Off-the-grid early adopters weren’t as fortunate as today’s homeowners. Solar panels are so common and widely used that they are no longer considered a risky investment. In fact, take a closer look at your community. Chances are more neighbors are using solar than you realize!
The best thing to do is conduct some quality research before making your decision. You can find arguments for and against solar on the web, but the best thing to do is have a personal consultation that is customized for your home and real estate market.
We are experts in everything solar, and we offer free, personalized home energy analyses that can give you detailed information about the cost effectiveness of solar energy for you. This will allow you to make a more informed decision. Give us a call today at 888-926-0809. We’ll give you the ultimate yay or nay on your burning question: is solar your home’s soul mate?
Although solar power has been around for well over a hundred years, it really didn’t experience its residential boom until the 90’s. In the beginning, solar panels were bulky, expensive, and misunderstood. Over the years, solar panels have experienced a complete makeover, adopting sleeker silhouettes and becoming exponentially more cost effective. Today’s solar panels blend seamlessly with modern rooftops, blurring the line between form and function. Recent advertising campaigns have even touted solar panels as being “sexy”.
Perhaps the real sexiness of solar energy isn’t in the newfangled photovoltaic panels, but in the savviness of consumers who are going solar. Research shows that residential solar panels can pay for themselves in as few as five to seven years, resulting in fifteen to twenty years of pure savings. Modern panels pay off so quickly because their efficiency allows homeowners to save around 30% on their monthly home energy costs.
While solar panels used to be reserved for the rich and famous, lowered costs, increased incentives, and even leasing programs are giving all people access to the savings that solar power provides.
The surge in solar’s popularity and an increased demand for renewable energy is good news for homeowners. While increased resale value of a home with a feature like solar panels is never guaranteed, solar energy organizations like ours tend to expand locally in areas with tech smart and earth-conscious consumers. We carefully select markets where homeowners will get the greatest bang for their buck with solar energy, because we know that solar has to make financial sense for our customers. The more solar panels you see in a community, the more solar incentives your municipality offers, and the more solar companies and organizations in your market, the more likely you are to see potential home buyers who recognize the value of solar panels.
As homeowners ourselves, we know that we don’t even replace a lightbulb in our home without contemplating its effect on the resale value of our home.
If you’re like the majority of Americans, your home is your biggest investment, and you don’t want to do anything to compromise that.
The old school mentality was that solar panels intimidated homebuyers and could make your home more difficult to sell, or somehow decreased the value of your home. You may have heard this myth circulating as well.
So what is the truth? Will solar panels affect your home’s value?
We’ve got surprising news for you. YES. Solar panels will affect your home’s value… IN A GOOD WAY!
Recent research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory proves that homes with solar panels sell for higher values than homes without, and home appraisers are less reluctant to assign value to residential PV systems as home solar electric system value is better understood.
Due to solar panel gaining so much popularity over the past two years, installations have outpaced the combined installs of the past three decades. The U.S. has set up more solar energy systems in the last 18 months compared to how much they have set up the previous 30 years, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Read more →
In 2009, the solar industry employed around 50,000 Americans. It has now grown to over 100,000. At around July to September of 2011, the U.S. solar energy market grew 140%, therefore making it one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy. Read more →
Sunlight is a fascinating phenomenon. We experience it everyday, we rely upon it everyday. Without it life on earth would cease to exist. In addition to the very familiar ways we already benefit, sunlight also brings us solar power.
Solar power is generally defined as the conversion of energy from sunlight into usable electrical power. It includes indirect technologies such as concentrated solar power (CSP) as well as direct technologies such as photovoltaics (PV).
CSP systems require a great deal of land to be efficient. As a result, you’re probably not likely going to see a CSP system installed in your neighborhood anytime soon. Unless you live in the desert.
PV systems, on the other hand, are typically utilized on residential or small commercial applications. They can be efficiently scaled down to an individual’s needs or can be scaled up to meet the needs of very large utilities, such as Germany’s Neuhardenberg Solar Park, mentioned here in a recent blog.
