The average US household consumes more than 12,700 kilowatts (kW) of energy a year. Small homes use much less; for tiny houses, the average is just a little over 900 kW.
To top it all off, it’s easier for smaller homes to take advantage of solar energy, as they’d need fewer solar panels.
The big question now is, what benefits can you expect when you use solar to power up your small home?
We rounded up some of the top answers to that question in this guide, so be sure to read on!
1. From Low Bills To No Bills
In 2019, the average monthly US residential electricity bill was $115, or roughly $1,380 for the entire year. Back then, the average electricity price was 13.01 cents per kWh.
Now, let’s apply the same rate for tiny homes that use only about 900 kW of energy per year. Doing the math, the average tiny homeowner would have paid just $117 for the whole of 2019.
Also Read: Soleta : Sustainable Zero Energy House
$117 a year is already low, but you may no longer even have to pay for that if you go solar. If your solar panels generate the same amount of energy you need, you can say goodbye to your electric bills.
2. You’d Need Fewer Solar Panels
An average solar panel can generate between 250 and 400 watts of energy in one hour. The sunnier it is, the greater the panels’ output, which is why you also need to place them in a sunny spot.
Now, let’s say you’ll invest in panels capable of generating 350 watts per hour. In this case, one panel that gets five full hours of sun can give you 1.75 kW of energy.
Let’s also assume that your small home’s daily electricity consumption is just 5 kW. If one panel can give you 1.75 kW, then you’d only need to buy at least three panels to generate 5 kW per day.
As the price of solar keeps dropping, the cost of three panels would definitely be easy on your pockets.
3. Keep Your Home Lit During an Outage
Power outages don’t only leave you in the dark; they can also give rise to security issues. It’s not only because criminals love to prowl in the dark but also because security systems go down. Prolonged blackouts can also cause food to spoil, as your fridge would turn off without power.
A portable solar generator can help keep your home lit during blackouts. These systems also use solar panels, except that they store energy in a special battery for later use. If an outage occurs, you can use the stored solar power as a backup source of energy.
4. Way Cleaner Than Fossil Fuel-Based Electricity
Solar energy is one of the cleanest renewable sources of alternative energy. Its carbon footprint is only a fraction of that of fossil fuel-based energy sources.
Using solar power also doesn’t involve combustion, unlike fossil fuels. In fact, the process of burning fossil fuels is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs). GHGs, in turn, are some of the top drivers of climate change and global warming.
As such, switching to solar gives you a chance to help preserve the environment.
Power Your Small Home With Solar Energy
These are only four of the many benefits of solar energy, but they should be enough to prompt you to make the switch. The sooner you go solar, the sooner you can save not just your cash but the environment, too.
Also Read: How Do I Know I’m Getting an Energy-Efficient Home?
Ready for more tips and tricks to liven up your small or tiny home? Then please feel free to browse our other informative guides!