Why Go Solar?

Solar energy has the least negative impact on the environment compared to any other energy source. It does not produce greenhouse gases and does not pollute the water. It also requires very little water for its maintenance, unlike nuclear power plants for example, needing 20 times more water. Solar energy production does not create any noise, which is major benefit, since a lot of solar installations are in urban areas, such as domestic solar panels.

Energy demand tends to be higher in the 11:00-16:00 time frame and then early in the evening. Naturally, this is the period when the price of the electricity peaks. Solar energy happens to reach its maximum production capacity during those hours.

Electricity produced at that time has higher value than if it was generated at night. With the additional electricity input of solar energy, prices in those time frames could be driven down to a level close to those of night hours.

Solar energy systems generally don’t require a lot of maintenance. You only need to keep them relatively clean, so cleaning them a couple of times per year will do the job. Most reliable solar panel manufacturers offer 20-25 years warranty. Also, as there are no moving parts, there is no wear and tear. The inverter is usually the only part that needs to be changed after 5-10 years because it is continuously working to convert solar energy into electricity and heat (solar PV vs. solar thermal). Apart from the inverter, the cables also need maintenance to ensure your solar power system runs at maximum efficiency.

So, after covering the initial cost of the solar system, you can expect very little spending on maintenance and repair work.

Generating your own electricity means that you will be using less from the utility supplier. This will immediately translate to savings on your energy bill. Plus, you can also make money by selling the unused electricity, which you have generated, back to the grid. Through solar panel grants offered, you can make your green investment even more beneficial. 

The more energy you produce, the less you will need from the supplier which will increase your energy self reliance.

Some of the energy, around 3-5%, is lost during transportation and distribution. The longer the distances between the production and the supply points, the more energy is lost. Those losses might not seem significant but they can influence the performance of the installation in regions with high population density.

Having solar panels on the roof or in the yard significantly reduces this distance, therefore increasing the efficiency of the solar panels.

Among all the benefits of solar panels, the most important thing is that solar energy is a truly renewable energy source. It can be harnessed in all areas of the world and is available every day. We cannot run out of solar energy, unlike some of the other sources of energy.

Solar energy will be accessible as long as we have the sun, therefore sunlight will be available to us for at least 5 billion years when according to scientists the sun is going to die.