Eric Mack and his wife bought a 100% off-grid home in the New Mexico desert during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
The home's solar system increased their understanding of electrical power and made them more resilient and self-sufficient.
As Eric wrote for CNET, he learned several solar energy lessons by trial and error. He initially installed about six solar panels at his new home and connected them to six-volt golf cart batteries.
"It was a truly magnificent thing to behold," Eric shared. "But it was just the beginning: Relying on the sun transforms your relationship to energy, providing some unexpected insights and greater accountability when it comes to consuming it."
Eric also learned from his solar setup that fewer sunlight hours in the winter translates to less electricity generation — unfortunately, when demand is greater.
He discovered that there is a total daily energy deficit of more than 10 hours in the season. This was challenging for his family because they spent more time indoors using energy during the winter and their batteries' performance decreased.
Honest assessments of solar systems are helpful because they highlight the pros and cons of investing in solar panels.
But despite the cons, research shows that solar-powered households save substantial money on utility bills and benefit entire communities by cutting costs.
To pay off your solar panels as quickly as possible, it's a smart idea to compare installation estimates and get quotes from a reliable source such as EnergySage. This unbiased solar marketplace makes clean home energy solutions more affordable and accessible to Americans.
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If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
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Energy independence âš¡ However, with President Donald Trump threatening to eliminate government subsidies that save homeowners money, now may be the time to launch your solar project. This way, you may save thousands of dollars before Inflation Reduction Act incentives are gone.
In the future, Eric would like to install more solar panels and increase his battery capacity to store more generated energy instead of relying on a portable home generator for backup. To get more sunlight in the winter, he could also install a racking system for his solar panels to adjust their angle and capture more rays.
"Demystifying the power of electricity was empowering," Eric wrote. "Putting it to use with solar technology that allows you to collect, contain, and control that power autonomously is life-changing."
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