by Tahmina Sattar

Created on: July 27, 2009

Installing solar panels on your home has the benefits of not only cutting down on the overall cost of using energy, but cuts down the emissions of carbon dioxide produced by your home. The costs of installing either solar panels or photovoltaic (PV) cells can be helped by various government funds or local Green Grants. Canada ecoEnergy, the Michigan Green Fund and the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change are a few organisations that offer grants and assistance to help install solar power into your home.

The benefits and pay-off in the long run:

The costs of installing a solar water heating panel for your home can cost between 3000 to 6000 pounds whilst installing a solar photovoltaic system for solar generated electricity can cost between 5000 to 7500 per kWp. The savings off your yearly bill would take about five years to offset the installation costs. Again this may be helped with the grants available in your locality for renewable energy installations.

Many people do not realise how much climate change is linked to the energy they use as individuals. Now with the alarming impact of greenhouse gases on the environment many have started to find ways to decrease their "carbon footprint". A carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions generated by use of energy produced by fossil fuels by an individual, organisation, event or product.

The biggest benefit of installing solar panels would thus, be in the reduction of carbon emissions into our environment. A good solar system that provides heating and electricity can provide up to half a households energy needs. This is a great reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide emissions produced from using electricity. According to the UK DECC, a typical domestic system can save about 1.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year. Now, that makes a difference per household.

Solar panels require direct sunlight while PV cells only require daylight not direct sunlight to collect energy. Both types require very little maintenance and solar panel hot water systems usually come with a 10 year guarantee. PV systems are usually very robust, come with a 25 years guarantee and have been proven to last a good 40 years.

Sell your excess energy.Yes! The Energy Savings trust provides details on how to become an energy exporter if you have installed a solar PV system. Any excess electricity produced can be supplied to the energy grid through an energy supplier.

The benefits of installing a solar panel or PV system may not be immediate but neither has the changes in climate change seemed detrimental until a few decades ago. The use of sustainable and renewable energy which have no carbon emissions has become a neccessity and hope for the future. However the success lies in how well we embrace and believe in the benefits of these technologies.

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