Solar Panels

For my environmental issues I decided to look something up that pertains to me or ways to better be sustainable in my everyday life. As a family we are always trying to find ways to cut back on our bills, to be more efficient. So we have turned off the air conditioning unit from about late October through the beginning of April. We have also unplugged appliances when they are not in use, and shut the faucet off when we are not fully using it. One thing we have not tried, because of affordability, is solar panels.

Within the article I found on Green Blog, solar panels could be affordable if know how to get rebates and tax credits. Many people are trying to go "green" without over spending money. So the government has offered tax credits of up to 30% through the year 2016 for anyone who purchases solar panels. Many utility programs have also been offering rebates to help tax payers out on their utility bills. It is has been shown that utility bills have risen 7% over the last 20 years. 

In Nevada, the NE Energy is a utility company that has given a big rebate to some of the non-profit organizations. These organizations along with their tax credits were able to get their solar panels for FREE. The utility companies had exhausted their current rebates, but when they saw the effect they have decided that they are going to start reinstating some of them. So in conclusion, with the programs that are made to help get people get solar panels, as well as the amount of money that you will save on your utility bill by having solar panels, it is very worth it to make the initial investment.

After reviewing this article, I decided to see if there were any efforts in Lee County, besides FGCU, that have begun bringing solar panels in. In October 2010, NBC 2 reported a news article where Farco Solar was installing panels for the Lee County Sheriff's Offices and EMS, with 54 watt panels. These panels could ultimately serve between 8-10 houses. This is Lee County's first step towards a more sustainable  city.

Resources:

• http://www.green-blog.org/2011/07/06/is-it-cost-effective-to-go-solar/#more-3023
• http://www.nbc-2.com/story/13320384/2010/10/13/lee-county-looking-at-solar-energy-for-the-future