Solar energy is more than ever an energy of the future, and the numbers don’t lie.
For cities in the northern hemisphere, the longer days of summer are finally here. Thanks to the tilt of the earth’s axis, we have more hours of natural sunlight, which is not only perfect for outdoor activities, but it’s a great reminder that we should be harnessing these rays of sunlight to power our homes, businesses, and more through solar.
Solar is indeed on the rise, as solar power is more affordable, accessible, and prevalent in the United States than ever before. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, during Q1 of 2017, U.S. installations have reached 44.7 gigawatts (GW) of total capacity, enough to power the equivalent of 8.7 million homes.
The way solar is growing has market analysts falling heavily in its favor; a different study from International Energy Agency predicts solar will become the world’s largest source of electricity by 2050. We’re seeing a hint of this reality even now: 10% of the electricity produced during the month of March in 2017 came from wind and solar power for the first time, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The EIA says that spring and fall tend to see the highest share of wind and solar power generation.
What’s more, the U.S. produced 65% more solar power in March 2017 than it did in March 2016, thus proving that solar is no longer an alternative source of power, but rather a comfortable norm.
These numbers prove the benefits of solar power: year over year, the cost of electricity rises, but solar enables us to buffer the effects of more costly fossil fuels. The main benefit of solar energy is that it can be easily deployed by both home and business users, as it does not require any significant investment of time or capital. In fact, most go solar for $0 down. Solar energy is the cleanest, most abundant, renewable energy source available.
New York solar service areas: Ulster County, Albany County, Dutchess County, Westchester County, and more!