but you do not need to do much else. If you ever have a problem with your panels, you can call your installation company.
5. Blackout Protection
Batteries store excess power that your panels produce. You can use this power whenever your panels are not working, namely at night.
Batteries also protect you in case there is a blackout. When no power is coming from the grid, you can use the electricity they have stored.
Blackout protection does require a complete setup. Your installation company has to install a smart switch on your panels. When the grid loses power, the switch will activate so you then run on your panels and batteries.
The Benefits of Solar Power Energy
Solar power energy is the best energy. You can slash your carbon footprint by switching to solar panels and an electric car. The air quality will increase because you are not burning fuels.
You can stop buying electricity from the grid while selling your electricity back. You can eliminate your energy bills soon after installation.
Panels are easy to maintain and they last for decades. If you buy a system with batteries, you can use electricity during blackouts.
Solar energy is one type of renewable energy you can use. Read more renewable energy guides by following our coverage.