Environmental Benefits of Solar Energy

*Solar power systems derive clean, pure energy from the sun. When you install solar,you help to combat greenhouse gas emissions and global warming and reduce ourcollective dependence on fossil fuel. *Traditional electricity is sourced from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.When fossil fuels are burned to create energy, they emit toxic gases that are theprimary cause of pollution and global warming. *Not only are fossil fuels bad for the environment, they are also a finite resource—their limited availability creates a volatile market in which energy prices can get out ofreach in a short period of time. *When you switch to solar power, you are hedging against volatile utility rates bylocking in low, predictably priced electricity for years into the future. As utility ratescontinue to rise, your savings can grow every year. *When you begin to generate your own solar power, your electricity bill can dropsignificantly. Depending on your energy consumption, you will still draw power from the utility grid but you might be able to move into a different rate tier. Solar may also help you avoid peak demand surcharges. *In addition, you will be protecting yourself from future utility rate increases foryears to come. *If your solar system generates more power than you can immediately use, yourexcess power flows back to the grid, earning credit on your utility bill in regions withfavorable net metering policies. *Solar systems produce the most electricity during the middle of the day, during"peak" hours when the utility rates are at their highest.This is to your advantage, because you can sell excess electricity to the utilitycompany at high peak rates in the afternoon, and buy electricity back at lower "off peak"rates during other times of the day and at night. You buy low and sell high! This is referred to as "net metering" and can reduce your electricity bill even further. *There is very little maintenance with a solar system. Most systems design highquality solar systems and source panels with extensive warranties. A proprietarypower-guide monitoring service provides real time data and alerts to ensure your systemis performing as expected. *With solar, you can achieve significant savings on electricity costs over the life ofyour system.