Solar technology, the eco-friendly manner of generating power, is one of the best possible methods to save money on electricity and power generation; however, it is probably not suitable for everybody. Solar power equipment and the installation process are not only expensive, certain areas and even house positions are not ideal for generating solar energy.
Moreover, certain places and states do not have the required amount of incentive that might enthuse people to generate solar power for their homes. Hence, if you are planning to install solar technology for your home, ask yourself the following 5 questions and if you get suitable answers as well as can clarify your doubts, install solar technology for your home.
Are You Going To Be At your Residence For A Long Time?
This question should be of paramount importance to you when you decide to install solar technology for generation of power, since this system is quite expensive and can cost you something in between $10,000 to $40,000 depending on the dimension and wattage. It is somewhat like purchasing a property and you should consider the alternatives, too.
Your house will end up reducing electricity bills to the tune of $100 to $200/month, depending on the incentives and programs that you qualify for; hence it is between 1 to 3 decades before the system starts paying for itself. Therefore, if you are undecided about the time frame that you are going to live in your house, leasing your solar equipment is probably the best option.
Does Your State/City Make It Worthwhile?
To find answer to this question you need to do some investigation and gather fruitful data. Several states, California and Vermont being the standouts, offer lucrative incentives on the purchase, installation and use of solar panel systems, which not only make this system economically viable for you but you can actually earn money from the generation of extra power and from the sale of SRECs.
However, not all states have such lucrative programs or even an accreditation program for SREC generation, which in turn makes the installation and usage of this system much more expensive. Therefore, before you decide to generate solar power for your home, do a thorough research and ensure that you find out about the city, state and federal programs that you are eligible for.
Is Your House In An Ideal Location?
Sun rays are essential for generation of solar power; hence, if you have a house with a little roof i.e. a narrow house or even if your house is shaded by trees, hillsides or structures, it is going to seriously hamper the energy generation. Though a huge top or roof in direct sunlight is not the ultimate in generation of solar power; however, the better the location of your house, the more money you will save over the lifetime of the solar panels.
Do You Have Significant Energy Needs?
A typical solar panel system produces 1000 to 2000 KWh each month; hence, you need to determine as to how much power you need for your house, though this can prove to be challenging and most people do not power their houses entirely from solar power. The easiest way to find out your current consumption is to look at your electricity bill or you may even go through your house and add up the electric appliances that you actually use.
For example, a pc consumes around 300-500 watts, whereas the power consumption for a refrigerator is between 500-1000 watts. Now to calculate KWh, multiply your total power level usage with the time period it is being used. Let’s say, you only use a pc and refrigerator (totaling around 1200 watts per hour) round the clock; hence your power consumption is going to be 28,800 watts hour (1200 x 24) or 28.8 KWh.
There are some gadgets available that can evaluate your power consumption or you can also look at your meter to measure it from month to month or daily, too.
Is Going Green Crucial To You?
Finally, you must consider how environment conscious you are and how important a factor “go green” is in your life. This is simply because for some people, the cost, the irritation of trying to secure government programs and the prospect of nil savings on electricity consumption depending on the circumstances do not matter when they think about the positive impact that they are going to have on the environment.
Going green gives you intangible value; hence, you must consider whether it is of utmost importance to you or not. However, there is cost involved with either decision; therefore, weigh all the implications and consequences before finalizing your decision.