The Solar Revolution
Isn’t it time you joined?
- In north west India a farmer points to a solar-powered pump and panels on the roof of his family home.“Because of these solar pumps,” he says, “I have a good harvest every year and earn enough to even educate my children, something I never thought would be possible.”
- In Australia, where solar uptake is high, an analysis of solar installations has shown that lower income families and regional communities are the most likely to put solar systems on their roofs.
- In March this year France enacted a law that requires builders in commercial zones to install a garden or solar panels on the roof.
- In California the booming solar industry boasts more than two thousand companies and employs almost fifty-five thousand people.
And there you are with frowning at your latest electricity bill. Even though you’ve done everything possible to cut your energy usage you somehow pay more every quarter. How come? Your utility company spends up big on infrastructure and passes the cost on to you, the hapless home owner. Sheesh! Those poles and wires must be gold-plated.
What’s stopping you from joining the solar revolution?
- You’ve heard that solar energy is too expensive.
Fact: The price of solar energy has dropped significantly in the last seven years and many commentators predict it will continue to fall. In fact, the average cost of solar panels fell seventy-five percent between 2009-14. In many parts of the world electricity generated from solar power is cheaper than electricity from coal, oil or natural gas.
- You’ve heard that solar panels can be unreliable
Fact:Most solar panels produce electricity for over twenty years or more and many of the first solar systems installed over forty years ago are still active today. The technology that underpins solar started way back in the 1950s.
Many of the arguments against solar are based on outdated or incorrect information. The truth is the solar industry was established over forty years ago and is growing all the time. Solar and other variable renewable technologies continue to grow and become more integrated.
The truth is the solar energy industry has become a mainstream industry. And as with any new development for your home you just need to do a little research into what is right for you. Chances are you have family, friends and colleagues who have already joined the solar revolution. Why not sound them out for recommendations?
Of course, the benefits go beyond saving on your energy bill. Solar is a renewable energy resource, which generates no carbon emissions. In other words, good for your bottom line and the planet’s health.
Scientists estimate that more than enough solar energy strikes the earth every hour to power our whole society for an entire year. When it comes down to it the solar energy industry is a based on technology, not on an extraction industry, so unlike fossil fuels, it becomes less expensive over time.