Solar energy is becoming more and more popular in modern homes. Many homeowners are switching to solar because of the lack of maintenance, the renewable energy, the improved home value, the money saved, and the tax benefits and incentive programs and rebates that come with renewable energy. The environmental benefits are often added as an afterthought. So here are five ways that switching to solar can help save the environment, and create a better future.

Carbon Footprint

Solar panels are a 100% clean and renewable energy source that have the ability to power our cities, without leaving a carbon footprint. Everyone’s heard about our ‘carbon footprint,’ and how switching to solar can help reduce it. But what does that really mean? Basically, solar panels don’t generate waste like other forms of energy production. Which means they don’t emit greenhouse gases or CO2 emissions, all of which are harmful to our planet. Instead, they harness the power of the sun, by converting sunlight into heat or energy (depending on the type of energy conversion), which is completely natural, renewable, and more than powerful enough to cover all of our energy needs. According to research, if PV solar panels were placed on only 0.6% of the country’s land mass, then those solar panels would be able to provide enough electricity to power the whole of the United States.

Reduce Demand for Fossil Fuels

A side-effect of switching to solar, a renewable energy source, is that we would begin to rely less on fossil fuels (non-renewable energy sources) like oil, coal, and natural gases. All of which are being used up quickly, and produce toxins and pollutants that are harmful to the environment and everything in it including the air, land, water, and living things that rely on them to survive. If a country as big as the United States could be entirely powered by solar energy, the demand on our finite resources would be reduced significantly, perhaps significantly enough to make a difference on a global scale.

Long Lifetime

The lifetime of a solar panel is much much longer than other energy systems. They are built to last, and to survive in the environment amid harsh weather conditions, while continually producing power over that long life. So, unlike electrical systems, a solar panel won’t need to be replaced every few years. This not only cuts down on costs for you as the homeowner, but it also means that resources don’t have to be continually used up to replace shoddy systems that aren’t built to last (which will once again reduce our demand for fossil fuels).

Lack of Noise Pollution

Though less dangerous than greenhouse gasses and harmful pollutions, noise pollution is a growing problem in cities and urban areas. Have you ever been to a city, sat on rooftop, and listened to the deep silence of the night, just before dawn? it’s unlikely, as a city always has noise. Noise from people, cars, animals, trains…and from electrical systems. Unlike most energy systems, solar panels have no noise production, which means they can help reduce the noise pollution that plagues urban areas, and reduce the clutter of our modern world.

Help Fight Global Warming

All of these benefits combine to fight global warming and to help save the planet, including the plants, animals, and all forms of life that live here (which includes us). By reducing our carbon footprint, we reduce the amount of gasses, like CO2, that is trapped in our atmosphere. These gases are causing adverse changes and effects that are changing the planet as we know it. Because of their lack of pollution, the effect on our carbon footprint, renewable fuel source, and the resulting reduction of fossil fuels, solar panels can help the earth heal.

How to Switch to Solar

Contact your local Sonoma solar installation company today to get an honest, professional quote about switching your home to solar energy, and make the choice, not only to save money and increase the value of your home but also to do your part to help save the world we live in.