The sun gives the earth more than twenty times the Energy it needs to run, whilst being a completely renewable source. In other words, it has more than enough energy for us to do everything we need to do – and never runs out!

Grand words maybe, but how can you use the sun’s rays to power your home? This article shines a light on everything you need to know about home Solar panels, and where to find reputable solar companies to help you on your way.

The advantages of solar power for your home

From saving money to helping the environment, utilizing solar power holds numerous advantages for homeowners.

The money saving aspect comes in when you have paid off your solar panels and experience freedom from monthly energy bills – more on that later. 

Solar energy also has some practical advantages. For properties in remote locations, it can provide the perfect solution to being off the main electric grid. With your own electricity-generating system, rural homeowners can become completely independent with their energy production.

What are the downsides?

As a trusted solar panels company will advise, there are a few considerations before going ahead with solar. 

Not least, the start-up investment can be expensive. Irrespective of how many panels your home needs, the cost can run into several thousand dollars. You will see a return on investment in a few years, but nevertheless you will need to find a way to fund the initial equipment purchase. 

The lifespan of most solar panels is around 25 years. Towards the end of their life, the performance of panels starts to depreciate, so you should plan this into your financial models. 

Unsurprisingly, the sun is also a factor in evaluating solar energy. The best solar company near me can configure the system in the best way to maximize sunlight on your panels, but poor weather and cloud can impact the performance of even the best installed systems. You can work around this by installing batteries to capture energy for (literally) a rainy day, but bear in mind this incurs additional costs.

Space is also a factor. Roof space is vital for hosting your panels, whereas you will also need to be able to find space for the other components of the solar energy hardware such as batteries and converters.

What are the solutions?

One solution to the cost of batteries is to utilize the ‘net metering’ system. This means properties that are on the main electricity grid can remain connected. 

With this scheme, at times when your panels generate excess energy, you can opt to feed this back into the grid. In return, you are permitted to draw from it at no extra cost when you need it. 

You can also find some creative ways to take the sting out of the initial equipment purchase. Ask your solar energy partner about localized grants, loans or other financial products designed to incentivize solar installations. You will likely need to put in some of your own cash too, but this can minimize your initial outlay.