Residential Solar Power Statistically Speaking

Did you know that the average American household uses around 10,000 kWh of electricity per year? This amount would be lessened if people would invest in more energy efficient windows and appliances, and replace their insulation. These cost saving improvements alone would save hundreds of dollars a year. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones is another cost saving opportunity that many people are using (and it is a fairly cheap upgrade now as well). Other cost-saving measures include turning lights off when you leave a room and unplugging items that you’re not using. However, the only way to finally break your ties to the power grid is through residential solar power. The initial not-so-inexpensive costs of having the system installed will pay off once you can power your own house.

What Size Does Your Home Need

There are a variety of residential solar power systems available for use. System capacities range from 1,000 watts to cover 50 square feet, to 25,000 watts, to cover 1600 square feet. A 10,000-watt system will save the average homeowner approximately $50,000 over 25 years while still supplying the 10,000 kWh needed. Because of the different sizes of homes and the amount of power each household uses, homeowners’ savings from using a residential solar power system may vary. Many people choose to supplement rather than replace their reliance on the power grid with residential solar power as solar power systems powerful enough to supply enough electricity for the average home are still a little expensive. For many homeowners, the $75,000 cost associated with the installation of this kind of system is not possible, even for the promised thousands of dollars of savings.

Tax credits and Government incentives are available for those homeowners looking to upgrade their home that can be used to lower the initial set-up fees. For example, if your $75,000 solar power system is eligible for a tax credit of $35,000, that means you will only have to pay $40,000 out of pocket. Tax credits greatly decrease the cost of residential solar power, spurring the market with monetary incentives.

More Solar Energy Advantages:

As our cars make the transition from gasoline engines to electric motors, our power grid will be taxed even further. Switching to residential solar power will ensure that our power grid is available for our grandchildren, decrease our household expenses in a time when costs are going up, and preserve our environment.

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.