Why the Future of Solar is Exciting
Solar is an exciting technology that has been grown rapidly over the past decade. Innovation in technology and an increase in investment on all levels has solar energy on an exciting upward trend. There’s still more that can be done! Here are some of the exciting prospects for the future of solar.
Uncertainty Of The Grid
Today’s power grid infrastructure is growing older and more fragile. Utility companies have been caught accidentally causing wildfires in California and then cutting power to tens of thousands of customers afterward to prevent more fires. All of that could be prevented if these companies took the time to invest in proper safety precautions. The instability of energy delivery makes solar a more attractive alternative.
With solar, you only have to rely on the abundantly sunny days in California to supply electricity to yourself. With a solar battery installation, you can even store energy generated during daylight for nighttime or blackout energy use. The only way to get closer to energy self-sufficiency is by installing a solar system.
Net Metering
Net metering is the process of essentially selling your excess electricity generation back to the grid. This makes solar more affordable and a great investment. This is a rather new technology and the grid is not as able to take advantage of it as it will be in the future. As the grid improves in its ability to accept solar-generated electricity from customers, net metering will only become a greater asset.
Political Future
The future of solar is exciting, but also uncertain. The ITC federal tax credit is expiring at the end of 2021. Tariffs continue to impact the solar industry. Solar is still an emerging technology and part of the reason it has grown so quickly is because of government investment.
However, there is reason to be optimistic about the future. We’ve seen private investment in solar increase. Additionally, the fact remains that solar is the most scalable renewable energy and the potential for growth is still there. While government policies may change over the years, we know that solar is one of the best solutions to carbon-free energy production that we have.
While federal policies are more of a mixed bag when it comes to solar, California has shown consistent support for solar. We’ve been the number one innovator in solar for years. There are now over a million solar installations in the state and that number is continuing to grow every day. According to the SEIA, the state has invested $57 billion in solar. Beginning this year in 2020, all new homes in California will require solar of some kind. In addition, California is focused on renewable energy, while also protecting consumers.
Innovation
Solar is an exciting field for the brightest minds in technology. While solar cells have become more efficient over time, there’s still room for growth. For example, did you know that the top of the line solar panels converts about 23% of sunlight into energy? That leaves a whopping 77% of energy completely unused!
Innovative companies like our partners at SunPower are leading the way with new products like their solar batteries and the first 400-watt residential solar panel. With forward-thinking companies innovating the way we do things, we expect solar to continue making the strides it has been making for years.
We believe that solar energy is a technology that will continue to change the world. We want to share that excitement with our Central Valley community.
If you want to lower your energy cost significantly by installing a solar system, give us at JP Electric & Solar a call at (559) 464-6048 or fill out an online contact form.