Solar Power vs Fossil Fuels_ A Comparison

When it comes to solar power vs. fossil fuels, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each energy source. We’ve largely been using fossil fuels because they’re convenient. However, with increasing warnings from experts about climate change and a desire to do our part to help the environment, solar power is slowly but surely gaining more traction. Let’s take a closer look at the major factors to consider when comparing solar power to fossil fuels. 

Availability differs between solar power and fossil fuels

  • Solar power: Because it’s derived directly from the sun, solar power is considered a renewable source of energy. It’s free and it’s not a finite resource because as long as the sun continues to rise every day, we are able to create solar power. 
  • Fossil fuels: Conversely, fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy source. There is not an endless supply of fossil fuels here on earth, and once the supply runs out it will take millions of years to replenish. 

Cost comparison between fossil fuels and solar power

  • Solar power: It goes without saying that sunlight is free, and the largest costs associated with solar power are the manufacturing and installation costs for solar panels. Fortunately, home solar systems have become much more affordable over the years, and there are federal tax rebates you can claim to help offset your installation costs. 
  • Fossil fuels: There are costs associated with every step of fossil fuels, from mining, transporting, supplying, and using fossil fuels. As resources run out, these costs are set to increase. If you have gas in your home, your monthly gas bill reflects only part of the cost. 

Difference in carbon emissions between solar power and fossil fuels

  • Solar power: Solar power doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide, nor does it emit any other harmful gases that are bad for the environment. 
  • Fossil fuels: When fossil fuels are burned, it emits carbon dioxide – which becomes trapped in the atmosphere and leads to heat retention. With climate change and rising temperatures around the world being serious threats to our livelihood, it makes sense to avoid energy sources that produce carbon emissions.

The Future of Energy Usage 

  • Solar power: From an environmental perspective, solar power is the better option for the future. The sun is a completely free source of energy that will never run out, and solar power can be used to run everything from small homes to large warehouses. And as far as vehicles go, solar power is already being used to power charging stations for electric vehicles. 
  • Fossil fuels: Moving away from fossil fuels on a large scale will require collective action from our governments. The recent tax incentives and federal rebates are a good start to encourage homeowners and business owners to make the switch to solar power.

For more information about solar power installation in New Jersey, please contact our team at Green House Solar today and visit our website at: https://greenhouse.solar

Why Solar Power Is Worth It

Many homeowners are harnessing the power of the sun and installing home solar systems in NJ. It helps now that there are many incentives available to homeowners to more easily power their homes with free, clean, renewable energy. But you might be asking yourself: is solar power really worth it? In this article, our residential solar team discusses the basics, including why solar power might be the right choice for your home. 

The Cost of Solar Panels

The largest cost you’ll incur with solar panels is the initial installation fee. Depending on the size of your residential solar system, it can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000, however there are federal tax incentives you can claim to mitigate this cost – we’ll discuss them more below. 

The payback period, meaning the period of time it usually takes to recoup the solar installation costs, is around six to ten years depending on your home’s energy needs, and we estimate that the average home saves between $50 – $190 a month on their energy bills once their solar system is up and running. 

Is Your Roof Suitable for Solar Panels?

The shape, angle, direction, and size of your roof will be  big determining factors on whether or not you can install a home solar system. While many roofs are suitable for supporting solar panels, if yours isn’t, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a solar system. Many solar technicians install solar panels elsewhere around the homeowner’s property when the roof isn’t suitable. 

Solar Tax Incentives

There is a 30% federal tax credit available to people who install residential solar panels, and many states have other tax incentives and rebates available. You can check this database to see what’s available in your state. This is a big step in the right direction, and we expect the federal and state governments to continue doing more to help homeowners cover installation costs in the future. 

Your Energy Consumption

Solar panels are best for homes that have high energy consumption. A single person living alone in a small house won’t benefit as much from solar panels as a family of five living in a suburban home. If your family uses a lot of energy on a daily basis and you’ve noticed your energy bills continuing to increase, solar panels would be a more energy efficient and cost effective alternative for you. 

