WHAT'S FOR DINNER? WHAT'S THE MEANING OF LIFE? SHOULD I GET A HAIRCUT?

Answering Your Solar FAQ's

I am analytical thinker. This can definitely have it's advantages as I usually think about situations in a completely unique manner. However, it can also cause me to question decisions constantly (life decisions, what to do today, soup or salad, etc). 

​Sometimes it would be nice to have a cheat sheet full of answers. At the very least, it would be great if I didn't have to conduct extra research or analysis to make a decision.

The process of going solar can be very similar. Given that it's already fairly confusing, it can be very easy to get inside one's head and start over-analyzing. That's where Intelligen comes in; we hear your common questions every day.

As a result, we've put together answers to your most common questions about going solar:
 

1. How does solar work?
Photon particles in the sun’s rays knock loose unstable elements in the silicon panels. This sends them on a journey. Like a river flowing past a mill drives the wheel, flowing electrons go through the inverter where they are converted to the AC energy we use in our houses. Spent electrons journey back to the array where they await another photon’s energy.

​2. Is solar reliable?
As long as we can depend on the sun, we can depend on solar. In reality, solar is a very simple technology, which is why it has been used for decades by NASA to power satellites in outer space. They sure don’t want to have to go out there and fix it! If undisturbed by natural disasters and kept clear of shade and dirt, solar can operate nearly indefinitely.
3. Is solar durable?
How often do you replace the wires in your home? In reality, your solar array will get less use than your home wiring. It will not be constantly switched on and off like your lights or have plugs forced into it like your receptacles. Your solar array may well outlast most other components of your home.

4. Won’t solar be cheaper later on?
While solar construction costs may yet drop another 30% over the next five years, they are at a price point today where the steep cost drop curve has slowed and even disappeared in some  cases. What we do know for sure is that many of the major incentives are disappearing. With the 30% federal ITC and local and state incentives, 60-100% of an array’s cost can be eliminated. Even if solar gets a little cheaper over the next few years it will actually cost more, because you will be buying it without the added value of the incentives.

Now, I can't help you through every decision you have to make (although I will say - always go with the soup). But, hopefully this will give you a head start on answering some of your solar questions.