The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) receives numerous inquiries each year from consumers interested in solar electricity. This guide, Own Your Power! A Consumer Guide to Solar Electricity for the Home,  answers their frequently asked questions about benefits, system basics, choosing a system, financial incentives, warranty, and insurance issues.

Benefits of Solar Electricity
Solar electricity saves money, adds value to homes, and reduces air pollution.

Rising energy prices and growing environmental concerns are making solar electric systems more attractive to homeowners. A solar electric system reduces high energy costs and keeps your home up and running during power outages.

The advantages to buying a solar electric system include:
• Saving a significant amount on your electric bill
• Increasing your home’s appraisal value
• Enjoying reliable, clean, free power for 25 to 30 years
• Helping to boost our economy by creating jobs and new solar companies.

Solar homes in California with SunPower Suntiles integrated into their roofs. Most solar electric systems last 30
years and pay for themselves in 4 to 5 years after tax credits and rebates. That means homeowners can enjoy free electricity for years. If you install batteries to back up your solar electric system, it will provide emergency power in areas with frequent storms, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

In addition, going solar adds value to your home. According to the Appraisal Journal, a solar electric system increases your home’s value by $20 for every $1 in annual utility bill savings, which means a system almost pays for itself with the appraisal value increase in some cases. See the Costs and Financial Incentives section. Solar power reduces America’s dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels, making our nation more secure while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases.

Download Own Your Power! A Consumer Guide to Solar Electricity for the Home

PDF format, 3.5MB, 16Pages.

For more information contact:
EERE Information Center
1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463)
www.eere.energy.gov

Prepared by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy
Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
DOE/GO-102009-2656 • January 2009

CONTENTS
Benefits of Solar Electricity. 1
Solar Electricity Basics. 2
Types of Solar Panels. 2
Types of Solar Electric Systems. 3
Power Produced by a Solar Electric System. 5
How To Choose a System. 6
Roof Requirements. 7
Installation and Maintenance. 8
Costs and Financial Incentives. 10
Purchasing Considerations. 10
Financing. 12

RESOURCES:

U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Savers: 
www.energysavers.gov/ 

U.S. Department of Energy – The Economics of a Small Solar Electric System:
www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/electricity/index.cfm/mytopic=10750

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Federal Tax Credits: www.energystar.gov/

DSIRE: www.dsireusa.org/

FindSolar Cost Estimator: www.find-solar.org

Solar Energy Industries Association: www.seia.org/

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