Solar Energy – The Top 5 Reasons for Going Solar

From energy independence to national security, there are countless reasons to go solar. The list is truly endless.
But when we asked our customers why they decided to go solar, certain patterns emerged.
Below are 5 of the most popular reasons we’ve received.
1. Electricity Bill Savings
Whether you lease your solar installation or own it outright, you enjoy instant utility bill savings. And you will continue to save over the lifetime of your Direct Energy Solar system.
In fact, your monthly savings will actually grow larger with time.
As utility rates increase, your solar panels protect you from these future price hikes. There’s no theoretical upper limit to how much you can save. Many of our customers receive $0 or even negative utility bills. They have to look for creative ways to use up all of their extra electricity:
Some monetize their clean power using solar renewable energy credits (discussed later on).
Others buy electric vehicles and recharge their cars using free sunshine instead of expensive petrol.
2. The Environment
With solar installed, you’re able to reduce your carbon footprint and protect the environment. This is because PV technology doesn’t emit C02 and other harmful greenhouse gases, resulting in a cleaner and healthier environment for all to enjoy.
While some pollution is created during the manufacturing process, your panels will generate nothing but clean power for decades after they are installed. Modern panels have an energy payback period of roughly 4 years. It takes this long for the clean energy produced from your panels to offset the dirty energy used to create them. Considering typical solar installations can last decades, that is numerous years of clean energy production.
3. Earnings
With solar installed on your property, it’s possible to monetize your clean electricity. Below are just some of the most popular ways that Direct Energy Solar customers turn sunshine into cash:
State Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). Those who own their solar installations are able to accumulate green credits that they then swap, buy, or sell on the open SREC market.
Increased Property Value. Owning a solar installation can increase the property value of your home or business. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), for every $1 in annual electricity bill savings that your panels generate, the value of your property goes up an average of $20.
Net Metering. Available in almost every state, net metering is a special solar incentive that allows you to feed excess electricity into the grid in exchange for utility credits. With enough credits, it’s possible to receive negative electricity bills.
Feed-in Tariffs. A feed-in tariff is similar to net metering. But instead of receiving utility credits, you receive actual cash. This program is only available in certain states.
4. Energy Independence
Go solar and take control of your energy future by creating your own clean power. With panels installed on your property, you become less reliant on the local utility grid. You also benefit from more predictable pricing — even as utility rates skyrocket.
5. Local Green Jobs
Make your community stronger by creating local green jobs that can never be outsourced. That’s because solar technology requires local installers who are physically present.
Check out some of these impressive statistics about America’s transition to a sun-powered economy:
In 2012, the solar industry added 14,000 new jobs to the workforce
In 2013, the number of solar jobs grew by a whopping 20%
Solar employment is growing 10 times faster than the national average
And remember that much of this growth happened during a global recession when most other industries were downsizing.
Looking for More Reasons to Go Solar?
In an article of this length, it isn’t possible to cover every single reason to go solar. The list of potential benefits is way too long.
But if you’re looking for additional reasons to go solar today, contact us for a free consultation. Our expert installation team is more than happy to discuss the countless advantages of this clean, affordable, and sustainable technology.