How Much Solar?

How much open roof space does a family of four require to power their electricity needs? Recently, blogger Jetson Green investigated just that topic. As the name states, Green is interested in empowering Americans to lead more independent and sustainable lifestyles. In previous articles he has shown that adding solar upgrades into your home increases the resale value of your property up to $33,000 for a 6kW system, effectively recouping most of your cost at the time of sale. He came up with an estimate in square feet to meet the average home’s energy consumption. The verdict: 2,000 square feet of sunny roof space to meet the 11,640kWh consumption per year. How can the homeowner justify the investment during this housing market? Today solar is showing higher returns on investment than most CD’s, while also hedging against future utility spikes prevalent in an energy crisis. Pollution-free energy is here to stay and with new financing options and support from your local utilities, solar is a safe investment.