Power Your Home with Solar Panels!
Benefits of solar panels for your home:
What's the big deal about solar?
- Good for the environment: The majority of the electricity generated in the United States comes from the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. The burning of fossil fuels is the origin of many environmental problems, most notably air pollution and global warming. In fact, each kilowatt-hour of electricity generated by a power plant in the United States emits 1.3 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere. By investing in solar panels, your consumption of electricity will not have these taxing effects on the environment.
- Good for the economy: Over the past 10 years, the solar industry has created far more jobs for Americans than any other sector of the energy industry. In addition, utilizing an essentially unlimited resource (sunlight) to generate electricity means no unforeseen increases in cost. Eventually, limited amounts of resources like coal and natural gas will become deplete and more difficult to extract. In the case of petroleum, this means more dependence on overseas politics and more fear of price shocks. Even hydropower will become less efficient as climate change makes water sources unpredictable and harder to manage. While these electricity sources can only go up in price, sunlight will always be free!
- Good for public health: The extraction of fossil fuels results in air pollution, acid rain, and water pollution, which are health concerns for everybody. In addition, there are numerous work-related hazards in industries working with conventional energy sources. Black lung disease is still a concern for coal miners and even more dramatic dangers like natural gas leaks, oil spills, and sudden dam breakages are an invariable danger of the industry.
- Good for your wallet: Tired of being taken to the clearers by your utility provider? The price of conventional electricity is the function of many variables and can fluctuate quite wildly. In contrast, solar power is now more affordable than ever with the option of both state and federal subsidies. Considering current rates, an investment in solar panels would take about 10-15 years to pay for itself. If rates spike, however, this time frame could be a lot less. This is especially true if you live in a rural area where the set-up costs for conventional electricity are outlandish.
Cost: High
The average home system cost about $17,916. Although this looks like a lot, much of this can be paid for by local and state incentives. The state's tax credit alone is worth 30% up to $2,000. If that isn't enough, you can take out a loan on the solar panels, the monthly payments of which can sometimes even be below your current electricity bill. You can estimate the cost of your own solar panels on one of the following websites:
Time and effort: Moderate
Although you won't have to install the system yourself, you probably do have to consider this a significant house renovation. This type of project requires a bit of collaboration with your contractor as well as a good amount of research into solar companies and local policies.
How to do it:
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Make sure your house will be able to go solar:
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Many federal and local regulations require that your house receive enough sunlight before dishing out subsidies. Although your photovoltaic provider will be able to check these things with greater accuracy, you can do some basic checking for yourself to get a sense of eligibility.
Do you get enough sun?
- The weather doesn't have to be perfect, since solar panels are durable enough to last through snow and hail, but they do require sun to produce electricity. The weather should therefore be fairly good all year.
Is there any shade blocking the area where you want to put your solar panel?
- If you have the space (open, rural areas), you can set up a system on the ground that is able to track the movement of the sun and maximize the amount of sunlight that hits it. Just make sure that no trees cover that point at any time of the year.
- If you live in urban areas, check the south-facing rooftop (or the north-facing rooftop if you happen to live in the southern hemisphere). Make sure no trees, vents, or other building structures obstruct the sun. There should be around 100-200 square feet of space available on the roof of interest.
- Even partial shading can hurt the efficiency of the system because the system as a whole will only run at the current of the lowest panels, which will be those in the shade.
Can you get the incentives you want?
- Incentives might only cover certain uses. For example, the federal subsidies won't cover solar heating for a pool or hot tub.
- See what subsidies your state offers by clicking here.
- Check your local codes and regulations. Sometimes your building, neighborhood, or even local regulations will prohibit you from going solar.
Building Codes:
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If you think you will exceed your roof load, you may not want to put solar panels on your roof.
- Some jurisdictions require double-wall heat exchangers, which can reduce the efficiency of your solar panels.
- If you decide you want to build your solar panels yourself, make sure you wire everything properly and do not tamper with the potable water supply, since these can be building violations.
