As the most abundant and powerful, renewable source of energy in existence today, solar power has so many different uses, and if you’re not benefitting from them yet, you should be asking yourself why.
Did you know, for example, that in just a single hour, the amount of potential solar energy coming into contact with the surface of the Earth, is about the same as the total amount of energy consumed by all of the Earth’s inhabitants, in an entire year! And in just 20 days, the sun’s rays can create the same amount of energy as all of the coal, oil and natural gas on Earth, combined! Sounds crazy? Well it might be, but what it should also be, is a reminder that more of us should be tapping into the green, clean power of the sun, and having solar panels installed on your roof is a great way of doing exactly that.
Keen to know more about solar energy? Here are four facts you may or may not be familiar with:
- Solar isn’t a new discovery
In fact, French physicist Alexandre Edmond Becquerel has been credited with discovering the photovoltaic effect way back in 1839: when sunlight is converted into electric energy with the help of photovoltaic cells. Following on from this discovery, the first solar panel was designed and built in 1941 by American scientist Russell Ohl, with commercial panels coming a decade or so later in 1954, courtesy of American company Bell Laboratories (now known as Nokia Bell Labs).
2.Direct sunlight isn’t always needed to produce solar energy
Many home and business owners want to know whether their solar panels will still function on days when the sun isn’t shining, or in the winter months, and fortunately, the answer is yes. While there’s no disputing the fact that solar panels perform at their best in direct sunlight, they can still work very effectively using sunlight reflected from the clouds.
3.Entire homes can be powered by it
Whether you’ve got a large HVAC system, powerful appliances and a lot of people plugged into various devices at any given time of the day, a good solar panel system should be able to cope with all of your power needs. Additionally, by investing in an energy storage battery, you can power your home when every other property in the neighborhood is in complete darkness due to a power outage.
4.Your investment could give you payback in less than a decade
If being able to cancel the cost of your traditional electricity in under a decade and rely entirely on your own, clean, green source of energy sounds like something you’d like to achieve, then why not consider investing in a solar panel system for your home? Your initial investment could soon pay dividend, and all while you reduce your carbon footprint and do your bit to protect the planet.
Solar energy is now more affordable than ever, making it a great time to make the switch to a cleaner, renewable energy source. To discuss your options in more detail, schedule a consultation with a local solar panel installer.