If you’ve been thinking of installing a solar system in your home or business operations, there’s no better time.
When you install a solar panel in your home or business, you can help protect the environment from air pollution, resource depletion, greenhouse effect, and changing weather conditions. You can also become financially independent. Investing in solar might seem difficult, but governments offer various incentives to reduce the burden.
Besides this, you won’t have to work with utility companies, as you will be producing your energy.
You can also set an excellent example in the local community or market by showing that you care about the environment. Most importantly, maintaining solar panels is not difficult at all. So you can simply install the system and let it do its job.
In this blog, we’ll explore some benefits of going solar.
So stick with us and read on.
1. You can contribute towards environmental sustainability
Non-renewable energy resources like oil, coal and natural gases are extremely disastrous for the environment. However, solar energy is a renewable resource that does not impact the environment negatively.
Traditional ways of energy production use resources such as water, which are very precious but depleting rapidly. For instance, water is used for processing, cooling generators, refining fuel, and transporting fuel using pipes.
However, if you generate power through solar panels, you won’t have to use water at all. In this way, you won’t put a strain on this resource.
Electricity generation using coal and oil not only impacts the quantity of the resources, but also affects the air quality.
When fossil fuels are burnt, harmful gases such as methane and carbon dioxide are produced. These can directly impact your health and wellbeing.
A global research found that 8.7million people died due to fossil fuels pollution in 2018. Air pollution is linked to asthma, pneumonia, anxiety, headaches, bronchitis, and allergies. However, solar energy does not produce such emissions.
These toxic gases also contribute to the greenhouse effect. Gases like methane and carbon dioxide have increased the temperature on Earth. The increased temperature has resulted in catastrophic weather conditions such as cyclones, extreme heat, flooding, storms, and drought in recent years.
Generating electricity through solar energy will mean that greenhouse gases won’t be released into the environment, protecting the planet from climate changes.
Besides solar panels not using water and relying on non-renewable resources, solar energy is readily available in Australia. Most regions receive more than 4 hours of sunlight which is ideal for solar energy.
That’s why more than 30% of Australian households have installed rooftop solar panels.
2. Enjoy solar savings
Electricity produced using solar energy is free and readily available. A property with a solar panel installed also has a higher value in the market. And if you buy your solar system in cash, it’ll take about 4 years to pay back the investment.
Going solar can save you tons of money. A 6.6 kWh system could cost you around $9,600. But if you take advantage of government incentives to reduce the installation cost by up to $6,400. Once you start using the system, you can sell excess electricity to your electricity retailer through Feed-in tariffs. If your system produces 9,000 kWh per year, but you only consume 4,500 kWh, you can export the other half to the main grid. If your electricity provider pays you 10 cents per kWh, you’ll get $450 more savings.
And if you plan to sell your home or even rent it out at some point, solar panels can increase the total value of your property. Depending on the efficiency and solar panel’s size, you can add $10,000 or more when selling your house.
If you’re renting your house, you can include the cost of electricity in the rent.
Solar companies also offer low-interest and interest-free loans to encourage home and business owners to invest in solar panels.
For instance, “Buy Now, Pay Later” is a prevalent solar financing option. Through a BNPL service, you can make interest-free purchases up to a certain value and then make fortnightly weekly or monthly payments.
Instead of charging you interest, a BNPL provider charges account maintenance fees. The amount you end up repaying remains remarkably lower than other loans.
Some companies also offer Green Loans with a set repayment period and a meagre interest rate. This interest rate is calculated as a percentage of the total amount you owe to the company. So, the interest rate is high if you borrow a high amount, but it’ll still be below the bank loan rates. Better still, the interest rate reduces as you reduce the loan amount.
For both BNPL and Green Loan, you will require a good credit history. However, solar panels can generate enough savings to help you pay off your loan.
The Australian Government provides solar incentives, such as Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), as part of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.
Once you get a validated certificate, it can be used as currency. The price of one STC mostly ranges from $35 to $40. It can never go beyond $40, but the number of certificates you can get depend on
- Installation date
- The model of your solar energy system
- Geographical Location
- Amount of electricity produced in megawatt-hours
You can then sell the certificate to recover a portion of the total cost of installing the system or transfer it to another individual and business at a particular price.
But keep in mind that the government will phase out STCs in 2030. Until then, the number of STCs you can get will slowly reduce every year.
3. You can attain energy independence
Going solar means that you won’t have to work with utility companies to provide energy for your home or business. You can control how much energy you produce every month and get rid of monthly bills. But to go completely off-grid, you’ll also need a solar battery.
If you get into a solar plan with a good electricity provider, they’ll pay you for any excess energy you send to the main grid. Most importantly, you will free yourself from unprofitable electric rentals offered by utility companies.
Solar technology is also modular. You have the choice to either cover the entire roof of your home with solar panels or just select certain sections to install the system. In this way, you can manage the amount of electricity you receive from other sources.
4. You don’t have to worry about maintenance
Solar panels don’t require much maintenance. With improvements in production systems, solar panels are becoming more efficient.
Although a better solar technology system means a higher installation price, you won’t have to spend much on its maintenance once it is installed.
It’s only the installation price that’s higher for solar panels. However, the solar panel’s output allows you to make enough savings.
Manufacturers advise the owners to have their solar panels clean every few years. Yet, many of the systems work even when they are dirty. Nonetheless, a reputable installer will be available to guide you on maintaining your solar panels. So, it should be hassle-free.
5. Set a good example in your local community
You can show your commitment to environmental sustainability by setting up a solar panel. Look around your street. Identify what your business competitors are doing. Many people still haven’t realised the importance of solar energy. However, by installing a solar panel in your home or business, you can be a trendsetter.
The Australian Government agrees that climate change is a very pressing issue. The Fossil fuel industry is already in trouble, as the resources are depleting. And the world is very far from achieving the vision of clean energy.
You can show that you care about the environment and want to do something by installing a solar panel. You’ll drastically reduce your carbon footprint and help nature recover.
Your customers will view your company as environment-friendly when it comes to business. In other words, solar panels can show your company recognises its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Your employees will also feel that they contribute to the environment by not using energy produced from non-renewable resources. In this way, you can improve your employees’ overall morale and motivation.
Conclusion
Solar panels are becoming important day by day. One of the reasons you need to install a solar panel in your home or business is that it uses a renewable energy source. In this way, solar panels help decrease the overall carbon footprint.
You can cut down your energy bills, become energy-dependent, and show your commitment to environmental sustainability.
So start considering buying a solar panel. It can be one of your best investments in the long run.
Next Steps…
Interested in solar? By clicking below you can use our smart solar calculator to find out just how much you could save with solar, what rebate you are eligible for, and the impact you will have on the environment.
Don’t wait until next quarter’s bloated bill, and get started today!
Click here to calculate your solar savings!
Join over 20,000 homeowners who have made the switch with Nectr, or the 1000+ positive reviewers who have been more than happy with their solar install.
Otherwise, you can always contact us on 1300 133 556, or email if you prefer at sales@instylesolar.com.au.
