Solar Power is Projected to Grow Six Fold In the Next 15 Years

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growth solarIs electricity from solar panels catching on in America? You bet it is because it’s cleaner and cheaper and safer than other sources like coal plants and nuclear power plants.

When an earthquake caused a tsunami that messed with the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan back in 2011, that was a wake-up call to the world that nuclear energy is not ideal. Meanwhile, coal plants in America have been shutting down left and right since the EPA has new rules regulating air pollution. Coal is dirty, after all, and it’s better if people aren’t breathing particles in the air from nearby coal power plants.

Solar panel-produced electricity is on the rise, as production grows and becomes cheaper in the years to come. It’s estimated that solar power will expand six-fold by 2030 (according to the International Renewable Energy Agency) as production costs fall as much as 59 percent by 2025. In other words, solar power will start to dominate globally.

In 2015, solar accounted for about 227 gigawatts of power worldwide, but within the next fifteen years, you can expect that number to steadily rise to 2,500 gigawatts, providing electricity for about 13% of the planet.

The USA and developed countries in Europe are leading the way for solar power to expand as they place an emphasis on replacing nuclear and coal plants with solar options. Meanwhile, emerging markets for solar power growth will include Russia, Brazil, and Mexico.

As innovation continues in the solar power market, expect increases in power storage to be made. Just like computers took a generation or two to become ubiquitous, solar power is going to be the new norm in the coming years.

If you’re ready for solar power now, Solar Solutions can design and install solar panels to meet your energy needs. Covering New Mexico and Texas, where sunshine is abundant, Solar Solutions has been working with solar energy for decades and has the experts to enable your residential or commercial buildings to save money by switching to solar power.

Do Solar Panels Increase the Resale Value of Your Home?

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Reza Residence Solar Intall 4With renewable energy becoming more and more popular these days, people want to know if adding solar panels will increase the value of their home. To that, we say, yes, installing solar panels will benefit your home, while you’re living in it and if you ever put your home on the market.

According to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, solar panels could add $15,000 to the value of your home – if you own the panels. However, if you’re just leasing solar panels, they could end up taking value away from your home, according to a Bloomberg report.

Obviously, the price of installing solar panels is what scares many people. Sure, you’re going to save money on a monthly basis by powering your home with solar energy, but you have to be smart about how you finance the system if you can’t afford paying for it upfront.

While leasing may seem like the right option for you, if you’re planning on moving from your home before the agreement is up, you’ll have to consider that this could affect your asking price, as the new homeowners could be inheriting something they could actually lease themselves for less. Alternatively, if you purchase the system (which can be subsidized by loan programs), you add value to your home through an asset that’s only going to increase in demand in the coming years.

So, if you’re still asking, do solar panels increase the resale value of your home? Yes, they can, but it’s not as definitive of an answer as we would like it to be. The main thing is to weigh all of your options and make sure you’re comfortable with your investment. After all, investing in solar panels is not only an investment in your home, but also your future!

What Do Solar Panels Do?

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Solar Panels and Their UseThe technological revolution has played a key role in forging ahead for humankind. With the advent of new-age technologies, people have been thinking outside the box and have started to explore alternative sources to fulfill their energy needs. In a bid to devise ingenious ways of supplements to meet the ever-growing energy demands, there have been various instances where researches are being carried out for tapping into solar power as one among many other sources for generating energy that can be derived from sustainable sources. No doubt, solar power is indeed an appropriate energy source that is abundantly available all across the globe. And necessary to harness the true potential of solar power, social panels boasting their incomparable benefits are proving to be instrumental in making this idea a reality.

What Are Solar Panels?

Renowned as photovoltaic (PV) panels, these renewable energy sources are capable of converting the sun’s light energy into electricity. These panels are able to work at a wide spectrum of light from the sun and make the energy generated available to us in the form of electricity. In a nutshell, these panels absorb the light and convert it into energy that one can use to power the appliances. These panels can be either installed on roofs or walls in order to generate electricity and make them highly cost-effective compared to other energy sources.

