There are two significant benefits to a solar panel installation in Los Angeles: saving the environment and saving money. The former quality is evident because solar panels use and provide clean energy, so they do not use fossil fuels or generate any greenhouse gases. This keeps their energy impact low while reducing the carbon footprint of the home on which they are installed.
Of course, the amount of money that a PV (photovoltaic) system can save is also significant. Since the owner of the panels is using less electricity from the grid, which means that their electricity bill will be much lower. How much lower depends on a number of different factors, each of which affects the power generated by the panels in different ways.
1 The Location of the Home
This is one of the major deciding factors of how much money a PV system saves homeowners because it determines the amount of sun the system receives. The more sun the system can receive, the more power it can generate; a location factor like the direction of the house —specifically the roof— plays a part in this. If the roof is angled in such a way so that it receives the most exposure during the hours of peak sunlight, then the panels will generate the maximum amount of electricity possible.
Another location factor is the amount of shade obstructing the sunlight that shines on the solar panels. No shade is best, of course, but if any shade blocks the panels, then it is better if it does so when the sun is not at its peak. Any shade blocking the panels during peak sun diminishes their energy generation. If the shade can be reduced, or removed completely, then that is the ideal solution because, in some cases, one underperforming panel can reduce the efficacy of the entire system.
2 The Size of the Roof
This is an important factor for the obvious reason that a larger roof can hold more panels, which can generate more power. A smaller roof does not necessarily mean that a solar array is out of the question, it does mean that more efficient—and more expensive—panels will have to be installed because more efficient panels convert the solar power into a greater amount of electricity than normal panels.
3 The Price of Electricity
Possibly the most important determining factor is the electricity rate in the area; the higher the rate, the more money you will stand to save. This also depends on your monthly energy usage; it is possible for the system to completely offset the energy use of the home by generating more power than the home uses. This is not always practical, so a reduction of the bill is a more realistic goal.
A PV system is also a good idea because you will lock in a constant electricity rate even as electricity rates fluctuate or increase. That means you will be immune to the constant changes in the price of electricity.
A Solar Installation Will Save You Money
The only thing to worry about with a solar panel installation is the upfront cost of the system. Once it has been installed, the only cost you need to worry about is the cost of power in the cases when the system is not generating electricity, such as at night or during overcast days.
What all of this means is that a solar panel is always a good idea because of the benefits it can do for both the individual and the planet. A PV system can help you by saving you money, and it can improve the planet by reducing the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. A solar panel installation might not be able to save the world, but it can certainly help it.