The 5 biggest advantages of solar energy

by Rutger

There are many advantages to solar energy, there really are. There’s no need to go on and on about all of them, but if you aren’t sure if you want to go solar or not, then you should definitely have a look at the 5 biggest advantages of solar energy. You’ll see that solar power really is the way forward.

1. It’s green, renewable energy

Solar power is a form of renewable energy. This means there are no fossil fuels burned to generate electricity. Using fossil fuel harms the planet, having renewable resources to create electricity is helping the environment, in a big way. Solar energy has zero emissions, so there are no greenhouse gases created or smog or other pollutants that can cause diseases or worse, death.

Solar energy catches the sunlight and transforms it into electricity in a completely eco-friendly way. The more people use solar panels to get their appliances powered, the less need there is for power plants burning coals, diesel or gas.

2. It’s easily available

If you want to go solar, then it’s quite easy to get started. Depending on your wishes, you could already buy a solar charger for your phone. Or you can make an appointment with solar companies like SunPower and they will come and set up a solar installation on your roof. Compared to other sources of electricity, solar power is the easiest available, which is a huge advantage to solar energy.

You can’t just build a wind turbine or a dam in your back garden and don’t even start with building a nuclear or coal burning power plant. Solar panels are affordable, and even portable if you want to. You can have green energy during your camping trip or hike, or have your entire house running on electricity generated by catching rays of sun.

Little girl with red bucket catching sunshine

3. Cost effective

Which leads us to one of the biggest advantages of solar energy, the cost of it. Let’s make one thing clear, getting a fancy new solar rooftop can be pricey. But after that, the electricity you generate is completely free! And if you generate more than you consume, you can sell that to the grid, either via net metering or feed-in tariff, where the utility company buys the energy off of you. This way, the initial investment in solar panels isn’t all that crazy anymore. Since these panels are built to last, you will see real financial benefits in the years to come.

And the technology of solar energy isn’t only applicable to your home. There are electric cars out there with solar panels on the roof, meaning they don’t have to recharge via the grid for weeks, or months even. This means you are basically driving your car for free. You might even be saving money accidentally, on occasions you rather not experience but they happen anyways.

Imagine you’re out on a trip and you left the car lights on with the engine off. Now you have a dead car battery and there’s nobody out there with a car and some jumper cables. Roadside assistance will charge quite a hefty sum to come and charge your battery. If you have an X-DRAGON portable solar charger in your car, you can recharge your battery quickly, and without paying a single dime. The beauty of solar energy is that once you have a way to harness it, you have free power forever!

4. Low maintenance

The moment you decide to go solar, you’re basically set for life. Solar panels are built to last. The only thing you want to make sure of, is that they are cleaned regularly so the dirt doesn’t hamper the sunlight from getting absorbed by the panel. Depending on your roof, you can either do this yourself, or you hire a professional  cleaner to avoid you falling off your roof. These are the only costs that come with maintaining your solar installation. Most solar companies near you will have warranties that last up to 25 years, so if there ever is something wrong with one of your panels, they’ll come and fix it for free.

Woman dancing on roof with solar panels

5. The final advantage of solar energy

This final point, maybe one of the nicer advantages of solar energy, is not often mentioned. It was even thought to be the contrary until not too long ago. But having solar panels installed on your roof raises the value of your property. With your home ready for the 21st century, you can raise the asking price of your house if you decide to put it on the market some day.

Now, this might not be a reason that will make you decide to go solar right away, but it is definitely a welcoming perk that you could end up enjoying a lot somewhere in the (greener) future).

So there you have it, the 5 biggest advantages of solar energy. If you weren’t sure if solar energy is the right choice for you, then hopefully this article has helped you make the right decision. With the technological advances that this industry is seeing, chances are there will be many more advantages of solar energy sooner than you might think.

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