The cost of many of the more traditional energy sources that we use, such as natural gas, gasoline and electricity are right there in front of us. Determining the overall cost of solar power, on the other hand, is not quite as simple. To make this process even more difficult, many of us have a hard time seeing not only the cost of solar panels, but the overall value. Unlike gasoline and other easily measured energy sources, solar panels provide their value over several years, rather than a few trips in the car.

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?

In most cases, photovoltaic panels are priced by dollars per watt. Although many places will label things differently, this is the basis for most calculations. Whenever you purchase a solar panel system, you are essentially paying for the ability, or capacity to generate a certain amount of electricity, rather than a certain amount of energy to use until it is gone.

The overall cost of your solar panels will vary, depending on your individual project. Because each home is different, each project is different, making general quotes difficult. Furthermore, special tax programs that provide rebates and incentives can play a huge role in the cost of your panels. For an accurate cost, get in touch with solar installers in your area.

In addition to the varying costs of solar installation, are the various methods of purchase. The traditional form of buying panels outright and having them installed is less popular than it used to be. Many homeowners are now taking advantage of special financing for their solar panels. There are also many solar leasing programs out there, that we discuss at Solar panel Info. These programs allow you to lease a set of solar panels, and keep all of the energy that you generate. With all of these different options, generating solar power is much easier than ever before.

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One of the limitations of some grid-tied photovoltaic systems is that the owner will only benefit as long as there is sunlight while the grid is functioning. Otherwise, if there is an outage, they may not even use the energy they are generating from the rooftop. During such times when the grid is disconnected, the owner can neither use the rooftop solar nor export the energy to the grid.

Owners of PV systems without backup functionalities can upgrade by adding AC coupling. This enables them to store energy and use it anytime, including during emergencies and grid outages. The AC coupling converts a simple grid-tied system into a Grid/hybrid or grid interactive system. This provides grid-ties savings whenever the grid is up and running, and off-grid independence, as well as security when there is a utility outage.

The main components of AC coupling include an energy storage system, a grid-interactive inverter/charger, a coupling device and the second panel with additional wiring for the critical loads to supply during outages.

Battery storage enables better power management by providing a number of benefits which include: