How Installing Solar Panels Can Make Your Power Bill Become Nothing

There’s a saying that “If we didn’t have to pay any bills, imagine how much money we’d have!” And that’s definitely the truth. While there’s not much we can do about mortgages or rent, car payments or a myriad of other bills, we do have the ability to do something about our power bill. Using solar panel installers to install solar panels gives you not only the ability to totally eliminate your power bill but can actually give you a way to make a little money in the process.

Solar energy as an idea actually originated with Robert A. Heinlein in a science fiction story from the 1950’s. The story brought up the idea could cause crystals to vibrate which would actually generate electricity. By the 1970’s this idea was brought to fruition and the solar panel was born. These panels have been refined to the point where they’ll power a calculator or even charge your cell phone. The problem with solar power and with installing solar panels has always been how to store the energy in large enough quantities to power your home or business.

Battery technology in the 1970’s that were capable of holding that much power was the lead/acid batteries in cars and trucks. Even then, quite a few of them had to be tied together in such a way as to store enough usable power from installing solar panels. Not only did this make for a massive grid of batteries which is unbelievably expensive, but with the low charge/recharge cycles they could tolerate, they’d wear out quickly as well. This made using solar power for anything that requires a lot of energy totally cost prohibitive.

Today however, battery technology has improved immensely to the point we’re now using energy cells to power electric and hybrid cars. While doing a battery grid to power a home is still expensive, it isn’t nearly as expensive as it used to be and the batteries last much longer before having to be replaced. This makes the expense of installing solar panels and having enough energy to power your home actually affordable. You’ll still be making an investment in your home, but it’s an investment that will pay itself off eventually.

Installing solar panels will pay itself off even faster if you convert from natural gas or fuel oil to electric heat and by going to a completely electric vehicle, you’ll eliminate your fuel costs as well. This means if you’ve got a $150 a month power bill, a $100 gas or oil bill in the winter and an hour commute every day, you’ll save around $5000 per year, give or take based on your actual bills. Your actual savings could be even higher if you convert all cars being used into electrics. That can be enough to pay off your solar installation long before the batteries need replacing. If you install enough solar panels to have a surplus, you can sell that to your local power company for either credit or for money which will pay it off even faster.

Solar panel energy is finally maturing enough to be a real solution that is affordable to the average homeowner. Installing solar panels may be an investment in your home, but it’s one of the most economical and ecologically friendly investments you’ll ever make.