Solar-generated electricity pollutes neither air nor water. Solar energy does also not result in emission of dangerous carbon dioxide, which causes adverse climate change, except during the making of the solar panels. A solar panel’s land use impact is practically nonexistent since they are placed on roofs. Additionally, solar power creates more jobs per unit of energy than energy generated using fossil fuels, and the these jobs cannot be outsourced since construction of such power systems is done locally. The use of solar energy also results in consumption of less water than say, coal, natural gas, and nuclear energy, which means it does not put a strain on community resources. But, as great as solar energy may sound, there is a major obstacle to its widespread uptake – cost. A solar energy system can cost over $10,000 a unit, something just a few lucky Americans can manage to pay, even through borrowing. Here is where the fund created by SolarCity and Google might help. Of the $700 million SolarCity-Google fund, Google has provided $300 million. The fund is aimed at helping people overcome the prohibitive upfront costs of setting up solar power systems, something that should boost rooftop solar accessibility for lower-middle and upper-middle classes. SolarCity’s VP, Jonathan Bass, has termed the project as a democratization of access to solar energy. Nevertheless, this type of deal is not the first of its kind. There have been solar leases and power purchase agreements, which are slightly different to what SolarCity and Google are offering. However, they also try to solve the problem of the prohibitive upfront costs that are reducing access to solar power. Under these earlier deals, the customer only has to handle the monthly power costs, with the option to purchase the system later if they so desire. The SolarCity and Google fund will offer these aspects, but with a twist. Essentially, the two partners seek to subvert the notion that green energy is more costly than traditional energy. So, in addition to the fund distribution being affected by things like sunlight exposure, it will also take into consideration local cost of retail electricity, which varies from place to place. SolarCity does not have the ability to make the ubiquitously available, although they are operating in 14 states and estimate that they can get to 25,000 new households and add new energy capacity of 500 MW. This will be a big boost to the 190,000 customers and 1,000 MW the company had achieved at the close of 2014. According to the VP, the appeal for users of solar energy under SolarCity’s deal comes from the homeowners being able to pay less for solar energy than they did for traditional power while at the same time avoiding the crippling upfront costs. Essentially, these are customers who are happy to save about $20 to $40 a month, which can add up to thousands of dollars over time. A similar project by California Solar Initiative, launched in 2007, boosted the uptake of rooftop solar for homeowners by up to over 400%. Unfortunately, there is a limit as to how far down the income ladder these solar deals can extend without compromising on ethics and sustainability. This is considering that predatory lenders and rent-to-own furniture businesses have in the past enticed the poor into entering into ill-advised deals that ultimately caused them financial turmoil. Although this is one area where this kind of deal can go sour, so far, the Google-SolarCity partnership is doing great. The two have even managed to lower the prerequisite credit score to just 650, though its not clear if they can go any lower. Mr. Bass says that defaults are extremely rare, possibly because giving someone a chance to spend less on energy does not create the motivation to make payment defaults, since this would mean having to pay more for regular power. Furthermore, at lower income levels, most people rent apartments and homes rather than buying them. This means that SolarCity has to deal with the building owner, which is an entirely different ballgame. Therefore, the deals are affected to a large degree by homeownership. Granted, these kinds of deals help improve access of essential goods and services to lower income Americans. But, they can only do so much. Ultimately, there can be no substitute to policy change if access is to be improved for everyone. Policy helps empower everybody, especially at the lower income levels, where the increase in purchasing power is most needed. The truth of this fact is undeniable, regardless of whether you purpose to help everyone achieve their “American dream” as pertains to home ownership, or make green energy the prime mover for the entire economy, and so so forth.

Recently, Minnesota residents participated in a community solar project. During the initial phase of development experts only expected this project to produce  around 100 megawatts of power but to their surprise the project received quadruple the amount.    Shared solar power is a promising field but, up until now there are very few states that have formulated the right policies to fuel its growth. There are three things that can be done to rectify the situation. First of all, new policies are needed to encourage customers to invest in the renewable energy field. People who participate in such programs need to be given tangible benefits and the policies affecting these programs need to allow for more diverse contract models to suit the individual preferences of customers. Last but not least, the policies should not undermine existing policies; rather, they should add to the existing policies. Secondly, it is important for virtual net metering to be made available as this allows individual residences and businesses to get credit for the electricity generated by their panels, even if the panels are located elsewhere. The right kind of virtual net metering will help in connecting customers and give them the benefits of using off-site solar power. At present, there are only eleven states in the US that offer this particular facility. New Jersey, which is considered to be a solar friendly state, still does not have the right kind of legislation. However, when states do legislate for virtual net metering they will get a windfall in the form of greater growth. Thirdly, to enable greater community shared solar programs it is still necessary to expand the use of solar power to every consumer of energy. Many states still restrict their consumers from taking part in community solar projects. Maryland is an example of such states as it only allows certain consumers like farms and non-profit organizations as well as municipal governments to participate in community solar programs. The result is that these stats are limiting access to solar power, and those who need such power the most are the worst affected. The bottom line is that the solar industry has created a lot more jobs in the recent past than other industries like the oil and gas pipeline as well as drilling industries. The success of existing solar programs need to be built up on so that more Americans are able to not only invest in this new and clean energy but they should also be able to save their dollars from solar power. For more information on Solar Power or how you can invest in residential solar panels, contact the experts at Golden Solar.

