• Environment

As more and more people inhabit our planet, the pressures on our Earth's natural systems grow.  We are now at a time where we could begin to see drastic consequences of these pressures that will directly affect our lives.  If we care about generations beyond our own the only responsible thing to do is get honest about our impact and begin making changes to lessen it.

Harvesting solar energy, like everything we do on this planet, has an impact on our environment.  What's important to consider is the kind and scale of the impacts we create and what we gain from it. With solar energy systems the impact is from the manufacture, installation, and disposal of the equipment.  In the first two or three years they are installed, today's panels will produce as much energy as it takes to manufacture them.  The primary material for the solar cell is silicon - the second most abundant element on earth (after Oxygen).  There is no impact from operation - no pollution, no CO2 produced, no noise even.   Compare this to many other sources of energy - renewable and non-renewable - and it probably won't surprise you to find that solar power is one of the most responsible ways to produce energy available today.

See resources for more information.

• Peak Oil

Peak Oil describes a situation where the extraction of oil from our Earth can no longer meet global demand.  It's a very simple concept, with very complicated consequences that will reach virtually every corner of our lives.  It can't be understated how important oil is to our lifestyle, economy, and society - mostly in ways that are invisible to us. 

'Peak Oil' has gone from being a theory as little as 3 years ago to widely accepted today.  In 2009, estimates for when Peak Oil will occur ranged from 2010 - 2040, and already have generally narrowed to 2011 - 2014 by many analysts.  It's a reality, and with oil being our society's largest source of energy, owning a system to produce your own energy may soon become common sense. 

See resources to learn more about Peak Oil

• Energy Autonomy

Take peace of mind from producing your own energy.  Like growing your own food, it allows you to take control of where you get and the price you pay for something you use in your life everyday.

Solar and other renewable electricity sources

What does solar PV have that other renewables don't?  It's not what it does have - it's what it doesn't have.  Solar PV has no moving parts.  Who cares?  Well, no moving parts means no maintenance.  Your solar system will silently produce electricity for decades with very little or no maintenance.