Why Should I Install Solar Panels On My Home?

Why Should I Install Solar Panels On My Home?



Solar energy is in the news almost daily.  But have you been wondering whether or not installing solar panels on your home would be a good choice for your family?  Here are a few of the most compelling reasons.


The economic climate is finally favorable again for people who want to use solar energy at home.  There are now federal tax credits in place (or soon to be in place) that can lower the cost of installing a residential solar energy system by as much as 30%.  And don't forget to check into your state and city incentives, too.  The list of states and cities that are offering tax credit and other incentives to help people convert to solar energy is continuing to grow.

There is also the immediate cost savings you will see in lower monthly utility bills. Since you solar panels will be powering your appliances during the day, you will be seeing a savings in electricity usage.  And if your local utility company participates in net metering, your electric bill could be reduced to zero.  Net metering allows you to sell back any excess electricity that your solar panels produce to the electric company for a credit to your account.  So if your solar electric system produces a surplus during the day, the electricity that you use from the grid at night could end up being free.
Solar energy is also great for the environment. It is produced on site where it is used. So there are no fuel transportation costs or emissions, and no plant maintenance costs. It does not contribute to global warming. There is no pollution from burning oil or coal, and it does not produce nuclear waste that will contaminate the planet for generations to come. And last but not least, it is a great way to protect yourself and your family against the future energy price hikes that experts predict.

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Solar Panels: Can You Go Off the Grid Now?

If you install solar panels on your home, can you go "off grid" and never have to deal with the electric company again? Being energy independent is a nice thought. No more triple digit electric bills. No more hassle with the utility companies for any reason. Is this possible for you and your family? It depends on where you live, and how much money you're willing to commit to maintain your own energy system.
First, consider where you live. Are you in a part of the world that gets lots of sunlight all year long, or do you have lots of gray and overcast days? Even when you install solar panels on your home, they only create electricity while the sun is shining on them. That means you have to use batteries to store electricity in order for it to be available at night and during overcast days.
Here's where your system can start getting expensive. You'll need to buy and maintain enough large DC (direct current) batteries to store enough electricity to get you through one to three days of cloudy weather. You'll need plenty of storage space for all of those batteries, and you'll have to plan for the expense of replacing them periodically.
It's also a good idea to keep a backup generator just in case you have a long stretch of cloudy weather that lasts beyond your battery storage capacity. Your generator will need fuel, so you’ll have to store that, too. Generators usually use either gas or diesel fuel. But that seems to defeat the purpose of a solar panel system, so you’ll probably want to use biodiesel. So, yes it is possible to got "off grid", but it's not a simple or cheap project.
For most people, it makes more sense to look into "net metering". Find out if it's offered by your local electric utility company. Net metering is a great way to cut down on your electricity bills, yet still have power available at night and during long spells of gray, cloudy days. Net metering allows you to credits back from the electric company for excess electricity that your solar panels produce during the day. Then you simply use the electricity from your local utility company at night and on days when there is not enough direct sunlight. You won’t need to store banks of DC batteries in your basement or garage. You won’t be completely "off grid", but you can save significant amounts of money on your monthly electric bills. Some months you may even have a zero balance.
So if you live on a large parcel of land and have an extra barn or outbuilding to store your DC batteries in, going “off grid" could be a reality for you. But if you live in a subdivision, have no basement, and you're already parking your car on the street because the garage is too full, "net metering" will probably be your best bet.





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Portable Solar Panel Systems

One of the most popular types of portable solar panel systems is the 12 volt (12v) system. But just how much energy does 12v give you? Not enough to heat your house, but enough to run some of your portable devices, or recharge their rechargeable batteries.

These portable panels operate like large solar panels, but generate less electricity due to their smaller size. Like their larger cousins, they operate best under direct full sun conditions. Most of them will work on cloudy and rainy days, but it will take longer to generate the electricity to charge your device. Most will not operate with indoor lighting, but there are solar panels being developed that will be able to use indoor light. They're projected to reach the consumer market in another 4 or 5 years.

Good portable panel systems have built-in regulators, meaning they'll automatically adjust the amount of energy they produce to the amount that the device requires. So be sure that the portable panels you buy have this feature, otherwise there's a danger of overcharging (or "frying") the device that you're trying to recharge.

Most portable solar panels fold into sizes small enough to fit into a large pocket or purse. But you can't fold the cells themselves. Think of a weight belt. It's foldable and flexible when compared to a barbell. But it folds because small weights are sewn into a flexible fabric, not because the weights are foldable. It's the same with the foldable solar panels: they fold because the solar cells are small enough to be mounted on foldable fabric.

So even though portable solar panels are advertised to be durable and waterproof, you still need to be careful when handling them. If you fold or crease the solar cell itself, you'll probably break or disable it. So don't fold the cell, or put the portable panels in the washing machine, or poke them with sharp objects. Your weight belt will survive that kind of treatment, but your portable solar panel won't.

One more word of caution: the portable solar panel can't recharge regular batteries. It can only charge rechargeable batteries. This may be obvious to you, but you'd be surprised how many people try to recharge regular batteries.

You will need additional connector equipment in order to use the portable panels, so plan for the additional expense. You'll need connectors that fit with the recharging plugs on your portable devices. And if you plan to use your portable solar panels to trickle charge your car, boat or snowmobile battery, you might need a set of battery clips.

"Trickle charging" can keep your vehicle's battery fully charged. Here's how it works: place the portable solar panel on a surface where it receives the most sun; then plug it into the cigarette lighter socket, or attach the clips to the vehicle's battery. This can be a great help in really cold climates where temperatures drop below freezing, and you have to keep your car parked outside all day.

Portable solar panels are still relatively expensive compared to using grid electricity at home or in the office. But they make sense if you spend a lot of time camping, hiking or working from your car. And they're great backup systems for times when the power goes out.





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