As with any recent innovation, adopting an alternative energy resource will cause friction initially. That said, setting aside the learning curves and the capital needed to get a system installed, solar power makes a good choice.
For conservation and investment, especially in sunny states, going green is the way to go. For instance, going solar in Arizona, as covered by Energy Report, is known to be worth the switch.
Why Make the Switch to Solar
Is making the switch going to be worth it for you? Below, we are going to share the different reasons why we believe it is.
1. It helps in habitat and fossil fuels reservation.
Alternative energy sources have been around for quite some time. However, awareness about the depreciation of the Earth’s resources has only been more apparent in recent decades. This has led nations to consider alternative, cleaner sources of energy.
As stated and agreed upon by reputable organizations worldwide, climate change is a global threat that needs to be met with swift and adequate solutions, like solar power. Moreover, solar energy avoids wasting fossil fuels.
In using solar energy, there is no need to have unwanted, harmful byproducts of burning fossil fuels used to produce electricity. In addition, fossil fuels are already difficult to find, extract, and transport. Its excavation alone already causes erosion. In contrast, energy from the sun is free and infinite.
2. It gives a good Return on Investment (ROI).
Going solar helps users save money by opting for cleaner, renewable energy sources. One example is a wind farm just outside Greensburg, Kansas. Producing more energy than it needs enables the farm owner to sell the excess energy back to the local power grid. Doing the same is possible with solar energy as well.
Aside from that, installing a solar panel system for any property adds to its real estate value. Moreover, depending on the location (such as in the United States), people who sell excess energy back to the grid are given incentives.
Adding the profit from these incentives and the total dollars saved from reducing traditional electric consumption means a great return on anyone’s investment. It’s estimated that the average household with a system installed saves enough annually to cover half of the total cost of the solar system, making it worth it financially.
Finally, the direct costs of using traditional energy are not always bad. Using a solar power system will eventually lead to more electricity savings to pay back the initial cost until such a time when the solar panels would function without cost anymore.
3. It facilitates community adoption of green energy.
Mass adoption of a new concept beneficial to everyone can only happen when there’s communal understanding. Learning and implementing will help any community steadily switch to sustainable energy as a whole, contributing to saving the environment as well as saving money.
As such, when it comes to solar power use, this process is already being sped up by governments around the world. They do so by setting incentives in place to help mass adoption of green energy. As an example, federal incentives are implemented for solar equipment purchases.
Moreover, the ability to use this energy is possible for practically everyone.While lack of space renders some homes incapable of using solar panels, there are still existing subscriptions to what are known as “community solar gardens.” This way, people in communities can share resources, especially beneficial to those who cannot have solar panels on their own homes.
4. It is an environmentally-friendly choice.
Finally, the use of solar power is environmentally friendly on many fronts. Firstly, it is sustainable because it is widely renewable and abundant. There is no need to compromise what future generations need, even if solar power is being consumed in the present. Secondly, it prevents and does not cause pollution despite minimal emission from the transportation and installation of solar panels.
No Ordinary Hype
As with anything that sounds too good to be true, research is necessary. There is information to learn before going green. However, we hope that given the benefits we listed, the answer is a resounding “Yes” once asked if this energy source is worth it.
In fact, according to current reports, renewable energy generation more than doubled from 2005 due to the harnessing of solar power. What makes it even better is that solar power does not require too much maintenance. Solar panel warranty usually lasts two decades and more, and the panels require very few cleanings annually.
It also has the bonus of not being noisy compared to other equally environment-friendly energy sources, like wind turbines. From here on out, it is hoped that more and more people consider this better and cleaner alternative to power through many years to come.