Solar Power Technologies – Is the Future already here?
As the needs of a growing economy evolve and concerns around green house gases continue to increase, its important for consumers to be informed about all the various alternative forms of sustainable energy.
Photovoltaic electrical systems are appropriate for a homeowner seeking to make a lifestyle change. A decision to outfit your home with solar panels or solar shingles (a photovoltaic system) reduces your dependence on the electrical grid. Most large scale electrical grids in America are still powered by fossil fuels.
A home powered by PV technology is a home that is committed to reducing pollution and green house gases. For more information on the basics of a solar panel system, read our previous blog.
Concentrated Solar Power – In a Nutshell
Concentrated Solar Panels (CSP) also utilize energy from sunlight, but in a vastly different fashion. CSP systems use reflective mirrors to focus the sunlight towards a liquid medium. Energy is transferred by heating the liquid to extremely high levels. The liquid is channeled to a chamber where water is boiled and the resulting steam drives a turbine.
A few competing implementations of CSP technologies are competing in the marketplace. The first successful large-scale implementation of CSP utilized parabolic panels (pictured at right) to concentrate sunlight to a tube filled with synthetic oil.
The resulting light energy is up to 80 times more intense than ordinary sunlight. Synthetic oil is used because it can transfer heat up to 750°F without dramatic changes in pressure.
The parabolic CSP systems designed during the 1980’s and 1990’s and used to a great deal in California’s Mohave Desert are not sufficiently efficient to run independent of any other energy source. At night or during periods of extended lack of sunlight, they cannot support the electrical demands for its consumers.
Concentrated Solar Power Evolved
Pictured at the top of this blog and to the right, is the Spain’s new Gemasolar Plant. Heliostat reflectors direct sunlight to a centrally-located, molten salt-filled tower.
The molten salts are circulated into underground, highly insulated tanks where steam driven turbines run around the clock. The stored heat can push the turbines at full capacity for up to 15 hours without additional sunlight.
The third quarter of 2013, the most recent data available, was the second largest solar installation quarter on record in America. A 35% increase over the third quarter of 2012 was achieved with 930 MW installed. The residential segment saw 186 MW come online.
The falling costs of panels continue to be a driving factor in the growth of solar electricity. The average cost of a completed PV system is 16% less than the previous year. It now stands at $3.00/W.
Texas’ cost of all PV systems is $5.83/W, which is 9th lowest in the country. In comparison, Ohio is the most expensive state in America, with an average cost of $10.09/W. In California, the nation’s leader in terms of capacity and total number of installs, the average cost is $7.08/W.
Because of the enormous growth in manufacturing capacity in Asia, the average price of a solar panel has declined 60% since the beginning of 2011. These lower prices combined with a favorable regulatory environment and increased demand will likely mean more record growth in years to come. By the end of 2013, 4,300 MW of PV were forecasted to come online, a 27% growth over 2012.
New Zero Energy construction and redevelopment projects might be coming to your community soon!
Is Tomorrow’s Future Zero Energy?
Science fiction authors have often painted a future where technology solved man’s greatest challenges. Perhaps you can envision an endless supply of clean energy?
Every great achievement begins with a goal. It’s known that solar collection panels have contributed to a reduction of electricity bills for millions of consumers. The question remains whether or not is practical to make new goals with greater expectations.
Is it possible to draw enough energy from the sun and from other sustainable sources to satisfy all your energy demands? This concept is referred to as Zero Energy or Net Zero.
Various building trade publications have featured many notable zero energy projects over the last few years. Some projects feature experimental, highly-efficient building components. Some projects utilize a greater than standard amount of insulation. Some projects minimize heat absorption with highly reflective external surfaces.
Other developments feature geo-exchange systems, geothermal or wind energy-sourced electricity. Some even have co-located biodigesters where waste gasses are collected and reused.