Zoning Issues:
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Make sure that the kind of solar panel you want would not be an "unlawful protrusion" on your roof. Check your local laws to see if these would apply.
- If you can't put your solar panels on your roof, but you have a place in your front or back yard, make sure it doesn't sit too closely to the street, sidewalk, or the boundaries of your lot.
Homeowner's Associations
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Certain planned neighborhoods have covenants, conditions, and regulations which prohibit solar panels on the basis of "curb appeal". If you are part of a homeowner's association, find out if these apply.
- If "curb appeal" is a factor in your decision, you may be able to use less obtrusive solar shingles. These are shingles on the roof of your house which have been replaced by solar panels shaped and placed onto your roof as shingles.
2. Decide on what kind of solar you want:
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Three ways to power your house:
Tied to "the grid":
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Most homes are already configured to receive electricity from "the grid", and for them, this is the best option. Solar panels power the home using an inverter until it runs out of energy, at which point the electric plant kicks in to power your home.
- Sometimes electric service providers are willing to buy back excess electricity from you at wholesale prices. If your utility company will do this, your efforts to conserve energy will not only save, but actually earn you money!
With a battery:
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If your electricity provider is unreliable, or if you just can't afford to have power outages, you can be tied to the grid and have a backup battery. This can store solar power in case weather or other problems cause inconveniences.
Off "the grid"
- Some homes just aren't within an economically feasible range for standard electric services. In this case, you might want to use both backup generators and batteries so that you can be sure you have energy even when your solar doesn't have enough sun.
- Types of solar cells: There are many kinds of solar cells to choose from, with varying durability, efficiency, and flexibility.
Standard Cells: These kinds of solar cells are readily found on the market.
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Single crystal silicon solar cells: -These are the most commonly used solar panels made of only one size of crystal. They are also the most costly, but the most efficient. These conventional panels are estimated to last around 50 years.
- Polycrystal line solar cells: In contrast to single crystal silicon, these are made up of crystals of many sizes. These are cheaper than single crystal silicon solar cells, but are also less efficient.
- Thin film technology cells: These are much cheaper (more easily mass produced) and can be extremely flexible, but not as durable nor as efficient as the other types.
Newer Technologies: These kinds of solar cells may be more efficient, but not as readily found on the market. Ask the companies about these if you are interested.
- Multi-junction cells: While the standard cells are single-junction, or one layer, the multi-junction cells contain many layers which can catch the sunlight that the first layers miss. These are significantly more efficient, but will be quite expensive.
- Photolithography: This is a process which can have higher efficiency solar panels that are also of higher quality.
3. Shop around:
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Go local: Local companies have a much better idea of local weather conditions, local government subsidies and are able to find the right kind of panel for your area. In addition, they'll probably know the rules and regulations that govern solar panel installations in your area.
Ask questions: Although certain companies can give you a cheaper price than others, you want to make sure that they are comparable in all aspects.
How much experience do they have?
What certification or training do they have?
What do they know about zoning and electrical requirements in your area?
What do they know about local and national solar incentives?
Can they give you a list of references?
What services are included after installation?
How much does the warranty cover? Who is responsible for the system? (especially if someone goes out of business)
Are they a member of a solar energy association?
What payment options do they offer?
Do their packages include all factors? (grid connection, permits, warranty, taxes, electrical inspection)
Will they get your permit, and does the package include permitting costs?
4. Contact your utility company:
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Determine beforehand whether you need to pay them insurance. Although most homeowner's insurance policies cover solar panel systems, you may need to pay your utility company for insurance. If not, your utility company may ask you what insurance coverage you have. You can call your homeowner's insurance company to determine whether it is covered.
Make sure that your solar panels were not intended for mobile homes; they may actually void your insurance.
- Tell your utility company what kind of electrical system you want to be on.
5. Get a permit:
- This is usually done by the photovoltaic provider. However, if it is not, you should contact your city and county building department, where you will need an electrical permit and/or a building permit.
- If you need help getting a permit, you can do it on your own with the help of state chapters of the Solar Energy Industries Association.
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