Interest in solar has grown exponentially as more people are concerned about the environment and the spiraling threat of climate change in recent years. As a result, companies and homeowners alike are switching to solar to harness the power of the sun as a renewable and accessible source of clean energy.
Solar power is inarguably the energy source of the future. Although photovoltaic systems can be costly upfront, embracing solar energy will help cut your electricity bill, reduce your carbon footprint and save money in the long haul.
So if you're ready to make the switch, continue reading for top advantages of solar power.
What Are the Advantages of Solar Energy?
1- It is a Renewable and Free Energy Source
There are a ton of reasons to go solar. Still, perhaps the most notable benefit is the ability to tap the sun's power as a truly renewable and virtually cost-free source of clean energy. In addition, the sun's energy is available in abundance for most of the year. Moreover, solar energy can be utilized in pretty much any part of the world, except for the extreme polar areas.
The sun is the gift of energy that keeps giving. And, unlike fossil fuels and other power sources utilized today, solar energy is infinitely available, and we aren't about to run out of it, at least for the next five billion years, as per physicists and astronomers. 
2- Reduces Electricity Bills
Homeowners, businesses and companies are searching for ways to reduce their energy costs without sacrificing productivity, convenience and comfort. That is why it comes as no surprise that the #1 reason why people consider reducing their electric bills is one of the greatest solar energy benefits.
You can slash a significant portion of your utility bill, depending on your electricity requirements, the size of your house, and where you live. In areas that receive many days of sunshine each year, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars on your electricity bill every month.
Many cost-averse businesses are also considering going solar, helping harness the sun's energy into a clean, renewable power source for everyday operations. For instance, if you are a restaurant or hotel utilizing commercial SPV systems, you can up to 100% of your energy bills or more.
The best thing about photovoltaic systems (solar panels) is that they can be custom-designed and modular. For a homeowner or business, that means you can install as few or as many solar panels as you like. But, of course, the more panels you install, the more solar energy you will get and the more savings you will make on your electric bills.
Remember, electricity rates continue to rise in many states and countries, so that you will realize even more savings in the future with solar. After all, the sun's energy will continue to be free despite the rising cost of fossil fuel and other non-renewable energy sources. 
3- Earn Passive Income from Your Solar Panels
In addition to reducing your electric bills, your solar panels can generate more energy than you need for your household or business consumption. That is especially true in sunny areas when the climatic conditions and the solar system are perfect for energy generation.
In such situations, you not only cover 100% of your electricity needs, but you can also sell the surplus power to the main grid via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) programs. As such, you'll not just save money on your electric bills; you can generate income through your solar panels as well. If that isn't one of the most plausible solar energy pros, we don't know what is.
4- Solar Offer a Wide Range of Applications
The range of applications and purposes of solar energy is nothing short of impressive. For one thing, you can harness the power of solar energy by using heat via solar thermal systems or producing electric power using SPV systems (aka solar panels). In either case, it's a cost-effective and renewable source of ethical energy, which are two of the most significant importance of solar energy.
More importantly, you can use solar panels for off-grid living and obtaining electricity in remote areas far from the main grid. You can also use solar energe to run your plumbing, water filtration system, home appliances, water heating, ventilation, lighting and central heating.
Did you know that satellites in space are powered exclusively by an array of solar panels? Solar panels can also be incorporated into modern building designs like roofing, windows, sidings and so forth. The advantages of solar is endless!
5- Quiet Operation and Low Maintenance Costs
One of the most prominent solar energy benefits is that the SPV systems run quietly and with little to no supervision. Solar panels typically don't have moving parts that may experience frictional wear and tear, so they don't need much in the way of repairs or regular maintenance. Cleaning your panels a few times each year should be enough to keep them running without a hitch.
Let's not forget that most photovoltaic systems come with either lifetime or 20-25 years of warranties, which means you can rest assured your panels can be replaced if anything goes wrong during this warranty period. Aside from cables and inverters that may be replaced every 5 to 10 years, everything else in your solar unit will run optimally for many years.
Because of that, you can expect to save oodles of money after paying for the initial price of the solar panels in low maintenance costs.
6- The Future of Solar Energy and Technology is Bright
The demand for solar has sky-rocketed in the past decade and industry players are constantly evolving and improving solar technology to keep up. As a result, we expect solar energy to be more innovative and state-of-the-art in future on the back of breakthroughs in nanotechnology and quantum physics.
