The Benefits of a Solar Home System
Solar energy is a clean, sustainable source of power. It can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and increase your home’s resale value.
To estimate how much solar you need, check your utility bills for the last 12 months to find your yearly or monthly kWh consumption. This is a good estimate for the size of your solar system.
Cost
Solar panel prices vary based on a number of factors, including your energy consumption, system size and the amount of sunlight where you live. EnergySage shoppers who use our state-specific solar map to determine their energy costs and available sunlight can help get a sense of the potential cost of a home solar power system for their home.
The cost of a solar power system includes panels, SOLAR HOME SYSTEM equipment, installation and labor. Panels are the most expensive component of a solar power system. You can reduce the overall price by installing a smaller system and purchasing less expensive equipment, such as polycrystalline instead of monocrystalline panels. You can also lower your costs by using a PPA or lease instead of a cash purchase.
Photovoltaic solar home systems (SHS) are stand-alone photovoltaic systems that provide basic electric power for lighting and appliances to off-grid households. These systems are popular in low-income countries where grid electrification is limited.
A solar system can be expensive, but it’s an investment that can pay off. The average solar shopper on the EnergySage Marketplace breaks even after just eight years. Buying a system outright is one of the best ways to lock in low rates and save money over time, while PPAs and leases offer monthly savings and flexibility. For more information on these options, visit our Solar Financing page.
Energy Savings
When you go solar, you’ll start saving money on your electricity costs. Your utility company charges you for energy based on a kilowatt hour (kWh) basis, which means every kWh that your solar system produces is one less kWh that your utility must sell to you at their monopoly-controlled rate.
A typical home solar system will save you between $2,000 and $23,000 in electricity costs over the course of a 20-year contract, depending on your location and energy usage. Your savings will increase if you use your energy efficiently, which can be done by taking steps to improve the performance of your appliances and electronics, installing efficient lighting and heating and cooling systems, sealing air leaks, or upgrading insulation.
Another way to maximize your savings is by adding a grid-tied solar energy storage system to your home. This allows you to store excess solar power for nighttime use or during outages. Energy storage systems cost more than a conventional grid-tied system, but are an excellent option for homeowners looking to reduce their dependence on the power grid.
Another great benefit of going solar is the long-term protection against annual utility rate increases. With a fixed-rate, low-cost financing plan, shoppers on the EnergySage Marketplace can expect to break even in about eight years. Plus, the federal tax credit and falling solar panel prices make it an attractive investment for homeowners to install solar and energy storage.
Environmental Impact
When you choose solar, you are doing more than just saving money, you are helping Portable LifePo4 battery factory the environment. Traditional energy sources emit harmful pollutants like sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, greenhouse gases, and nitrogen oxides which cause diseases in people and harm ecosystems. Solar energy does not produce any of these pollutants and, in fact, a single residential solar system can offset the equivalent of 903 billion pounds of coal burned.
Because solar energy uses the sun’s limitless power, it does not rely on fossil fuels, which are an important source of climate change-causing pollution. In addition, generating electricity with solar panels requires little water, which helps alleviate pressure on the nation’s limited supply of freshwater and reduces the impact on nearby ecosystems.
In the United States, federal and state tax credits make going solar one of the most economical investments a person can make. Check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to learn more about what incentives are available in your area.
Solar energy is also a viable solution for off-grid populations, especially in the developing world. Solar Home Systems, or SHS, can be used to provide amenity electricity for lighting and appliances in rural areas that are not connected to the grid. They are an important tool for reducing pollution and increasing remote and rural electrification.
Maintenance
Although solar systems need very little upkeep, they can still have their fair share of issues. Luckily, most manufacturers provide long warranties that cover components like solar panels and inverters for 10 to 25 years, but there are other costs associated with maintenance that aren’t covered by the warranty.
The main maintenance cost you’ll face with a solar system is cleaning. On average, it costs about $150 to clean a 10-panel 2 kW system on a one-story home. This service isn’t covered by most solar panel warranties, but many homeowners opt to purchase a maintenance and operations & maintenance (O&M) package from their installer for added peace of mind.
O&M packages typically include two or four annual inspections, as well as cleanings. These services help ensure your panels are producing as much energy as possible, and will flag any issues for you to address quickly – like when a single panel stops producing electricity. In addition to examining the performance of your solar panels, the inspections will check for any critters who may be making their way underneath the panels.
While a sturdy layer of tempered glass protects your solar panels, the weather can cause some damage. If your roof gets blown off by high winds or you get hail, you’ll need to have those panels repaired, and that can add up to a significant expense. In addition, any other problems you experience in your home – from frayed wires to faulty outlets – can impact how well your solar panels work.
