The recent announcement of tariffs by the United States government and the subsequent retaliatory tariffs by foreign governments in response have led to widespread economic uncertainty. Prices are either rising or expected to rise across a variety of sectors, including energy.
In response, homeowners are researching various ways to lower their energy costs across the board. One such homeowner recently took to Reddit to ask the online community for advice on solar panel installation.
The scoop
In the post, the homeowner asked, "Is solar worth it?"
They go on to ask some general questions about whether or not they would ultimately benefit from installing the panels, if tax credits are available, and if they need a battery system in addition to the panels.
One great place to find answers to many of these questions is EnergySage. The company provides a free service that makes it easy to vet local solar panel installers. Consumers can get free estimates and compare quotes, which helps make it easy to see if solar panels are a good fit for their homes.
How it's helping
Installing solar panels is extremely beneficial for many reasons. Homeowners who make the transition to solar save tons of money on energy bills. In fact, many solar customers can bring their energy costs down to nearly zero dollars. Incredibly, it can also help entire communities lower their energy bills. In many cases, excess energy from home solar panels is transferred to the grid. More available energy equals lower costs for all consumers.
The environmental benefits are also tremendous. Clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and water mean less reliance on coal, oil, and gas. Burning those traditional dirty fuel sources releases tons of pollution into the air and contributes to warming temperatures around the globe. So, a transition to solar will lead to a clean and cooler future for all.
The Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in 2022, includes a wide variety of incentives and tax rebates for clean energy projects, including solar panels. But President Trump has repeatedly stated he wants to repeal most of these savings programs. While doing so would ultimately require an act of Congress, the future of these savings programs is murky at best. So if you are considering solar panels, acting sooner rather than later can save you thousands of dollars.
And there are more savings beyond what is offered in the Inflation Reduction Act. EnergySage does not charge anything for its price quoting services. And customers have been thrilled to find the company saves them an average of about $10,000 on purchase and installation.
What everyone's saying
Commenters on the original post were very supportive of solar panels.
|
What's the biggest factor stopping you from investing in solar panels? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
The cost 💰 One touted the government incentives offered, saying, "The $9000 IRA rebate I got is in the bank." It's worth noting that this is actually a tax credit of 30% on the full cost of the panels and their installation, which EnergySage helps to navigate.
Another explained how much they were benefiting from solar panels: "Totally worth it. My electric bill … is less than 20 bucks a month."
More From EnergySage
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