All of these notable projects have at least one thing in common. All have an abundance of highly efficient solar collection panels.
UC-Davis West Village
The largest planned zero energy community in America is the UC – Davis West Village expansion. Completed in 2013, it is spread across 205 acres. The development includes housing for 3000 students and 475 faculty and staff. It has 45,000 square feet of retail and office space, 60,000 square feet for the Los Rios Community College District and nearly 22 acres of recreational green space.
A four megawatt roof-mounted solar collection system is situated on the multifamily housing units at West Village. Residents acquire electricity through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the local utility.
Even the covered parking space, visible at right, are entirely covered with solar collection panels!
Highly efficient photovoltaic (PV) systems have become more affordable than ever over the last decade. The contributing factors are growing each year.
Improved engineering and manufacturing techniques are leading to greater product yield. Around the world, dozens of manufacturers with a solid track record of performance are competing for market share. In America, local, state and federal regulators are encouraging implementation through tax incentives and rebate programs.
Although prices have decreased, they can still represent a substantial capital investment for some homeowners.
USA Solar Electric has partnered with GreanGrid Solar to provide a solution to help homeowners move confidently towards renewable energy.
Solar Leasing and Your up-front Investment
With a solar leasing arrangement, USA Solar Electric will install and maintain the system on your property. GreanGrid will own the system and administer the lease. The homeowner purchases the electricity it generates at a fixed, predetermined rate.
When your system produces excess electricity it is calculated as a credit and channeled back to the power grid. At night or during bad weather your system will not produce enough electricity to meet your needs. During these periods your credit is drawn down. When your credits are exhausted you purchase electricity from your local utility.
The Affordability of Solar Leasing
Lease payments for a 2500 sq ft – 3000 sq ft home will be in the range of $50 to $60 per month. This type of a system will typically provide up to 60% of your electricity needs during the summer and up to 90% of your needs during the winter.
Leasing commitments run a minimum of six years. At the end of the term you can renew, buy-out or request a removal of the panels at no cost to you.
If you move and have to sell your property, your lease can easily be transferred to next property owner. All at no cost to you.
If you’ve had the system more that five years, you can exercise an option to purchase it outright and include it in the sale of the property. Studies have shown that solar-energy systems can reduce your time on market and significantly increase property resale values.
Over the last decade the technology behind successfully harnessing the energy from the sun has improved dramatically. We recommend an expert in all things solar, NASA, for an in-depth technical explanation of how it works.
In a Nutshell – Solar Panel Technology
For the majority of us, a simplified explanation will do just fine. We understand how the bright sun can warm our face, even in winter. We’ve all experienced sunburn. We learned in 4th grade that plants use light energy during photosynthesis.
Let’s take a look at how light energy from the sun becomes electricity.
Solar Panels – From Light to Electricity
The fundamental component of a solar panel is the photovoltaic cell. These cells are aligned within the solar panel for unified exposure to the sun. Most systems are in a fixed position. Some large scale systems tilt and shift to track the sun as the earth rotates throughout the day.
As sunlight strikes the surface of a photovoltaic cell, an electrical field is created. The electrical field provides momentum and direction to light-stimulated electrons. The flow of electrons results in a flow of current which is tied into an electrical load.
Photovoltaic cells are equipped with semiconductors. When sunlight strikes the solar cell, a portion of their solar energy is absorbed into the semiconductor material, usually silicon.
This energy is now inside the semiconductor. The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely. PV cells also have one or more electric fields that force electrons, freed by light absorption, to flow in a certain direction.
This flow of electrons is an electrical current. Metal contacts on the top and bottom of the PV cell draw current off which is used to power external electrical loads by way of a power inverter. Battery storage systems can also be interfaced to store excess electricity.
Contact USA Solar Electric today to find out more details and how a residential or commercial solar electric system can provide an environmentally-friendly source of electricity for years to come!
