Solar power has become far more accessible and reasonable in the USA. Solar energy installations increased by 35-fold since 2010, and the cost of solar cells has dropped by 50 percent since the beginning of 2014.

Aside from this, the industry has witnessed a remarkable growth in job turnovers, which has grown to 160 percent since 2010. If you’re living in Dallas, Texas, opting for solar energy doesn’t just cut down on power bills but is also a green way to meet your electricity needs while protecting the environment.

How Does Solar Energy Work?

Solar panels absorb the sun’s rays; these panels lie directly below the sun and utilize the sun’s energy as a power source. The panels contain photons that attract light and knock the atoms free to create a steady electricity flow. The DC or direct current of the sun passes through an inverter to generate alternating current or AC, which you can then use. Moreover, if you set the panels on your roof, it can generate electricity directly to your appliances and devices.

However, if you’re looking to make the change, here are the pros and cons of solar energy:

Pros of Solar Energy

• It Never Runs Out: Solar energy is a truly renewable energy source that can never run out, unlike non-renewable sources. You can set up your panels and harness power from anywhere in the world when the sun is up and shining.

• Low Power Bills: Many people notice their electricity bills piling up because as technology continues to advance, so do your needs and the increase for devices and smart appliances. You can expect your bills to drop because you will be generating the energy yourself.

However, how much you save depends on your installed solar system’s size and how much power you consume daily. Moreover, you can also earn money for any surplus energy that you create. If you generate more electricity than you require, you sell it back to the grid to make money.

• Offers a Variety of Uses: You can create heat through solar thermals or electricity from photovoltaics or solar cells. You can use it for various purposes; to power satellites in space, distill water in locations with a low water supply, and in places without access to the electricity grid. With the evolution of technology, you can also use solar power to create building materials and incorporate solar windows.

• Low Maintenance Fee: Solar energy systems often require little to no maintenance and come with warranties that extend to 20-25 years. The set may need cleaning, which can be done a few times a year, with cleaning costs falling somewhere between $25-35.

If this sounds like something you need, you can change electric providers in Dallas, Texas, to get you started with your first solar system.

Cons of Solar Energy

• High Initial Costs: When you decide to buy a solar system, you will have to purchase panels, inverters, wires, and batteries, which hikes up the initial costs. However, solar panel prices have plummeted below that of coal and probably will fall even further in the future as technology progresses.

• Efficiency Relies on the Weather: Solar energy panels can collect energy on cloudy and rainy days. However, it will not be half as efficient as a sunny day since it requires power generation sunlight. Apart from this, you will not generate electricity at night, but you can store electricity in a solar battery for later use.

• Requires Space: You will need more solar panels to collect a sufficient amount of energy, and for that, you will require solar panels. The cells are quite large and may not fit on some roofs, especially if you need multiple. However, you can deploy them in your yard, provided your yard gets sufficient sunlight.

• Costly Storage: Although you’re supposed to use solar energy as it’s generated, you can also store it in unique solar batteries. These batteries need to be charged throughout the day so that you can use them at night, but they end up being much too expensive. Your energy needs are probably higher throughout the day, so you can use solar power in the day and consume energy from the grid at night.

Weigh the Pros and Cons

You can do your research and consider the pros and cons. Although the initial costs may be reasonably high, solar energy can be an excellent investment if you want to save on power bills and contribute to a sustainable environment. However, apart from making this change, you should make sure that you’re doing everything you can to promote sustainability.