Locations For Home Solar Energy Systems
If you are thinking about converting your house to a home solar energy system, you need to take your location into consideration. Where you live can make a big difference in how much electricity your system can generate.
The reason? Different areas of the country get different amounts of average usable sunshine.
While some sales people for home solar energy systems would like you to believe that the amount of sunlight that will hit your solar panels is the same regardless of where you live. The truth is, your location can have a big impact on how much electricity your system produces.
The Solar Energy Map
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory produced a map for the US Department of Energy that shows the amount of usable solar energy for each location in the United States. It clearly shows that solar for home use will produce more electricity in some locations than others.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t any reason to convert to a home solar energy system if you live in one of the less favorable states. Using renewable forms of energy are always a good idea. You will still be able to see some cost savings on your utility bills regardless of your location. It just means that you will not see as much savings, and you will need to rely on public utilities a little bit more.
So where are the worst and the best locations?
The Worst Locations for Solar Energy
The two worst locations in the U. S. for average usable solar power are the State of Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest, specifically the Pacific coast of Washington.
Areas such as the Great Lakes region and the New England states did not fare well, but they are much better than the first two areas mentioned. In fact, the amount of usable energy is nearly 30% higher in these regions.
The Best Locations for Solar Energy
The best possible locations to set up a home solar energy system are the Southwest United States. Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Western Texas all fared very well in the study. IF you live in these areas there is really no excuse not to take advantage of the free energy source that strikes your home every day.
More and more people are turning to solar power as a way to save money on their energy bills, to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, and to use a clean and renewable source of power.
If you haven’t considered a home solar energy system, now is the time to give it some thought. You will be amazed at the amount of money you can save. Solar power really does work.