How Solar Panels Convert Solar Energy into Electricity?

When light from the sun comes across the solar panels, it passes through the PV (Photovoltaic) cells which are created out of crystalline silicon. These cells work on the basic principle of the semiconductor effect. In a nutshell, these PV cells are capable of conducting electricity in the presence of light and blocking it out in the absence of light. In other words, these PV cells play a pivotal role in converting light into electricity. These cells are simply connected together through copper wires to form a panel which allows excess power to be exported to the grid and can even be stored for future use.

4 Crucial Benefits of Installing Solar Panels:

Solar power is gaining popularity as the most widely used resource for producing electricity. Some of the best uses of solar energy include indoor and outdoor applications, plus other industrial applications. Given below are the benefits of using solar energy.

1. Saving on Energy Costs:

By installing solar panels to harness solar energy, we are able to save on the cost of electricity since this source is free from fluctuating prices. It is safe to say that it is a cheaper alternative for the future that is expected to be filled with increasing rates of energy consumption which often results in the prices of power rising and being charged exorbitantly.

2. Greater ROI:

For long-term investments, solar energy is a better option. These panels have a long lifetime and generate energy over an extended period of time which in turn result in high returns on investment. This is one reason why a majority of people are now preferring to invest in such products and will continue to do so in the future as well.

3. Maintenance Costs are Minimal:

In our busy lives, the last thing that we want to do is to be stressed about issues such as the maintenance of our systems. Boasting superior quality, the panels require minimal maintenance and do not require any special training to get them serviced. This indeed helps in keeping our bills low and ensures that our lives are stress-free in the long run.

4. Help the Environment:

With solar energy, we do not have to worry about any kind of pollution being created since the source of power is completely natural. We are also contributing towards preventing ozone layer depletion and global warming since solar energy has zero carbon footprint.

How Solar Panels Can Save You Money on Your Electric Bill

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Saving Money On ElectricityThroughout the last few years, we have seen conventional electricity sources raise their prices, which has seen many homeowners seeking alternative methods and how they power their property. Times are difficult enough without worrying about specific utility bills and finding the most practical and efficient ways to use your energy. While the traditional methods of getting such power may have seen us paying more as of late, it raises the question of how money can be saved and if the likes of using solar panels can be beneficial to you financially. If you have been looking for ways to cut down your electric bill, there are a few ways solar panels can help you save money in the long run.

What you do need to factor in is how much sunlight you get each year. To truly benefit from solar panels, you need to consider a few things. It isn’t just about how much sun you get, but it’s also worth considering how much energy you use against the weather you are getting. You also need to factor in how many solar panels you can fit onto your roof and your utility usage.

While they do need to be considered, one major advantage of being in El Paso is the amount of sunlight you receive. Given its nickname “The Sun City,” it isn’t something that you have to worry about on that end. With the area getting around 302 days of sun per year, you can find many benefits from solar panels.

Where saving money is concerned, there are ways in which you can gain an advantage by installing solar panels. With that in mind, here are several benefits that you can expect from making the switch and how a long-term investment could save you money and work towards an environmentally friendly future in the process.

Reduce Energy Loss

In areas such as El Paso, Texas, residents are afforded plenty of sunlight to justify the use of solar panels. After all, these panels convert natural energy for your home to use. There are many different reasons you can benefit from using such an energy source, besides how they can save you money in the long run.

Nobody wants to have to deal with going through the loss of any of their energy services, especially when you are paying for the service in the first place. Given the traditional electricity is transported through extensive networks from power plants.

This long-distance method can lead to losses in electricity, so having domestic energy sources can save you money and improve your efficiency. The short distance that it needs to travel gives you far more control over your energy usage and control over your bills. It is also worth mentioning that the panels are durable, so you are also reducing the chances of your service being interrupted.

