If you're interested in a long-term solution for reducing your utility expenses and living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, solar panels in Las Vegas are an excellent addition to your home. Las Vegas has an average of 300 sunny days each year, making local homes ideal candidates for embracing solar energy. Solar panels enable your home to harness the sun's energy into usable electricity for your home.
The Mechanics of Solar Panels in Las Vegas
The sun releases small particles of energy called photons; these photons travel from the sun to the Earth. Theoretically, the sun produces enough of these photons in a single hour to supply all of Earth's electrical needs for an entire year.
Solar panels consist of solar cells that are capable of conducting energy. When a photon hits a solar cell, this creates an electrical charge. The solar panel converts the electrical charge into an alternate current (AC); this is a form of electricity that your home can use.
The AC goes to your home's electrical panel, where it's then distributed throughout your home to meet your electrical needs.
How Solar Panels Will Benefit Your Home
There is a significant financial incentive associated with adding solar panels to your home. After the "payback" period (the length of time it takes your reduced energy expenses to pay for your solar panels), you'll experience a significant decrease in your overall energy costs. For example, if you currently have an average electrical bill of $200, this means that your solar panels will help you save $2,400 each year.
Thanks to the sunny, warm weather, Las Vegas has a relatively short payback period of 8 to 9 years for solar panels (your exact payback period depends on your individual energy needs).
The Residential Clean Energy Credit allows you to take 30 percent of the cost of installing your solar system as a federal tax credit, helping you offset your installation costs.
Installing solar panels also adds value to your home, enabling you to secure a higher price if your future plans involve selling your home.
What Happens If Your Home Produces More Energy Than You Need?
Due to the high number of sunny days, solar panels in Las Vegas frequently produce more energy than a residential household can use. When this happens, it's possible to send the energy to your local power grid, where it can then be used to supply electricity to other members of your community.
Not only will you maximize the environmental benefits of your solar panels, but you'll typically receive energy credits for allowing your solar energy to power other households. These energy credits enable you to reduce your energy costs during periods when you need to use electricity from the local electrical grid.
You can also use batteries to store some of your solar energy so that you can power your home at nighttime or on days with low amounts of sunlight.
Get More Information About Solar Panels for Your Home
Cooper Roofing & Solar is a leading installer of solar panel systems in the Las Vegas area. Visit us online to request a free estimate, or call us at 702-688-7940.