There are times when you might think about getting these for your home, but what would be the advantage? Would they make economic sense for you? Or perhaps you think about them in the context of the environment? Either way, whatever your reasons, these are a technology that are worth considering. Perhaps your home isn’t situated in a location that receives much direct sunlight. However, even lower-level and indirect sunlight can be sufficient to generate electricity through solar panels, especially with technological improvements in recent years. Increasingly, solar panels are being adopted by both environmentally aware and economically concerned individuals. The energy provided from the sun is for all practical purposes limitless, and it’s free! Why pay for electricity from a local provider when you can have free electricity provided directly to your home? On the surface that seems like a no-brainer, but one must also consider the installation cost, and the life-span of the panels themselves. The panels will deteriorate over time, and one has to consider specific energy needs, and also energy storage solutions for times when the panels alone are not sufficient, or (for example) under very low lighting conditions (e.g. during a prolonged storm, or during short winter days). One aspect you may be considering is the effect of panels on the value of your home, especially if you are looking to sell and would like to improve home value. This will certainly require a careful cost-benefit analysis. The size of your home, its location, aspect etc. must all be carefully considered. Are you aiming to create a home that is entirely off-grid? Or simply, to provide a reduction in electric bills over a longer time? Having solar panels on a home may attract more prospective buyers, but because this technology has yet to achieve full market penetration, for those not familiar with them it could be off-putting—become knowledgeable so you can answer questions with confidence.
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