10 Reasons to Go Solar

Why should you go solar? Im sure that you have heard a lot of things said about
switching over to solar energy. So what motivates so many people to make a switch over
to solar energy? Heres a list of the 10 best reasons that people decide to go solar.

1.) Its good for the environment. Unlike conventional power, solar produces no
harmful emissions that hurt the environment.
2.) Its a solid home investment. Many home improvements that you will make, will
not add the same value that you put into them. Solar energy will save you money each
month. In addition, the investment that you made in solar, will add its exact property
value to the home.
3.) Solar Energy systems are durable. Solar panels have no moving parts, so they are
not damaged easily. This lowers the chance for an interruption in service.
4.) Solar can actually make you money! In certain states, excess solar energy pushed
back onto the grid can be sold. This could provide an extra source of income. For more
on SRECs http://www.srectrade.com/background.php.
5.) Solar could help you afford that home improvement youve been wanting.
Many people design a swimming pool or hot tub with their solar system in mind. On
average a swimming pool adds $300 to your monthly energy bill. Your solar system
could be designed with that extra usage in mind.
6.) Solar has a fixed energy cost. Utility providers often raise energy costs, but your
cost for a solar system would be the same monthly until paid off. (or for the length of
your PPA agreement.)
7.) Being ahead of the curve. The future of energy is in renewable and clean energy.
By converting to solar energy now, youd be a step ahead.
8.) You can use your Solar Energy all day. Theres a big myth that solar power only
works when there is sun, so during the evening hours, you risk a power outage. This is
untrue. Most solar energy providers keep you connected to the grid. During the morning
and afternoon hours, when most people are at work, your solar system will produce more
electricity than your home is using. This excess electricity is pushed back onto the grid.
This literally causes your electricity meter to spin backwards. In the evening hours when
the sun is down, you will be using the credited energy from the meter spinning
backwards. This excess energy does not expire. Its like roll-over minutes.
9.)

Solar Energy is cool! Lets face it, whats cooler than the sun powering your home?

10.) Either way, you cant keep the money. Whether youre spending money to make
an investment in solar energy, or giving that money to your utility provider, that money is
still being spent. Deciding to go solar is very much similar to deciding to purchase a
home. You can invest in yourself and take control of your energy costs, or pay your
utility provider for rented energy monthly.

Why Solar Energy is Good?

Aside from the obvious financial benefits posed by solar energy for those who file taxes online,
there are other advantages available as well. Face it, solar energy is definitely the future trend of
energy. Nowadays, many households have converted their home to be powered solely by solar
power, reaping all the advantages offered by the sun.
Here are some good reasons for using solar energy to power your home.
1. Cut-down electricity bill
The key reason that most households convert their power source to solar energy is to cut down
their electrical bill because the electrical usage generated from the sun is free. By converting as
many home appliances as possible to use solar energy, you can save a significant savings in
your utilities expenses.
2. It is a renewable energy source
Typical electricity is generated from fossil fuel that will run out one day. Solar energy is a good
alternative to replace fossil fuel as the major energy source because solar power is renewable at
absolutely no cost to supply energy infinitely.
3. Environment friendly
The world pollution is getting worse. Any effort that can reduce the pollution to the environment
helps to save the earth. Solar panels are able to harness the energy from the sun and convert it to
electricity. Therefore, the use of solar panels is environment friendly. Therefore, solar energy that
is harmless to the environment will be the major energy source for future - starting today.
4. Low / no maintenance needed
Once you have installed the solar power system, it can last twenty to thirty years without major
maintenance needed. You may need to do system check once a year, just to make sure everything
is performing as it should. Since it requires very minimum maintenance cost, your cost should be
minimal.

