If you’re here on our website, you’re likely here for one of two reasons — you’re either a solar sales company who’s looking for an excellent provider to work with, or you’re a California homeowner who is curious about solar power. The latter wouldn’t be surprising; due to the recent California Solar Mandate which went into effect at the beginning of this year, a lot more people are talking about solar power.
With that being said, there are still a lot of things that the average person doesn’t know about solar power. We’ve already covered some common misconceptions in one of our blog posts, but aside from that, there are many cool facts that aren’t known to the general public. Well, at Energy Service Partners, we absolutely love solar, and we want to help as many people as possible to learn about its amazing benefits and its potential to move towards a more renewable future. With that being said, here are some fun facts about solar energy that you might not have known!
SOLAR POWER IS THE MOST ABUNDANT SOURCE OF ENERGY ON THE PLANET
A lot of people who have been around for a while have a fairly skeptical view of solar energy. They grew up in an era where solar power was a buzzword, and seemingly just a trend — and an expensive one at that. But what if we told you that solar energy is actually the most abundant energy source on earth? It may not sound true, but it is.
Theoretically, there’s enough solar power in one hour of sunlight to power everything on earth for a year. The trick, of course, is harnessing that power. We do that with solar panels, but there are only so many to go around. But the more we build, the more homes and industries we can power! In fact, if we were to cover the entire Mojave Desert into a massive solar array, it would create enough energy to power the US for a year, two times over. Don’t underestimate the power of solar energy! It’s there in abundance, and the more of it we can harness, the less we have to rely on traditional sources such as fossil fuels.
SOLAR POWER PRICES HAVE DROPPED DRAMATICLLY SINCE THE ’70S
In the point above, we mentioned an era in which solar power hadn’t quite caught on. And you can trust us — we were there! Our team at Energy Service Partners has been in the solar game since the beginning, and while we’ve always advocated solar power for California homeowners, even we can’t deny that the prices used to be pretty prohibitive. A few decades ago, you had to pay a lot more to get a lot less, and unfortunately, many people still believe we’re in that era.
But times have changed! Solar prices are cheaper than they’ve ever been. In fact, they’ve dropped by about 99% since the 70s. Solar is very affordable nowadays, and it actually saves you money in the long run. The most expensive aspect is the up-front cost of getting the solar system installed. But once you’ve gotten past that, solar energy pays you back significantly in money saved.
CALIFORNIA IS THE LEADER OF SOLAR ENERGY IN THE UNITED STATES
If you’re a California homeowner, pat yourself on the back! Our great state is the leader in solar energy in the US, and due to the recent mandate which requires that every new home is built in solar, that trend will only continue.
As it turns out, California is one of the best places in the nation to implement solar energy. Our days are sunny virtually every day of the year, only occasionally giving way to clouds and rain. The sun shines down brightly, and pretty much any home that’s not covered by shade is eligible for the benefits of solar energy. That’s why we’ve only continued to grow and grow here at Energy Service Partners — the demand for solar energy is never-ending! If you’re a California homeowner who wants to get in on renewable energy, we can help you get started.
SOLAR ENERGY CAN POWER VEHICLES – EVEN PLANES
Solar energy can be implemented in a variety of cool ways, and it’s possible for it to exist outside of the form of the familiar square panels that you see us installing on people’s roofs. In fact, it’s quite possible for cars, trains, boats, and even planes to be completely powered by solar energy.
Did you know that in 2016, a pilot flew a plane around the entire earth which was powered exclusively by solar energy? The pilot, Bertrand Piccard, flew from Abu Dhabi in one direction, and returned from the other side, powered entirely by the sun. We’re only now just tapping into the potential of what solar has to offer; we think of it as a way to power houses, but when implemented creatively, it will prove to have many more uses.
SOLAR FARMS CAN POWER ENTIRE COMMUNITIES
While solar panels are becoming increasingly more vogue, there are still a lot of people who aren’t keen to the idea of having them on their roof. What if we told you that it’s possible to enjoy the benefits of solar power without adorning your home with solar panels? Depending on where you live, it might be a possibility.
It’s possible to create solar farms, which are essentially giant installations filled with solar panels. The idea behind solar farms is creating an unfathomable amount of energy from one source, and distributing it all to connected households. At Energy Service Partners, we focus on installing solar systems to individual homeowners and businesses, but in the greater scheme of things, entire communities can be powered by solar farms. That’s what we were talking about earlier with a hypothetical solar installation in the Mojave Desert — the bigger the solar farm is, the more area it can provide power to.
SOLAR ENERGY HELPS US EXPLORE SPACE
You’ve probably seen a lot of solar panels in your time, even if you never realized it. That’s because they’re all over our spacecraft! The space industry was one of the earliest adopters of solar technology. In space, the benefits are obvious — as long as you’re not being overshadowed by the earth, you’re getting hit by solar rays one way or the other. Solar power is so viable in space, that the first-ever satellite that implemented it is still in orbit. While the cost of solar power was prohibitively high for average citizens in the 1950s, it’s great to live in an age where this technology is becoming ever more ubiquitous in our culture.=
CALIFORNIA’S LEADING SOLAR INSTALLATION COMPANY
For California homeowners, there are virtually no reasons not to adopt solar power. At Energy Service Partners, installing solar is the name of our game. We work with solar sales companies to provide and install high-quality solar systems, and if you’re a homeowner, we can help you get started. Are you ready to move towards a more renewable future? Solar energy will be able to power your home day and night, for a fraction of the monthly price that you currently pay in utilities. Contact us today to get started.
