10 Reasons To Use Solar Energy At Home
10 Reasons to Use Solar Energy at Home
According to the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global population has no more than 11 years to prevent irreversible damages to our worldwide ecosystem. Allowing global temperature to rise 1.5°C from preindustrial levels can result to severe effects of climate change, endangering millions due to drought, extreme heat, flooding, and poverty.
So the call to reduce our carbon footprint on an individual level is at an all-time high. What can you do to be part of the change? Well, aside from reducing your use of plastic and water, it doesn’t hurt to shift your energy consumption from traditional electricity to solar power.
The Benefits of Solar Energy
Despite being a widely available technology, lots of households still shy away from shifting to solar power. Why? Well, the answer remains unclear, but for the most part, it might be because of a lack of knowledge. What many don’t realize is that solar energy can be significantly advantageous, even on the level of the humble family home.
l Truly renewable energy
Does not require any sort of fuel. Solar energy can be harnessed anywhere at any time of the day.
l Reduced electricity bills
Solar energy can cut your energy expensesby a minimum of $100 USD each month.[1]
l Affordable technology
Contrary to popular belief, solar panels aren’t expensive to have installed. In fact, the technology becomes cheaper with each passing year.
l Low maintenance cost
Solar panels require nothing more than annual cleaning to make sure they’re working in proper order.
Why You Should Go Solar
Still not sold on solar? Here are the top 10 reasons why you should be going solar as soon as possible.
1. Increased Property Value
More than 50% of homebuyers are interested in homes that are equipped with solar power technology. Installing solar panels in your home could drastically increase its price tag, letting you get more profit off of your sale.
2. Protect the Environment
A household solar energy systemcan decrease your annual carbon emissions by three to four tons each year, making it a sound solution against global warming.[2]
3. Save Against Increasing Energy Costs
The price of using solar energy will remain free for the foreseeable future because the system takes power from the sun - the ultimate source that no one can put a price on. This is opposed to electricity costs, which tend to fluctuate and are anticipated to increase with the rise in oil prices.
4. Create New Jobs
In 2015, the solar industry increased job availability nearly 12 times faster than the U.S. Economy itself. Supporting solar means giving work opportunities to those who need it.
5. Stay Ahead of the Trend
It’s anticipated that solar energy will be the trend for most households in the future. Adapting the technology now means you can stay ahead of the curb.
6. Enjoy Tax Incentives
The U.S. government encourages its citizens to adapt solar energy by giving a 30% tax cut to individuals who install a solar energy system in their homes or businesses.
7. Lengthen the Lifespan of Your Roof
Solar panels can actually help reinforce your roofing, extending its lifespan, and limiting the need for recurring repairs and replacements.
8. No More Power Outages
Solar panels let you harness energy from direct or indirect sunlight, and although they might not be able to gather power at night, they do let you store energy which means you can use stored power gathered in the morning to light up your home in the evening.
9. Be a Part of the Change
By adapting solar energy, you become a part of the movement to make non-renewable energyuse obsolete. If enough people adapt solar, these businesses will soon die out and thus support the movement towards saving the environment.[3]
10. Free Energy
If you live in a small home, then you might just be able to generate all the power you need with your solar panels, eliminating the need to pay energy bills all together.
Final Thoughts
The world needs us - are you going to answer the call to save the environment? While it might seem like a drastic change, adapting solar can actually be an intuitive, practical, and simple solution against climate change. So take the leap and go solar to save your money, and the planet.
References
- ↑ Steve Sorrell, Reducing energy demand: A review of issues, challenges and approaches, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 47, 2015, Pages 74-82, ISSN 1364-0321, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.03.002. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032115001471) Abstract: Most commentators expect improved energy efficiency and reduced energy demand to provide the dominant contribution to tackling global climate change. But at the global level, the correlation between increased wealth and increased energy consumption is very strong and the impact of policies to reduce energy demand is both limited and contested. Different academic disciplines approach energy demand reduction in different ways: emphasising some mechanisms and neglecting others, being more or less optimistic about the potential for reducing energy demand and providing insights that are more or less useful for policymakers. This article provides an overview of the main issues and challenges associated with energy demand reduction, summarises how this challenge is ‘framed’ by key academic disciplines, indicates how these can provide complementary insights for policymakers and argues that a ‘sociotechnical’ perspective can provide a deeper understanding of the nature of this challenge and the processes through which it can be achieved. The article integrates ideas from the natural sciences, economics, psychology, innovation studies and sociology but does not give equal weight to each. It argues that reducing energy demand will prove more difficult than is commonly assumed and current approaches will be insufficient to deliver the transformation required. Keywords: Energy efficiency; Energy demand; Barriers; Socio-technical transitions
- ↑ https://www.letsgosolarlasvegas.com/
- ↑ https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/non-renewable-energy/
