Cheap Solar Panels

It seems like people everywhere are talking about solar energy, from advocacy groups to the media to the Obama administration. Why all this interest in solar energy? While it is the many advantages that excite so many people, there are also a few disadvantages. If you have some knowledge and are willing to put in some work yourself, most of the disadvantages can be overcome.

Advantages

Never-ending energy source

Because solar energy is produced by the sun, there is an infinite supply. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks of the year the sun is producing energy. While solar power will continue to be available as long as the sun keeps shining, there is a limited supply of fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. As fossil fuels become more and more scarce, the cost will continue to go up. The opposite is true of solar energy! As technology continues to get better, the cost of producing solar power will continue to go down.

Free energy

Energy from the sun will continue to be free as long as the sun is shining. There is an initial cost for solar panels and equipment, but there is no ongoing cost for solar energy aside from maintaining of the equipment and battery replacement if batteries are used. If you install enough solar panels, you can disconnect from the power company and never pay an electric bill again. This is called living off grid. If you stay connected to the power grid and are able to produce more energy than you use, the power company will actually pay you for any excess power you produce!

Reduce greenhouse gasses

For those people worried about global warming, solar energy is the solution! Fossil fuels like oil and natural gas produce a lot of greenhouse gasses, but solar power produces none at all. If you wish to reduce your carbon footprint, solar electricity is a great way to do it. Solar energy produces no emissions of any type.

Reduce dependence on foreign oil

Dependence on foreign oil is widely considered one of the biggest security threats today. Our dependence on foreign oil can be reduced by the use of solar energy. Any power that is currently produced with foreign oil can be directly replaced by domestically produced solar electricity.

Disadvantages

Initial cost

The biggest disadvantage to solar electricity is generally considered to be initial cost. While the ongoing costs of solar power are almost zero, the initial cost of buying and installing solar panels can be somewhat high. If you want to see how much it would cost to install enough solar panels to power your home and get a spreadsheet to do the calculations, please visit Cost of Solar Panels.

If you have a good set of plans, a few common tools and enough time, you can build your own solar panels and reduce the initial cost significantly. If you are looking for instructions on how to build your own solar panel, take a look at DIY Solar Panel.

Necessary space

Solar panels must have a clear view of the southern sky and need sufficient space. Solar panels work best in areas that get a lot of sun. The average sun in all parts of the country are shown on solar maps. Solar panels located in areas with larger scores will produce more electricity with a solar panel of the same size. You will need more solar panels to generate sufficient electricity to power your house if you live in an area with a lower score.

As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to solar energy. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, I think you’d agree. You can avoid most of the disadvantages by building your own solar panel. For the best guide to building your own solar panel, visit Green DIY Energy Review.

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