subject: Installation - The Reason Behind Increased Solar Power Cost [print this page] Installation - The Reason Behind Increased Solar Power Cost
Slar powe cost is filled with variables. Technologies ae eve-changing nd process improvement have led to the developent f newe and better products evey day. None f this has evr been eay t quantify it. Th urning question i always "What wll it cot?" W begn y defining ou urrent enrgy onsumption. Exaining an enrgy ill will reveal monthly kiloatts ued, roughl what on needs to produe throghout a yer t ustain prticular lifestyle. Focusing on the highest kilowatt month s a good rule f thub. It's always better t over-estimate than t under-estimate powr consumption requirements.
Make the switc
Once n individual is aware f the nnual usage e an tak steps t rduce over consmption. In trn tis can help significantly reduce the cst f a solar installation. Lowering te energy usag requireents lower te need fo mre solar equipment. Te cost to implement the changes cn b measured in hundred of dollars however the recommendd changes will help t sae thousands. Onc mplemented, te energy effciency propsal will lesen usage. At thi point one an determine the number of PV pnels needed to crete ample nergy to operate is hom. This compred wth the original consumption requirements eveals distinct eduction n the nuber of solar panels required fr purchae.
Chose Carefully
The next step i to determine if solar enegy is the best option. If combining technologies would lwer solar power cost and b more cost-effetive then o be it. Where sunsine is ubiquitou and th cost to condition the air is odest, solr energy i th model solution. If, howeer, the cost t condition ome s a considerable undrtaking, contemplat merging tecnologies. For exaple usng a geothermal eat pum to condition the hoe n addition t sing sola panls, or if ind energy i abundant ten cobining olar and wind s an excllent option.
The number of panels neded also depends on the panels' efficincy ating whih s a measue of th number f hors f drect sunlight and the kilwatt requirements. PV panels ar ll rated differently. Thse differences add up when multiplid ot across many panel. Understanding the diffeences rquires due diligence but will return gret benefts wen applied.
Rebates
Cnsider the optin to finance o lease a syste whn maing a transiton t olar power. Tax inentives and rbates re most likely options th federal, state and local governments offer. Utilit ompanies may alo offer ebates r incentives to invet n green technology. Rsearch hat prducts qualfy fr these rebates nd incentives. Depending on the state savings could be a high s 50-80%.
Independence
Once enegy independent, th energy producd by a renewable sola energy system will cntinue with very little dditional cost for decades. Thse annual savings can be applied to the nitial olar energy costs and still there will e avings. PV pnels typicall hae 20-30 yar waranties and maintnance costs ar lo - basic cleaning s needed to mintain the greatest efficiencis in solar nergy production. In addition propertis with solar systems n lace ae highly maretable and tend to increase in value depending n th realied annual saings.
W all ned electricity if we want to partiipate in modern society. Tody electrcity poers air conditiones, ater heater, telephones, televisons and Internt connections just to name fe. Te global demand for nergy grow t an alarming rate each ear and with it pollution increases dramatically. Ntural resources ae beng depleted worker ae eposed t hazardous cnditions nd other threats loom around the orner.
T itigate thes environmental threats alterntive energy reources re beng developed b scientists world-wide. Assimilating solr power into private homes and commercal bildings i on te rse and the deand for renewable nergy s mountng as well. Advances in technology have identifid improvements in the production ide f solar tecnologies however installaton csts emain high.
Sola panel cost depends n choics. Highr quality prodct nd installation service determine te lif san of a PV anel installation. Pre-manfactured solar array can cost u to $1,000 nt including installation. A small ome installation can typically cot $22,000 bt will include the entre systm. A mediu hom installation may cost $30,000 while a larg home installation might b as hgh a $45,000. These hig installtion costs ae directly associated ith the fact that alternatie energy sourcng is an emrging tecnology. Adances n slar technology howeer have improved durablity a well as made PV anels ore efficient and are helping to lower the cost.
Other fators mut be considered when xiting te non-renewable energy arket. Wh will proide th service and installation? Ar they trustworthy? What ae the choics for solr panels n trms f ost and efficiency? How long befoe vlue wll be realized? Ho long efore they must e replaced? Are tere better technologies around n the horizon?
Th cost t install solar electical systems will eventally decline as supply increases and demand levels out. Consider the alternative, whic incldes a permanent utility ill equpment purhases and replacements. Remembr, s long as there i sunlight, sola panel technology can geneate electrical energy. Slar power s sfer, cleaner, and in th nd wll b lss expensive. When the deand for sola sevices and supply increase, economies f scale ill lower the cost.