If you’d like to talk with one of our professionals about why solar power is worth it, or if you have any questions about the installation process, please contact our team at Green House Solar today. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you with your solar needs.  https://greenhouse.solar/

The Importance of Solar Panel Alignment

If you’re installing a home solar system, have you thought about solar panel alignment yet? The angles of your solar panels will determine how much energy they generate for your home, and ideally you want your solar system to generate as much energy as possible. Our team will take a closer look at why solar panel alignment is so important. 

Why Is Solar Panel Alignment Important?

You want your solar panels to be placed at the angle that allows them to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight, which is when your panels are perpendicular to the sun. Not everyone’s roof allows for this possibility, so it’s important to work with a qualified solar technician who can place your solar panels at the best angle. 

Factors That Affect Your Solar Panel Angle

  • Latitude: The further away your house is from the equator, the steeper your solar panels need to be tilted to get the maximum amount of sunlight. Someone who lives in Arizona, for example, will have a different optimal tilt to their solar panels than someone who lives in Minnesota. 
  • The Season: The ideal angle for your solar panels is different depending on the season. Mainly, this is because during the winter the sun is much lower in the sky than in the summer. 
  • Your Roof Design: This factor isn’t one that you have much control over, unless you’re building a new home from scratch. Whether your roof is flat or angled, a solar technician can advise on the best solar panel alignment for you. 

What else affects your solar panels?

  • Roof pitch: The pitch of your roof refers to how steep the angles are. A flat roof has zero pitch, while angled roofs are all pitched, just at different steepness levels. 
  • Shade: If you have a lot of tree cover on your property, this will need to be considered when installing your solar panels. Ideally you want as little shade as possible, because sometimes trees and shrubs can get in the way. 
  • Property orientation: Some homes are north-facing, some are south-facing, and so on. You will have one part of your roof that is most suitable for solar panels, and the orientation of that part of the roof will determine the best angle for your solar system. 

For more information about solar panel alignment, or if you have any other solar panel installation questions, please visit us at:  https://greenhouse.solar/

The Future and Solar Power

Solar technology is evolving quickly, and there are several different types of innovative solar panels you can expect to see more of in the near future. While solar panels themselves are not exactly a new technology, their prevalence among homeowners is relatively new within the last few decades. As the need for clean, renewable energy continues to grow, so will the various futuristic solar options. Here are a few you can watch out for.

Solar Skins

A solar skin is a piece of thin material that produces an electrical current when it’s exposed to sunlight. Think of it as a piece of saran wrap that you can wrap around an object, like a cell phone for example. Solar skins can be applied to almost any surface – cars, the outside of a home, a motorized scooter – and they generate power for the object they’re wrapped around. Soon you may be able to buy a solar skin to charge your phone in the sun!

Floating Solar Farms

Floating solar farms are clusters of solar panels installed on the surface of lakes, industrial ponds, reservoirs, and other bodies of water near coastal areas. Land is both limited and expensive, so utilizing water to generate renewable energy is an excellent alternative. Portugal is home to Europe’s largest floating solar park, located on the Alqueva reservoir, and it supplies the nearby towns with a third of its power. 

Solar Power Street Lights

Did you know that it can cost millions of dollars per year to keep street lights illuminated using electricity from the grid? Solar power street lights are just one way that cities can reduce their dependency on non-renewable energy. Not to mention, a solar power street light has a lifespan of around 25 years, making it incredibly efficient. 

Replacing the Grid With Solar Energy

If you’re interested in getting your home or business off the grid, investing in a solar system is the right choice. Despite the common misconception, your solar panels will still release energy to your building when it’s not sunny or when it’s dark outside, and solar accessories like batteries ensure your home stays powered around the clock.

