There are countless reasons why you should stop paying for electricity and go green, but here is a list of the 10 best reasons. Whether your reasoning for going solar is economic, environmental, or personal, this list will have someone that will interest everyone.
1. Drastically reduce or even eliminate your electric bills
It doesn’t matter if you are a homeowner, business, or nonprofit, electricity bills make up a large portion of your monthly expenses. If you get solar panels installed in your home or business you’ll be able to generate free power for your system’s entire 25+ year lifetime. Even if you’re not producing all of the electricity you use, your electricity bill will cost a fraction of the amount it was before you installed the system.
2. Earn a great return on your investment
Many people think of solar panels as an expense, but in fact they’re actually a way to invest. The returns will be rivaling those of more traditional investments like stocks and bonds. You will be saving so much money from your electricity bill that on average, most people are able to pay off their solar panels within 8 years and sees an ROI of 20% or more.
3. Protect against rising energy costs
The prices of energy are rising more and more every year. With solar panels, you will be protected from paying those rising prices. In the past ten years, electricity prices have gone up by about 3% every year. If you invest in a solar system now, you can fix your electricity rate and protect yourself from unpredictable increases in electricity costs. If you’re a business or homeowner with fluctuating cash flow, going solar also helps you better forecast and manage your expenses.
4. Increase your property value
According to several studies, homes that are equipped with solar energy systems have higher property values and sell more quickly than non-solar homes. Home appraisers are taking solar panels into consideration and valuing the houses with solar panels a lot higher than homes without the panels.
5. Boost U.S. energy independence
The sun is nearly an infinite source of energy and a key component of achieving energy independence in the US. By increasing our capacity to generate electricity from the sun, we can also insulate out country from price fluctuations in global energy markets.
6. Create jobs and help your local economy
These solar companies have been adding jobs at a rate nearly 12 times faster than the overall U.S. economy in 2015, which represents 1.2% of all jobs in the country. The increase in jobs is expected to continue more and more in the years to come. A lot of the reasoning for the new job opportunities is because the solar-related jobs are high paying and can not be outsourced. This is a major contributor to the US economy.
7. Protect the environment
Going solar is a fantastic way to reduce your carbon footprint. Buildings are responsible for 38% of a carbon emissions in the U.S. and going solar can significantly decrease that number. A typical residential solar panel system will eliminate three to four tons of emissions each year- the equivalent of planting over 100 trees annually.
8. Demonstrate your commitment to sustainability
Sustainability and corporate social responsibility are important components of an organization’s culture and values. They also produce bottom line results. Each year, more and more companies and communities are being recognized and rewarding businesses that choose to go green. People are starting to realize that “green” credentials are a powerful driver of consumer purchasing decisions, which in-turn is creating goodwill and improving business as a whole.
9. Increase employee morale
Just like consumers, employees have a demonstrated appreciation for their employers’ commitment to operating responsibility. Employees share in the success and contributions of their organizations. Companies that care about their community and environment tend to have lower turnover rates, more engaged employees, and higher levels of morale.
10. Stay competitive
Companies quickly are realizing the social and economic benefits of adopting solar power. As early adopters pull ahead of the competition, many companies are exploring solar power as a way to keep up.
After listening to all of these reasons don’t you feel like you should make the switch to solar energy as well?
