Most homeowners who are considering installing a solar power system are going to want to know the pros and cons that come with it. When researching solar panel installations, homeowners are going to come across a lot of information, some helpful, other information may seem pretty useless.

Below we are listing some of the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy that most homeowners find helpful.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Energy

Solar power is a new and refreshing twist to how we are getting our energy. But like with most energy sources there’s going to be advantages and disadvantages.

The Advantages of Solar Energy

There’s a lot of advantages of solar energy, here are the ones that most homeowners find to be the most enticing.

Solar Panels Can Lower Your Electricity Bill

Everyone loves saving a little money, which is one of the reasons that most people find this to be one of the best advantages of solar energy. When you get a solar panel installation, you are going to generate the electricity that your home uses through your solar panels. Therefore you become less reliant on your electric utility and your monthly electric bill will significantly reduce. A solar power system is going to have a typical lifespan of 25-35 years, meaning that you can cut your electricity costs in half for years to come when you get a solar panel installation.

Solar Power is a Source of Renewable Energy

The two main reasons that most homeowners make the shift to solar power, are to save money and to help save the environment. Solar energy can be harnessed in every area and is available to homeowners daily. Unlike other energy sources, we cannot run out of solar power. Solar energy is going to be available as long as we have the sun, and it’s estimated that the sun is going to be around for the foreseeable future. Thus, we are going to be able to get solar energy for many years to come.

Solar Power Reduces Your Carbon Footprint

Solar is a clean source of renewable energy that helps homeowners reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and lower their impact on the environment. Unlike traditional fossil fuels, solar energy isn’t going to directly lead to pollutants being released into the atmosphere and water supply. Even when compared to nuclear energy, solar energy is still going to come out on top in terms of being environmentally friendly.

One of the best advantages of solar energy is the fact that it benefits our environment while helping us make the transition away from fossil fuels. When looking for different ways to help the United States to significantly lower the overall emissions, solar energy has become one of the best solutions.

The Disadvantages of Solar Energy

While there are a ton of advantages of solar energy, there are some disadvantages of solar energy that all homeowners should know about.

The Cost of Solar

The initial cost of solar power systems is going to be on the higher sides. This is going to include buying the solar panels, the solar inverter, the solar battery, and the solar panel installation. Certain solar incentives are going to help you lower the overall cost of solar power systems.

Solar Panels Aren’t Ideal For Every Type of Rooftop

Solar panel installation will be attached to a rooftop through the mounting system. Certain roofing materials are used in older or historical homes like slate or cedar tiles have proved to be difficult for solar installers to work with. A lot of homes and apartments might have additions (like skylights), that make a solar panel installation difficult and expensive. If your rooftop doesn’t qualify for solar panel installation, you are still going to have the option of getting a ground-mount solar power system or you can buy a share in a community solar panel installation can get you around this solar energy disadvantage.

Solar Energy Storage Systems are Expensive

When it comes to solar panel installations, the solar power that your solar panels generate, it has to be used right away or you can store it in large solar batteries. Solar batteries, are mainly used in off-grid solar power systems, can be charged during the day this way you can use solar energy at night. Solar batteries are a great solution for using solar energy all day long, however, they can be quite expensive. In a lot of cases, it will be smarter for you to use solar energy during the day and then you can pull energy from the grid during the night. If you are lucky your energy demand is typically going to be higher during the day, this way you can meet most of it with solar energy.