Solar panels do not come falling from the sky, no matter how hard they are made to appear. Similarly to other electronics, this also is an energy-efficient and dirty process. It takes a lot of effort in the initial stages, even before you can get your hands on the materials you need. Besides, once you start putting them together, it will still take some time to make sure that you have all the tools and equipment that are required to properly install them.
If your home is currently consuming high quantities of electric, you may find that you are paying much more for electricity than necessary. You are probably aware that most countries are experiencing energy shortages at the moment. This has lead to high retail prices and some people are even losing their jobs, as companies are downsizing and closing down because they are unable to cope with the economic climate.
Installing Solar Panels
The good news is that by installing solar panels on your property, you can save a lot of money on your electricity costs. Even if you can generate enough energy to power your entire household, it will still not cost you much. Therefore, our solar panels worth it? In most cases, yes. However, there are various factors that you need to take into consideration before deciding whether or not solar panels are the right option for you.
One of the first things to consider is the worst-case scenario. Do you think you would be able to handle a major blackout? In the worst-case scenario, your electric company will not be prepared to offer you alternative sources of electricity. This means that you would have to rely on your solar panels. If you are unable to generate the maximum amount of electricity, you could even be left without electricity for days, especially if your solar panels are located in the desert or the worst-case scenario, the coastal areas.
Another thing to consider is power density. If you are trying to generate enough energy to power your entire household, you should realize that it will take a very long time. Solar panels can only deliver a maximum output of power at an annual rate of less than 1% per year. To make up for this power generation gap, you will have to buy back power from your local electric utility. This is referred to as net metering and it can help you pay for the cost of installing and operating solar panels.
Benefits
Now, let’s say that solar panels do reduce your electricity bills, but that you are also attempting to limit your use of fossil fuels. Net metering only helps you if you are using no more electricity than you are consuming. For example, if you are using coal to heat water, then you are consuming a lot more electricity than you are producing. This means that while you are paying the power company for electricity, you are in essence causing more greenhouse gas emissions than you are using. The opposite scenario would be to heat water using solar cells and then to store it in solar cells using a solar tank.
Net metering can give you both of these benefits if you are careful about what your consumption is. If you are trying to save the most money, you should try to consume as little electricity as possible. If you are attempting to reach power independence, then you are going to need to consume a larger portion of your household energy consumption. For this, solar panels are not your best bet.
Hopefully, you now understand why solar panels are not your best bet for reducing your energy bills or even achieving energy independence. They are a great way to cut your costs, but they are not a good way to do it. Rather, you should be trying to increase your energy savings, while reducing your use of fossil fuels. You can accomplish this quite easily by making your appliances run as efficiently as possible. Also, you can take advantage of tax credits and rebates available to you, if you are a United States taxpayer.