As we all know, fossils fuels cannot last forever. The pollution it causes tied with its limited supply make it a terrible choice for the future of energy. One of the most widely researched alternatives to fossil fuels is solar energy, which captures the energy of the sun and turns it into electricity. While electricity is not the most feasible type of energy for certain operations (i.e. heating), it is a huge benefit to many others like powering computers, lightbulbs, etc. Although solar energy is an investment that pays off in no time, many consumers are slow to adopt it. However, many companies use solar energy to cut back their own energy costs. According to “Make solar energy economical,” solar energy is a “growing, multibillion dollar industry” that only will get bigger. Although it may not be economically or logically feasible for everyone to adopt solar energy, those who can should in any way possible.
Dropping thousands of dollars on installing solar panels may not be the most logical plan of action for most, but replacing other appliances to reduce electricity requirements makes solar energy a little bit more economical. For example, switching out inefficient electronic appliances for more efficient gas-powered alternatives would lower the total electricity requirements of a home (“How effective is residential solar power?”). Another example is replacing electric range tops with gas ranges because electric range tops are HUGE consumers of electricity. Electricity is not the most efficient way to heat anything, and replacing anything that uses electricity to heat up would save a lot of money. A final example is electric clothes dryers. Again, electricity is not the most economical way to heat anything and should be switched for a gas-powered alternative. While installing gas-powered alternatives seems counter-intuitive, it saves both money and fuel in the long run. The reason for this is because PECO uses fossil fuels to produce some of their electricity. If homes use only small amounts of fossil fuels for specific appliances and decrease their reliability on PECO, the overall use of fossil fuels will go down.
“Go big or go home.” An example of a house making the most of solar panels.
Although replacing certain appliances is incredibly helpful in increasing the potential of
solar panels, it is not the only way of doing so. By analyzing and adjusting the overall efficiency of a home, adopting solar energy can become a no-brainer. One of the biggest problems with homes is how well they regulate temperature. If a home has poorly-regulated temperature, installing solar panels will cause nothing more than a
headache. Air conditioners and central heating units require huge amounts of electricity and if they aren’t functioning at their most efficient level, thousands of dollars of energy may be wasted each year. To ensure that installing solar panels is worth it, homes must be extremely energy efficient. By lowering the energy requirements of a ho
A final thought when installing solar panels is a home’s location. Not all homes can even use solar panels effectively due to their climate and location. However, some homes that may seem incapable of solar panels can be capable with some minor adjustments. If a home is surrounded by trees, there is the possibility of cutting down some of those trees so that the roof is left uncovered (“How effective is residential solar power?”). Even though cutting down trees just to save some money seems silly, it’s not. The cut-down trees can be used as firewood, which helps to heat a home and cut down heating bills. The entire process may be expensive, but will pay off in no time.me, the total energy savings when switching to solar panels will be even larger.
Installing even just a few panels helps to cut energy costs.
Every home in America will never be able to adopt solar energy. Although optimists would like to believe they can, it just won’t ever happen. But for those who can adopt, the investment can mean huge energy savings. According to “Home Solar Payoff,” “a system might cost $15,000 to $30,000 and take three to 10 years to recoup.” While spending $15-30,000 is a huge investment, it pays for itself in as little as 3 years. After that, the savings continue and no other purchases are necessary. For those who can afford it, solar energy just makes sense.
Sources:
1. http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9082.aspx
2. http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2010/01/how-effective-is-residential-solar-power/
3. http://www.buildingmoxie.com/2011/07/home-solar-payoff/
Also, putting in about a 5 kWh solar system (powers a small house, we have a 7 kWh system and it covers about 90% of our energy bill when all 5 of us are at home) saves the same amount of carbon dioxide as 500 trees. So cutting down a few trees might be worth it. But tree do have other effects on the environment like retaining soil and such. But all in all, if cutting down a few trees is the only thing stopping a solar installation, cut down the trees.
Many house do not have a roof facing the proper direction to install solar arrays, however many, like myself, have ground mount systems. These sit on the side of your house in your yard and can be oriented at the perfect angle and position, which often times makes them more feasible from an economic perspective because they pay for themselves quicker.
A note about efficiency. This is HUGE!! Moving forward houses are being designed to fit into their environment. Over hangs on the south side of houses blocks sunlight in the summer (helping keep the house cool) but allow sunlight in during the winter (think the sun stays lower) which heats the house. Trees on the north side of homes help to block wind. Incorporating simple things like this reduce energy needs greatly, increasing the plausibility of solar.
Also solar energy doesn’t have to be in the use of photovoltaics, which is the most expensive. Solar water heaters can be made professionally for a couple thousand dollars or even made and designed yourself for cheaper, and work great to lower your water heating bill. These systems use almost a minigreen house and a series of winding pipes to heat water naturally before sending it to your water heater, so your water heater needs to do less work.
I feel like cutting down trees isn’t worth it because they filter our air for us, are pretty, provide shad in the summer (which can keep a house cooler), and not all houses have wood-burning fireplaces (i have a natural gas one). I do like the concept of solar panels more worth-while by making the house more energy efficent in general though because thats obviously one of the main issues with this whole energy crisis, too much wasteing of it. maybe people who live in bad solar-panel areas could invest or install a panel somewhere with better weather and have the energy stored and transfered somehow…if thats possible…but why not! haha I also agree that solar panels are totally worth it, i just hope one day they can make them prettier to look at.
If I remember correctly there are also tax credits available for solar panels, which would help to bring the cost down for the consumer as well. It was interesting to see fossil fuels portrayed as a terrible choice, but also the better choice in some instances. You’re right it may seem counter-intuitive but considering the inefficiency of energy conversion (both from gas to electricity and then back to heat) it makes sense. Considering all the research going into more efficient solar panels, it will be cool to see where the technology heads and whether or no its adapted on a house-to-house scale.
While solar energy doesn’t seem like the viable energy option for most, it does seem to have some uses. Maybe not everyone can install costly solar panels to heat their homes, but some can definitely do say. If it’ll pay off monetarily, too, then that already will appeal to more people since money is usually the deciding factor for which type of energy to use. On another note, it’s interesting to know that gas-powered appliances are better than electric appliances. I’ve never really heard of gas powered appliances so I’m curious to know which ones you mean. Do kitchen-type appliances count for this? Anyways, if these small changes could make a difference then they’re worth doing.