When you install a solar energy system on your property, you save money on your electricity bills and protect yourself against rising electricity rates in the future. How much you can save depends on the utility rates and solar policies in your area, but going solar is a smart investment regardless of where you live.

Yes, you can store solar power. All you need is a solar battery. The simplest and best way for homeowners to solve solar power’s energy glitch is to install a solar battery– a battery that stores energy from solar panels during the day, so you can still use solar generated electricity at night.

Net metering is the system that utilities use to credit solar energy system owners for the electricity produced by their solar panels. With net metering, you only pay for the electricity that you use beyond what your solar panels can generate.

Solar panels absorb the sun’s energy throughout the day and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. Most homes and businesses run on alternating current (AC) electricity, so the DC electricity is then passed through an inverter to convert it to usable AC electricity. At that point, you either use the electricity in your house or send it back to the electric grid

Panels must be exposed to light to produce. Colder temperatures increase voltage, which means your system is more efficient when it’s cold & sunny.

However, there are fewer sun hours during the day in the winter, leading to an overall drop in production. Take steps to conserve energy to get the most out of your system in the winter.

The amount of power your solar energy system can generate is dependent on sunlight. As a result, your solar panels will produce slightly less energy when the weather is cloudy, and no energy at night. However, because of high electricity costs and financial incentives, solar is a smart decision even if you live in a cloudy city.

Solar PV systems are solid-state technology, have no moving parts and require no maintenance beyond cleaning, which can typically be done with a garden hose. Most systems should be cleaned once or twice a year, concentrated in the dry season. Systems in agricultural areas will likely require 2-3 cleaning per year.

Solar power, like other renewable energy resources, has many environmental and health benefits. Going solar reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change, and also results in fewer air pollutants like sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, which can cause health problems.

When you have solar power, you’re still connected to the grid. The solar system works in conjunction with the grid. During the day, your solar system makes more than what your house needs to function at that time. The excess goes back onto the grid and your meter keeps track of the extra going onto the grid. At night, when your solar isn’t producing any power, any energy you need comes from the utility grid. The meter then measures how much power is coming into your home. If your solar system is sized correctly, the power going out to the grid will cancel out the power coming into your house from the grid. In essence, you’re using the utility as your solar system’s battery.

Grid-tied solar electricity offers a way to fix your electricity rate for more than 25 years. The maintenance-free panels come with a 25-year production warranty and the expected useful lifespan is up to 50 years (output starts to slow down over time but is still significant). A grid-tied PV system can protect you from electricity price increases for decades. That’s a feeling of energy security that is hard to duplicate.