Pros and Cons of Solar Panel Energy

Making the switch to solar energy offers a variety of benefits—such as saving on your electricity bill and having a positive impact on the environment—but it’s also a big decision, so it’s important to consider all sides. 

At Blue Raven Solar, we’re here to help you make this decision with all the information you need to move forward with confidence because, yes, solar energy is most often worth it! 

Solar Pros:

• Turning your monthly bill into an investment
• Increasing the equity of your home
• Earning utility credits with your utility company
• Enjoying a stable monthly payment for years to come

Solar Cons:

• Seeing efficiency dip or stop during cloudy days or nighttime
• Working with your limited, available rooftop space
• Determining how a solar system will fit your budget

Pros of Solar Panel Energy

With solar power, you take a big step toward energy independence and self-sufficiency. With the right rooftop solar panel system, you can rely on sunlight instead of your local utility company for the majority of your electricity. There are also less obvious benefits of solar energy, some of which include:

Turn a Monthly Utility Bill into an Investment

According to the Energy Information Administration, the average electricity bill in the United States of America is $137 per month (as of 2022). Depending on your energy usage, it may be lower or higher. However, no matter what you pay, the reality is the money for your utility bill goes to a power company.

When you buy-to-own a solar system, this expense changes from perpetual rent to a loan payment which builds value right onto your house. Your monthly expense goes toward paying off the system which will pay dividends over decades as the energy continues to flow once you’ve finished paying off the system.

Increased Equity on Your Home

Many people find their house equity increases by about 4.1% after they have successfully paid off their solar system. After all, your solar system is a valuable asset now included with your home. 

It’s important to note: this equity boost happens when you buy your solar system, but there are other methods of purchasing solar energy systems including Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and lease agreements.

With PPA and leasing, you’re still paying another entity to generate electricity for you (although their equipment is mounted on your roof). Equity benefits for buy-to-own begin when you pay off your solar panel system, but there are other savings which benefit you in the first few years of having solar energy like net metering and payment stability.

Utility Credits Through Net Metering

Depending on your state and current utility provider, you can earn money or credits from the extra solar energy you generate through net metering programs. We have other articles detailing net metering, but the basics are:

• Surplus power you generate is “bought” by the utility company in exchange for energy credits.
• These energy credits can help during darker, winter months or at night when your solar panels are not generating enough power.
• In some areas, utility companies pay out cash kickbacks for unused credits at the end of the year.

Your Monthly Amount Doesn’t Increase Over Time

Another benefit you’ll experience immediately upon adding a solar system to your home is a steady, reliable payment. Instead of fluctuating monthly payments which can be hard to budget for, your solar payment will remain consistent. 

You also don’t have a utility company increasing your monthly payment like so many other homeowners. From 2000 to 2024, electricity prices increased every year (with the exception of only four years) with jumps sometimes measuring more than ten percent. 

You can benefit from your photovoltaic (PV) solar system from day one and the dividends get better year over year.

Cons of Solar Energy

All means of generating electricity come with costs and conditions. For example, fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, provide a large amount of energy but require a vast infrastructure for distribution, and every pound of fossil fuels burned for energy results in harmful emissions. Solar has its own drawback:

Solar Only Works When the Sun’s Out

Solar power is generated when sunlight hits the PV cells in solar panels. However, because the system is reliant on the sun, having a solar panel system does not provide efficient power generation on cloudy days or any generation at night. 

There are options available to help in these situations and during emergencies, including adding solar batteries to your solar panel system. Solar batteries can provide power at night or during a neighborhood-wide blackout. Our solar experts can walk you through the details if you’re interested in adding batteries to your solar system.

Solar Systems Depend on Available Roof Space

The amount of energy a solar panel can generate depends on the number of cells included in the panel, which is directly tied to the panel’s size. This means the size of your roof influences your solar system and the amount of energy you can generate—when you run out of rooftop space, your option for additional solar panels is minimal. If your rooftop is steep, that may impact what kind of hardware needs to be installed along with your system to keep panels at optimal angles. Our team will help design your system to work best with your available square footage.

A Big Price Tag

Investing in a buy-to-own solar energy system requires a large investment. While your exact system size and price depends on your needs, location, and options, adding solar panels to your home is generally a big decision. 

There are a variety of ways to offset the initial solar costs including:

• The Federal Investment Solar Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a tax credit of 30% of the cost of your solar energy system.
• State benefits, such as state property tax exemptions on the additional value a solar system adds to your home.
• Local incentives, such as enhanced net metering agreements, which may also be available in your area.

We can help you consider all of the details with a free savings estimate to see how much a PV solar panel system may cost and save you in the long run.

Is Going Solar Worth It?

There are both advantages and disadvantages to installing solar energy on your home. The question is whether the pros outweigh the cons for your specific situation. We’re here to help.

First, our solar experts will collect some basic information as your location and your average electricity bill can help us determine how much power is needed to cover your needs and what you could generate. After that, we’ll break down exactly what kind of system your roof can support, the amount of power it will produce, and how much you’ll be saving month-to-month and over the lifespan of the system.

If it turns out solar energy doesn’t save you money in the short or long term, we’ll tell you. 

Then our specialized site surveyors will visit your home to check your roof’s layout, possible shading, integrity, and home direction. South-facing roofs generally get the most sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, but east- and west-facing roofs are also viable—it just changes the design layout of your solar system.

With this information you’ll have the details needed to evaluate if solar energy is for you and your home.

Go Solar with Blue Raven Solar, a Trusted Installation Partner

At Blue Raven Solar, we’re here to make solar energy accessible and affordable for homeowners like you. Our goal is to make it easy to invest in renewable energy, offering you a personalized way to generate power, save on costs, and do your part in the green energy revolution.

We make the process simple and straightforward by handling all the details from system design to energization, while keeping you up to date at each step. Let us help you turn a payment you already make into a valuable investment which provides energy independence. Reach out today for a free estimate.