The idea of ‘going Solar’ is incredibly intriguing to most people but until we become more comfortable with understanding the technology, many of us will continue to pay utility companies the ever-growing costs for our electricity. Here are some interesting things to know about ‘going solar’:

• You can calculate how much solar energy your home will need by simply looking at your utility bill.
• You can choose to supplement your power needs or go “off the grid” completely.
• Your numbers will help you determine what size PV (photovoltaic) modules you will need. Photovoltaic is the method most all solar cells use to convert sunlight to energy.
• Night time darkness and cloudy days reduce the amount of “insolation”. Most people will opt for a battery storage system to supplement these uncontrollable sunlight reduction factors.
• If your system generates more power than you need, many utility companies will buy any excess back.
• All systems must be inspected by your local utility company to ensure that it is safe for their linemen. They must be guaranteed that during a power outage, your system was installed properly and that it will have no power running through the lines.
• All in, solar panel systems can cost between $30,000 and $50,000. This is a costly up-front expense. But don’t forget that cost will be offset against what you would have paid for electricity over your lifetime, the ever-rising cost of electricity, the nice tax credits that are now available AND the improved systems that are coming down in price.

Every homeowner has probably considered the idea of installing solar panels at one time or another. Unfortunately, when they find out that buying and installing a set of panels can cost at least ten thousand dollars, most people decide that the upfront cost is simply too high.

 Brilliantly, in some states there are companies that lease them to homeowners. They will install them on your property and then you are billed for the power that the panels generate. This cost is generally lower than your regular utility rate. Many customers have committed to them for environmental reasons only.

As always be wise and shop around if you are considering panels, as some companies will charge you an upfront fee as a down payment. Many companies do not, and their plans will save you up to 11% on your utility bills. Other companies fall somewhere in the middle and charge an upfront fee, but that fee is considered a prepayment on the solar-power part of your monthly bill, so you will pay a bit less for power each month.

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