Unless you have been living under a rock, it is unlikely that you have heard all the debate the subject of renewable energy has sparked.  So, what is renewable energy? Renewable energy is energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat. It replaces conventional fuels in four areas: electricity generation, hot water/space heating, motor fuels and rural energy services.   While there are many forms of renewable energy, the most promising of them all is solar energy. The use of solar energy has many benefits on the environment and the health of individuals. It results in the drastic reduction of global warming emissions into the atmosphere and also decreases health risks such as cancer, breathing problems, neurological damage and heart attacks. Using renewable energy in place of fossil fuels has been shown to reduce premature mortality and lost workdays and decrease overall healthcare costs as well. Government Administration has made the largest investment in clean energy in American history. Several initiatives have been launched to advance clean energy deployment and awareness. Solar electricity generation has increased more than ten-fold since President Obama took office. The government is investing in the energy of the future instead of continuing subsidies to oil companies with the new renewable energy Production Tax Credit. Businesses often take the lead of the government, such as renewable power; especially solar power. American is now home to the two largest solar plants in the world. Currently, companies specializing in technology, healthcare and consumer products are attempting to purchase huge amounts of renewable energy from newly constructed plants as they are all big consumers of power. These companies aren’t utilizing solar panels or buying carbon offsets. Instead they are attempting to bring new infrastructure that will replace coal entirely. Golden Solar is a firm believer in the advancement of renewable energy. Their photovoltaics are environmentally friendly and offer a wonderful solution to growing energy demands. Installers have extensive electrical experience and solar expertise, building an outstanding reputation for their locally owned company that offers experience and quality. Benefits homeowners are gaining by installing Golden Solar’s photovoltaics are many. They produce their own power and also add value to their property. Pollution and emissions of CO2 are reduced. The system not only saves them money but is clean, quiet and maintenance free. Previous customers of Golden Solar comment positively overall, from office staff to installers. Customers report it is obvious that their employees are knowledgeable, have job satisfaction and excellent customer service. Some say they researched several companies and Golden Solar was by far the best option and they don’t regret their decision. Others comment that the professional workmanship that was provided was even more than they had expected. It is predicted that by the year 2050 as renewable energy is more widely utilized, we will see a decrease in global warming emissions by up to 80%. As we approach a more advanced and environmentally friendly future in renewable energy, many of us should be thinking about what we can do to take our part in this transformation. Whether you live near Golden Solar or not, their website contains a wealth of information and makes you aware of what you should expect in a company. Golden Solar is a locally owned company in Colorado that offers quality installation of solar panel systems  in homes.

Over the past several decades, people have slowly started to show an increasing interest in renewable energy. Human activity has taken its toll on nature, and the climate changes certainly testify to that: for this reason, we have tried to replace the traditional energy sources based on fossil materials with modern and renewable sources, such as the solar or wind power. Here are the top three most notable reasons why solar energy is one of the hottest and most lucrative industries in America:

1. The Cost Of Solar Panels Has Plummeted

At first, solar panels had such hefty price tags that only a very select group of people could afford having them installed. However, once the technology has been improved and the panels became readily available, the prices slowly started to decrease. Today, every homeowner can afford having a solar system installed: besides lowering their energy bills, these systems also help them get a positive ROI (return on investment) within several years. According to statistics, the median cost of residential solar has decreased by two thirds over the past 15 years (from $12/watt in 1998 to only $4.7/watt in 2013), and this happened mainly because of the lowered costs of making the hardware pieces for the solar photovoltaic system. Although at the time being, China and India are the leading countries in the solar energy industry, as they offer the best price-value ratio, America has already entered the competition as well.

2. Solar Energy Is Reliable, Secure And It Guarantees Energetic Independence

Another important reason why solar energy is one of the hottest industries in the United States is because it stands out through three important factors: security, independence as well as reliability. Solar energy is extremely cheap, and the sun will rise and set day after day, which means that the future of solar energy can be easily predicted. Moreover, solar energy is a very secure and safe renewable source, as nobody can “own”, thus allowing homeowners to achieve the energy independence they have been aiming for. Solar energy can benefit not just residential homes, but also commercial and industrial buildings on a larger scale.

3. Solar Power Creates Jobs

Lastly, it is safe to say that solar energy does help the economy in the United States by creating more jobs. Although there is no official employment data available, the Solar Foundation has estimated that in 2010 there were no less than 93,000 workers (engineers, construction workers, manufacturing plant employees, solar photovoltaic installers, electricians or scientists) who work in the solar power industry. Scientists (chemical, material and electrical engineers in particular) are amongst the most important ones in the solar energy industry, as they are actively involved in the research and development of new and efficient materials, as well as in improving the existing technology. Also, the solar industry was one of the fields with the largest employment growth in the United States back in 2011, and the job prospects are certainly encouraging for those who want to pursue lucrative careers as electricians, photovoltaic instructors, mechanical engineers or industrial engineers in this specific niche.