Is Solar Powered Energy Worthwhile?
The uptake of photo voltaic energy has not been greater than in recent times compared to any other period in history. Manufacturers are throwing money into solar. The price of solar panels has dropped by about 70 percent in the past few years. Governments have laws and regulations which supplement the revenue of Photo voltaic through tariffs. Local councils are incorporating alternative energy into their construction codes. Banking institutions are providing 'green' mortgages particularly concentrating on the investment of eco friendly hot water systems, solar panel products, water tanks and so on. Suburban households and business owners are investing in small scale pv systems on their roofs. It appears everyone is getting on the solar train. However could there really be any advantage in solar power for the average Joe Bloe? Is solar power worth it?
The answer to this question can be addressed in a variety of ways - many different ways in fact. This article is going to seek to provide the answers for individuals who are enquiring from an economic, environmental as well as a practical viewpoint.
Most people will be thinking about the benefit of solar energy from a monetary perspective. What is the return on my investment (ROI)? The answer to this question largely depends on a variety of aspects. The greatest factor influencing this answer is where you live in the world. Where you live affects the amount of sunshine hours that your potential solar panel system will be exposed to. The nearer you live in the direction of the poles, the less the amount of sunlight hours you are exposed to when compared to your counterparts near the equator. This equates to less electric power generation than your counterparts. Which country you reside in, also decides whether you can obtain federal government financial incentives to install a photovoltaic system. Take a look at what your numerous levels of government are offering. Also, do your homework and find what the cost is to set up a system. When determining the time it takes to pay off the initial cost of the install, consider your electrical power usage, and the forecasted increasing cost of electricity into the future. On the basis of these factors, you will definitely get more of an idea if solar power can pay itself off in the short term, in the long run, or if perhaps even at all.
You may well be asking this question regarding the benefits of solar from an environmentally friendly perspective. Is the quantity of embodied energy of solar technology less than or greater than the embodied energy of other types of power generation? My research into that question found that the energy payback for solar technology has reduced from the estimation of twenty years back in 1975, to currently a time period of less than 3 years. In recent times, there has been a rapid technological improvement in the manufacturing of Photovoltaic cells and solar panels, such that the ecological advantages of installing solar power are becoming a lot more apparent.
Thirdly, consumers are wondering about the effect that solar will have on them from a practical point of view. For example, you might have a requirement to get electricity to an isolated region. The substantial reduction of cost to install solar power has now made it a real, practical alternative when compared to other alternatives. Evidently in Australia, people are installing stand-alone systems since the price to set up electricity infrastructure such as power poles and a transformer is significant. You might be asking yourself what the routine maintenance expense is once you own a system. The majority of PV systems are power grid connected. These types of systems need little if any routine maintenance. When ever the sun is shining and the Photovoltaic system is producing sufficient electricity, excess electricity is fed back to the power grid. At times whenever the household requires more electrical energy than the system can output, the energy grid provides what is required. The inverter and meter manage it all. Absolutely no interaction by the owner is needed. However, remote stand-alone systems require a little more attention. This can include the intermittent operation of a diesel generator when ever the batteries of a standalone system have been depleted due to an extended period of cloud cover.
When contemplating the over-all important things about solar, many points must be considered. This short article has only started to skim the surface, looking at three wide-ranging elements.
The answer to this question can be addressed in a variety of ways - many different ways in fact. This article is going to seek to provide the answers for individuals who are enquiring from an economic, environmental as well as a practical viewpoint.
Most people will be thinking about the benefit of solar energy from a monetary perspective. What is the return on my investment (ROI)? The answer to this question largely depends on a variety of aspects. The greatest factor influencing this answer is where you live in the world. Where you live affects the amount of sunshine hours that your potential solar panel system will be exposed to. The nearer you live in the direction of the poles, the less the amount of sunlight hours you are exposed to when compared to your counterparts near the equator. This equates to less electric power generation than your counterparts. Which country you reside in, also decides whether you can obtain federal government financial incentives to install a photovoltaic system. Take a look at what your numerous levels of government are offering. Also, do your homework and find what the cost is to set up a system. When determining the time it takes to pay off the initial cost of the install, consider your electrical power usage, and the forecasted increasing cost of electricity into the future. On the basis of these factors, you will definitely get more of an idea if solar power can pay itself off in the short term, in the long run, or if perhaps even at all.
You may well be asking this question regarding the benefits of solar from an environmentally friendly perspective. Is the quantity of embodied energy of solar technology less than or greater than the embodied energy of other types of power generation? My research into that question found that the energy payback for solar technology has reduced from the estimation of twenty years back in 1975, to currently a time period of less than 3 years. In recent times, there has been a rapid technological improvement in the manufacturing of Photovoltaic cells and solar panels, such that the ecological advantages of installing solar power are becoming a lot more apparent.
Thirdly, consumers are wondering about the effect that solar will have on them from a practical point of view. For example, you might have a requirement to get electricity to an isolated region. The substantial reduction of cost to install solar power has now made it a real, practical alternative when compared to other alternatives. Evidently in Australia, people are installing stand-alone systems since the price to set up electricity infrastructure such as power poles and a transformer is significant. You might be asking yourself what the routine maintenance expense is once you own a system. The majority of PV systems are power grid connected. These types of systems need little if any routine maintenance. When ever the sun is shining and the Photovoltaic system is producing sufficient electricity, excess electricity is fed back to the power grid. At times whenever the household requires more electrical energy than the system can output, the energy grid provides what is required. The inverter and meter manage it all. Absolutely no interaction by the owner is needed. However, remote stand-alone systems require a little more attention. This can include the intermittent operation of a diesel generator when ever the batteries of a standalone system have been depleted due to an extended period of cloud cover.
When contemplating the over-all important things about solar, many points must be considered. This short article has only started to skim the surface, looking at three wide-ranging elements.
About the Author:
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