Five Reasons Why Every Rooftop Matters

By Michael Brune
Executive Director, The Sierre Club

(excerpted from a 6/21/11 article)

Here’s why you owe it to yourself to find out more about rooftop solar energy:

1. If you care about the environment, rooftop solar is as green as it gets. Every kilowatt hour of solar you generate either replaces electricity that might otherwise come from burning coal or frees up some other form of energy so that it can replace electricity from burning coal. Remember: No one ever had an asthma attack because of a solar panel.
2. Solar has never been more affordable. The materials costs for solar rooftop installations have fallen dramatically, and for now, you can still benefit from significant federal and (depending on where you live) state incentives for installing solar that bring down the cost of both purchased and leased systems
3. Solar-leasing programs, where you basically rent or purchase power from a system for 10 to 20 years, have made it possible for homeowners to put solar on their roofs for as little as $0 and still save on their utility bills. You get all the environmental benefits as well as a locked-in electrical-utility rate that will protect you against soaring electricity rates in the years ahead.
4. Rooftop solar also helps the U.S. economy by providing work for the people who design and install the systems. A stronger economy based on good green jobs at home helps us all.
5. Not only are you greening your electrical use at home but you are also making it possible to green your personal transportation by charging an EV or plug-in hybrid at home. How can you not love an energy solution that displaces both coal and oil? Ever hear of a catastrophic solar-power spill threatening fish and wildlife?