Solar Panels Let You Save On Your Energy Bills

Solar panels are a fantastic way to reduce or even eliminate those pesky electric bills that tend to make people ask, "Why so high?" Solar panel technology has been developing for decades and we're quickly entering an era of cheap solar options and affordable installs. This means that many people are now capable of saving themselves some money and helping push the world in a greener direction at the same time.

Solar panel technology is flexible in that most places in the world are ripe for tapping into the power of the sun and there are a multitude of ways in which they can be installed and utilized. Let's dive into the world of solar and reduce energy bills!

Best Places to Install Solar Panels at Home

By rule, placing solar panels on a southern facing roof or slope maximizes the panels' sunlight exposure throughout the course of a day, as compared to the other cardinal directions. That's not to say that solar panels can and should only be installed on southern facing roofs, however. Placing solar panels on eastern or western facing roofs is also a viable option. They won't maximize exposure to sunlight when placed on eastern or western facing roofs but the panels will still receive plenty of sunlight and contribute to the reduction of your bills.

So while a southern facing roof is ideal for your solar, you're not out of luck if that's not an option for you. Another tip to increase the potential of your solar install is to install the panels at a 30 degree angle. This is the ideal angle for year round solar collection. However, anywhere from 15 to 35-40 is a viable option for installation and will provide the benefits most seek when installing solar panels.

Linking Solar Panels to Your Home Power Grid

Linking your solar panels to your home grid is a simple process, although professional installation is recommended. First, install the panels and have them secured, ready for operation. These panels will then be directly connected to a DC to AC inverter, which is necessary to make the power accessible by your home. This inverter is then connected to your home's AC circuit breaker box. Between this connection will be isolation switches for safety reasons. Once this connection from the panels to the inverter and then to the home's breaker box is complete, your solar will be linked to, and providing energy to, your home's energy grid - as in, your solar will send accessible energy around your home.

In addition to tying into your home's grid, your excess solar can be sent out to the power grid via your electric meter. Certain states and power companies have programs in place where you can get paid for your excess solar sent out to the grid (net metering).

Expected Amounts of Power Generated

The amount of power your panels generate depends on how much space you're committing to the project. Solar panels range in size but typically, solar panels installed on homes are usually about 300 watts per panel. By today's standards, a panel of this size will produce roughly 37 kWh per month. To put that in perspective, a fridge/freezer combo unit will require about 115 kWh a month. That means about four panels would be needed to supply the fridge/freezer alone. The average U.S. home uses about 910 kWh per month for more added perspective. You can work out the math depending on what your solar energy goal may be.

It's recommended that one be conservative in their expectations, too. It's far worse to undershoot than overshoot your goal. Perhaps your goal is only to reduce your energy bills, which is great! Maybe you're looking to entirely replace your current electric with solar, and that's great as well! Either way, your home's square footage and your personal solar goals are going to underpin your expectations.

Solar panel installations are fantastic for reducing your bills or eradicating them entirely! While not everyone will have the perfect setup, imperfect locations fare just fine. In addition to the location flexibility, it's a rather simple process connecting panels to your home! Solar can save you money or even make you money, both wins over your regular electricity bill. So, happy solar hunting!