As you can see, the future of solar is very exciting and full of possibilities! If you’d like to learn more about innovative solar panels, or if you have any residential or commercial solar questions, please give us a call or visit our website at: https://greenhouse.solar/

Solar Trackers & Ground Mounts

For home solar system enthusiasts, there are some terms you may have come across in your findings like solar trackers and ground mounts. But do you know what they are, as well as the pros and cons of each? As home solar systems become more popular across the country, so do various types of solar set-ups and the ways in which they can be mounted. Our team will explain what you need to know about solar trackers and ground mounts within this article. 

What are Solar Trackers?

A solar tracker is a device that follows the sun as it moves across the sky, thus enabling your solar panels to absorb more sunlight and generate more energy for your home. Solar trackers can be single or dual axis and can be paired with roof-mounted solar panels or ground-mounted solar panels, and they connect to the racking and swivel as they follow the sun. 

Solar Trackers: The Good & the Bad

The good:

  • If you live in an area with Time of Use electricity rates, a solar tracker will be very beneficial because it produces more energy during peak hours. This means you won’t be paying for any electricity from the grid when it’s at its most expensive. 
  • Solar trackers enable your solar panels to absorb more sunlight because they’re always tilted in the direction of the sun, giving you more energy to power your home.
  • There are a variety of solar trackers on the market, so you can definitely find one that suits your specific needs. 

The bad:

  • While they require fewer panels to generate the same amount of energy as a roof or ground mounted system, the solar tracker equipment itself can be more costly than other racking and mounting options.
  • Because they contain moving parts, there are more potential failure points than stationary equipment. 
  • Installing solar trackers can make your home solar system slightly more complicated because it requires extra site preparation.

Ground Mounts: What You Need to Know

A ground mount is a freestanding piece of equipment that mounts your solar panels either on top of a single pole, or using a rigid metal frame. If your roof isn’t suitable for solar panels, or you get the most direct sunlight in a different part of your property, a ground mount might be the best choice for you. 

Ground Mounts: The Good & the Bad

The good:

  • If you have a large property, you can install a ground mounted solar system in a far corner where it’s out of sight, out of mind. Some people prefer this to altering the structure of their roof.
  • They’re often more efficient because there are no obstructions like trees, chimneys, and other objects close to your roof. 
  • Ground mounts are easy to expand if your energy needs change later on. 

The bad:

  • They require a certain amount of land, and not every homeowner has enough open space for a ground mount.
  • Depending on the size of your ground-mounted solar system, you may be required to apply for a permit from your local zoning authority. 
  • You’ll need to install extra wiring to connect the ground mount to your home.

If you’d like more information about solar trackers and ground mounts, or if you have any questions about solar panel installation for your home in NJ, please contact our team at Green House Solar.

Do Solar Panels Break in Hail Storms and Bad Weather_

If you have solar panels, or if you’re considering investing in a home solar system, you might be wondering how they will hold up in inclement weather. For people who live in areas that experience extreme weather conditions, like blizzards, hurricanes, or hail storms, it’s important to understand how bad weather conditions will affect your solar panels. Let’s take a closer look: 

Solar Panels in Storms

If you live in an area where storms and high winds are common, you’ll be relieved to know that most solar panels are able to withstand winds of up to 140mph. Heavy rain, heavy wind, and hurricanes are a particular concern for those of us who live on the east coast of the US, and when Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast in 2012, minimal damage was reported by solar system owners across New Jersey. 

Solar Panels and Hail

In order to test and ensure durability, solar panels are subjected to various tests, and one of those tests involves shooting the solar panels with ping pong-sized ice balls at around 70mph. In 2017, Denver, Colorado experienced an unusually severe hailstorm that resulted in shattered car windows and left huge dents in roofs. However, only one solar panel was reportedly broken, proving that they’re durable and resilient even in dangerous weather conditions like extreme hail. 

Do Solar Power Batteries Help During Storms?