Provides Free Energy Source

Given that the sun provides us with surplus energy, more than we are ever going to use, you can expect to save money as soon as your solar panels are installed. What’s more, the longer you use the panels, you are not only reaping the benefits for an extended period, but you are also doing your part in helping the environment, which we will be touching on in our next point.

Environmentally Friendly

This is probably the most common fact about solar panels that you have already heard about. However, it is a crucial point to make since you are making use of a green energy source. You can vastly reduce your carbon footprint without having to worry about any form of pollution or greenhouse gasses. They offer a way for us to work towards a future with sustainable energy, which can only be a good thing.

Save on Maintenance

Another benefit that can help you save money is how they are maintained. A lot of utility companies tend to forward the cost of maintenance to customers when it comes to using traditional energy sources. Thankfully, when you use solar energy panels, you vastly reduce the amount of care needed. In fact, you will find that there is barely any maintenance needed at all, and any issues that do arise are often covered by your warranty or via a service contract.

Increase Your Property Value

The practice of using solar energy is a way of looking to the future. As we have mentioned, it is a form of sustainable energy further down the line, and it can save you money in several different ways. But it is also worth mentioning that it can also help you raise the value of your property.

When it comes to selling your home, you will find that the addition of residential solar panels will only serve to increase the value of your home, which can prove to be a massive bonus when you do finally decide to sell up.

Overall, solar panels are an excellent way for you to save money on your energy bills. Of course, there are a lot of different factors that you do have to consider. The weather where you live, the number of solar panels that can fit on your roof, and how long you are willing to commit to having them will all play a part in what you will save.

Besides the environmental benefits, they are effective in reducing your electric bill. When you consider the amount of energy that is gathered naturally, the reduction of maintenance bills, and how it can positively affect the eventual sale of your home, then solar panels are certainly worth the investment.

Make Your Home Solar Powered

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Solar PanelsHomeowners across America are turning to solar panels to help power their homes. If you’re unsure whether you want your house to go solar, here are a few benefits of making the jump.

Price is Right
Right now, solar panels and solar technology are being produced cheaper than ever before. This means purchasing it for your home won’t cost too much. Therefore, where you thought you would have to potentially take out a loan from small-cash.com from here to convert your home, you might have enough money to get it done without the help of a loan.

Tax Breaks
There is plenty of tax breaks and incentives for installing solar power on to your home. So not only will you save yourself money when you purchase the system, but you may also get more money back during tax season as well. Many of these breaks and incentives are first come first serve, however, so get your taxes done as soon as possible.

Energy Price
With solar panels, you will find out how much energy you use and how much you will have to pay for it. This will make it easier to balance your finances and adjust accordingly if by some chance money gets short.

Increased Property Value
Whenever you add something to your home it raises the property value and solar panels are no different. This can be helpful if you are planning on selling your home down the road.

Local Economy Support
When you get your solar panels installed, you more than likely will be hiring a local company to handle the installation. By doing this, you help support your local economy and give the company free promotion by having their product on your house.

Energy Reliability
If you were to install solar panels, you would no longer be at the mercy of rolling blackouts and power outages. Your home would keep running like normal, allowing you to go about your day.

With all these benefits, it’s easy to see why you should install solar panels on to your home. When you’re ready to, let the experts at GR Solar Solutions take care of it. We’ve been designing and installing solar electric systems in Texas and New Mexico for over 30 years and will have your home running solar energy in no time. For more information, call us today at 915-581-0461!

 

 

Do Solar Panels Increase the Resale Value of Your Home?

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With renewable energy becoming more and more popular these days, people want to know if adding solar panels to their home will benefit them. To that, we say, yes, installing solar panels will benefit your home, while you’re living in it and if you ever put your home on the market.

According to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, solar panels could add $15,000 to the value of your home – if you own the panels. However, if you’re just leasing solar panels, they could end up taking value away from your home, according to a Bloomberg report.

Obviously, the price of installing solar panels is what scares many people. Sure, you’re going to save money on a monthly basis by powering your home with solar energy, but you have to be smart about how you finance the system if you can’t afford paying for it upfront.

