Mamma has always told us save money! A penny saved is a penny earned. Naturally the topic of how to save with solar power goes hand in hand with that sagely bit of advice that Mamma gave us.
Without further ado, let us take a look at some ways we can start chipping away at our power bills without breaking the bank.
Little Things Add Up
Like saving a buck or two here and there, every single watt/hour that you can harvest from the sun is one less watt/hour consumed from the power company. Those will show up as a small savings on your electric bill. This will add up over time.
Start Small
You don’t have go all out and turn your entire yard or rooftop into a full fledged solar farm just yet. It can all start with just one 100 watt solar panel in a sunny spot in your yard or on your roof, or even on a sunny apartment balcony.
There you are! You’re already starting to save some dough. That’s up to 100 watt/hours of power that you don’t have to consume from the grid. You may start see the savings trickle in when your next power bill comes due.
You could start with that single solar panel, and pair it up with any of the many battery power stations that are available today. These power stations will give you power that you can use 24/7. The batteries charge while the sun is out and store the energy for whenever you need it.
Even with a simple set up like this, you can run some LED lights, keep your laptop, mobile devices and other rechargeable items charged and run small household appliances.
Make Your Home Office All Solar
Doing just what I said in “Start Small”, I’ve made my home office “all solar”. It’s little more than a few solar panels feeding a portable power station. This provides me with enough power to run a laptop, printer, some LED lights and a cable internet modem.It brings me peace of mind knowing that I have full control of my own electric power.
We all have that one room in our homes where we spend most of our time. It can be a home office or a den, or a workshop area. This is a great place to start. And you won’t be in the dark if the power goes out!
All of that took only half a day to get set up.
Use Solar Power For Most Of Your Lighting
You can start out by converting most, if not all, of your home lighting to run on solar power. There are many high efficiency LED lighting options out there that consume little power and deliver high light output. LED light systems can be run easily on the various DC or AC voltage outputs available on a typical solar electric power system.
Lighting, unlike large appliances, does not require a lot of power. This is an easy and affordable way to get started with solar power. A few small solar panel kits will take care of your lighting and other low power things.
When You’re Ready To Go Bigger
Perhaps you’ve bought a small “starter” solar power system to test out the waters and get familiar with how things work. This can be expanded by adding more panels, increased battery storage and more outputs for electrical power.
Battery storage systems large enough to run major home appliances can be built up. The refrigerator for example is good first “major” item in your home to convert to solar. You’ll be able to keep the fridge going when the next power outage strikes.
There are even building materials such as photovoltaic glass, roof shingles that are solar panels, and even photovoltaic paint that can transform your home or other building into a solar power generator. These are considered “home improvements” and may increase the value of your home, too!
Rebates And Other Incentives
Saving money by reducing your electric bill is not the only way solar power benefits us. Many utility companies and municipalities are offering rebates, “buy backs” or other incentives to households that install a solar power system.
You may even qualify for federal and state tax incentives that knock a percentage off of your taxes. Of course, you’ll want to consult with a certified tax professional on this.
A Small Investment That Will Pay For Itself!
One of the most attractive points about solar power systems is that they are basically a one-time expense to get installed and running. Since solar power systems don’t require a lot of maintenance other than keeping the panels clean, there is not very much in the way of ongoing costs.
In concluding, let’s just say that the money you spend on solar panels and accessories can come back to you in many ways – from savings on your electricity bill, lower taxes, discounts and rebates, and increased property value. You won’t have to throw away all of the food the fridge because the power went out!
I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read, or better yet, have gleaned some useful tidbits that will help you make better informed decisions on the next steps to take.
Let’s save some money the next time you flip on a switch!
Your comments, feedback and conversations are welcome. Thanks for hanging out with me.
