As solar energy is more affordable and accessible, the popularity of solar installers and companies is also skyrocketing. Since 2008, the solar power capacity in the U.S. has grown to almost 97GW. It’s equivalent to powering nearly 18 million American homes and makes up 3% of the total U.S. electricity in the national grid. Apart from that, the cost of solar P.V. panels has also dropped to 70% due to market competition. Unfortunately, despite its affordable cost, more than half of Americans still underestimate the cost of solar panels. However, the situation is changing because Americans are moving towards better alternatives such as solar energy due to constant rising utility costs.
The benefits of shifting to solar energy are long-term because it’s a renewable energy that can be operated independently without any dependency on the national grid. Additionally, solar energy is also environment-friendly because no harmful emissions are involved in generating electricity from solar panels.
The Changing Trend of Solar Companies
Just as the demand for solar energy is constantly increasing in the U.S., the market share of solar companies is also at its peak. Due to this, solar power is getting more affordable, and the increasing number of solar installers and investors are playing a significant role in this. A recent study suggests that the estimated solar energy share in the national grid will account for up to 30% by 2030, which is quite impressive. Let’s look at some of the most common reasons behind the increasing popularity of solar companies and installers across the U.S.
Solar Energy is Cost-Effective
As we all know that solar energy is one of the cheapest forms of energy since the cost of solar energy is cost-effective. Even without subsidies, the cost of solar energy is getting more affordable.
Creates Opportunities for New Jobs
Besides other advantages of solar energy, job creation is also one of its considerable advantages. In the U.S. alone, solar energy has created almost 250,000 jobs. Moreover, this number is rapidly growing due to the increasing demand for solar energy.
Solar energy emits no pollution in the air, such as carbon emissions, so it’s considered one of the safest and healthy forms of renewable energy. In 2020, solar energy helped to avoid almost 96 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, a considerable number. Unlike other forms of energy, solar energy doesn’t require water to generate electricity.
Less Electricity Loss
In other forms of energy, almost 3 to 4% of the total energy is lost during long-distance transportation and distribution. The losses may not seem significant, but it often results in load shedding in regions with high population density. On the other hand, there is no such thing involved in solar energy as having the panels in the yard can help overcome this problem.
Fortunately, there is no limitation on solar energy as these panels can be deployed anywhere. As long as sunlight is in your backyard or roof, you can get the advantage of solar energy. If we talk about those regions with no access to electricity, solar energy is the only rescue because it only needs sunlight to work.
Reduce Electricity Bills
Using solar energy means that you will be using less electricity from the utility supplier. Hence, it will result in a significant reduction in electricity bills that will help you save thousands of bucks yearly. You can also switch to battery backup at night when there is no sunlight.
The Bottom Line:
The demand for solar panel installation will continue to expand in the upcoming years. The government of the United States also encourages business investment in solar energy in the form of tax relief and subsidies. Generally, a solar plant at a utility-scale requires 5-10 acres of land to generate 1 M.W. of electricity; even if we power the entire U.S. with solar energy, it won’t require more than 0.6% of the country’s land mass.