San Diego Making the Switch to Solar

While you do not need to live in a particularly sunny area to use solar panels, more sunlight does produce more energy. This makes temperate, sunny areas like San Diego excellent environments for solar power. In fact, in a report announced July 2010 by nonprofit Environment California, San Diego is the number one solar city in California. They contribute this to the climate, easy permitting and California Center for Sustainable Energy programs.

Even though the U.S. pioneered the development of solar technology, we have now fallen behind many other countries in the world. Now government has realized that we cannot avoid investing ourselves in this industry much longer The shift away from fossil fuels and nuclear-based energy is becoming more imperative, inevitable and also increasingly affordable. With a steady series of policy changes and research initiatives, there has never been a better time to make the switch to solar. Even the White House will be installing solar panels this coming year.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, consumers using solar panels or solar water heaters are eligible for a 30 percent tax credit. In addition, many state and local governments have implemented their own incentives such as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) in California. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency provides a comprehensive listing of incentives offered in each state for consumers to educate themselves. Companies like Solaire Energy Systems will often do the work for homeowners by advising them on incentives, filling out government paperwork and providing their own financing options as well.

Consumers should learn about the different forms of solar energy available to them. Photovoltaic cells are one of the most common methods of creating electricity from the sun. When a photovoltaic cell absorbs sunlight, electrons are discharged. The negatively charged electrons migrate, creating negative and positive terminals similar to a battery. Once a circuit is connected, an electrical current is produced and distributed throughout the building. The biggest advantage of this system is its extremely minimal environmental impact, as it requires no water and generates no by-products. Also, returns on investment to the property owner are substantial over time, particularly if you sell excess energy back to the power companies.

If you want to help the environment and save costs on energy, then educate yourself about solar power San Diego.