If your solar panels are connected to the grid, they’ll shut off if there’s a power outage. This is where solar batteries become essential. Solar batteries store excess energy generated by your solar panels, and release it to your house when it’s needed. During power outages, blackouts, storms, and other harsh weather conditions, a solar battery ensures your home doesn’t lose power. 

Consider a Change to the Rack

If hail storms are a concern in your area, we recommend you consider a dual-axis tracker that can move into a more vertical position to minimize damage from hail and other extreme weather. There are solar panels made from thicker and more durable glass, making them more hail resistant than thinner panels. 

For more information about durable home solar systems, or if you have any other questions about how your solar system will fare in a hail storm, please contact our team at Green House Solar today or visit us at: https://greenhouse.solar/

 

 

 

 

Adding Solar Panels To Your Existing System

There are several reasons why you might want to add solar panels to your existing system. Perhaps your budget allowed you to start with a smaller number of panels, maybe you’ve increased your energy usage over the years, or you’ve built an extension on your home and now have space for more panels. Whatever the reason, our expert team at Green House Solar is here to explain how this process works. 

Can You Add More Solar Panels to an Existing Setup?

Yes, you can add panels to your existing solar system. If you have space on your roof then your solar installer can simply add more, but solar panels don’t need to always be on the roof. They can also be placed in various locations around your property, taking into account things like sun exposure and shaded obstructions, like trees and shrubbery. 

How Many Panels Should You Add?

The number of panels you add will depend on several factors, most importantly how much energy you’re using on a monthly basis. It’s common for peoples’ energy usage to increase over the years, especially if your family has expanded or you add new appliances to your home. Share your most recent energy bill with your solar installer, so they can recommend the correct number of panels to add. 

How to Upgrade Your Solar System

Call your solar installer and let them know you want to expand your existing solar system. They’ll conduct an inspection and let you know what’s possible, whether it’s adding more panels to your roof or installing additional panels somewhere else on your property. Upgrading your system does even more to reduce your emissions while providing your home with clean, free, renewable power from the sun. 

Adding Solar Batteries

Solar batteries collect and store solar power to distribute throughout your home at a later time. If you’re expanding your solar system you may want to add an additional solar battery (or two), and this is something your solar installer can do alongside installing your new solar panels. 

For more information about adding solar panels to your existing setup, or if you have any other questions, please contact our team at Green House Solar today. We look forward to hearing from you, but until then please visit our website at: https://greenhouse.solar/

 

 

How the IRA Helps Property Owners Lower Energy Bills

The United States Congress recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which among several other things, aims to promote clean and renewable sources of energy. This is great news for homeowners who have been thinking about installing home solar systems, but perhaps needed a little push to do so. And by “push” we mean attractive incentives that will help you save up to 30% on solar installation costs.  Let’s take a look at what’s in the IRA and the benefits you can access by installing residential solar panels in 2022. 

Inflation Reduction Act 

The Inflation Reduction Act was passed in August 2022, and it’s touted as being a game-changer for both the solar industry and solar manufacturing in the United States. Some of its key provisions include changes to tax laws that will impact solar manufacturing, and incentives to combat climate change. 

Investment Tax Credit

The Investment Tax Credit has been increased from 26% to 30%, meaning if you install a home solar system you can claim back 30% of your installation costs. This tax credit applies to both residential and commercial solar systems, and it will be in effect until the end of 2032. 

Additionally, battery-based solar energy storage systems also qualify for the ITC on their own – you don’t need to have purchased one as part of a new solar installation to apply for the tax credit. 

Clean Electricity Production Credit

The solar power industry is now eligible for the Clean Electricity Production Credit. All solar power projects that meet wage requirements will receive a tax credit of 2.5 cents / kWh for the first 10 years of the project’s duration. This credit will be increased according to inflation year-on-year. 

Domestically Produced Hardware

To encourage an increase in US-based solar manufacturing, solar manufacturers will receive various tax credits for producing the components of a solar system, including solar panels, inverters, and racking components. 

