Solar energy is on the up. Technology is advancing further every year, making today’s solar panels more affordable while at the same time more efficient than ever before. Little wonder, then, that the solar energy industry now employs more than a quarter of a million people in the USA, and is growing faster than the overall US economy.
More than a million American homes have embraced the benefits of solar power and retirees are able to make massive savings on their energy bills. Here is why you should join them.
Invest in the future
Fossil fuels will not last forever, and it is up to us to leave the planet in the best possible condition for future generations. Solar energy is completely renewable and non-polluting. As far back as the 1930s, Thomas Edison commented to Henry Ford, “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”
It might have taken longer for us to truly tackle the question of renewable energy than Edison hoped, but there is no doubt that we have finally “got with the program”. Solar industry jobs are increasing 17 times faster than the overall US economy and the latest data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) shows year-on-year growth of around 100% in the solar market.
Save money
Just how much can you save by using solar energy? The exact answer does, of course, vary depending on where you live, as it is determined by the average amount of sunshine you enjoy and the policies in your home state relating to grants, rebates and so on. In general, however, the states that see less sunshine have tended to counter this deficiency by offering better cost incentives, so as a guideline, most people can see significant cost savings of at least $50 and often $100 per month.
Low maintenance
Solar panels require very little in the way of maintenance. Periodic cleaning keeps them at optimum efficiency, but otherwise it is a simple case of having them inspected and, where necessary, routine tasks such as antifreeze replacement every five years.
An investment for future generations
We have already raised the point of creating a better world for your children and grandchildren to inherit, but investing in solar provides a great inheritance in more financially pragmatic ways too. The truth is that if your home is fitted with solar panels, it has lower costs, and that makes it more valuable, particularly for those of us who are leisure freaks!
Research by Berkeley National Laboratory for the US Department of Energy concluded solar panels increased the value of a home by an average of $17,000, proving that solar is a sound investment for future generations in more ways than one.
Resources:
Uncommon Friends: Life with Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Alexis Carrel, and Charles Lindbergh by James Newton
Article on https://understandsolar.com ‘How Much Do Solar Panels Save Me Over Time’
Article Contribution from freelance writer Jackie Edwards.
Now working as a full-time freelance writer, Jackie Edwards is also a busy mum of two small children. In any free time she has (which isn’t much) she likes to volunteer and do charity work and take the family greyhound Bertie for long walks.