why-solar

The 1970’s were a tumultuous time for the energy industry. The United States accounted for less than 5 percent of the world’s population, but consumed about 20 percent of the global energy supply. This became an apparent issue when oil rich countries imposed an embargo against the U.S., causing widespread panic among consumers.

For many years, people considered the energy they bought from their local power grid to be natural, normal energy—it was convenient, relatively affordable, and readily available. These days, we’re coming to understand that there’s an energy source far more natural and normal than what electric plants produce. That energy is the sun, which produces solar energy.

In the early 1900s, about 4,000 electric companies operated independently from one another. After World War II, the utilities began connecting to other providers to help improve reliability and reduce the cost of electrical generation and storage. The continental U.S. is now connected by one power grid comprised of three main interconnections: one covers the area west of the Rocky Mountains; the second covers everything east of the Rockies and part of the Texas panhandle; the third covers the rest of Texas.

The energy industry in the United States is seeing sweeping changes as consumers and energy providers begin paying more attention to how we produce energy, how we use it, and how it affects our environment.

Solar energy is on the rise. Within the U.S. in 2018 alone, a new solar project was installed every 100 seconds. The increase in popularity can be attributed to a number of items.

Solar panels are made to be essentially maintenance-free, which is one more of the many benefits you’ll enjoy when you switch to solar. Most homeowners find that periodic rain eliminates the need for regular cleaning of any kind. However, here’s a few helpful tips on keeping solar panels clean for those looking to go above and beyond. 

The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is a renewable energy incentive program that passed in 2005 then extended multiple times over the years. It currently gives any homeowner
or business that installs solar panelling a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of 30 percent of the cost
of installation.

SMART, set to launch at the end of 2018, will replace Massachusetts’ SREC II solar incentive program. It is a declining block program, which means the incentive levels will decline by prescribed amounts for up to eight blocks per Electric Distribution Company (EDC) territory. This means those who enroll earlier will benefit more.

If you’re on the fence about whether to wait longer for a better deal on solar, you ought to consider a number of compelling reasons experts believe it will never again be this easy and cost-effective to install.

The ROI, environmental impact, and accessibility to your own source of renewable energy provides benefits that far outweigh any initial costs. In other words, the best time to go solar is right now.

Download the infographic,
"5 Reasons To Go Solar",
to find out how you can benefit
by making the switch to solar.  

Considering going solar but not sure how to choose the right installer? Fortunately, there are a number of clear criteria that set the good installers apart from those to avoid.