Community Solar Projects

Solar panels that direct their energy into community solar projects for low-income people will receive an additional 10% tax credit, meaning the total tax credit could potentially be around 60! 

If you’d like to know more about how installing solar panels can help you lower your energy bills, or if you have any other questions about solar panel installation in NJ, please contact our team at Green House Solar today or visit: https://greenhouse.solar/

How Solar Impacts the Value of Your Property

Homeowners in New Jersey and beyond are installing solar systems on their property in order to power their homes with completely free and renewable energy from the sun. But you’ve probably wondered: will a solar system increase my property value or is it a deterrent for some buyers?

In this article, our team at Green House Solar will discuss installation costs, return on investment, and explore several caveats about home solar panels in Morris County.

Solar Panel Installation Costs

The upfront installation costs can sometimes make people wary of home solar panels, but with things like solar leases, solar loans, and the 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit, homeowners have more options than ever before to finance their solar system installation. In addition, the average warranty of a market-leading solar system is around 25 years. However, the lifespan of the panels is much longer than that, so if you’re planning on selling your home within that time frame, having solar panels will be very attractive to potential buyers. 

Additionally, according to home buying and selling sites like Zillow, homes with solar panels sell for 4.1% more on average than homes without a solar system. 

Return on Residential Solar Investment

One obvious benefit of solar panels is lower monthly energy bills, but did you know that energy that you save from having a home solar system translates to your home being valued at a higher price? The National Renewable Energy Laboratory conducted a study and found that for every dollar saved on energy via a home solar system, the value of the home increases by $20. That’s a huge return on investment of 20:1. 

Residential Solar Caveats

If you lease your solar system and want to sell your home, the buyers will also need to agree to take over your existing solar lease. You can also transfer your solar lease to someone else, and many solar leasing companies can assist you in finding a buyer for your lease.

As mentioned above, the average warranty is 25 years, although the lifespan of the panels is much longer than that. In fact, with the lowest degradation of the highest rated SunPower panels, only 0.25% is lost per year, meaning that even after 25 years those panels will still be producing 92% of the power they were on day one. 

If you’d like to know more about how solar systems can increase your property value, or if you have any other residential solar questions, please contact our team today or visit us at: https://greenhouse.solar/

Solar Power for Home - Green House Solar

Solar power systems aren’t just great for the environment and for saving on your energy bills, they also offer big tax incentives and a healthy SREC market if you live in NJ. In fact, our state offers some of the best solar incentives in the country! Here are the NJ solar rebates and incentives for 2019.

  • Solar sales tax exemption: You are 100% exempt from any sales tax when purchasing your home solar system, a 7% savings on all your solar equipment.
  • Property tax exemption: Home solar systems are in high demand, and many homeowners invest in these systems in order to add value to their home and achieve a more attractive sales price. Fortunately, NJ residents investing in home solar systems do not have to pay any additional property tax on the value that system adds to your home.
  • Federal solar tax credit: You are also subject to the federal investment tax credit, reducing the cost of your home solar system by 30% when buying it outright.
  • NJ net metering: Through this program, you can sell any additional energy your home generates back into the grid at the retail rate. This is fairly profitable, as the retail rate is higher than the bulk rate utilities receive their electricity at and means that you never waste energy.
  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs): Each time your solar system produces one megawatt-hour of energy, you earn one SREC. These SRECs can then be sold on to utilities who use them to meet NJ Renewable Portfolio Standards. The price of these SRECs changes according to supply and demand and has ranged between $165 and $262 over the last few years.

Want to Reduce Power Cost in Morris County NJ? Contact Our Home Solar Team Today 

Greenhouse Solar is one of the leading solar companies in Morris County, NJ. We are Sonnen Certified, and our experienced teams are ready to answer all your questions about home solar systems and solar battery backup systems. We are here to help design, install and maintain your solar system, completely customized to your needs and budget. To find out more about home solar in Morris County NJ, our company or services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://greenhouse.solar/