subject: Solar Panels Why Bother [print this page] Cheap Solar Panels Are A Great Way To Save Money!
The second largest blackout in history, the northeast blackout, hit New York in 2003 and impacted 45M people in 8 states. For those utilizing alternative sources of energy, modern home conveniences continued unhindered. No food going bad in refrigerators, no sitting in darkness for them. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, electricity production and utilization have expanded, placing a greater burden on a system that was not designed to carry such a huge load, and giving consumers another good reason to choose cheap solar panels as an alternative.
One of the main reasons for using solar energy is that it results in reduced electricity bills. Even though installation costs for regular solar power systems can be high, government incentives are available on both a federal and state level. The 2005 Energy Policy Act provides two ways to be given a solar power tax credit from the federal government.State government allows for even more incentives with over 50 percent of the states offering rebates for solar power.
Federal law allows for individual energy producers to link up to the utility grid and for utilities to acquire surplus electricity. Net metering (which is allowed in 30 states) tracks a solar energy system's electricity production and allows producers to be paid for their excess electricity by the utilities. A single, reversible meter is the one most often used. As a solar power system produces electricity the energy is used to supply the site first. Then, instead of feeding into a battery storage system, the extra electricity is sent back into the grid, and turns the electric meter backwards. The homeowner is credited for the extra kilowatts at the end of each metering period, with payment usually being made once a month or each year.
Excess electricity may be stored and used on days without sun. The ability to store electricity in batteries ensures that if your home isn't attached to the grid, you can still have access to power when you need it. These batteries also provide the energy for night-time use. The number of times a battery can be discharged and recharged (its "life cycle") is what determines its suitability for solar cells. The amount of energy needed and the size of the battery will determine how long reserve electricity will last.
cheap solar panels do not need direct sunlight to produce energy and will in fact even be effective on overcast days. There are two ways to set up back-up power supply for night-time use. You can attach to the local utility grid so that when you are not getting electricity from your cheap solar panels (overnight for instance) you can draw what you need from the grid via your chosen supplier. Your second option is to use batteries to store any additional electricity produced during the day; you can then use these after dark to run your lighting and other electric goods.
Whichever way you look at it, cheap solar panels will help the enviroment and put cash in your pocket. Discover more at www.bestcheapsolarpanels.org!
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