While leasing may seem like the right option for you, if you’re planning on moving from your home before the agreement is up, you’ll have to consider that this could affect your asking price, as the new homeowners could be inheriting something they could actually lease themselves for less. Alternatively, if you purchase the system (which can be subsidized by loan programs), you add value to your home through an asset that’s only going to increase in demand in the coming years.

So, if you’re still asking, do solar panels increase the resale value of your home? Yes, they can, but it’s not as definitive of an answer as we would like it to be. The main thing is to weigh all of your options and make sure you’re comfortable with your investment. After all, investing in solar panels is not only an investment in your home, but also your future!

Solar Power Is Gaining Traction Around the Globe

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Solar energy has been a growing market within the U.S. for some time now. In fact, according to SEIA’s U.S. Solar Market Insight for Q1 2015 (released in June), residential installations grew 76% compared to Q1 2014. Additionally, non-residential and utility solar PV installations continue to grow.  Recognizing the need for alternative energies, the United States is well on its way to becoming more energy efficient and the trend is a growing global trend.

China, for example, is now considered to not only be the manufacturing hub for solar photo voltaic panels, but also the fastest growing market for energy over the next five years, according to a Nasdaq article.

As the world’s largest consumer of coal, China is also the world’s largest emitter of carbon. This concentrated effort to become more energy efficient and to consciously reduce of the amount of greenhouse gas emitted as a country is huge. And the amount of investment into renewable energies is also huge. China’s renewable energy market is valued at $89.5 billion, making it the largest in the world.

In their effort to reduce their carbon emissions, China will soon begin construction on — yep you guessed it — the world’s largest solar power plant. Spread across 10 square miles in the Gobi desert, the solar plant will have the capacity to power nearly one million households.

When the solar power plant is commissioned, it will help decreases coal consumption by about 4.26 million tons per year. It will also reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions by 896,000 tons and 8,080 tons, respectively.

If you’d like to read the full article, you can do so here.

Benefits Of Having Solar Panels On Your Home

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By now, most people have a pretty good idea of the tremendous benefits of having a solar panel system installed on your home. Despite this, many people still hold off on upgrading their home due to common misconceptions.

In this article, we’ll discuss the powerful benefits that solar panels can provide to your home and how it can improve your quality of life.

Save money on your monthly electric bills

It seems that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t do enough to lower your monthly electric bill. You swapped out your old electric appliances for energy-efficient ones, you installed a brand new programmable thermostat, and you’re even using LED lights around the house and still, the monthly bills are painful.

The fact is, utility companies are known for increasing their prices over time, not decreasing them. However, installing solar panels in your home will finally let you cut down your monthly energy costs, and in some cases even eliminate them.

Now you can use those savings for other essential expenses that you would have otherwise not been able to do.

Requires very little maintenance

A common misconception is that solar panels require lots of hands-on maintenance which is time-consuming and expensive. However, solar panels are actually built tough and are likely to last several years without requiring any maintenance other than washing off the dirt that has accumulated over time.

A big part of the reason why solar panels do not require much maintenance is that they do not require any outside supply, like fuel, in order to work. This is also the reason why solar panels do not produce CO2 emissions or other gases.

In terms of ease-of-use and efficiency, solar panels are one of the best and safest investments you can make.

Increases the value of your home

Installing solar panels on your home will typically increase your property’s market value. The fact is that most people would rather pay the premium for a home with solar panels already installed than installing it themselves.

When you consider the long-term savings and peace of mind that your solar panels will provide, the benefits will far outweigh the premium pricing.

Reliable energy source

Traditional, non-renewable energy sources are limited and utility companies tend to increase their prices over time. When you generate your own clean and renewable solar energy, you are no longer dependent on your local utility company and subject to their high fees and occasional power outages.

Your solar panels will work even on cloudy, rainy days and will have no negative impact on the environment. You can rest easy every night knowing that your energy source will not be interrupted and much less depleted.

