Leveraging Solar to Reduce Your Energy Needs

Since their introduction a number of decades ago, solar panels have grown from small devices that power calculators to massive energy-creating infrastructure pieces that can power thousands of homes. Of the many home electricity generation systems, solar is one of the easiest to operate and maintain, and once tax credits are considered, solar is far less expensive than one might think.

Let’s take a brief look at home solar power and how to approach bringing this to your home.

Step One: Determine your Needs

The first step is to determine your average energy needs. This information can usually be obtained by checking your electricity bills for the past year, adding up the total number of kilowatt-hours used and dividing by 12 months. This number offers some insight into the level of home solar equipment required to power your entire home, and will give an idea of the costs involved.


Step Two: Choosing an Adequate System

There are two main types of home solar system: stand-alone and interfaced. A stand-alone system requires the installation of a battery bank which can store the electricity generated by the solar panels throughout the day for use when the sun isn’t out. A stand-alone system makes the home completely “grid independent”; however, beware that issues can arise during long periods of clouds and rain.

Interfaced solar power systems keep generate power while keeping your home connected to the power grid. The upside of using an interfaced system is that many electricity providers will allow homes to sell their “excess” electricity into the grid which offsets the costs of using grid power at night. This also provides a major backup if the weather turns or some issues arise with the solar setup.

Step Three: Managing the Cost

Currently, home solar power systems are still relatively expensive and the cost isn’t yet fully offset by the savings incurred with reduced energy use. Thankfully there are a number of tax credits and other ways to help reduce the sting of purchasing a home solar system. Any solar provider will have more information on how to manage the costs involved with going solar.

Whether your home is suitable for a completely “off the grid” solar energy system or just a partial replacement for grid power, solar can be an effective way to reduce energy reliance and avoid the issues that occur during brownouts and blackouts. As the efficiency of solar cells improves, solar power will become the most common way to collect and store energy for home use. When you’re ready to join the free energy revolution, solar will be waiting!