Climate change is an issue that’s at the forefront of the minds of many people, and understandably so.
Many of us are wondering what we can do as individuals to help reduce our carbon footprint, and installing solar panels is one of the most popular options—for those of us who own our homes, at least. They are being touted as a great way not only to save the planet but to save money, too.
However, some are not convinced. They do come with an installation cost and some people are critical of PV panels, saying that they aren’t actually sustainable because of the way they are made.
So, what’s the truth. Are solar panels actually worth the investment?
How sustainable is solar power?
The main criticism of solar power is that PV panels are manufactured using minerals such as copper, nickel, and cadmium. People have raised concerns because mining these minerals can cause pollution.
However, the amount of pollution and greenhouse gasses emitted by other methods of energy production far outstrip the problems with pollution that are caused by mining the materials for solar panels.
Solar is one of the cheapest and most accessible ways to generate sustainable energy, which means that it has a realistic chance of widespread adoption. This means that although it isn’t completely perfect (because nothing is!) it’s still by far the most sustainable method of energy production that is available at residential level.
What’s the cost of installation?
The cost of your solar installation will vary depending on your property, and how much energy you need to produce. Larger properties with more people using more energy may need a larger solar panel system to generate enough power to meet the demand.
There is no set cost for solar installation. The easiest way to find out how much it would cost for you is to contact SunPower Solar Systems for a quote.
They will carry out an inspection of your property and look at your energy usage to help you to decide which solar solution is the best for you.
Your solar panel installer will also be able to give you some idea of how much energy you are likely to generate, which will help you to decide whether it’s cost-effective for you.
Government incentive
There is a federal tax incentive available for the installation of solar panels, which may help to reduce the cost.
The tax incentive will cover 26% of the cost of installation, provided that you don’t earn less than that amount. The tax incentive is currently only available until 2024, so it’s worth bearing this in mind.
Technology keeps improving
Solar technology is improving all of the time. Solar panels are becoming more efficient, meaning that more energy can be generated in a shorter amount of time.
Another great advancement in the field is battery technology. Companies such as Tesla have designed home battery storage for use with solar panels, meaning that you can store energy that you generate and don’t use. Having battery storage means that you could potentially be completely self-sufficient, because you could use the energy you generated during the day, at night, without having to take any energy from the grid.
