Home Solar Systems can get you Off the Grid

Many homeowners are investigating solar power as an option to electricity. As energy cost caps expire or are removed, those energy costs rise even further. One effective way to get “off the grid” is to switch to a solar power system. Each homeowner’s situation and energy consumption varies and will determine the capacity your residential solar power system will need, but switching could save you thousands of dollars in the ensuing decades.

The Savings are in the Numbers

The savings are undeniable. The only cost to a residential solar power system is the upfront installation costs. The $20,000 for installation may seem like a lot of money and quite a bit more than you would spend on energy for several years. With energy costs on the rise, you could see savings sooner than you think. Your government may offer an environmental tax credit, saving you even more money. These tax credits could decrease your upfront installation fees of your home solar power system saving you even more money. With tax incentives, your solar power system could start paying you in about a decade.

Another interesting thing to note is that if you end up producing more electricity than you use, the energy company will buy it back from you. For the average household, most home solar power systems won’t produce quite enough electricity to make this feasible, especially in the winter months when there is less sunlight (and less electricity is produced as a result). With a few more environmentally friendly changes, homeowners can add to their savings. Upgrading your insulation, windows and other items could amount to savings of thousands of dollars in home energy costs. If you switch from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent you could save hundreds more dollars in energy consumption costs.

”Getting off the grid” is often not cheap, and requires diligent changes in your life style, that will pay off in the long-run. As green energy options become more inexpensive, they will make it easier for homeowners to live green. New methods not only mean that homes will consume less energy, but also that they may be able to provide their own energy. Adding a residential solar power system to your home or business is one way to get on board with America’s drive to become less dependent on man-made sources of energy.