What Energy-Conscious Homeowners Are Asking About Residential Solar Energy
1. Why should anyone consider purchasing a solar energy system?
The primary reasons for purchasing a home solar array are environmental and economic. Many homeowners are interested in cutting greenhouse gas emissions while others want to lower their electric bills. Working through that basic decision is your first step in deciding if home solar energy is right for you.
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of home solar power?
Cited for long-life, silent operation, and low maintenance, roof-mounted solar arrays are an increasingly popular choice for home alternative energy systems. Solar power is, however, subject to interruption and not applicable for all electrical applications. These are factors that need to be weighed before moving forward.
3. What are the different applications of solar thermal and photovoltaic systems?
Although most people commonly think of roof-mounted photovoltaic cells to create electricity from sunlight, there are also highly efficient and affordable options for solar water heating. These systems work for pools and domestic water use and can contribute to substantially lower electrical bills.
4. How do you assess a site for solar energy use?
Site assessment for a home solar array is primarily based on the number of peak sun hours the given location receives annually. Other considerations include the pitch of the roof and its structural suitability to bear the weight of the array. A site assessment is the first practical step toward installing a home solar power system.
5. How much power can a home solar system produce?
The amount of energy a home solar array can produce from available sunlight depends on the geographic location of the site, the time of day and season of the year, the surrounding landscape, and local weather conditions. Homeowners need to understand solar power collection to temper their expectations with realistic facts.
6. What are the costs of a home solar system?
To use average calculations, a home solar array with a capacity of 3.6kW can provide half the power for a typical American home's annual consumption of 10,000 kWh (in optimal sun conditions.) Most homeowners pay $15,000 to $40,000 before rebates and incentives, but prices vary widely due to a number of factors.
7. How does a home solar system connect to the power company?
Residential solar arrays are either grid-tied or off-grid, meaning they either interconnect with the power utility's grid or serve as stand-alone systems. Grid-tied is the most common scenario, allowing power purchased versus power produced to be measured via net metering for billing purposes.
8. What are the maintenance requirements and cost?
Solar panels have no moving parts and require little to no maintenance beyond washing off dirt and grime periodically. Regular inspection of their physical condition and associated wiring is recommended. The greatest potential threat is damage from severe weather events like high winds or hail.
9. What are the purchase options?
Locating a reputable solar installer is not difficult thanks to online resources including the Solar Energy Industries Association website. The truly important thing is that homeowners school themselves to get all the information they need in the critical areas of equipment, policies, payment, scheduling, and paperwork before the job begins.
10. Can I install or build my own solar energy system?
Installing a roof-mounted residential solar array is no more difficult that any other home renovation project. Do-it-yourself homeowners must remember, however, that their work must meet building and wiring codes, pass inspection with the local power company, and comply with any applicable homeowner's association restrictions.
11. Are there any energy tax credits for home solar energy use?
The biggest boon to homeowners who want to install a home solar array is the available 30% federal tax credit on the purchase. There may be additional benefits available from state and power company programs. Collectively, these incentives can reduce purchase price by more than a third.
12. Can a home solar system pay for itself?
As with any investment, a home solar array does offer a "break even" point on the purchase. The length of that period, however, varies widely by the circumstances and location of each installation. It is fair to average, however, and say that most systems will pay for themselves sin 15 to 20 years.
