Guest Post: Shane Shirley-Smith from Environmental Booty

I don’t know about you, but life seems to move very fast these days.  I seem to never have enough time in my day to finish all the things that I would like to. Trying to fit in a green lifestyle, though, doesn’t have to  be time consuming.  Here are 5 ways to start greening your life today…with very little effort.

1. Never leave a room with the light on - I have heard the argument that the power company will keep making as much power even if you turn off your lights, computer and electronics when not in use.  But it will save on your power bill and eventually, if we all reduce our electrical use, the power companies will be forced to produce less energy…or they will be forced out of business. (more…)

Everyone knows that solar systems save you money in the long run.  But how much will you end up paying for maintenance throughout the years?  Let’s break down the potential cost factors. For instance, you’ll need two to three inverters over the life of your panels and those inverter costs a few thousand dollars each.  But what other costs are lurking around the corner?

Photo Credit: Daily Green

PV systems are sort of like a car – you know something’s going to need repair, but you can’t predict what that part will be until it fails.  There’s a paper written by three solar industry professionals that states that only half of all installed systems are working at their peak capability. The other half are performing optimally.  That’s a touch worrisome for those thinking of the massive outlay that it takes to go solar in the home.  Silly little things can get in the way of an optimal performing system. (more…)

Home solar payback is the million dollar question for solar energy systems. Unfortunately for solar installers, it’s not always an easy question to answer, as several variables affect the solution. It can be said that in general, it takes 10-20 years for an average-sized system to pay for itself in energy savings. In some cases, such as systems embedded into a mortgage, a system can be profitable from the get-go. In others, it can take more than 20 years.

Rebates and Incentives

Rebates and tax incentives are the number-one driver of shortened payback periods for home solar power panels. In fact, incentives are currently powering the entire solar industry as it works toward grid parity. Until 2016, the federal tax credit for home solar systems stands at 30 percent of up front costs. That’s available to every homeowner in the United States. Other incentives, including state tax credits and utility rebates, vary widely. (more…)