Building a solar system is a substantial financial commitment. It has both fixed and variable costs. That’s why many people choose to start out with a small system and build on as they can afford to do so. The federal government offers modest tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements, including solar power, and many states also offer tax credits or other incentives, which can reduce your costs significantly. Even so, payback periods on solar power systems are long and extremely variable.Before you install a photovoltaic system, or any alternative energy system, make your home as energy-efficient as you can (link). Every dollar you spend on increasing your home’s energy efficiency will save you between three and five dollars on the cost of your solar power system.

Are you interested in installing an alternative energy system in your home, but can’t swallow the price of solar panels or wind turbines? Let the federal and state government help pay the bill! New tax credit laws have recently been passed by Congress and state legislatures, including Pennsylvania’s, which help corporate, business, private, non-profit and agriculture sectors, as well as homeowners, to pay for alternative energy systems. This is the government’s way of encouraging individuals and groups to save energy and money by utilizing the growing capabilities of energy systems that don’t depend on an outside power company. By creating your own power and either using it right away, storing it in a battery system, or selling it back to your electric company (see the article on Net Metering) you can keep tons-literally tons-of harmful pollutants from being released into the air, water and soil.

Insulation is material that essentially serves as a barrier between your home and the heat or cold outside. Good insulation will conserve the heat within your home in winter, and will help keep heat from entering your home in the summer. A material’s ability to do this is measured by its R-value. There are many types of insulation, and many places in your home to put it.