Cost Of Solar

If you buy a rooftop solar system, how long will it take for the savings you realize each month on your electric bill to equal the cost of the system? That’s called “return on investment: and it’s the kind of question financial consultants and accountants tend to ask. But if you are considering rooftop solar, you should be asking yourself the same question. There are two reasons to install rooftop solar at your home. First, it’s the right thing to do. As the Earth gets warmer, we all owe it to ourselves and to our fellow humans to reduce carbon emissions as much as possible. Second, it can save you money. Instead of paying a hefty utility bill each month, you can generate some of your own electricity and put the savings to work paying for your solar panel system. Once the system is paid off, the savings go directly into your pocket for as long as the system continues to make electricity. Most solar systems come with a 20 year guarantee, but a useful life of 25 to 30 years is com

Want to learn more about how solar energy works? The Union of Concerned Scientists has compiled a wonderful overview of the sun’s power to harness energy in an article called, “ The Solar Resource .” It offers a nice introduction to photovoltaic (PV) panels and their potential kilowatt-hours per year for a typical US household. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority offers a series of nice links to resources about solar for a home as part of its community solar awareness and empowerment programs. The site answers a series of frequently asked questions about residential solar. How does solar energy work? What are the benefits of solar? Am I ready for solar? How do I get started with solar? How do I pay for solar? Wondering what the total solar energy picture looks like right now in the US? The Solar Energy Industry Association constantly updates its “ Solar Market Insight ” to describe current Gigawatts (GW) of total installed capacity and how many