Increasingly everyday in the United States, people are becoming curious about solar energy. Many people believe that solar panel systems are beneficial, and they are considering installing solar panels to harvest the energy of the sun in their own homes, but they are still reluctant to make the investment. For many people, they just don’t know how much solar energy can improve their lives and our planet.

The majority of Americans use non-renewable sources of energy to power their homes and their cars. These are sources like gas, coal and oil. Unfortunately, these fossil fuels pollute our air. Energy from the sun is a renewable resource. It is pollutant free and is about the cleanest form of energy that we have access to. Although the sun is over 90,000,000 miles from the Earth, it takes a little over ten minutes for the light to reach us and when it does, it can produce between 1,000 and 1,300 watts of direct solar energy for every square meter at the Earth’s surface.

People who choose to install solar panel systems and solar energy water systems in order to harness solar energy are able to light their homes, heat their water, and more while harnessing only about 20 percent of the solar radiation that hits the Earth’s surface. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that the United States contains roughly 19 billion acres of land, and in order to power the nation with solar energy, it would only take between 11 and 12 million acres to do it.

While solar energy has been used in civilizations for centuries, it wasn’t until the turn of the 21st century that Americans truly began to invest in solar panel systems for their homes. Since 2008, when the first tax credit was extended to homeowners who installed solar panel systems, the number of Americans who are harnessing the energy of the sun to power their homes has skyrocketed. At the same time, the price of solar energy systems has come down in unprecedented fashion since then, making solar energy a more affordable option for Americans.

At Southeast Power, we believe that everyone should take advantage of the sun’s energy. If you are looking for ways to harvest solar energy in your home, give us a call. The number to our Garner, North Carolina office is (919) 771-2901. We look forward to sharing our love for solar energy with you!