Four Unique Solar Energy Facts

Solar energy is an ever-evolving industry, with changes and advances happening every single day. Maybe you know the basics about solar energy but don’t know the more unique facts. Maybe you’re brand new to the idea and want to get a little more information. Or maybe you’re an expert but with how constantly the industry changes, you’re not totally caught up on all the new information yet. Whatever the case, here are some recent facts about solar energy to keep you constantly updated and in-the-know on all things solar.

Solar Power Prices are Constantly Changing - In the Right Direction

Since just 2008, the price of photovoltaic solar panel cells has dropped by 80%! With solar panels becoming more and more common and the technology to make them improving every day, it looks like these prices will continue to be on a steady decline. As more and more people invest in solar energy, the market will need to remain competitive, and prices will also steadily decline from that as the manufacturers of the panels will need to make sure people choose them over other companies.

Solar Energy is “Free” Energy

Because solar energy is simply energy harnessed from the sun’s light, it is technically “free energy.” It doesn’t drain any of the earth’s resources, nor does it technically require any money to generate and use. There are only two things that cost money. One is being part of a power company and not having enough energy generation. If you’re on solar energy with a power company but don’t have enough panels or strong enough panels to generate the amount of energy you need to power your home, you can pay your power company to provide that extra energy. Otherwise, you won’t have any utility bills, it’s totally free, and you can even sell any extra energy you generate. The other expense is the initial installation. This is a hefty chunk of change at once, but as soon as it’s installed, you’re ready to start generating your own energy.

Burlington, Vermont was the First US City to Run on 100% Renewable Energy

Setting the stage for what could be a bright future, Burlington, Vermont achieved what many believed to be impossible. It became the first city in the United States to run completely on renewable energy. It started in the 1980s when they replaced their coal-burning plant with a biomass plant. The biomass plant, which still runs today, is powered by scrap wood. This eventually evolved into the city being powered by biomass, wind, solar, hydro, and even landfill gas. Sometimes there isn’t quite enough power, so they do end up buying traditional power, but then they produce extra green energy and sell it to outweigh the effects. And even with all that green energy, costs haven’t gone up for the citizens of the city.

Solar Power Pays For Itself

The return-on-investment of solar energy means it can completely pay for itself in as little as six years. After that, you’ll actually see gains financially. Though it costs quite a bit to install initially, the lack of having to pay a utility company is huge. And even if you don’t produce enough energy, meaning you still will pay a power bill, it will be a significantly lower amount than what you currently pay for power.

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