Benefits of Solar

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Be in charge of your own energy

Generating some, if not, all of your power from Solar Energy is a brilliant idea.

A Solar installation is rated by the kilowatt – in our example, the system is 6.7kW (24 panels of 280 watts each). But the electricity we buy from our utility is priced in kilowatt-hours (kWh), so we need to calculate how much electricity our 6.7 kW system will generate. Our 6.7 kW system will produce about 9,400 kWh of electricity over the course of a year.

Let’s also assume our electricity costs are $0.11 per kWh for electricity, therefore the 9,400 kWh your solar panels produce is worth a little over $1,000 a year. The investment return of solar energy (current return or yield) is 6.7% ($1,000/$15,000). Also, consider the value of the energy produced by your system will rise over time as electricity rates increase.

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Benefits of Solar

Going Solar in Texas these days is a wise decision. Check out the boxes below to learn why.

Increase YOUR Energy Independence

Whether for a business or a residence, solar can put YOU in control of how much of your own electricity to produce, and lock-in that rate for decades. Depending on some factors, you can even produce all of your energy.

Power that’s Abundant, Clean and Everlasting

While 80% of electricity in Texas is generated by burning fossil fuels, you can Own Your Energy using the free fuel provided by the sun – no emissions, just natural clean energy.

Lower Electric Bills Today

A solar array starts saving you money the moment it’s commissioned, reducing home energy bills and operating expenses for a business.

Protection Against Higher Bills in the Years Ahead

Lower bills today, and protection from higher electricity rates in the future. Perhaps the #1 reason our clients choose solar, eliminate the impact of volatile energy prices to future budgets.

Backup Power in an Outage

Adding a solar charged battery backup to your grid-tied solar system WILL keep the lights on, and other loads identified as critical, during a power outage.

Long-lasting Warranty

Solar modules are built to last, almost every manufacturer backs their product with a 25-year power production warranty.

Increase the Resale Value of your Home

A solar energy system adds to the value of your property – and in Texas the added value is exempt from taxes. Appraisal journals estimate that every dollar of utility bill savings translates to a $10-$20 increase in property value.

Protect the Environment

Obviously the clean, renewable power generated from the sun helps the environment. It displaces energy generated from carbon-emitting sources, uses no water and is produced on site.

Solar Energy Economics

Nearly 260,000 Americans work in solar – more than double the number in 2012 – at more than 9,000 companies in every U.S. state.

Everybody should know by now that solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, though most people don’t have a clue about the photovoltaic (PV) effect… and that’s not really important anyway. All that really matters to most people is that it works, it’s reliable, it’s cost effective and for many, in their own way, they are contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable planet.

Though prices had been decreasing steadily for years, in 2009 solar panel prices really started to drop due to increased manufacturing capacity and a dramatic decrease in the cost of crystalline silicon – the primary bulk material in a solar cell. Since then, solar energy economics and the return on investment (ROI) have increased substantially. Today panel prices comprise roughly 25 – 35% of installation costs, down from roughly 60-70% three years ago – meaning Texas residents and businesses can expect their solar installation to generate power at a cost that competes with even the lower rates we’re experiencing today.

 

One aspect of solar energy economics that doesn’t occur to most folks, is the high level of security and safety of the return. If one measure of security is the guarantee of long-term cash flow – what could be more secure than a return based on the rising of the sun? And while there is no guarantee what your utility will be charging for electricity in 5, 10, 20 and more years from now, it’s going to be higher, meaning the savings from energy supplied by the free fuel from the sun, will be substantially greater.

 

An ‘under-appreciated’ aspect of a solar installation, is the appreciation that occurs to the property due to the decreased operating costs. Recent publications of the Appraisal Journal state that a home’s value can increase by $20,000 for every $1,000 reduction in annual operating costs due to efficiency improvements.