The US Department of Energy is actively encouraging residential homeowners – and even households that rent – to go solar. The biggest carrot they’re offering is a federal tax credit of up to 30% of solar system costs. This is a significant incentive. Why is the government going to such lengths to encourage homeowners to have solar systems installed?
The benefits of choosing solar energy as identified by the US Department of Energy include saving money, reliable energy, and increasing the value of the home. Additionally, they point out that solar systems work in a variety of climates, which means going solar is an option whether you live in sunny Florida or not-so-sunny North Dakota.
Are You Worried About the Reliability of the Power Grid Near You?
Power outages have increased 64% over the past ten years. You may have heard about the major power outages that occurred in Texas and Michigan. Part of the reason the government is urging homeowners to choose solar energy is they know that there will be more power outages in the future. Our aging electrical grid is vulnerable to all kinds of threats, including extreme weather events and damaging cyber and physical attacks.
When there is a widespread power outage, utility companies respond as quickly as possible to restore power. As we’ve all seen, even with a company’s best efforts and support from other utility providers, fully restoring power after a major disruption can take days, weeks, and sometimes even months.
How would your family be impacted by a power outage that lasts several days? How will everyone stay warm? How will the food in your freezer or refrigerator be impacted? How will you light up the house after the sun goes down? What will the kids do without their computers?
The best way to avoid having to answer these questions is to have a solar system installed on your home. Solar energy works even when the grid goes down. You never have to spend a night in the dark when you have solar power.
