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Join the eco-friendly electricity revolution by installing solar panel systems in your home or at your office. With falling prices and enticing incentives, clean, green power from the sun is an increasingly attractive option.

How to install a solar panel system

So, you want to explore home-grown sources of energy? Well, photovoltaic (PV) systems are a great eco-friendly power option that can be employed by almost anyone. This type of solar system is relatively large (compared to their miniature solar shingle counterparts) and usually mounted on a roof, a pole, or as a free-standing array.

When planning your solar panel system, consider these basic issues:

1. Local codes and requirements?: Your state may have various building codes and technology-specific requirements for any renewable power systems installed within its jurisdiction. Also, if you're part of a community or condo association, there may be restrictions on building modifications. Look into them prior to diving into your solar project.
2. Suitable for solar?: Next, determine whether your building and location are appropriate for a solar installation. Ideally, you’ll want an obstruction-free south-facing location to install the panels. But don't be limited by conventional rooftop solar arrays. You can choose from pole and free-standing units, too.
3. Sufficient space?: Your solar panel system will require adequate room, regardless of where you choose to install it. The US Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that for every Watt of energy required you'll need 10 square feet of space, depending on your energy requirements and the efficiency of the system you choose.[1]
4. On or off the grid?: You can generally choose to either remain connected to your city’s power system or go totally independent. Hybrid systems are also good options.
   • Assert your independence: Stand-alone systems, which require batteries to store power for sunless periods, are ideal for those in remote locations, but can also be used by city-dwellers wishing to claim their freedom from municipal power providers. Generally, you’ll need a combination of energy-generating techniques (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal) to provide consistent power when you’re off the grid.
   • Stay connected: You can choose to have your panels grid-connected, which allows you to access normal power systems during periods when the sun is nowhere to be found. Generally you don’t require batteries for grid-connected systems since any excess power you generate is pumped back into your power provider’s pipeline. The good news? If you produce more energy than you need in a month, your power company may be required by law to buy back the excess power (a process called net metering) at the same price you would have paid for it. So not only will you be making money, you’ll be pumping clean, renewable energy back into your community for others to use.
5. DIY or pro?: Some brave souls attempt to install panels on their own, which is certainly an attainable goal. However, these systems are relatively complicated, and therefore, unless you’ve got solar expertise, it’s recommended that you consult a professional.

Find it! Solar panel experts

Can't afford to install a whole array on your own? You're in luck! There are several lease options that offer low up-front investments with very reasonable monthly payments. Solar for all!

Before you buy

Though the sun’s energy is strongest in the southwestern US, building owners in all parts of the country can benefit from solar panels, so don’t be discouraged if you live in a less sunny location.[2] To get a quick estimate of the price and size of an adequate power system for your particular application, try this solar estimator.

Installing a solar panel system helps you go green because…

• As an alternative source of energy, it reduces the need for dirty energy from coal, natural gas, or nuclear power plants.
• These systems operate reliably with virtually no environmental impact.[3]
• Solar panels can also be manufactured locally, making them a clean, independent source of electricity.

Solar panels, commonly made of tiny crystalline silicon disks attached to metal conductors, can be mounted almost anywhere to take advantage of free, clean solar energy from the sun.[4] The semiconducting materials in solar panel systems absorb sunlight, causing electrons to flow, producing electricity.[5] Solar cells can range in size from one-half inch to 4 inches, each producing between one and two watts. When connected to other solar cells in a single module, they form an array.[6]

Solar panel systems run cleanly and without producing air pollution during operation.[7][8] Grid-connected PV rooftop systems have the potential to provide an average of 16 percent of the energy required by industrialized countries worldwide.[9] If all rooftops in the US were efficiently outfitted for PV power generation, they could provide up to 710,000 megawatts of power, which is 75 percent of the current US electricity-generating capacity of 950,000 megawatts.[10] Currently, solar energy provides less than 1 percent of the energy needed by electricity users in the US.[11]

Solar energy has become significantly more affordable in recent years, and as the market gains steam, prices are expected to drop to as little as five cents per kilowatt-hour, which would put it on par with coal- and gas-fired power plants.[12] Currently, the business of solar energy provides about 20,000 jobs in the US, a number that is expected to increase to 150,000 or more by 2020.[13]

Related health issues

The production of solar panels can be a risky affair, especially in the presence of potentially toxic and explosive substances, hazardous solvents, and small particulate matter.[2] Technology improvements are making PV manufacturing processes cleaner and less dangerous, however.[14]

Controversies

Some solar panels contain small amounts of semiconductor material, meaning that discarded PV systems can be classified as hazardous waste. Panels generally last up to 30 years, so the problem of solar system disposal is not yet that big, but as they become more popular, spent units will begin to pile up. Industry leaders are currently working on ways to minimize any toxicity and make these units more recyclable in the long-run.[15]

Tax breaks and subsidies

Though installing solar panels may set you back between $16,000 and $40,000, remember that they’ll pay for themselves within two to five years, and they’ll last up to 30 years in total.[16] But to ease the burden of your up-front costs, you’ve got some incentive options. Not only are there federal tax credits for a percentage of the cost of photovoltaic systems,[17] but with hundreds of incentive programs in place and something in almost every state, you’re bound to find a rebate that’s right for you on the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency Financial Incentives for Renewable Energy table.

For more information on federal tax incentives for solar energy, check out this guide, put out by the Solar Energy Industries Association. (You’ll need to provide an email address to receive it.)

Glossary

• photovoltaic (PV): The technology used to convert light directly into electricity, generally through the use of solar cells connected electrically in multiples to create solar photovoltaic arrays. The electricity can be used to power equipment directly or to recharge a battery.

External links

• Apollo Alliance - Aloha State Puts Sunshine To Work On More Than Just A Tan
• New York Times - Photovoltaic Cells Are Still Very Green, Comparative Test Shows
• The Vote Solar Initiative: An organization working to build the economies of scale needed to reduce the cost of solar.
• US Department of Energy - Solar Energy Technologies Program: For Consumers: Watch informative videos and presentations about how solar works and why it’s important.
• New Resource Bank Get financing (in San Francisco only at this time) with low monthly payments for your new solar project.
• Watson Solar House: A real-life example of someone who’s installed a solar panel system in their home. Check it out for actual costs, savings, and energy output.