A Look At Solar Power VS Grid Power

by Nathan Thompson

It might seem that the continued increases in Grid Power costs are intended to force people into converting their homes to Solar Power. Each month the electric bill just keeps getting higher, and people sit bundled up trying to stay warm in the winter, and shutting off the central air system during the summer. Let's take a look at solar power vs grid power.

Solar North is a term that came into being with the photovoltaic generation, and simply means a compass and protractor are used to establish the peak angles of the sun during the brightest part of the day. Once this information is gathered, the person installing the system will know what angles to set the panels for the greatest amount of year round performance.

A typical installation has the panels mounted on the roof, and most locations require sufficient space between each panel for EMT workers to safely move around in the event there is a house fire. Another requirement is usually that a well marked and clearly identified shut off switch is mounted where emergency workers can have immediate and safe access to shut down the system. There may also be come homeowners insurance requirements to be considered.

There must be a means of choosing which source of electricity, where it enters the house. Most installations have all of this located at the existing breaker panel. Batteries are needed to store the electricity that is created by the solar panels, and these need enough room to allow maintenance of water levels, and exhausted to the outdoors.

Most add on solar systems are installed with a dual switching arrangement which allows switching back to the main power from a local electrical company. There are devices which can be used that will monitor this situation and automatically switch between the strongest incoming electrical source. With proper planning, the system can be more than efficient enough to maintain its own operation.

A full installation is configured to accommodate all of the electrical needs for the entire household. There can be partial installations that only supply electricity to the most expensive appliances and the heating and air conditioning systems. Most homeowners soon realize a full installation allows them complete freedom from local electric companies, and the opportunity to keep the thermostat at a level that provides the most human comfort.

Most homeowners are experiencing electric bills that are well over several hundred dollars a month. When multiplied for a 12 month year, this adds up to several thousand dollars a year paid to the local electric company. Then considering how much creature comfort people are having to give up in order to keep those bills down to only that much, in a five to ten year period a solar system could more than pay for itself.

Selling electricity back to the utility company can be a rewarding experience, not only for a sense of getting back at them for high prices, but also to make a profit. Solar power vs grid power has tax incentives which can help in financing the installation, and once in place it also helps to protect the environment with a non-polluting source of electricity.


Solar Systems USA sells solar panels at 20% of true wholesale prices! Get the low down instantly in our review of all you need to know about the cost of solar panels.