Make the Move to Solar Energy for Your Minnesota Home and Business.

Humankind has been harnessing the power of the sun for millennia. Early humans built rudimentary structures that were oriented to capture the sun’s warmth. Today this is known as passive solar energy and is considered a sustainable practice for building modern energy efficient structures.

In 1515 Leonardo da Vinci designed his Solar Concentrator that sought to harness the power of the sun for energy use. However, it wasn’t until the industrial age of the 1860’s when solar power innovations started to spring up throughout the newly industrialized world. More than 100 years later US President Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the roof of the White House to show his fellow Americans and the world that solar power was a viable alternative energy source. This bold move got the nation and the world looking towards the bright future of sustainable, renewable energy.

When most people think of solar energy they assume it is only viable in places like Florida or Arizona. Yet the most prolific solar powered nation is Germany, not known for its sunny days or warm weather. However, the approximate 1.3-1.4 solar powered systems in Germany helped to create the world record for solar power production at midday on July 21, 2013, with 23.95 GW produced.

Minnesota has more sun…

Germany is well on their way to reaching a goal of 35% renewable electricity production by 2020 and 100% by 2050. The US could meet those same goals by building a solar power infrastructure similar to the German model, and we have way more sun than Germany, even in Minnesota.

Hours of Sun in Berlin annually… 1,625

Hours of Sun in Minneapolis/St. Paul annually …4,704

Minneapolis has nearly three times as much annual sunshine as Berlin. We here at Good Stuff Moving are committed to implementing sustainable and renewable practices for our business wherever possible. Like us we know you care about the environment, but in addition to doing your part for the ecology solar power offers the potential to make money.

Financial incentives for going solar…

Minnesota homeowners with solar panels can participate in net metering. Net metering is a practice where the utility company harnesses your unused solar power and redirects it to the grid benefitting all energy customers and the environment. The utility then runs your electricity meter backwards, thus compensating for the power you generated. Installing solar panels can save home and business owners anywhere from 50%-to 90% on their electricity bills. In dollar terms if you currently spend $100 a month on electricity and you were able to reduce that amount by just 50% to $50 a month that would be an annual savings of $600.

It is no surprise that utility companies are less than thrilled with net metering. They see it as cutting into their profits. Several states including Minnesota have pending legislation to address the concerns of utilities, independent solar energy producers and consumers.

In addition to reducing emissions and saving money on your electricity bill many states including Minnesota offer property tax incentives, rebates and subsidies for installing solar panels on your home or business.

Minnesota is home to dozens of solar panel manufacturers and installers located throughout the state. Most will give you a detailed estimate of installation costs compared with energy cost savings. Solar is booming and prices for photovoltaic cells that generate solar power are expected to fall by 20% with each doubling of manufacturing capacity globally.

Price per watt of photovoltaic cells in 1977… $76.67

Price per watt of photovoltaic cells in 2013… $0.74

Home and business owners can also lease solar panels if the initial installation investment is too costly. For those who are moving to a new home check out your roofing system to see if it can support solar panel installation. As an alternative to solar panels on your roof there is also a solar garden project in Minnesota that allows communal solar energy production in both urban and rural settings.

The professionals at Good Stuff moving are dedicating to helping families and businesses get the most out of their homes and offices. We can move your detached existing solar panels to your new location along with all your other precious items. Give Good Stuff Moving a call today for a free quote.

Have you made the move to Solar Power? How much have you saved on energy costs?

Share your sun stories in our comments section below.

Check back for our next post on preparing your home for the fall season and some of the Gopher state’s best autumn attractions.