Although solar power has been around for well over a hundred years, it really didn’t experience its residential boom until the 90’s. In the beginning, solar panels were bulky, expensive, and misunderstood. Over the years, solar panels have experienced a complete makeover, adopting sleeker silhouettes and becoming exponentially more cost effective. Today’s solar panels blend seamlessly with modern rooftops, blurring the line between form and function. Recent advertising campaigns have even touted solar panels as being “sexy”.
Perhaps the real sexiness of solar energy isn’t in the newfangled photovoltaic panels, but in the savviness of consumers who are going solar. Research shows that residential solar panels can pay for themselves in as few as five to seven years, resulting in fifteen to twenty years of pure savings. Modern panels pay off so quickly because their efficiency allows homeowners to save around 30% on their monthly home energy costs.
While solar panels used to be reserved for the rich and famous, lowered costs, increased incentives, and even leasing programs are giving all people access to the savings that solar power provides.
The surge in solar’s popularity and an increased demand for renewable energy is good news for homeowners. While increased resale value of a home with a feature like solar panels is never guaranteed, solar energy organizations like ours tend to expand locally in areas with tech smart and earth-conscious consumers. We carefully select markets where homeowners will get the greatest bang for their buck with solar energy, because we know that solar has to make financial sense for our customers. The more solar panels you see in a community, the more solar incentives your municipality offers, and the more solar companies and organizations in your market, the more likely you are to see potential home buyers who recognize the value of solar panels.