Off The Grid — 8 Serious Advantages To Solar Power
Many people dream of one day moving to a small house in the country, where their own water, power, and other needs are taken care of locally. Even those who don’t dream of a little country home can benefit from the advantages of energy independence.
Whether you want to live in a city surrounded by people, in a little cottage in the middle of nowhere, or anywhere in between, here are some serious advantages to solar power.
Save on electricity!
Who doesn’t want to save money? While solar power can have a bit of a high startup cost, depending on your setup, it can definitely save you cash in the long run.
The startup cost is all you pay, there are no monthly fees, ever. A good team of engineers can help you estimate the startup cost, and how long it will take before you’ve paid it off and start rolling in the savings.
Minimize your environmental footprint
We all know about the environmental problems that come with different types of energy. A good set of solar panels certainly doesn’t emit any CO2 or other greenhouse gasses, and won’t contribute to climate change.
24/7 Power
While the sun may go down at night, your power doesn’t need to. With a well-designed battery backup system, you can have energy ready whenever you need it. Even if you’re still connected to the grid, a solar system can save you from the blackouts that still affect your neighbors.
Independence!
Some people just want to feel free! By taking your energy needs off the grid, you can lessen or even eliminate your reliance on foreign oil and fossil fuels. Sometimes nothing is better than a feeling of freedom.
Low Maintenance
Solar panels are one of the lowest maintenance forms of energy. Other than wiping some snow or dirt off the panels occasionally, they can require virtually no maintenance for decades!
Sell excess power!
In some places, you can actually sell your excess power back to the grid. The only thing better than not getting a power bill is sending a bill to the power company! For once you can look forward to seeing an envelope in your mailbox from an energy company!
Grants, tax incentives, and rebates
Depending on where you’re located, there are a number of programs in place to incentivize buying solar power. Your solar energy designers can help you figure out which rebates or other incentives you qualify for.
More than just electricity
Solar is good for more than just making electricity, it can also be used directly for heat. You can use it to warm your home or garage, or even as a hot water heater.
If you’re wanting to get off the grid, help the environment, or just save some money, you can’t go wrong with solar power. It’s available anywhere there’s sunshine, and guaranteed to never charge you extra based on demand!
Contact an experienced solar designer today to find out what kind of system is best for your needs.
In an ever-changing world, it can be hard to know what we can count on. One thing I know for sure is the sun will come up tomorrow, and that’s something I can let my energy needs depend on.
