Solar Panel Use in the United States

Since the United States has enjoyed low fuel prices and an abundance of sources for fuel traditionally using solar energy has never been something that was really popular. But with fossil fuel costs rising at an alarming rate and many people concerned about being able to afford to heat their homes or afford electricity combined with a growing awareness of the environmental problems caused by the use of fossil fuels it’s becoming a lot more popular, even trendy, to use solar energy.

Currently about 0.1% of all the energy generated in the United States is solar energy. This is mostly because of the cost of buying and installing solar panels and a lack of education about the benefits of solar energy. But, The Utility Solar Assessment Study, a recent scientific study about solar energy use in the United States, predicts that by 2025 10% of all the electricity in the United States will come from solar energy.

This is because solar panes are being made more efficiently and in greater numbers which is bringing the cost of using solar energy down to a point where most home owners can afford to use solar energy. Also, the Federal government and almost every state are offering homeowner tax rebates, grants, and other financial incentives to encourage them to install solar panels in their homes. Especially in states that are known for constant sunshine like California and Florida solar energy is becoming just as cheap as fossil fuel energy.

The study also predicts that by 2015 the cost of solar energy in most major cities will be on par with the cost of fossil fuel energy even with the set up and installation costs of buying solar panels. By 2025 it will be cheaper and more efficient to use solar power to power most appliances and homes than it will be to use fossil fuel based energy.

Solar power is becoming more and more common so people are getting used to solar power as a viable option. One of the most popular uses for solar panels today is in garden lights. These are small lamps that light a yard, walkway, or light up a tree or wall. Rather than run electrical cords across the ground or bury them in the ground, which is expensive, if the garden light is powered by a solar panel, it can be placed anywhere and does not have to be wired. These lights are of course only on at night but their solar panels gather energy from the sun during the day and store it in a battery. Throughout the night the light runs off the battery’s electrical energy.

Increasingly, roadside signs are powered by solar panels. Because of the cost and complication of running electrical wires to remote areas, the signs have solar panels installed which make electricity from the sun. Solar panels are especially useful for portable construction signs. Because they don’t have to be plugged in they can be placed anywhere and get their energy from the sun. Many calculators are now powered by solar panels rather than batteries. Again, they don’t have to be plugged in and as long as there is any light, even artificial light, and the solar panels can generate enough electricity to power the calculator.

As applications of solar power are increasingly becoming a part of our society, people are giving solar panels a second look. With costs decreasing and efficiency increasing, homeowners and developers are considering using solar panels more than ever.