Benefits of Solar Power

In the event of economic collapse or some other societal catastrophe becoming a reality, it’s important to make sure that you have a back-up plan for energy.

Diesel generators are noisy and require a constant input of fuel, and most renewable energy options are of minimal use in a majority of areas.

Solar energy, in the form of photovoltaic panels, can provide a reliable way to keep your home from going dark when the rest of the world does, or they can just to help you achieve and maintain energy independence.

Why Solar Energy?

There are quite a few innovative technologies out there linked to renewable energy, but many of them require a specific location.

Wind turbines require certain weather patterns to maintain a constant energy output and hydro-electric set-ups are prohibitively expensive and require the perfect placement of property to ensure the source is present.

The main reason for solar energy? The sun shines everywhere, and will keep shining for billions of years to come.

The sun keeps right on emitting energy regardless of the machinations of man and with a properly designed solar power system you’ll be able to keep your lifestyle going in the same way it was before if something happens.

You can minimize or even eliminate your reliance on utility companies with a proper off-grid solar set-up.

Solar energy has become more and more viable as a main source of off-grid electrical energy as the efficiency of photovoltaic cells undergoes a steady increase.

The photovoltaic panels themselves have also gotten tougher and cheaper, making for a long lasting system which can be relied upon and is accessible to the average person.

Achieve Energy Independence

No one likes having to shell out money to the corporations that own the grids each month, but in modern life electrical power is an absolute necessity.

Whether you’re looking to save money in the long term, or just want to know that your energy supply won’t dry up in the event something bad happens it’s never a bad thing to reach for energy independence.

An off grid solar power design is probably the easiest and most hassle-free arrangement to achieve this. You can utilize photovoltaic panels almost anywhere in the world, unlike other renewable energy sources which depend on wind or water.

After the initial set up fees, solar power is surprisingly cost effective. The panels have no moving parts, which means less maintenance for you. Batteries and panels will last for years.

All that will have to be done to maintain your energy independence is cleaning off accumulated dust and debris to keep the panels clear.

Achieving energy independence is a great goal for anyone, and your off-grid solar power design can help get you there swiftly and reliably.

If you’ve always dreamed of maintaining your home in with an off-grid power supply, photovoltaic panels and the associated systems are a great investment.

Reliable and Continuing Power

Solar power has a lot of detractors who complain about overcast days or inclement weather. With recent advances in storage battery technology and a well thought out off-grid solar power design however, you can mitigate these concerns to a great extent.

Your design should always take into account that there may be days, or even weeks, where the input of energy into your system may not cover your power expenditure requirements.

For a truly off-grid design, you’ll want to make sure that you have a rotating bank of batteries charging.

The most highly recommended on the market currently are deep-cycle lead-acid batteries, they’re widely available and relatively cheap although the lead content can render them rather heavy and bulky.

Newer to the market and of increasing interest are large format prismatic lithium ion batteries. LFPs require much less space and less volume and have a much lower rate of losing power over time than LA batteries.

They also last about twice as long, but they do come with a pretty hefty drawback. Due to the nature of the batteries you’ll have to install a battery management system along with the rest of your equipment to properly utilize their potential.

To many this is a complete turn off as it entails extra learning and an additional failure point in the system.

There really are a ton of options out there to choose from as far as power storage and one will have to find out what they believe will best suit their needs.

Battery and system design are personal choices of course and those who truly want reliable, continuous power off the grid will have to come to their own conclusions.

Clean and Nigh-Infinite

There’s a lot to be said for clean, renewable energy. The sun’s energy is completely independent of anything happening on our piece of rock, as far as humanity is concerned the energy is free.

While not truly infinite in a larger sense, at a human scale the energy of the sun may as well be.

Utilizing solar power is one hundred percent clean apart from the carbon footprint of equipment manufacturing.

There are no fumes or pollution produced, no moving parts to require replacement, and even the noise pollution from a particularly large array is almost inconsequential.

In addition, this energy source utilizes no exhaustible resources once up and running. Photons are not in short supply in our corner of the universe, and photovoltaic cells take advantage of these minute particles of light to create the electrical current.

This energy source isn’t going to stop flowing for billions of years, making solar power the closest thing to perpetual motion the human race is ever likely to encounter.

Rapidly Improving Technology

Solar technology is rapidly improving as warnings about climate change and the rising costs of fossil fuels have become of concern to more and more of the public.

The most impressive commercially available cells are currently boasting a little more than 22% efficiency and this is sure to keep rising as funds are invested in this world-changing technology.

At current efficiencies, true energy independence will likely require more area than just your roof to keep everything going, but with careful management of power and a number of storage batteries the goal is definitely within reach for those with the dedication to do so.

The world of renewable energy research is at an all-time high, and photovoltaic cells are rapidly being developed with higher and higher efficiencies and lowered costs.

The careful individual looking to create and maintain an off grid solar powered home is sure to be able to achieve the lofty goal of actual energy dependence sooner rather than later with some creative solutions.

Immediate Savings with Tax Credits

With the US government increasingly getting behind the immense power of solar energy, even if you opt for a system which only cuts costs instead of severing your tie to the grid entirely, you might be looking at some serious savings on your taxes.

Through the end of 2016, the solar Investment Tax Credit can reach a staggering 30% of installation costs, and currently isn’t capped at a limited dollar amount.

It makes more sense now than ever to supplement or replace your power needs with solar energy.

Conclusion

Solar power is extremely beneficial for pretty much everyone. For those individuals seeking energy independence in most areas of the world it is likely to remain the primary viable option.

Even grid-tied systems can be an exceptional value, you’ll reduce your electric bill drastically. If you devise a crafty enough array to put out more power than you’re using you can even find yourself receiving money from the energy companies themselves.

As a clean and nearly endless supply of energy, solar is slated to become the standard of power as we go into the future.

The technology is becoming more and more viable with each passing month as governments and private investors both begin to realize the true potential of harnessing the sunlight in order to serve our energy needs.

Whether your need is financial, idealistic, or simply pragmatic the innovative field of solar energy is here to stay.

You’ll enjoy immense benefits and can rest easy knowing that solar energy is reliable, clean, and can ultimately help you to achieve complete energy independence.

The initial costs can even be offset by government tax credits, making it available to a wider range of people than ever. So whether you’re hoping for a cleaner future, or just banking against eventual chaos, the benefits of solar energy are remarkably clear.

In short, solar power will directly benefit you in the following ways:

• The quickest path to energy independence in most areas of the world.
• Clean, quiet, and reliable energy, especially when used alongside a proper storage battery bank.
• The sun isn’t going to go out anytime in the near future, divesting your energy source from fossil fuels and other depleting resources.
• The technology is rapidly being developed and improving all the time, always bringing the costs down and boosting efficiency.
• Immediate savings on installation in the form of tax credits in the US

When you’re looking for an alternative energy source that will function wherever you are and help you achieve your goals, photovoltaic cells are certainly the most viable technology currently available.

The benefits are tremendous and you’re sure not to be disappointed with your investment.