Using a roof solar panel will save you money on your electric bill by converting the suns energy into electricity that can be used to power your home or electronic devices. With the US government and governments around the world offering attractive tax incentives and rebates, now may be a better time than any other in history to take the plunge and invest in solar electricity. Beyond the economic benefits you can take comfort knowing that a solar electric system will help to preserve the environment for future generations.
A residential roof solar panel is used to supply or provide a portion of the power you currently purchase from your local electric company. While a correctly designed solar energy system can provide most if not all of your power needs the majority of the time, there are some instances where it can not. If your climate has extended periods of cloud cover you may need another power source like your electric company to make up for the lack of solar power generation during overcast periods.
A roof solar panel can be installed in an array with several panels to create additional electricity to meet the demands of almost any household. A properly designed system in a sunny location like the southwest United States can easily supply 80% or more of your yearly electrical consumption. This energy savings translates directly to savings on your electric bill so you could also see an 80% reduction in the dollars you spend annually for electricity.
Buying a factory built roof solar panel is a good option if you want someone else to take care of the details. Factory panels have been designed and tested to work as advertised and come pre-built in nice shiny packages. However you will pay a high premium for the convenience and perceived shine of factory built panels.
Building your own roof solar panel is a great option to save significant expense over purchasing factory built panels. The finished product is often just as nice looking as factory built if not better since you can easily customize the look to match your homes appearance. Most of the required components are available at your local hardware store.
Building your own panels is a rewarding project that can allow you to create energy independence with your own two hands and help to preserve the environment in the process. The build requires a little patience and a few skills like soldering and using a tape measure that can be easily learned if you are not already familiar with those tasks.
The roof solar panel has been accepted and implemented by forward thinking corporations and governments. With the huge unused roof area of many corporate buildings and the huge power consumption to go with that area, solar roof panels make sense for these buildings. A notable user of this technology is Atlantic City, NJ on the roof of their convention center where they expect to save 4.4 million dollars in electricity costs over the next twenty years.
With the government accepting roof solar panel technology another large step towards energy independence from foreign oil has been made. Seeing a solar roof panel on buildings and homes is quickly becoming a common occurrence in the US and many other developed countries. The technology is proven and only continues to get better at harnessing our most abundant clean energy source, the sun.