20 Solar Business Opportunities For You

Now is a great time to be an entrepreneur as there are lots of solar business opportunities to
develop and choose from.
The market for solar products in the US (up 80% over next 18 months), Japan, China, India,
Germany, Italy, UK are growing quite fast. Worldwide - demand for solar installations was up
more than 9% last year ... and its growing.
In this section we want to give you a few ideas to consider based on our experiences as
entrepreneurs and solar project developers and will be expanding this in coming weeks to
include resources and other information to help you.
Your first paragraph ...
Find a Need and Fill It

A business will only survive if it has customers that want what you provide.
According to various research reports I've seen while working on this website up to 94% of the
people in America like the idea of solar energy and helping to save the planet so that means
there are a lot of potential customers.
So what are people willing to pay for?
The answer again seems to be anything solar.
Can you deliver these products or services and make a profit?
For each idea you come up with where the answer is yes add it to your list of solar business
opportunities to consider.
Need help coming up with some ideas -- here are 20 solar business opportunities to consider.

9 Product-Oriented Solar Business Opportunities

This website is dedicated to helping people get the most from the sun and can be a great source
of ideas that you could use to develop your own business. For example here are just some of
the solar business opportunities and ideas that I've identified since working on this web site and
as a consultant in the solar industry:
1. Sell Products Billions of dollars of solar PV, solar thermal systems,solar attic fans, solar
cooling systems, etc. are sold each year not to mention all the component parts required to build
and operate such installations. Add to that solar lights, solar gadgets, solar rechargers, and a
growing list of related products and you have a lot to choose from.
2. Be a Distributor As more an more manufacturers of products emerge they need
distributors to get the products to the market. For example, I recently started corresponding with
a company in Asia that produces technology that helps solar systems produce more electricity (2
to 5 times), helps reduce electrical consumption in your home (meaning you won't need to add as
many solar panels), the low cost solar street lights (with 5 day battery backup), solar back up
generators and much more and I'll be looking to build a network of distributors to develop
customers for their products.
3. Develop & Own Solar Projects With Solar Energy anybody can become a solar
developer. Find a good location, put together a team of experts (I recommend starting with an
experienced solar consultant and contractor to handle the installation) develop a good business
plan, raise the money, build your project use your experience and completed projects to
leverage yourself into other solar projects.
4. Sell After Market Products As I've reported on this site there are products that can be
sold to people who already have solar installations to increase their yields, reduce the need for
cleaning, etc.
5. Sell 3rd Party Provided Services - Besides selling products, you can also sell services
provided by other companies such as solar insurance products, solar cleaning, solar financing,
etc. (for more see the list below).
6. Invent Solar Products Are you a bit of an inventor? There's a whole bunch of new solar
products being developed. Need an idea? Take a look at any existing product that needs power
to operate and think about how you could use solar energy to provide that power. For example
solar powered cooling systems (I'm already working on that one personally).
Maybe you have a new way of doing something just look at all the products that came along
after the invention of the personal computer the cell phone etc. the opportunities in solar

are just as big if not bigger (as solar is truly a global business).
7. Find Niches Take what someone is successfully doing in one market and do it in your
local market, or apply it to a niche market like (e.g., solar for RV vehicles, solar products for
boats, solar products for recreational users, solar powered agricultural buildings, government,
mobile apps for people interested in solar energy, etc.). There are a lot of opportunities.
8. Produce Informational Products With everything going on in the solar industry there is
a strong demand for good quality information. If you are good at research consider producing
research reports, how to ebooks, instructional videos, solar training classes, the list of things you
can make is limited only by your imagination.
9. Produce Financial Products - Set up a financial company and offer specific financing
products such as solar construction financing, long term solar project financing, joint venture
financing, provide angel financing, acquire solar projects, etc. There are a growing number of
private investment groups that do just this.
11 Solar Business Opportunities in the Service Sector

