Solar energy may now be one of the greatest energy alternatives for your home. Saving on your monthly power consumption when using a solar system is hands down the biggest cost benefit to any solar system. No longer will you be subject to fluctuating rates and fluctuating energy use. With the installation of a solar paneling system you become the master of your electrical needs.

The initial costs of a solar panel system are based on the panels that you choose and the supporting parts of the system including wiring components, racking and mounting hardware, inverter or micro inverter, installation costs, and the cost of energy cells to store the energy in. The long term payback of course far out ways the initial investment which has come down in cost dramatically from when this power source was first conceived.  Remember, the more solar panels installed in a system the lower the overall costs per watt will be for the consumer.

The payback period from solar panel systems varies but for most residential installations your investment will be recouped after about seven years of use. This of course depends on the costs of power and whether or not the power company offers solar rebates. The most effective use of solar energy is of course to have enough power storage to remove yourself completely from the grid and no longer be subjected to the power company.

The greatest feature of solar energy beyond the cost savings is the completely clean and sustainable energy. The amount of solar energy hitting the surface of the earth in a year is twice as much as the energy obtained from every other non-renewable resource like coal, oil, and natural gas. Solar power can be utilized for a huge range of varying purposes in residential, agricultural, industrial, and commercial applications. The efficiency of solar energy as well as the lowered operational costs make solar energy one of the most consistently effective means for producing energy.