Freedom Forever solar power has a lot of advantages and very few disadvantages. Advantages that can help you generate clean reliable energy at a lower cost than from a utility company. Smart planning and understanding of how your solar system works will enable you to benefit from solar’s advantages and avoid its disadvantages. You can also add value to your home by going solar.
Get the FAQ’s of going solar with Freedom Forever
Solar power advantages
Lower Cost Energy: The biggest advantage of solar power is that you generate your own clean energy. You do it at a reduced cost compared to purchasing electricity from a utility company. The amount you may save depends on several factors. The rate you pay for the energy you use. The amount of energy you use. For some homeowners, when they use power will also affect their utility bill. A general rule of thumb is that the more power you use, the more you may save by going solar. Homeowners served by Time-of-Use (TOU) rates are also affected by when they use power, not just by how much power they use.
Homeowners with high evening TOU rates can save money on those rates by adding house batteries to their system. The batteries power the home during peak evening TOU rates when utilities charge the most. For example, during the summer, SDG&E can charge as much as 67 cents per kilowatt-hour from 4 PM to 9 PM. Powering a home with batteries during those hours could save a lot of money.
Lock in your electric rate: Utility companies frequently ask for and receive permission to raise electric rates. Because of that, the rate you pay for electricity increases over time. By making your own power, you can lock in the rate you pay for the power you generate.
May add value to your home: According to the National Realtor Association, going solar may add value to your home and may help it sell faster. Homes that can gain the most value by going solar are generally located in neighborhoods where going green and saving energy are important to people who live in that neighborhood.
Reliable power when combined with home batteries.
The threat of wildfire in California is causing the state’s three major utilities, SDG&E, PGE, and SCE, to shut down some power transmission lines during days when fire risk is high. Those that want to ensure they have emergency power can combine a solar system with house batteries. During a blackout, a homeowner with batteries could designate specific circuits in their home that would receive power from the batteries during a blackout.
Solar power disadvantages
Billing fluctuations after going solar: Homeowners new to solar power often increase their power usage after going solar. If you increase the amount of power you use, then you may end up with high utility bills.
How to stabilize billing after going solar: Use your customer monitoring portal to track how much power your system is producing. Monitor your electric usage as well. Try to avoid increasing your power consumption. Keep your power usage within the amount your system was built to provide. Homeowners in areas served by TOU rates should try to minimize the amount of power they use during peak TOU rate hours.
Homes that aren’t a good fit for solar
Not right for every home: Renters can’t go solar. The same often goes for people who own condos or mobile homes. You need to have electric bills of $100 or more to save money by going solar. Homes with very low monthly electric bills may not see a financial benefit by going solar, but they still would be helping the environment by generating clean renewable energy.
If your home isn’t a good fit for solar: You may still be able to save money by purchasing solar power from a community solar project. A community solar project is a local solar facility shared by multiple subscribers in a local community. These facilities enable people who can’t get solar for their homes to benefit from the savings that solar provides.
Freedom Forever solar delivers the benefits of going solar
If you’re ready to go solar, Freedom Forever is here to help. We can design and build a system that serves your energy needs. We carry house batteries and can build a system for you that can save money on high TOU rates and provide emergency power in blackouts. Best of all, our solar power systems are covered by our 25-Year Performance Guarantee. House batteries are covered by the manufacturer’s 10-year warranty. When you’re ready to stop paying high electric bills, and you’re ready to start generating clean renewable energy, we’re here to help.