If youandrsquo;re paying any attention to current events, we totally understand if youandrsquo;re feeling more than a little bit uncertain. There is currently quite a lot going on in the world, particularly here in California. All of that means now is the best time to take control of what you can and set yourself up for independence in many ways possible. That includes energy independence by, at the very least, lowering your dependence on the public electrical grid.
This is just one of the reasons why now is the best time to make the switch to clean, reliable solar energy. Doing so now not only helps you save money, but it could also help you prepare your home for what may lie ahead in the future. Here are five additional reasons why you should consider making the switch to solar as soon as possible.
Energy Prices are Skyrocketing
California is already one of the most expensive states in the nation when it comes to average energy costs. In fact, only six states have an average higher per-kilowatt-hour cost than California does. This trend is showing no signs of slowing down, either. Energy costs in the state rose three times more in California in 2017 than they did in the rest of the country. What that means is the cost of living is only going to continue going up and thatandrsquo;s not something many people want to hear. This is particularly bad news for those who are on a fixed income, such as retirees or the disabled. Solar can help you take better control over your energy costs by reducing dependence on grid power.
Our Energy Supply Is Unstable
Grid power has become more expensive and grids are also more intermittent and unreliable in the nation in recent years. Californiaandrsquo;s public grid is incredibly outdated, including relying on a number of important pieces of equipment that are several decades old. Modernizing this grid is going to be a monumental undertaking, and the project hasnandrsquo;t really been planned or begun in any significant manner yet. That has only continued to hurt consumers, who have now been hit with regular rolling blackouts during fire conditions. A solar energy system can help not only take some of the load off of this outdated grid, but potentially provide you with reliable backup energy during a power outage too.
You Can Store Your Excess Energy
You donandrsquo;t necessarily lose the excess energy you produce. While excess energy used to be sent back to the public grid in most cases, today you can add a battery backup to your solar energy system in order to store and keep the excess energy but donandrsquo;t consume. When you need the energy later, like at night or during an outage, the battery backup system kicks into gear and uses this energy to keep your lights on and appliances running. In some cases, you can avoid having your power go off during an outage at all!
Solar Is Affordable
Between the wide range of solar incentives and the falling costs of materials, solar energy systems have never been more affordable. The federal solar investment tax credit is still active and California has a lot of additional state incentives for which you might qualify. This helps bring the cost of switching to solar down even further and reduces your payoff period, giving you an even shorter amount of time until your solar energy system pays for itself in savings.
Youandrsquo;re Helping California Reach Clean Energy Goals
California has some of the most aggressive and comprehensive clean energy goals of any state in the country - and weandrsquo;re all going to have to do our part in order to meet them. By switching your home over to a solar energy system, youandrsquo;ll be doing a significant part toward reaching these goals. You will also be preparing your property for a more renewable future, particularly one that will soon require an electric-powered vehicle.
Take control over your electricity supply by switching to solar! Start the process by consulting with one of our experts at Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Solar by dialing (408) 868-5500 today.