Get tax credits and rebates

The US Government is a big supporter of solar energy for both homes and businesses. The Federal Solar Tax Credit in 2020 allows customers to get 26% of the total cost to install a solar panel in your home or business as a federal income tax credit when you file your taxes.

In addition, state and local rebates and Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), which you can sell to local utility companies, can also help to cut down your costs.

Get in touch with your local Albuquerque solar panel services providers for quick installation, guaranteed performance, and the best professional service when you need it.

MIT Researchers Find That Solar Panels Can Power the World

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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently released a report stating that the solar panels used today have the ability to supply the world with power, with the capacity to produce terawatts of energy by 2050. One terawatt of energy is equal to one million megawatts, and the world population currently consumes 15 terawatts of energy.

Battery technology is seen as key to assisting in the switch to solar energy, because of the ability for a battery to store electricity during peak production and then dispense it when there is little or no sunlight.

Germany is seen as a successful example of solar energy use. In 1991, a Feed-in Tariff rebate plan was created to encourage production of solar panels and other low carbon energy sources. In 2013, Germany was producing 27 percent of the world’s solar energy.

With scientists already capable of harnessing the sun’s energy, the writers of the study believe investment will be the biggest setback in transferring to solar power. The United States uses 26 percent of the world’s power, but there is very little federal support for solar energy which will not likely change until carbon dioxide emissions become too costly. The study emphasizes a need for this support, as well as more research.

Solar Solutions Inc. has helped countless customers power their home or business with solar panels, providing them with an avenue to reduce their energy bills and their environmental footprint.

For more information about the numerous benefits of solar energy, please contact us today.

Want A Payback Period Of 5 to 8 Years On Your New Solar Panel Install

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There are several factors that are currently offsetting the total cost of solar panels for a home installation:

  1. 30% Federal Tax Credit
  2. State Tax Credit
  3. Utility Based Solar Incentives
  4. Net Metering Law

If you are currently living in a state that is better suited for solar panels, you can almost assure yourself of a 5-8 year payback period on your solar investment. On average, the life-span of a solar panel system is roughly 25 years which means that you can count on almost 20 years of not having an electric bill, how’s that for savings? As electricity rates continue to rise, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the 30% Federal Tax Credit which will expire at the end of 2019.

How Do Solar Panels Work At My Home

The most obvious difference between residential building installs and other solar powered systems is that typically they are connected to your local utility grid.

Having said that, when you connect a new solar panel system for your home, your local utility company usually has a huge say-so as to what equipment needs to be installed and how it can operate. The size of your solar panel system must be approved by your local utility, including the voltage, current, and the solar inverter that needs to be installed.

Will My Solar Panel System Continue To Work If There Is A Utility Grid Failure

The quick answer is that it doesn’t continue to work. Your system inverter needs to shut down your system so that a person working on the lines can work on the electrical problem and won’t be shocked or electrocuted by your solar panel system. Most residential owners don’t understand this process and thus get upset whenever they have a power failure and their solar panel system shuts down as well. However, remember that this is down primarily for the safety of any linesman that might be working on getting the power back up again.

Why Are Residential Solar Panels Tied To The Grid

The reason is due to the net metering laws that are applicable in more than 30 states. This law requires your local utility to give you a credit on your electricity bill for each kWh of solar power that your system produces that feeds back into the grid.

Most power is produced around the middle of the day because this is usually when most people are at work or school and they are using the least amount of solar power. This means that because it is not being used, approximately 40% of the solar powered produced from your home solar panels can then be fed back in to the local grid. The retail net metering give you back 1kWh for each 1kWh that you feed back in to the grid which then you can use during the evening and night when you’re at home.

Which Brands of Solar Panels Are The Best For My Home

There are many different manufacturers of solar panels to consider and that your local contractor utilizes. You can find reviews for many of the best solar panels for 2019 on this site.

How To Find The Best Local Solar Company

Like making any major purchase, you must do a bit of homework on your end by researching your local solar panel companies. One of the main factors to look for is years in business and reviews for any company you are considering.