Had you taken a public poll 20 years ago about the future of solar power and solar energy, the public would have likely expected the technology to have made leaps and bounds by 2013.  Perhaps many would have expected to see solar panels installed on most homes and businesses by now, or even being used to power cars (ala the 1996 James Belushi / Halle Berry movie Race The Sun.) In 2013, in a technological age where most people use smartphones as pocket sized computers, why does it seem that solar power hasn’t progressed much at all?

There are many reasons to help to understand this phenomenon, so we’ve listed some of the most popular below:

One of the most obvious issues that may be holding solar energy back is the idea that if there is no sunshine, there is no power being generated.  Because of this, solar energy doesn’t have the capability to stand alone which will surely hinder its popularity.  Modern consumers are of the instant gratification mindset and are not always willing to take the inconvenient option, even if it may have strong benefits.

It’s no question that there are huge amounts of money tied up in the corporations and investors who control the major energy companies of the world.  The electricity companies have an interest in limiting their competition and they have lobbyists in that will work to protect their interests.  There is also strong opposition coming from competing industries like coal and nuclear energy, both of which are heavily financed and politically influential.

Even with the tax breaks and incentives cited as reasons for solar energy development, the upfront  costs for equipment and installation are still excessively high.   It’s often cited that it would currently cost around $20,000 – $30,000 to install a new solar system on an average American home (before incentives.)  The investment can pay for itself over a 20-30 year period of monthly savings, but most households in the U.S. don’t have the means to spend such a large amount of cash straight away.

As many companies have rushed to be the biggest and best producers of solar panel equipment, the market has seen high competition with most of the solar products being produced cheaply in China.  Because of this, there has been wide concern that modern solar panels are expensive, untested, and of low quality.  The National Renewable Energy Laboratory even estimates that solar panels degrade at a rate of 4.5% annually or more!  At this rate, a new solar panel will lose most of its efficiency before it ever becomes financially beneficial.

We will have to wait and see where solar energy goes in the coming years.  Maybe it won’t be popular for several more decades, or perhaps it will never become popular at all.  Either way, energy is a shifting business that constantly pushes and reinvents itself, so it will be exciting to see what the future has in store for the industry.

In the past several years, the technology behind our lights has grown tremendously. Although incandescent bulbs were the standard for a number of years, more energy efficient alternatives like Compact Fluorescents (CFL) and Light Emitting Diodes (LED) have become more readily available, affordable and very popular. Because people have been looking for ways to reduce their electrical bills, and lower their overall impact on the environment, LED lighting has become a particularly popular alternative as it has become easier to find. This has resulted in LED lighting companies to manufacture and distribute more LED lights than in the past.

Should You Switch?

The reasons to switch to LEDs are numerous for both homeowners and small businesses. One of the biggest draws to LED lights is its lifespan. Most LED lights will burn for somewhere around 100,000 hours. This translates into roughly 11 years. Whenever you are dealing with this type of lifespan, you will probably end up calling an electrician in Los Angeles to come change out the light fixture before you ever have to change the bulb. LEDs not only last longer, but they also use much less electricity than both incandescent and CFL bulbs. They also produce less heat, resulting in a long-lasting, low-energy, low temperature operation.

Are They Expensive?

One of the few negatives that LED bulbs have is that they have a higher up-front cost than many other options. Although they boast the longer life span, reduced energy consumption and low heat, LED lighting is still more expensive than CFL and Incandescent bulbs. For this reason, many people choose other types of bulbs over them.  Those that go with the LEDs typically find out that they will pay for themselves through reduced energy usage. As always, don’t hesitate to contact The Electric Connection with any questions about LEDs, light fixtures or any other electrical topics. We’re always glad to help.

Click here to visit our website.