Do you know what your last electric bill was? The average energy expenditure per person was $3,052! And how many people live in your house again? The good news is that solar panels can greatly reduce energy costs and can help you and our world in a lot of other ways too. This article will highlight the 8 benefits of solar equipment installation for you as an individual, your community, and your country.

1. Savings

Now that we've established that we're all paying a lot for energy, what can we do about it? The answer is to use renewable energies. While solar panel equipment installation can be expensive up front, you're going to be saving big in the long term. The cost of solar panel installation is paid for in about 10 years of use. Everything after that is energy savings! Solar panels have a typical warranty of ten years, but usually last for about 25, which means, you will have 15 years of almost free energy! Even better, as more and more companies join the solar energy industry and with recent advances in the technology, the price of solar equipment keeps coming down.

2. Tax Credits

While tax credits for solar energy were largely up in the air with the new tax legislation of 2017, the incentives for solar equipment installation are still there and a great resource for first-time purchasers. When you initially install your solar equipment, you will get 26% back come tax time. This means for a $25,000 system, you will receive $7,500. Pretty sweet, right? Each state has their own tax incentives for solar panel installation too, so make sure to look into what's available in your area. You can also receive money by selling your Solar Renewable Energy Credits to the local power plant when you have extra energy (we'll talk more about this in a little bit.) This can be another great way to subsidize the initial cost of the solar equipment.

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3. Helping the Environment

Typical fossil fuels like gas and coal, put greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, which is damaging the earth's protection from the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is causing smog, medical issues (asthma, skin cancer, etc.), and climate change to mention a few of our many problems from pollution. Getting your energy from solar panels cuts your home's emission of greenhouse gases by 80%, so by using solar energy instead of gas or coal, you are slowing down the trend of global warming and preserving our world for future generations. A lesser-known fact is that the use of fossil fuels also pollutes the water table through waste and runoff. Solar panels use almost no water, so not only are you keeping the air clean but our water as well.

4. Energy Security

We typically don't think about how important our energy provider is until the power suddenly goes out! With solar power, you don't have to worry when the transformer gets struck by lightning. If the sun is still shining, you've got plenty of energy. If it's stormy weather, you have saved enough energy with your batteries to make it until the sun reappears or you've been selling energy back to the grid and can now borrow some back. No more standing in line for gasoline for the generator! During extreme heat, people are often asked to turn off their air conditioning units by the power company or city because AC consumes more electricity than almost anything else in the home. If everyone has their air conditioning blasting at the same time, the power plant can't keep up. This can also lead to city-wide blackouts. If you're using solar panels, however, this won't apply to you. They'll keep creating energy, which means, you'll be able to keep your AC going no matter how much energy the city around you is consuming. Don't forget too, that as energy companies raise their rates, your energy bills will stay constant. You're only paying off the cost of your panels, and again, usually after the first ten years, you're getting your electricity for free!

5. Property Value

Just think of trying to find a new home that already has solar panels installed. There aren't too many, right? This means that if you convert to solar power, you're actually increasing your property value. Studies suggest that your property value goes up $5,911 for each kilowatt of solar power you have installed. Let's do a little math. The average home (2,000 square feet) needs between 12-18 solar panels to be fully powered. Each individual panel produces between 250-320 watts. Let's say you install 15 panels that each produce around 250 watts. Your total kilowatts would then be 3.75, meaning your home's value would increase around $22,000!Let's not forget too that solar panels extend the life of your roof. You're less likely to experience weather damage with all those panels guarding your shingles.

6. Supporting Your Community

Little known fact: solar panels often actually feed into the public's electric grid. This means that when you have extra energy on bright, sunny days, it goes to the local power plant. On overcast days or days where you need a little extra power, you draw electricity from the grid.(This is called Solar Renewable Energy Credits which we mentioned earlier as a way to get paid for your solar equipment.)This may seem insignificant, but every little bit of solar energy is helping your community to emit less toxic gases and make cheaper energy for everyone!

7. Jobs

Obviously, solar energy is a growing industry and every growing industry needs employees! While coal mining has largely been laying off workers for the past few decades and oil production is mainly overseas, solar panel production is now hiring new employees here in America. Not only is solar power helping you as an individual save money, it is also supporting our country's economic growth.

8. Affordable Solar Equipment Installation

Seem to good to be true? People are often afraid of solar panel installation because of the upfront cost of installation. Many solar panel companies now offer affordable payment plans. This is similar to just paying your monthly energy bill! Think of this like a rent-to-own house. You're slowly paying for a product you will eventually own over time, rather than throwing your money away to the energy company every month. Who wouldn't want a deal like that? Interested in how much solar panel installation would cost you? Get a free Solar Analysis!