Solar power pros and cons can be a list that goes on and on, but here are a few of the basics you should know about solar power, especially if you plan on using solar panels to power your home.  Are the costs really worth it?  How much energy can you really produce?  What laws do I need to worry about?

Cons of Solar Power: the Disadvantages

The Cost.

The sheer cost of solar panels will stop many people from ever getting them.  Right now, only the rich can afford the solar panels which are supposed to be saving you money.  So it seems a bit like a cache 22.  You have to spend money to save it.  But even then, they say it takes 20 years to recoop on your investment.  Now that number is getting lower all the time, and in a few years perhaps it will only take 10 years to be making money with your solar panels rather then spending it.  The average complete solar power installation can cost as much as $15,000 to $20,000.  For now, most people are sticking with just paying a $100 power bill rather than pay a price tag that big.

Dependability.

Let’s face it.  You only benefit from solar power when the sun is shining on your panels.  This means that half of the time your solar panels are just taking up space, doing nothing for you.  And on cloudy and rainy days you won’t be able to produce hardly any energy.  Depending on where you live this can be a big con.  Living in Washington state may not allow you to benefit hardly at all from solar panels, so you should take this into consideration, which is our next point.  You can rely on solar most of the time, but it is not as reliable as a wind turbine can be in windy locations.

Location.

This is a huge factor and be a big con if you live in a region of the world that gets a lot of rain and clouds, or where there is not much daylight to benefit from.  In parts of Alaska in the winter time there are days where you only have an hour or 2 of sunlight at the most, so the time of year can be critical too.  If you really want to rely on solar power for your main source of power than the right location can be critical.  Otherwise you would have to be an extreme amount of solar panels to make up for this factor and store all of the energy in batteries to use it on dark and rainy days.

The Pros of Solar Power: the Advantages

Set it and forget it.

Once you get your solar panels set up, there is very little maintenance ever needed.  Most panels can go for 20 years or more without ever needing any kind of work needed.  The reason for this is that there are no moving parts.  Movement causes things to break down over time, but solar panels just sit there and absorb the sun’s energy so there is not much you have to worry about there.

Efficiency.

The efficiency of solar energy is getting better all the time and they are able to make panels that can absorb more energy than ever before.  Even a few of these large panels can power all of your large appliances in your home.  In a power outage this may come in handy as well.  Your solar units can work like a generator.

Reliance.

Not having to rely on the power company is a huge pro.  I can’t tell you how sick I got of paying for my electricity every month when the costs just kept going up all the time.  With the money you are able to save on your power bill you can use it to buy even more solar units and become more efficient.  Even though there will be rainy and cloudy days, every time the sun is out, you will know that you are creating energy that is totally free to you.

No pollution.

For some this will be the biggest factor to consider.  There is not a single ounce of pollution from these solar panels and there never will be.  Renewable energy is a wonderful thing and it’s great to know you will never run out of this stuff either.  No matter how much we use solar energy there will always be more energy to get from the sun.  No one can hog it all and it’s free for the taking so why not start using solar power at home today.

Government perks.

You should check with your local laws, but there are all kinds of benefits the government will give you for going green with solar power.  There are grants you can get and huge tax breaks as well.  With this big push to go green, you can save some green as well, and that’s reason enough to start using solar power at home for me.

Want to Start Making Solar Power at Home? Check out these instructions for building your own solar power. Includes videos, ebook, diagrams, and all the plans you need to get off the power grid and start saving some green while going green.

There are entire solar energy systems you can buy for your home and it will cost you anywhere from $5,000 for a starter kit to $25,000 for something that can actually run your home off the power of the sun.  With these units costing so much money, I have found many turning to cheaper alternatives.

If you want to use solar power in your home and not rely on the power company you can do just that for WAY less money.  In fact, with all of the technology at our finger tips right now it would be insane to spend all of that money on over priced solar units unless you were just loaded with cash.

How about making your own solar energy system for your home?   There is a guide online right now that will show you EXACTLY how to build your own solar panels and hook them up to batteries or your power grid.   This instructional guide also contains 7 high quality videos stepping you through the process as well.  I found them so easy to follow, in fact, that someone with little or NO experience with electricity or anything mechanical could figure out how to make solar panel systems on their own.

And of course if you did need some  help, the forums were very helpful for little questions you might have along the way.

There are all kinds of these guides popping up on the internet now.  You can search for “how to build a solar panel” in google and find a plethora of sites trying to scam you with products that are simply just junk.  I know!  I have tried several and they were worthless and full of Youtube videos I could have gotten for free.

If you really want to use your own materials at home and build solar energy systems for your neighbors too I highly recommend Green DIY Energy.  The DIY stand for Do It Yourself and it is better than any of the other products like Earth4Energy, Homemade Energy, and Power for the Home.

You can Check out Green DIY Energy Here for the new low introductory price.  I am told this price will go up soon so check out the guide while you can and let me know how much you love those very high quality HOW TO videos for building solar and wind power at home.

Want to Start Making Solar Power at Home? Check out these instructions for building your own solar power. Includes videos, ebook, diagrams, and all the plans you need to get off the power grid and start saving some green while going green.