Frequently Asked Question
My Electric Bill is too High, Will Solar Lower it?
This is a difficult question to answer. Due to the rising
electrical rates the answer is not the same for everyone.
Yes. A solar system on your home will lower your electric bill.
Unfortunately the initial layout of funds to purchase the system can be high.
If you look at the cost per kilowatt hour for a solar system
over its life it can be as low as $0.11 per kilowatt hour. If your goal
is to save money over the life of the system and you are paying the power
company more then $0.11 per kilowatt hour a solar system makes sense. In
California rates are as high as $0.21 per kilowatt hour. Rates this high
allow some solar systems to pay for themselves in 5 years.
If you are paying less then $0.10 per kilowatt hour solar may
not be for you from a cost savings stand point. A kilowatt hour of Solar will
cost more than a kilowatt hour of utility electricity. The best thing to
do, if you are looking to lower your electric bill is to cut down on the
amount of power that you use. This may not mean you have to change your
lifestyle and live like a hermit, in the dark. It means you just have to
change the way your home uses electricity. An energy efficient home, that
uses energy efficient appliances, will cut down your electric bill. The
cost of adding energy efficient appliances to cut your usage by 100 kilowatts
per month, is less than buying enough solar equipment to generate 100 kilowatts
per month.
So remember living efficiently does not always mean living
differently. If your home is designed to be energy efficient then adding
solar will reduce your bill. Since you bill is smaller to start with a little
solar will mean a lot.
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