Which "solution" will be the most powerful for you? Check the questionnaires.
If the South side of your roof gets
plenty of sun, you could harvest
"free" energy - with solar panels.
Warning:
The Chinese cornered the solar market partly by using forced labor in Communist concentration camps (of the minority Uyghur people).
Consequently, (2021) Congress passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
which was intended to prevent such products from reaching the USA, and to help competitor companies in the "free-world".
Look at the link here - "There is no reason that green technology should go hand in hand with human rights abuses" -
and make your own decision.
For basic information about rooftop solar - with glossary, go here. (Thanks to Ms. Platt's students!)
To get sunlight access information about your location go to: Project Sunroof.
Getting a loan to pay for installation is usually better than leasing: leasing-vs-buying
A credit union may have a better loan than a bank or contractor. Search: credit unions near me
When shopping, compare the warranties of the panels and inverters. Micro-inverters are best if any of the panels are occasionally in shade.
SolarReviews and EcoWatch rate top solar companies, although Ethical Consumer magazine gives none of them a good score (for reasons mentioned above).
Sharp might be the best of the not-so-good, as it "scored reasonably well in many ... categories”.
How many panels you put up will depend on your budget, rooftop space, and sunlight access. Our costs came to $4,000 for 5 panels (a small project) several years ago, and we got the cheaper, less efficient, polycrystalline panels.
Keep in mind that solar panels "will likely increase your home’s value".
Alhough it often makes sense to get a battery storage system installed at the same time as the rooftop solar system,
when there's an electrical blackout, you will not be able to use (grid-tied) electricity from your roof, UNLESS
- you have an Secure Power Supply (also called a battery backup system) so that
- you can (temporarily) disconnect from the utility grid.
See the batteries page for more information on this blackout/back-up issue and other electrical storage questions!
Old decommissioned solar panels continue to be a problem. However, panel recycling R&D is underway.
