Posts Tagged ‘how much does solar power cost’
Solar energy is free but the tools that will enable you to harness this free energy are not.
If you’re planning to install a solar power system right at your home and prefer to know how much does solar power cost there are 3 things you need to look at:
First, the cost depends upon how much energy your home requires. More energy you require means more solar panels so you need to know how much do solar panels cost,
and higher cost of installation. The good thing is, the technology to harness the power of the sun is relatively cheaper than it was several years ago.
Second, the government is offering a rebate to those who will switch to alternative form of energy. That means, the government will shoulder a portion of the total cost of the system.
Third, you'll be able to get tax credits when you switch to solar power system. The amount of tax rebate depends from state to state but the range can go from $1000 to $2000.
All these affect the total cost of your solar installation.
A photovoltaic system can cost roughly at $8000 to $10000 per 1kW system. This equates to $8 to $10 per Watt. An average American household with 3 bedrooms requires at least 1.5kW to as much as 3kW. Thus, installation can cost from $14000 to $30000, before rebates and tax credits.
Government rebate varies from state to state. As a reference, an average California household that requires 1.5kW system can get as much as $4200 rebate (1.5kW= 1500 watts x $2.80 per watt = $4200).
A household that requires 3kW system can get as much as $8400 (3kW= 3000 watts x $2.80 per watt = $8400).
Before, tax credit goes as much as 30% but it is lowered to 7.5% of system cost after rebate.
So an average household with 1.5kW system can get $735 ($14000 – $4200 x 7.5% = $735) worth of tax credit while the 3kW system can get $1620 ($30000 – $8400 x 7.5% = $1620) worth of tax credit.
Example A: 1.5kW system
Cost of solar electric system: $14000
Less rebate: $4200
Less tax credit: $735
Cost of the system after rebate and tax credit: $9065
Example B: 3kW system
Cost of solar electric system: $30000
Less rebate: $8400
Less tax credit: $1620
Cost of the system after rebate and tax credit: $19980
Again, these are rough estimations just to give you an idea of the cost of installing solar power system. They don’t represent real figures.
Top tips:
Energy independent home has higher resale value and is more preferred by home buyers. So, if you’re planning to sell your home in several years, installing solar power system does not only provide significant saving on electric bill, it also is a good home improvement option.
If you prefer to finance the cost of your solar power installation, include it in your mortgage.
If you would like to reduce your electricity load, switch to energy efficient appliances. Buy electric appliances with ENERGY STAR seal.
Low energy requirement means lower installation cost.
Residents of areas with higher electricity rate can benefit most on solar power system.
If you can not afford the photovoltaic system, you can install solar hot water system that costs roughly from $2000 to $4000.
Solar energy is best for houses that are located far from the existing power lines xisting power lines .
Solar energy is a green energy source because it is a renewable and it does not cause any harm to the environment. This is achieved by converting the sun’s rays into electricity with the help of solar cells.
There are three basic approaches how we can use this form of green energy source namely passive, active and by using photovoltaic cells.
When we refer to passive solar energy, nothing is converted. What happens is the building’s design helps avoid heat loss and gets the most out of day lighting.
Such a technique can also be used in homes because studies have shown that this can reduce the heating requirements by as much as 80% with minimal cost. This means you don’t have to turn on the air condition or heater that often and if everyone does that, we don’t consume that much electricity which we get from non-renewable resources.
The second approach which is active solar energy that uses home solar power kits for converting sunlight into heat. You should know that there are certain limits to this one and all it can do is make sure you have hot water.
The third approach is the big scale version and it can power an office or an entire home. This is accomplished with the help of solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. The smallest ones around can be seen in calculators and watches with large ones planted over huge acres of land.
The only limitation to this green energy source is the fact that it can only generate power when the weather is good and the sun is out. Should it rain, then nothing is collected and converted. When this happens, the auxiliary system is turned on until the weather improves.
Despite that, scientists and students themselves have made solar powered cars. NASA or the National Aeronautical Space Administration has sent satellites into space that are powered by solar panels. A fully functional airport can function on its own thanks to solar power even if it is situated in the middle of the frozen desert.
So people can see the awesome power of solar energy, do you know how much does solar power cost?a kilowatt of solar energy can produce 5.5 hours of electricity per day. If you have more solar cells in place, naturally you will be able to produce enough power to last several days.
Solar energy is just one form of green energy source around. Through the years, we have learned to tap other resources and these examples include wind power, geothermal energy, hydroelectricity and biogas. These are all safe and by using these more often, we don’t need to depend on oil which is a nonrenewable resource.
To make this happen, we have to persuade our law makers to promote the use of such resources. Although you hear speeches left and right about their concern for the environment, it is all talk and not that much action. It is something that has to change.
Two countries that have increased solar usage happen to be Germany and Japan. Spain, France, Italy and South Korea are next in the list and where is the United States? Well, one thing is for certain and that it is not in the top 10 despite the fact that it is an industrialized nation.