How solar helps the environment

Solar energy is taking the world by storm. There are many motivations for adding solar to your home or business. Anytime you can make your own electricity, that’s energy that you don’t have to purchase from your local utility. As electricity costs continue to increase, especially with longer and hotter summers predicted as our climate continues to warm, making the switch to solar is the best way to lock in decades of predictable energy costs. But the environmental impact of adding solar is just as compelling. And since Arizona utilities generate most of their electricity from dirtier sources such as coal, nuclear and natural gas, installing solar is a compelling way to contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future, while also putting money back in your pocket.

Financial benefits of solar are considerable

Financial benefits are a fortunate consequence of green energy, particularly solar. It’s also important to consider the following four eco-friendly advantages. Going solar will reduce greenhouse gas and CO2 emissions: For example, the average Arizona home consumes just under 13,000-kilowatt hours of electricity annually. Even a modestly-sized solar energy system will easily reduce that number by 80%, while many can even approach 100%. Clearly, the environmental impact of solar is substantial. Over two decades, producing just 80% of the average home’s annual energy requirements, a solar power system will offset the equivalent CO2 emissions from over 150,000 pounds of coal burned, or the greenhouse gas emissions from 45 tons of landfill waste. 

Solar helps reduce water pollution

All manufacturing processes require some water, which includes those utilized to create solar panels. The amount of water needed to generate solar electricity is substantially less than traditional electricity sources. Older forms of energy such as nuclear, natural gas and coal-fired facilities, all require massive amounts of water for cooling purposes. Solar energy poses little risk to local water resources, nor does their operation strain local supplies by competing with agriculture, drinking systems, and other important water needs.

Solar relieves stress from fossil fuel dependence

Solar energy reduces strain on finite resources that will be depleted within 50 years, according to some projections. Census experts expect global population will continue to grow, but our earth only has a finite amount of oil, coal and natural gas remaining. The sun is earth’s most abundant energy source, producing an incredible 173,000 terawatts of solar energy every second! Experts say that’s more than 10,000 times the world's total combined energy use, and in perpetuity. By contrast, fossil fuels are dirty and non-renewable. Eventually, they will no longer be available to us. Going solar contributes mightily to saving the planet and showing that concern can be contagious. In fact, solar is the only home improvement investment that will have an immediate, and measurable impact on the environment, while putting money back into your pocket from the moment it’s activated.

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system!

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years. 

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.