Jasper7821 is excited.

“Just wanted to post that I finally got my system and can't wait for the benefits of solar. It was installed yesterday and won't go live until next week when the city and electric company do their inspection,” he posted on a message board dedicated to solar power questions. “I have a 6.7kw system (twenty one 320 watt Silfab panels with optimizers,and they originally had a SolarEdge 6.7kw inverter but I paid a little more and got the 7.6 inverter (SE7600H-US) and have it mounted in the garage.”

”There's a many sunny days in Tucson, I'm glad I'm finally going to be able to take advantage of the sun (sic),” he added.

Like Jasper7821, millions of other U.S. homeowners are already enjoying the benefits of solar power: clean, renewable and most importantly, free energy that comes is there every day there's sunshine.

Good for you and the environment, Adam Yereniuk, Director of Operations at Kuby Renewable Energy Ltd. in Canada, says that “Solar power installations will provide many benefits to you. The degree of which depend on your roof area and where you’re located.”

So let’s take a look at some of these benefits

Incentives and tax credits

All homeowners and businesses who install a solar power system receive a 30% investment tax credit from the federal government. Certain states also offer tax credits or exemptions, as well as cash rebates that reduce the initial cost of residential solar panels.

Another benefit of solar panels - that often goes unnoticed - is that many states exempt the cost of solar installation from your property tax assessments. So even when the value of your property has increased by adding a residential solar power system, your property tax will remain the same. That could mean thousands of dollars in property taxes avoided during the lifespan of the domestic solar project.

Net metering

Jasper7821, who lives in Tucson, Arizona, will be able to sell the extra power his system generates and he doesn’t use through net metering, although it will be a lower scale than those who installed systems prior to 2018.

Last September, the Arizona Corporation Commission approved a pressure where new Tucson Electric Power (TEP) solar customers will get lower credits for excess solar-energy production and pay slightly higher monthly meter fees.

The new rate plan does not affect TEP customers who have already installed or applied to interconnect solar systems before the Corporation Commission’s decision.

The ruling sets an initial TEP solar-energy export rate of 9.64 cents per kilowatt hour compared with net metering at a retail rate of 10.8 cents, locked in for each customer for 10 years from the time their systems go online.

Solar panels generate enough energy to power the average North American home. And their maximum output is during the day, when your electricity consumption is often the lowest. The more power you sell to the grid - even if it’s at a lower cost - the more credits you’ll get to offset the energy you buy from the utility at night, when your panels do not produce any.

Some homes achieve net-zero energy balance, meaning their credits cover all the power they get from the utility, so you’ll only be paying for connection fees and maintenance, often 10% of what their utility bill used to be.

Carbon reduction

By installing solar power you no longer rely on carbon intensive means of generating electricity such as with coal or natural gas. There are positive and negative environmental effects of solar power, but the positive greatly outweigh the negative, notes Yereniuk.

According to Earthruns.org, a 5,000-watt solar electric array on a roof that is 80% of an ideal site in terms of output, will generate about 4,800 kWh per year. That solar energy will prevent 5,760 pounds of CO2 (carbon dioxide) pollution from going into the atmosphere, every year.

Aesthetics

“This one is subjective, but I think solar panels increase the aesthetic appeal of the roof - when installed properly. Low profile, all-black panels look far better than standard asphalt roofs but beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” writes Yereniuk.

Improved aesthetics and technological developments have made solar panels less bulky and ugly, giving way to sleek, modern equipment that is both efficient and pleasing to the eye.

Solar panels still fall under two main categories: monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon cell modules. The main difference between the two (in aesthetics terms) is color. Mono are black because the silicon has a higher standard of purity, poly are made in a blue hue because of the imperfections within silicon crystal formation from misalignments while melted silicon is being poured into the mold.

But the frames and other aspects of the panels can change and the models are very diverse, to the point that you’ll find equipment that matches your energy needs and budget, without sacrificing the look of your home.

A home that is now more valuable and appealing to buyers, if you decide to sell. The average system can add thousands to the value of a home because people  are looking to go solar, so when purchasing a home, many see a solar energy system already installed as a huge bonus and are willing to pay more so that they can save more in the future.

Savings

The United States is based on the notion of independence from the rule of kings and crown.

In similar fashion, those who turn to solar power can realize this same benefit. There is something special about knowing that your energy comes directly from a renewable energy source that is beneficial, and not an environmentally harmful energy source.

It is also a decision that will mean savings. Over time, those who install a solar energy system on their home could see savings upwards of $20,000 on their electricity bills due to the simple fact that the energy provided from the sun is free of cost unlike fossil fuels, whose costs continue to rise. And with virtually free electricity, the systems end up paying for themselves in as little as five years.

If you make the switch to solar, you’ll also be enjoying the benefits that come with this sovereignty. And you’ll likely be as excited as Jasper7821.

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