Sustainable energy is essential to improve the effects of climate change and human health. Many homeowners and businesses are looking for clean energy like solar to lessen their environmental impact while reducing their monthly utility costs.
Sustainable energy has many other benefits for homeowners, businesses and nonprofits. These entities can improve their energy independence, encourage economic growth, take advantage of various incentives and improve the health of their local communities.
Learn more about renewable energy, its benefits and how 8MSolar can help you discover the benefits of solar for yourself.
What Is Renewable Energy?
Put simply, renewable energy is energy powered by naturally recurring energy sources, like the sun and the wind. These elements will theoretically never stop existing, so they offer a consistently reliable source of energy. There are different types of renewable energy sources, including:
- Solar
- Wind
- Hydropower
- Geothermal
Renewable energy is an alternative to fossil fuels, which much of the world currently relies on to supply electricity to their homes and businesses. Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas and oil, which can be found naturally on Earth. While these materials are effective at supplying power, they’re also limited in nature.
Fossil fuels take millions of years to create, so once we run out, we won’t be able to replenish the reserves. Some fossil fuel reserves may be depleted entirely in as little as 57 years. While this may seem like plenty of time, changing the entire energy grid takes time, so starting the transition now is essential.
Fossil fuels also contribute significantly to carbon emissions, which damage the environment. Carbon emissions create pollution, damaging local air and water quality and affecting human health. Excess amounts of these gases also contribute to climate change, drastically affecting the world’s environment.
What Is Solar Energy?
One of the most popular and growing forms of renewable energy is solar energy. Solar power uses energy from the sun and converts it into electrical or thermal energy. Solar is one of the cleanest energies in the world since it comes directly from the sun and doesn’t require damaging sourcing processes such as fracking.
One of the main ways solar energy harnesses power is through photovoltaic (PV) systems. These systems use sunlight to generate electricity by allowing it to pass through a series of solar cells and converting it into energy via a chemical process. Solar PV systems can power anything from small appliances to large commercial businesses. Other methods of harnessing solar energy include concentrating solar power and solar heating and cooling.
Many solar suppliers also offer solar batteries to help people store excess energy during emergencies or when the weather limits sun exposure. There have been many advancements in the solar energy industry, so homeowners and businesses can consistently benefit from the consistent progress by installing a solar system.
Advantages of Renewable Energy
There are different benefits of renewable solar energy for businesses and homeowners alike. Below are some of the most significant benefits of solar energy:
- Environmentally friendly: Solar energy is renewable and clean, helping homeowners and business owners significantly reduce or eliminate their carbon emissions. These emissions contribute to climate change, which has numerous adverse effects on the Earth. Solar energy is an excellent way for everyone to get involved in helping the environment.
- Consistent energy: Since solar energy is infinitely renewable thanks to the sun’s constant ultraviolet (UV) rays, solar is a consistent form of energy that’s always available. Transitioning to solar can reduce the reliance on the grid, allowing homeowners or businesses to continue operations during an outage, as long as they have a solar battery.
- Reduced utility costs: Renewable energy like solar can help homeowners, businesses and nonprofits reduce their monthly utility costs. Relying on the electrical grid means paying a monthly bill to a utility provider, which can become costly during peak times or seasons. Solar panels allow entities to offset these costs, helping them save more monthly to budget for other expenses.
- Energy independence: Solar energy is an excellent solution to help increase energy independence since solar can be sourced anywhere the sun shines. As stated, homeowners and businesses can separate themselves from their local grid, giving them full control over their power source. Reducing dependency on fossil fuels also helps prevent oil, natural gas and coal reserves from running dry, making solar a vital switch for many residential and commercial owners.
- Job and economic growth: As solar demand grows in the renewable energy industry, there’s an increasing need for more manufacturers and solar technicians. The growth in the industry increases available jobs within various economies. As more people become employed, they bolster their local economy as they spend their earnings.
- Federal or state incentives: Federal and state governments offer various incentives to encourage homeowners and businesses to invest in solar. For example, the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) gives residential and commercial entities a 30% tax credit they can use to offset the cost of their solar installations if they installed them in 2022-2023. Research your local state incentives to find more ways to receive financial incentives for investing in solar.
- Health benefits: Since solar energy helps reduce carbon emissions, it also helps improve the air and water quality in various locations. With improved air and water quality, local health can improve, especially for people with respiratory conditions like asthma or seasonal allergies.
Switching to solar can significantly benefit your home, business, community and local environment. You can switch to solar today to become a part of the clean energy solution to reduce carbon emissions, encourage energy independence and increase economic growth.
Contact 8MSolar to Learn More About the Benefits of Solar
If you’re considering switching to solar to take advantage of the various benefits of renewable energy, 8MSolar is here to help. We’re experts in the solar industry and can help equip your home or business with a solar system that suits your needs. We can walk you through the entire process, from design to installation to maintenance.
We’ll help you discover the many benefits of solar energy and what you can do to take advantage of them. You’ll learn how to benefit from the ITC and state incentive programs, such as the Duke Energy Solar Incentive Program. We can help you find an innovative and reliable solution that will help usher in savings throughout the years while helping you contribute to a cleaner environment.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you benefit from solar energy!
