Until recently, going solar was a yuppie or hippie thing to do. We looked oddly at those who put solar energy panels on their house and companies who switched to all solar often made the news as an oddity. However, solar energy has been around since the early 1800s—that’s right, long before the light bulb or electric toaster. Here are four cool facts about Orange solar energy and solar power in general, that many don’t know.

1. Available for Everybody
You don’t need to be a billionaire or large company or corporation to go solar. Many imagine needing an acre or more of solar panels to simply power their homes. While there are solar parks and solar fields, these generally belong to power companies that produce electricity using solar panels. For the average home, the roof is more-than-ample free space to produce power for average everyday use.

2. Make Enough to Sell
That’s right; you may make enough to actually sell it back to your utility company. This does depend on where you live, how big your roof is compared to the square footage of the house, and how that roof is slanted and oriented to the sun. generally, if you average 8 full hours of sunlight per day, the average roof and average Orange solar energy solar panel installation will produce more in those 8 hours than the family below can use in 24 to 48 hours.

3. Equipment is Less Expensive
Solar panels used to be quite expensive. Many were needed to produce enough power. With new advancements, they now cost half or less than before and produce 25 to 50% more power. Plus, the traditional microchip arrays are not the only option; now films, paints, and even roofing shingles can produce power.

4. Free Money
In addition to the lower cost of equipment, the federal government and some states are now offering free money for those who install solar power. This free cash comes in the form of rebates, financing, grants, and tax breaks for those who qualify. After installation, you may be able to sell energy back to the utility company.

Today, going solar is the cool thing to do, not just for the environment, but as a long-term investment to save money. After all, it is 100% renewable and produces zero greenhouse emissions. Other than the installation, it costs almost nothing to maintain, and even that is generally covered by insurance. Learn more about Orange solar energy at Verengo – solar power for homes.