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Why Go Solar?

Across the globe, millions of people power their homes and heat their water with clean, abundant, renewable energy from the sun. Solar energy systems have been around for decades. But in the United States, their acceptance has been slow because of their high upfront cost.

 

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Attitudes are changing, however. With concern mounting about carbon dioxide emissions, rising energy costs, and dependence on imported oil, having a power plant on the roof sounds awfully attractive. In fact, after tuning up your house to make it as energy efficient as possible, installing a solar energy system is one of the most powerful steps you can take to green your home.

 

What’s in It for You

Residential solar energy systems fall into two categories: solar electric systems and solar hot water systems:

  • Solar hot water systems, also called solar thermal systems because they capture heat, can provide hot water for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, and other household uses. They can also be used to heat homes, pools, and hot tubs.
  • Solar electric systems, also called photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert the sun’s energy into electricity that can power buildings.

Not every household can benefit from a PV or solar hot water system. If your electricity or water heating costs are extremely low, or if you have too much shade on your roof or property, a solar energy system may not make sense.

But for many people, the energy savings from a PV or solar hot water system will eventually save money, after you’ve recouped the system’s initial cost. In addition, the system can lock in your energy costs, giving you a hedge against future energy price increases.

Although most solar homes still use some fossil-fuel energy, it is possible to meet your home’s entire energy needs with solar electric and solar hot water systems. And as plug-in hybrids and electric cars become more available, someday you may be able to run your car on the sun’s energy.

Solar energy systems may even increase the value of your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a solar energy system may add $10 to $20 to your home’s worth for every dollar in energy costs saved in one year. For example, a system that reduces energy costs by $500 per year might add $5,000 to $10,000 to the home’s value. An added bonus: solar panels can help extend your roof’s life by protecting it from ultraviolet rays and weather.

 

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HHI is committed to accuracy of content and correcting information that is incomplete or inaccurate. With our broad scope of coverage of healthful indoor environments, and desire to rapidly publish info to benefit the community, mistakes are inevitable. HHI has established an error correction policy to welcome corrections or enhancements to our information. Please help us improve the quality of our content by contacting allen@healthyhouseinstitute.com with corrections or suggestions for improvement. Each contact will receive a respectful reply.

The Healthy House Institute (HHI), a for-profit educational LLC, provides the information on HealthyHouseInstitute.com as a free service to the public. The intent is to disseminate accurate, verified and science-based information on creating healthy home environments.

 

While an effort is made to ensure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed on this site, HHI provides no warranty - expressed or implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product or process disclosed on or in conjunction with the site. The views and opinions of the authors or originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of HHI: its principals, executives, Board members, advisors or affiliates.

Why Go Solar?:  Created on May 18th, 2009.  Last Modified on May 18th, 2009

 

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Other Articles by Jennifer Schwab

About Jennifer Schwab

Jennifer Schwab

As Director of Sustainability, Jennifer is responsible for all environmental information, education, and initiatives at Sierra Club Green Home.com.


Jennifer studied environmental design and sustainability at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, then completed her Master's in Urban Planning and Sustainable Design at the University of California -- Irvine.  Jennifer is a LEED Accredited Practitioner and serves on the USGBC Education Committee.  She also serves on advisory boards for the UC-Irvine Sustainability Leadership Program and the Healthy House Institute.  Jennifer consults on energy efficiency and sustainability for various corporate clients, restaurants, and hotels.


Jennifer serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for Source 44, a carbon footprint assessment company based in San Diego; and on the Board of Advisors for BlogWorld Expo, the largest social media tradeshow in the country.


She is a widely quoted media analyst appearing in hundreds of articles both in print and online.  She has been interviewed by NY Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Dwell magazine, CNBC, Good Housekeeping magazine, Fortune magazine, the LA Times, The Oregonian, Forbes, Self magazine, Kiwi magazine, the Examiner, EcoSalon, Consumer Digest, SheKnows, and Planet Green, among many others.  She has also appeared on NBC-U, Good Morning America, and Fox News.


Away from work, Jennifer can be found on the tennis court or in the Bikram yoga studio. She follows art and design avidly and is also a trained Cessna pilot. She also serves on the LA Museum of Contemporary Art Photography Selection committee.  You can find her innermost green thoughts as a contributor to the Huffington Post, LOHAS, BlogHer, Healthy House Institute, Intent.com, as well as on the home page of www.sierraclubgreenhome.com

 

 

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