Few regions in the U.S. can take advantage of solar power like Southern California can. California’s southern counties receive well above the national average of sunny days per year, for one. And no other state installs more solar panels or has more solar companies than California, which means the state’s solar infrastructure and available expertise is second to none.
All of the excitement around solar power may have gotten you thinking about installing panels in your home as well. After all, the benefits of solar power are becoming more evident every year. Some of the most prominent benefits of using solar panels include:
- Environmental preservation and carbon reduction
- Higher home values
- Lower energy bills
- Faster returns on your investment
In this article, we’ll take a look at each of these benefits in more detail.
If you want to learn more about solar energy right away, feel free to give the experts at Burgeson’s a call! Our experienced solar advisor can help you slash your energy bills and live the dream of going green.
Benefit #1: Environmental preservation and carbon reduction
Solar panels work by harvesting the energy of the sun during the day and storing it in specialized battery cells for later use. Solar presents a number of benefits to the environment that few other energy sources can match.
- Solar is 100% renewable: Unlike finite sources of energy like oil and natural gas, solar is 100% renewable.
- Solar produces no carbon emissions: Oil and natural gas produce carbon emissions when they’re converted into fuel. Solar is a zero-carbon-emitting, clean fuel source. As more and more homes in California become solar powered, the state’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2042 becomes more of a reality.
- Solar power doesn’t need to be transported: Solar power is harvested wherever solar panels exist. It doesn’t need to be physically transported and hauled long distances like oil and natural gas does. This also reduces emissions and makes for a highly efficient fuel source.
- It requires 20x less water than nuclear energy: Water is one of our most precious finite resources. By moving away from nuclear energy (which is used to produce electricity) and toward solar power, we can preserve more water for future generations.
Benefit #2: Higher home values
According to the online real estate database Zillow, solar panels were found to increase a home’s research value by as much as 4.1 percent. In other words, a $400,000 home could have its value raised by as much as $16,400 when it comes time to sell.
And that’s not the only way that solar can impact a home’s value. Solar panels extend the lifespan of a home’s roofing because the shingles are covered by the panels themselves. Not having to worry about making repairs to the roof at the request of a buyer is a major benefit of going solar.
Benefit #3: Lower energy bills
Solar panels gather energy generated from the sun and then power the homes they’re attached to. Apart from the purchase of the solar panels, the actual process of gathering the sun’s energy costs the homeowner nothing. In other words, solar panels provide a free source of energy, which can significantly reduce if not eliminate the need to pay for energy in the future.
Just how much you can save with solar will depend on the number of panels installed, the energy needs of the home, the amount of available sunlight in your county, and other factors. Energy Saving Trust has a solar energy calculator that can help you determine how much you’ll save by installing solar panels in your home.
Another way solar panels can help you save on energy costs is through the use of Renewable Energy Certificates, or RECs. RECs give homeowners the opportunity to sell unused energy generated by their solar panels to local energy companies for use elsewhere on the grid.
Benefit #4: Faster returns on your investment
The cost of installing solar panels is more affordable than ever before. In just the last decade, solar panel installation costs have fallen by nearly 70%. And with the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) homeowners can take 30% off the total cost of their new solar system.
Thankfully, the ITC will be still around through 2032. There’s no better time than right now to receive the most savings possible on your new solar system.
Interested in going solar? Trust Burgeson’s
If you’re considering going solar, give Burgeson’s a call. We’ll stop by your home to share free advice on the latest solar panels, and even provide you a free written estimate for your solar panel installation project.
