Want to Generate Solar Electricity? 5 Things You Need

Its time to generate solar electricity

Many people want to install solar panels on their homes, and now’s the time to do so! Prices have fallen by 50% in recent months, and the federal and state governments are making it very affordable, offering generous tax rebates and other incentives.

If you want to generate solar electricity for your household or business, there are 5 things you need:

1.  A southern-facing location (rooftops work great), that is unobstructed by adjacent buildings or landscaping.

2. A solar panel system, including PV solar panels, brackets, wiring and inverter.  An inverter takes the direct current energy absorbed by the panels and converts it into alternating current for use in your electrical system.  It helps to include an inverter meter, so you can track the amount of clean, free renewable energy you are generating each day.

3.  Regular UV light.  Now, its true that you don’t need bright sunny weather each day in order to generate solar electricity, but the efficiency will decrease a bit when sunlight is filtered through clouds.  Don’t let that dissuade you, however!  Many people are living on 100% solar energy in the Pacific Northwest, Germany, and other regions that might be unexpected.

4.  A battery in which to store excess solar energy generated.  Alternatively, if you are connected to the grid, check to see if you can get a credit on your monthly electricity bills when your additional energy is fed back into the grid.  This is known as net metering; it is becoming more prevalent!

5.  A desire to reduce monthly electricity costs, lower your carbon footprint, have a reliable source of power in the event of an emergency… or all of the above!

You’re in the right place if you are thinking about converting to solar energy!  We’ve posted a number of articles about the cost of solar panels, financing solar power, new solar technologies, DIY solar power, and much more.

Are you in the market for solar electricity this year?  Please share your thoughts or questions below.

Tags: generate solar electricity, install solar panels, net metering, solar electricity, solar energy, what you need for solar power