Is Solar Power Coming of Age

Is Solar Power Coming of Age?

By Peter O’Grady

As we come to terms with the incredible volatility now occurring in the energy markets around the world, the time is right to explore the benefits and viability of solar power as a major US energy source.  There is already widespread use of solar cells in products like solar lights and solar powered water fountains.  Development of individual home solar energy use is still in its infancy.  From an eco friendly, green lifestyle standpoint, the arguments for home solar are extremely powerful.

Over a fifteen year period a solar powered 3 bedroom home will offset:

• 82,000 lbs of Carbon Dioxide
• 60 lbs of Nitric Oxide (causes Smog)
• 15 lbs of particulates (bad for asthma)
• 15 lbs of Sulphur Dioxide (produces acid rain)

Modern day thin panel solar technology is becoming much more affordable and efficient for the home.  The panels are installed on the roof of the home, or any adjacent structure.  They are made up of photovoltaic cells which convert sunlight into DC power.  The DC power is sent to an inverter where it is converted to AC power for standard household electrical use.  The AC power travels from the inverter to the electrical panel or breaker box.  This power is then available to service all of the home’s electrical needs.  The regular utility grid remains in place to supply electricity when more power is needed than that supplied by the solar system.  The utility meter continues to measure the electricity used from the utility service, but when the solar panels produce more power than you need, the meter will spin backwards, giving the homeowner credits as the excess power is fed back into the utility grid system.

The historical downside of solar powered systems has been the high upfront cost of installing the equipment.  Even though there are significant tax credits available to a purchaser, the net cost has still proved to be a barrier to the development of domestic solar power.  However, there are now programs coming into place that may well move solar power up to the next level of affordability and accessibility.  One such program is a leasing structure that removes the high upfront cost and replaces it with a monthly lease payment that, combined with the reduced utility bill, results in an overall monthly cost that is less than the prior monthly utility bill.

An example for a typical 3 bedroom house might work as follows:

If the monthly electricity bill is $250, the solar system installed would have a monthly lease payment of $125 and it is estimated that it would reduce the monthly utility bill to around $100 per month.  This would result in an actual saving of around $25 per month and increase the use of clean energy from the sun.  Not only that, but as utility rates continue to increase, the savings can grow even larger as the lease rate remains constant for the term of the lease.

Key Features

• The system is installed free.
• It comes with a free repair service that responds if the system is ever in need of repair.
• Solar panels typically last for 30 years or even longer, and there are few, if any, moving parts.
• Once installed, the system requires little ongoing maintenance.
• The system can be monitored remotely.
• The homeowner can also monitor the performance of the system on a personal web page.  Therefore any reduction in performance can be addressed quickly.
• At the end of the lease it can be extended, or converted to a new lease with updated technology, or terminated.
• If the lease is terminated or not renewed the equipment is removed free of charge.

This program is not available countrywide at this stage but is being expanded as financing and equipment allows.

It is still too early to know whether this type of program will be the breakthrough that makes clean, green solar power available to all, but it is certainly a very positive move in the right direction.

It’s Eco Time.com 2008