Solar Energy is an interesting way of taking the energy from the sun and using it. Solar energy can be broken down into two different categories, passive and active. The more commonly thought about way is active, which consists of solar panels that collect energy. This method is very helpful in generating clean energy. The passive method includes building with the intention of maximizing the sunlight the structure gets and also making advantageous designs to facilitate air flow. The architectural designs associated with passive solar energy is actually much cheaper than installing solar panels. However, solar panels are sometimes subsidized by utility companies. An informational article I found on a website that sells solar panels said, “the installed cost of solar panels was between $7-$9 per watt: A 5 kW system would cost around $25,000-$35,000. Many utility companies offer incentives, and some subsidize as much as 50% of system costs” So clearly the active method of collecting solar energy is more complicated than the passive method. I think that the cost should not be subsidized by private companies as it allows them to claim their return in a big way when the owner of the panels sells their house. The government should incentivize programs for residential clean energy.
I think your post is really interesting. It seems like solar panels are a good and sustainable source of energy. Yet, the amount of sun is limited to the daylight hours so the $25,000-$35,000 for solar panels seems expensive. Due to the fact that sunlight can vary for each location, for each season, and for each home it could take a long time for the solar panels to pay for themselves.
Wow, this post was super informative Ryan! I agree that solar energy is definitely a sustainable and clean alternative to fossil fuels. However, as you demonstrated, the cost to install solar panels is very expensive, which makes it difficult to implement, particularly on a residential level. My family has thought about installing panels on our home, but decided it was too expensive, which is unfortunate since it is a clean source of energy.