The price of buying and installing solar panels on your home has plummeted nearly 70% in the last several years.
That means solar solutions are becoming an affordable option for many homeowners. Because once you make the initial switch from electric energy to solar energy, you can actually save over $1,000 on your energy bill a year.
这是一个聪明的开关，但很多人都不确定如何使太阳能电池板为它们工作或如何开始安装它们的过程。
If you’re one of those people, take a look at this quick solar solutions guide. You’ll learn everything from how solar panels work to how to hire the right solar installers.
So let’s get started.
What Are Solar Panels?
Solar panels are made of things called photovoltaic (PV) cells. They are usually black and white, and they are shaped like flat, rectangular panels.
你可能看过他们安装在屋顶上家园和企业, above cars in parking lots, and on the ground in residential yards or other property.
How Do Solar Panels Work?
想象他们喜欢吸收太阳的巨型电池，将其转化为能量，并随着房子的其余部分而动力。
The process is a更详细than that, but this is a simple way to put it. Solar panels let you use clean energy from the sun and still use your home utilities like normal.
The Utility Meter
如果您的房屋连接到电网，则您可以称为实用仪表。这是您当前的能源提供商用于衡量和供应您所需的适量的房屋。
当您切换到太阳能电池板时，您将不需要从该能源提供商那里获得能量，但您仍然可以使用实用仪来测量和访问太阳能系统。
您在您的财产上安装的任何太阳能电池板也将最终连接到实用程序仪表。因此，如果您对使用的太阳能量很好，您可以查看您的实用仪表以了解。
How Do I Use Solar Power at Night?
One of the main reasons people don’t install solar power on their house is because they aren’t sure how they’ll get power when it’s dark or cloudy outside.
实际上有一个简单的解决方案，它称为净计量。
On certain days, like during the middle of a hot summer, your solar panels will absorb more energy than it needs. Even though it is overproducing, you still use the same amount of energy you normally would.
Net metering allows you to send this power you aren’t using to the grid in exchange for credits on your electric bill. Then on days where your solar panels don’t get the amount of energy they need, you can use those credits to get extra energy from the grid.
This means your house always gets the energy it needs no matter how often the sun is out.
将净计量识别为以后储存额外电力的净计量，使太阳能电池板成为有效且有效的能源解决方案选择。
How Do I Switch to Solar Solutions?
使得太阳能家庭tak开关e some time and patience. You’ll have to shop around for the right installer and the best prices, and you may have to make some changes to your property.
Here’s a list of important steps to take on your solar panel search.
Check Your Property
First of all, will your property even be able to benefit from solar panels? The solar panels have to be positioned in a place they will get the most direct sun for the majority of the day, usually 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. depending on where you live.
Are there tall buildings or trees that will block the sun? If you have trees on your property that aren’t in the way now, will they block the sun in a year or two? Do you have a chimney that casts a shadow on part of your roof?
Some solar panels completely shut off when they are cast in shadow, so the longer they are in strong sunlight the better.
Find Out How Many Solar Panels You’ll Need
This will depend on how much energy you need.
Take a look at your energy bill to find out how many kilowatts of energy you use on a normal day. When you multiply that number by .25, you’ll get the rough size of system you’ll need to give you the same amount of energy.
Search Around for a Good Installer
不just settle for the first one you find. By looking at more than one place, you’ll be able to find the best price for the job.
这可能需要一点时间和一些研究，但价格下降是值得的。如果你不确定在哪里开始，这是一个很好的提示：不要使用最大的安装人员。
The smaller contractors (likethis solar company) usually offer better prices. In fact, bigger installers can be up to$5,000 times more expensivethan smaller contractors.
Avoid Leasing Solar Panels
A lot of people think leasing is a good option because it lowers the upfront cost.
But permanently buying them will increase your home sale value and give you better tax benefits.
If you still can’t afford the upfront cost, you can also consider getting a loan. They have low-interest rates, so it could be a good option providing you are still spending less than your electric energy bill.
If you are paying more than your average energy bill, you probably aren’t saving very much money and should choose a different option.
为您的家中获得最好的太阳能解决方案
Making the switch to the right solar solutions can save you a lot of money in the long run. If you have net metering, you don’t even have to worry about “dead periods” during the night or when it’s raining.
It’s also a good way to help protect the environment.
不相信我们？看看这些five environmental benefitsthat come from solar panels.