One of the best solar business opportunities (that doesn't require lots of money) is starting a
service business. Again, drawing on some of the information in this website here are some
services that you might want to consider:
10. Independent Solar Consultant A lot of people would like to know if it makes sense to
install solar on their property, and could benefit from a professional opinion that looks at the
various options and guides them through the entire process.
11. Solar Panel Cleaning As we discussed in this website - clean solar panels produce more
electricity than dirty panels and many customers would prefer to hire somebody to keep their
solar panels clean rather than clean them themselves, especially if the panels are located on their
roofs.
12. Financing Consultant Solar installations are expensive, and there are a lot of different
government programs out there. Also some banks will lend money for solar installations so
why not provide your services to help clients find the money they need to build their projects.
Just as there are mortgage brokers why not create your own "solar brokerage service.
13. Solar Appraisal Just as there are real estate appraisals why not create a "solar appraisal
business" to assess the value of a solar array on a property for sale or the future potential of
adding a solar installation on an building.
14.

Solar Repairs Solar systems last a long time but some maintenance is required from

time to time, especially on older systems that might need to be upgraded with new inverters,
wiring replaced, storm damage repairs, etc.
15. Start a Job Placement Service - On the one hand you have a lot of companies in the solar
industry that need to hire people and on the other, you have a lot of people who would like to
work in the solar industry. Start a solar job placement service offer tips and advice to
employers and job seekers alike. You would be helping a lot of people, including yourself.
16. Start a School - Have a skill already like knowing how to install solar panels or solar
heaters teach others. As I wrote in idea #15 above there is a big demand for skilled workers
and you can provide training (either online or hands on). There is a growing need for skilled
installers. That's just one example, there are many other skills you could teach people.
17. Start a Non-Profit - You don't have to be limited to for profit ideas there are a number of
non-profit solar business opportunities. For example, you can start a foundation to help bring
solar energy to people in need, advocate the adoption of FIT programs in your state, promote
solar energy awareness in your community, promote greater awareness of vitamin D to help
prevent disease, raise money for installing solar systems in developing countries, etc.
18. Nutritional Advice - If you've read the information we've published about the <a
href=http://www.solar-facts-and-advice.com/vitamin-D.html>Sunshine Vitamin</a> you'll
realize that a very high percentage of the population are vitamin D deficient and so there is a
great need for vitamin D awareness, testing, counseling, vitamin D supplements, etc.
19. Solar Broker - There is a growing market for companies looking to acquire and develop
portfolios of solar projects (at least in Europe). Typically, they will buy FIT eligible projects that
are connected to the grid but in some cases you can also sell "shovel ready" solar projects with
permits.
20. Energy Auditor - Another service that is growing in demand is to conduct energy audits
and make recommendations how people can reduce their electrical consumption.
If you've ever thought about having your own business you might want to seriously look at the
potential of doing something that helps promote solar energy.
These are just a few ideas there are many solar businesses and many more started every
month.

Benefits of Solar Power

The benefits of solar power are becoming increasingly evident. Whether its to save money or to
help the environment, thousands of homeowners and businesses are choosing to invest in solar
power. The following are examples of the many benefits.
Energy Independence

In recent years electricity rates have soared, far outpacing the rate of inflation. Most experts feel
that rate hikes will continue, and perhaps even worsen. Investing in solar allows you to own your
own power plant, instead of renting power at an inflated price. It allows you to lock in your
electric rate at a fraction of todays electric costs, and it makes you immune from future rate
hikes. Its also worth noting that investing in renewable energy such as solar power reduces the
nation's dependency on foreign oils.
Financial Savings

The long term financial savings of investing in solar power can be quite significant. The
declining costs of equipment coupled with the substantial rebates and incentives makes it a great
time to invest in solar. System paybacks are shorter than ever, financed systems yield positive
cash flows, there is a high annual rate of return compared to popular investment vehicles, and
there is an immediate increase in home value. Please see the "Solar Payback and Financials"
page for details!
Better for the Environment

Generating your own electricity reduces your consumption of fossil fuels, therefore minimizing
the emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases. Over the warranted lifespan of an average sized
residential system (5KW), you can expect your system to offset 250,000 pounds of CO2 which is
the principal contributor to global warming. This is equivalent to offsetting over 150,000 miles
driven by the average car, or planting 21,700 square feet of trees!
Dependable Technology

PV modules were developed for use in the harshest of environments, outer space. They are still
used on almost all satellites due to their proven reliability. PV modules have no moving parts,
have no emissions, are silent, and are virtually maintenance free. You can expect the PV modules
to provide you with 30-40 years of trouble-free electrical production. The industry standard
warranty of 25 years is a testament to PV modules reliability, which is unmatched by just about
any other manufactured good.

