Benefits of Going Solar

There are three main components working together to make a typical solar electric system.

Solar Modules: Sunlight falls on the modules, which contain silicon solar cells. The energy in the sunlight is absorbed by the cells and frees electrons which flow along the array wiring. Electricity is the flow of electrons.

Solar Inverter: The electric current made by the solar modules enters the inverter and is changed from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC), the type of electricity used by homes and businesses in America.

Electric Meter: An electric meter is a device that measures the amount of electricity supplied to or produced by a home. You already have an electric meter. After installing a solar electric system, your meter will measure the difference between the amount of electricity used vs. the amount of electricity produced by your system.

Why Go Solar?

The Answer Is Up To You:

Savings Every Month. A Sharp solar electric system powers your home so you use consider¬ably less electricity from the public utility.

Hedge Against Rate Hikes. Offset energy prices and unpredictable rate hikes by generating your own free power for decades.

Protect The Environment. Most electricity is generated by burning coal that emits pollutants into the atmosphere. Solar electricity comes from a clean and renewable source— the sun. Because photovoltaic converts sun light directly into electrical power, this technology offers important advantages compared to other renewable energies, such as silent operation, no moving parts, zero emission, no storage of hazardous fuels, long lifetime, low maintenance, no operating costs and unattended operation. If these benefits make sense to you, it’s time to make the switch.

It's your time to BECOME POWERFUL.

The Benefits of Going Solar

Solar Makes Great Financial Sense The math is actually pretty simple.You could save money every month with a Solar electric system if your monthly electric bill is as little as $50.00. Even if you finance the cost of your system, the loan payment plus your new, lower electric bill will usually be less than your previous statement.

This means your savings start immediately, and your system will eventually pay for itself. Some homeowners may even earn back two to three times the cost. A lower electric bill and a system that pays for itself are just two reasons why solar is a smart investment.

Solar Gives You Protection Against Electricity Rate Hikes Imagine that you had been able to lock in automobile gas prices in 2004. You’d be paying less than $2 a gallon not only today, but also for decades to come. With every gas price increase, you’d be saving even more money. That’s exactly what you’re doing with the cost of electricity when you install a solar electric system. Because solar installation is a fixed cost, savings increase as utility rates rise. Essentially, you’re building in a hedge against future rate increases. And rising utility rates are definitely something you can count on, especially considering that they’ve gone up an average of 5% per year for the past 30 years. In 2006, some states saw the highest tier residential rates jump as much as 55% in just one year. Solar Comes With Big Financial Incentives Federal tax credits and State incentives can help pay for a substantial percentage of your system and installation. Depending on where you live, there may be additional incentives available from your state government. Your installer can explain what savings are available to make your system even more affordable. For rebate information in your state, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org. Some forecasts show you can increase the value of your home with a solar electric system. A solar electric system can increase a home's value by $20,000 for every $1,000 in reduced annual operating costs.

Solar Can Help Offset Climate Change

From Main Street to Wall Street, people are realizing the effects that our actions have on the environment—and they're going solar to minimize those effects and lower their carbon footprint. Until recently, there hasn't been much of a choice but to use the electricity provided by conven¬tional methods. With advances in technology and increased consumer awareness, however, solar electricity is now a very feasible option. So, while you'll be lowering your electric bill, you'll also be helping to raise our air quality. Coal-fired power plants are responsible for 72% of all sulfur dioxide emissions in the U.S. Yet solar electricity produces absolutely no pollution.

One million homes using solar electricity would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 4.3 million tons per year. That's the equivalent of removing 850,000 cars from the road. And by using more solar electricity, fewer power plants that produce greenhouse gases would need to be built. Sharp Solar Is 100 Percent Clean A Sharp solar electric system generates no harmful emissions—zero. This means you can power your home with 100 percent pure sun¬shine that’s not only clean, it's also renewable and abundant.

So abundant in fact, it’s been calculated that a 100-square-mile array of solar modules in the Southwestern United States could generate enough electricity to power the entire country. Solar offers you energy independence by switching to solar electricity, we can help alleviate our overdependence on foreign sources. Solar electricity is used where it is made, so there are no transportation or delivery costs. Solar electricity's price stability is also independent of the effects of natural disasters, foreign political instability or trade disputes. The supply chain extends simply from the sun to your roof. While you are enjoying reliable solar electricity, you are also sharing that reliability with everyone else. Doesn't it make sense that if everyone had solar electricity systems, the public power grid would be more reliable.