It can be a bit overwhelming to look at the negative impact that human beings have had on the planet in general, but especially in the most relatively recent past, from the industrial age onward. Much of the precious earth and its precious resources have been used up, damaged, lost, or mishandled in the name of what some would call progress. To be sure, the advancement of our species in the aspects of technology, medicine, science, and more are all incredible and to be applauded. But when it comes at the cost of the health of the planet, it is worthwhile to take a step back and look for another way. This is where the many advantages of solar panels come in.
How solar panels could save the world
We have advanced to a point in society that many find in necessary to use great amounts of energy in order to maintain the desired lifestyle. However most of the energy sources we have employed thus far have taken a serious toll on the earth. Solar energy solutions are steadily growing, and for good reason. The benefits of solar panels begin with the fact that they do not use limited resources from the earth, but rather use the sun’s energy to power everyday household functions. In fact, just .02% of the sunlight that is received has the ability of replacing every other fuel source, if it were to be correctly captured and applied. It has been estimated that each and every year, about 75 million barrels of oil are saved as a result of people turning to solar energy. And if people continue to use methods that are kinder to the earth, we can start to undo some of the damage that has been done.
More reasons to install solar panels
There are plenty of incentives to use solar energy, even on top of the one big one that should matter the most, saving our planet.
- Just a few perks of using solar energy
- Getting away For those who would rather live off the grid, or at least be able to escape the hectic city life, solar power is ideal for areas that are more remote and a bit more difficult, if not impossible, to connect to typical energy grids. One recent calculation showed that where were about 180,000 houses within the United States that were not connected to energy grids. Getting away and being powered solely by the sun can be incredibly liberating.
- The money issue
Using solar energy has not always been a reasonable or attainable goal for everyone. But the price tag of solar paneling has dropped significantly since 1977, in fact it has decreased by about 100 times. And in recent years the use of solar energy has become even more affordable. In less than a decade, the cost has dropped by almost half, making it more of a realistic goal for more people. - The savings you’ll see
Not only will you end up saving money on the energy you use when you switch to solar power, but you can also be eligible for some serious government tax credits. There are federal subsidies in the United States that credit as much as 30% of system costs. And in addition to that, every individual state also offers incentives specific to that state.
We have done a lot to damage this planet, but there are actions that we can take to turn things around and help the earth become healthy again. Increasing the use of solar energy is a big step in the right direction.