Why is solar energy good source of energy?

These days solar energy is the most popular energy source in the world. Here is the
list featuring the most important factors that make solar energy a good energy
source:
Solar energy is renewable energy source meaning it is being constantly replenished
and cannot be depleted like this is the case with fossil fuels. As long as Sun keeps
shining solar energy will be available to us.
Solar energy is clean and environmentally friendly source of energy that doesn't
contribute to climate change.
Solar energy industry creates plenty new jobs that can give huge boost to our
economy.
Solar energy is extremely abundant source of energy with almost unlimited
potential.
Solar energy is free source of energy because nobody owns the Sun.
Solar energy can help improve our energy independence and energy security by
reducing the need for expensive foreign fuel import.
Adding solar panels improves the value of your property.

Solar panels are very silent and do not create noise pollution like some wind
turbines do.
Solar energy can help electrification of many rural areas, particularly in developing
world.
Solar panels have very good lifespan of 20+ years.
Solar panel prices have been constantly dropping in the last five years.
Solar panels require very little maintenance.
Solar energy industry is the fastest growing industry in the nation giving plenty of
business opportunities to young people.
Solar panels do not lose much efficiency over the years and can be recycled.
People employed within the solar energy industry have very good salaries. Solar
power engineer, for instance, can earn close to $100,000 per year.

How does solar power help the environment?

by Nathan Chandler
How much do you know about solar power?
Modern society is extremely dependent electricity generated by oil and coal, which both add to
greenhouse gas buildup in the environment. Our homes, vehicles and technologies require
immense amounts of energy, yet fossil fuel supplies are finite. Sunshine, however, isn't
disappearing anytime soon.
Solar energy is abundant throughout many parts of the United States. In a single day, the amount
of sunlight hitting the United States is more than 2,500 times the entire country's daily energy
usage. From an energy security and sustainability perspective, it seems logical to make the most
of solar power technologies.
There are multiple technologies used to create electricity from solar energy. Many homes and
businesses install photovoltaic panels, which absorb sunlight and use semiconductors to create
usable energy. Larger complexes use panels, too, but others deploy concentrated solar power,
which uses lenses or mirrors focused to a small area, where the tremendous heat is turned into
electricity.
Both technologies help the environment because they reduce the need to burn fossil fuels. That
means a correlating drop in air pollution and greenhouse gases. And because they don't have
many moving parts, they're quieter, too.
Photovoltaic panels are still expensive to produce. However, many experts expect that hardware
prices will drop by at least 50 percent in the next few years as more companies invest in this
technology. Once a resident or business can afford the panels, they're installed easily and tied
into the electrical system.
One of the great things about solar power is that it produces its greatest output as demand spikes.
Energy usage jumps during summer months due to air conditioners -- but that same solar energy
that warms the country can be captured and used to power those devices.
At this point, though, solar power accounts for only around 1 percent of electricity generation. It
will take years of concentrated effort by the government and by private investors to make the
most of solar power's potential.
Complications and Drawbacks

In spite of years of research and development, solar power technologies remain expensive. The
cost of producing electricity from solar panels is quadruple that of coal electricity production.
What's more, solar technologies do damage the environment. Huge solar arrays in the desert take
up a lot of open land, which affects flora and fauna in these areas. Miles of power lines are still
necessary, too, and these require extensive construction. And local residents can attest to the fact
that solar energy farms can be an eyesore that affects property values and overall quality of life.
In short, although solar power may be cleaner than coal and oil, there are some serious cons that
communities should consider as they contemplate sun-driven technologies.