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Paying for Electricity from the Utilities

An average home in California uses about 573 kWh of electricity every month. At about $0.15 an hour, that ends up totaling $88 a month. While the electricity usage rate in California is actually lower than the national average, the cost of electricity purchased from the utilities is about 30% higher. At $88 a month, that ends up costing the average homeowner $1,056 every year.

However, one factor that’s not taken into account in these prices is the long term degradation and harm to the environment. The more coal we burn, the more CO2 is released into the atmosphere, the hotter the planet gets. This is responsible for a wide array of different environmental disasters, which are going to start becoming (and already are) quite expensive. Not only that but in the future we’re going to have to end up paying billions, if not trillions of dollars, to counteract the effects of global warming. None of these expenses are factored into your monthly bill.

The Cost of Solar Power Today

Since 1977, the cost of a new solar system has dropped significantly. A system that used to cost $76.77 a watt, now costs a mere $3.74 a watt or less. That’s an incredible price drop and one that the solar industry is actively working to make consumers aware of. One of the challenges is bringing people up to speed about today’s prices. Too many are still stuck thinking in terms of what it cost in 1990 or 2000 to install a system. Things are radically different now.

If you live in California and you want to install a residential system, after you factor in all the costs involved with an installation, it will now cost about $15,000 to $20,000. However, there are numerous incentives out there to help you pay for the system. These incentives are backed by the federal government, and there are also local initiatives available depending on where you live. In the end, most homeowners end up paying about $10,000 for their system.

Remember in California, most people pay about $1,000 a year to the electricity company? Well, that means that after ten years, the solar panels will have paid for themselves. After that, you’ll be making money. Most solar panels are rated to last 25 years, which means you have the potential to save $15,000 dollars or with your system. If your panels last longer, which frequently happens, you may end up saving even more. These savings also don’t take into account any money you may earn by feeding back into the grid. If your electricity demands during the day are low, and you get paid for your excess electricity, your savings can easily exceed $20,000.

Even if you turn around and sell your home a week after the panels are installed, you’ll still turn a profit. Homes with solar panels sell for a higher price, that more than compensates for the cost of the installation of the system.

With all these benefits, there’s no reason to not invest in solar power. It’s green, it’s renewable, it will reduce the amount of carbon being spilled into the air, and it’s a good investment! To get started, talk to Solar.com about finding the best system for your home. We’re experts at helping you to save money, and we’re standing by to help.

Sources

Nov 18 2015

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The Benefits of Floating Solar Panels

By Sam Baker Solar Panel Installation Process No Comments

Floating solar panels utilize the same technology as the panels that you put on your roof. The main difference is that they’ve been adapted to fit onto floating platforms, which are designed to be placed on lakes and quarries. While the technology still hasn’t evolved the point where it can be used on the open ocean, we cannot say what will happen in the future. For now, though, floating solar panels are a great new technology that’s promising to change the way we look at renewable energy.

What are the Benefits of Floating Solar Panels?

Solar panels actually work better when they are cooled. That’s why if you have two identical systems, one on land and one on the water, the one on the water is going to actually perform better. This is why a country like Germany, which is not known for its tropical climate, can be one of the leading countries when it comes to solar power.

Another advantage of floating solar panels is that they can shade the water they float on and reduce evaporation by up to 70%. For example, if a 3-acre water storage pond was covered with solar panels, 4 million gallons of water could potentially be saved from evaporating every year. Also, the solar panels prevent sunlight from hitting the water which can slow down algae growth. When it comes to energy generation, one square acre of floating solar panels are capable of generating 500,000 kWh.

These solar panels are also a smart new technology because they can be deployed in cities and towns without a lot of space. Obviously, a country like Japan is a good example, as they are always dealing with a lack of space. However, municipalities across the world are finding out that when they don’t have anywhere else to put solar panels, they can always put them on the water.

Where is Technology Being Used?

At the moment, the Japanese currently have the largest floating solar power system in the world. Located at Kyocera, this massive solar panel farm is comprised of over 9,000 panels and it generates 2,680 MW of energy every year. Japanese engineers claim that the system is very durable and will be able to withstand gusts of wind in excess of 100 mph.

However, Japan is not the only country interested in this new technology. Brazil has recently announced that it wants to build a gigantic 350 MW solar energy farm. This is going to serve two purposes for Brazil. First, it’s going to give them a big boost to renewable energy. Second, it’s going to slow down evaporation. This is a big deal for Brazil, as the country is dealing with serious water shortages.

Compared to countries like Japan, the technology is still not as popular in America. Our huge landmass means that we always seem to have a place to put our solar panels. Also, favorable climates in places like the Mojave desert, have to lead us to build some really cool things. Like the largest solar panel farm in the world, which is capable of powering 160,000 California homes every year.

Despite this, floating solar panels are beginning to gain some ground in America. It’s likely to end up being very popular in cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, which don’t have a lot of free space to work with. In fact, LA just missed a fantastic opportunity to install floating solar panels.

Recently the city government dropped 96 million shade balls onto a reservoir in an attempt to reduce evaporation and conserve water. If they had spent the money to build a floating solar panel system instead, they could have been far more environmentally friendly and achieved the same thing. Hopefully, they think of that next time! As floating solar panels gain popularity and more people find about the technology, we should see the technology used more heavily across the United States.

For now, though, roof solar panels are the go-to choice for people looking to invest in green energy. They’re affordable, durable, and they can help you to save big on your electricity bill. If you want to find out more about installing a system on your home, talk to Solar.com today! We’ll have helped you to get the best price and make the installation process as seamless as possible. That’s a guarantee that you can take to the bank.

Sources

http://www.waterworld.com/articles/print/volume-27/issue-9/editorial-features/floating-solar-systems-provide-power-environmental-benefits.html

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/worlds-largest-floating-solar-power-stations-can-now-be-found-in-japan/

http://cleantechnica.com/2015/04/06/brazil-announces-huge-350-mw-floating-solar-power-plant/

http://cleantechnica.com/2015/03/24/spi-ace-develop-50-mw-floating-pv-us/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150812-shade-balls-los-angeles-California-drought-water-environment/