Benefits of solar power energy for households?

Great answers so far! Yes, solar power is an environmentally responsible way to produce your own power. Undoubtedly you are reducing our nation's dependence on foreign oil. Economically, you are making a sound financial investment with an ROI of over 10% in many cases. You are locking in your electricity rates for the next 25-50 years. Your electricity bill will be reduced, and in some states, like Massachusetts, you can sell the 'green credits' that you produce for additional annual income.

A few things I would add is that solar power is best pursued after reducing your energy consumption as much as possible. Start by having a home energy assessment. In many cases these are performed for free by the utility company. Second, identify what you are trying to do. Are you trying to produce electricity or heat? These are two different types of solar power systems. Third, continue to do your research online and also talk to an energy professional. There is a list of certified solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installers on the NABCEP website (North American Board of Energy Practitioners). Finally, spread the word! Tell your friends and neighbors about conservation efforts and what you learn about solar power. Education will make a difference!

Kristen

http://www.newenglandbreeze.com/

Unless you ar constructing the panels yourself, they carry a significant cost. Photovoltaics also require numerous metals and elements that are toxic if mishandled. While safe enough for use, they have special considerationd for disposal at end of life. People would be suprised at what goes into photocell technology.

The real advantages are you can reduce your dependence upon a power grid, so if storms come through and power lines go down, you are largely unaffected. Most of the powerline infrastructure is aging and much of it can fail without warning too.

In spite of the up front costs and disposal costs, they will eventually pay for themselves if installed and maintained correctly. It becomes a matter of how long you plan to reside where you are over the amortized cost of the installations.

Solar is just a facet to a total domestic energy solution. You may never get away from a grid system for industry though.

Benefits:

* Beneficial towards the environment

* Will save you money immediately

* Can be another source of income (Some states have better incentives than others)

* Solar panels will increase your property value

Cons:

*Usually a large upfront cost is involved in installation

I'm going to recommend 2 sites since you sound like you would like to learn more about solar

1. http://www.dsireusa.org/ That's a database of all the incentives broken down by state

2. http://www.globalsolarcenter.com/ That's a great resource to learn more about the costs of going solar. They provide very accurate free quotes and will give you all the information you need to make a smart decision.

Good Luck!

Solar power (photovoltaic) help households become independent of the power grid, and reduces Americas dependence on oil. I think every home in America should have at lease one solar power panel in case of blackouts, and to take the strain off of the power grid.

Installing solar panels for your home not only benefits you and the environment, but in most cases, it actually pays you money!! The upfront cost is pretty steep, and the payback may take a few years, but it sure is nice not paying the electric bill anymore!!

Benefit is that solar energy is clean and free... also is limitless. in addition, in the future, you could also be selling the energy that you reap back to the government.

1

There are great financial and environmental benefits to going solar.

The economic viability of solar in many states of this country has never been higher, due to the aggressive cash rebate programs sponsored by those states, an underlying Federal tax incentive, emerging markets for Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and rejuvenated efforts in solar industry R&D which have increased the equipment’s efficiency and power output while lowering the cost of components.

The Federal government recently removed a $2,000 cap on its 30% tax credit – this means that the full 30% of the net cost of a PV system, after state and local incentives, may be refunded to you when your taxes are filed. States such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are offering cash rebates on the cost of a solar electric system, matching a portion of system costs on a per-watt basis. Furthermore, there is a tax credit typically worth $1,000 in Massachusetts and all three states have exempted PV systems from sales tax.

The combination of State and Federal incentives may in many cases reduce the net cost of a photovoltaic system to roughly 50% of its total cost!

Compared to other investments, a solar system is a clear winner. Over its lifetime, it should outperform conservative investments such as a savings account or bond fund, and match the historical rate of return of the stock market. However, the financial returns of a PV system (in the form of reduced electric bills) are more of a sure thing, whereas there are no guarantees when investing in stocks (the S&P 500 is essentially unchanged in the last 10 years). A

PV system for your home or business offers a locked in electric rate for that portion of your demand which is offset by your array’s production. This is not only a hedge against inflation, but a hedge against future increases in electric rates from your utility, which have been trending at more than twice that of inflation! If electric rates continue to increase at their recent rate, they will double in about 15 years. As electric rates rise, your monthly savings in the form of cash not spent on your bill will actually grow.

Speaking of cash flow, once a solar array is built and connected to your home you start reducing your electric bill immediately. Because your electric bill is lowered, in essence the cost of operating your home has decreased… and will be decreased as long as the sun shines on that system. Therefore, compared to a neighbor without solar, the value of your home actually increases because it is cheaper to pay your bills each month. Studies suggest that your home value will increase $20,000 for every $1,000 of annual electric bill savings. In most cases, this immediate increase in value is greater than the net cost of your PV system.

Energy from the sun is abundantly available all over the earth and will not run out for millions of years. The solar energy striking the earth in one year is almost 1,500 times all of man’s annual energy needs! Solar energy does not have to be mined, drilled for, refined, or transported around the world. Solar power is a form of distributed generation – making energy where it is needed, rather than transmitting power from large central power plants.

From the very first day it is installed and commissioned, a PV system will produce clean, green electricity. Whatever a system produces reduces its owner’s need to purchase “dirty” electricity produced by burning fossil fuels or harnessing the power of a nuclear reactor. Translating an array’s power production to common measures of energy or energy-related items helps to understand PV’s value. For example, a hypothetical 5kW PV array in New England should produce the equivalent energy of 10-12 barrels of oil each year. This is like saving 10,000 pounds of carbon or greenhouse gas emissions. Another way to express this system’s beneficial attributes is to say the greenhouse gas emissions it offsets are equivalent to planting about 20 mature trees each year, or driving your car about 7,000 miles less than you typically would in a year.

saves you cash..and protects the environment! Also convenient since you dont need the electric cords etc..