These technological and design improvements will see solar units of the future become more effective and efficient. If they continue to evolve at the current rate, we can expect solar panels to double, triple or even quadruple their electrical power output, meaning solar energy will become more viable and cost-effective in future.
7- Save Our Planet and Environment
Environmental friendliness is another benefits of solar energy to the environment. Generating most, if not all, of your electricity using solar panels is a great and effective way to reduce your carbon footprint and cut greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, solar energy doesn't result in sound, air, water, or soil pollution compared with popular fossil fuels.
One of the most crucial solar powers advantages is that it is purely clean power and doesn't need to burn coal, oil, gas or other non-renewable fuels. It is fume-less and runs quietly with minimal maintenance required, a good recipe for helping our environment and reversing climate change.
8- Boost the Market Value of your Property
One of the biggest ancillary solar energy pros is that it can dramatically improve the market resale value of your building, home or entire property. Now, it is hard to say the additional value solar panels can add to your home's resale price, as this depends on the property location, condition, size and other real estate market factors. However, you can expect to see the resale value of your home tick up by an average of around $5,000-$7,500 for every kilowatt of energy generated through solar.
The State of Solar Energy in the United States
Solar energy is more readily available and affordable in the US than ever before. The solar energy capacity in the US is estimated to be around 100 GW, up from a mere 0.34 gigawatts (GW) in 2008. That means solar-generated electricity is enough to run roughly 18 million households in the US.
What's more, more than three percent of electrical power consumed in the United States originates from solar energy, in the form of both CSP (concentrating solar-thermal power) and PV (photovoltaic) systems.
The best part is that the cost of solar panels has been reduced by almost 70 percent since 2014. The demand for solar energy is also increasing across the country, with states like California championing the adoption of solar as the energy source of the future.
The potential and abundance of solar energy throughout the US are remarkable. Picture this: installing solar panels on an area of 22k square miles could cater to the electricity needs of the whole US. Rooftop solar systems have proven the best options, as they don't use any extra land spaces. Accordingly, it is predicted that around 14 percent of American homes will feature rooftop solar panels by the year 2030.
Concentrating solar-thermal power is another viable way of using the sun's energy, with estimates showing that it can provide over 1.8 gigawatts of capacity. Even more exciting, the electricity costs from CSP plants dropped by more than half in the last ten years and are expected to generate more than 158 gigawatts of electrical power by 2050.
The advantages of solar power will work in favor of the US market in future. After all, it is one of the most championed goals in the country's ambition to decarbonize the American electric grid.
FAQs
1. What are the pros and cons of solar energy?
The most common advantages of solar are:
- Low maintenance costs
- It helps reduce your electric bills by minimizing your dependency on the main grid.
- It helps cut your carbon footprint
- Solar energy can be used in a wide range of ways
- Solar energy is a viable source of clean, renewable power
- It helps the environment and curbs the worrying climate change
- Can bolster your home's resale value
- Solar panels aremore efficient, cheaper, and more reliable
On the other hand, the cons of embracing solar energy include:
- High upfront costs can be out of reach for some people
- Solar batteries can be expensive
- Performance depends on climatic conditions
2. Why is solar energy popular?
Research has shown that solar energy could become the most significant power source by 2050. That begs the question: why is solar energy so popular? The solar powers advantages are numerous and diverse. First of all, it is a safer, cleaner, and renewable source of electricity for homeowners, businesses and organizations.
By not depending entirely on the main electric grid, homeowners and businesses can cut their electric bills by adopting solar energy. In addition, if they can generate more solar energy than they need, they can sell it back to the utility companies and generate passive income.
Solar energy also offers an increased sense of electricity independence, plus it is eco-friendly and may help us reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Besides, it can also increase your house market value and help you cut your carbon footprint.
3. Why is solar the best energy solution?
Solar power is the best energy solution primarily because it is a renewable, clean, and pollution-free power source. It minimizes reliance on natural gas, coal and oil, reducing the release of greenhouse gas emissions and harmful air/water pollutants.
Conclusion
The advantages of solar power are immense and varied. It is good for the environment, your bank account and you as it helps cut your electric bill, reduces carbon emission and increases your home’s resale value.
