Solar for the Summer Solstice

Author: David Zussman, Marketing Coordinator

On Saturday, at 6:51 AM precisely, a momentous astronomical occasion will occur. The Northern Hemisphere of the Earth will reach it’s maximum tilt towards the sun. That’s right, Saturday is the Summer Solstice, the yearly event that marks the longest day of the year. The summer solstice occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer, which is located at 23° latitude North, and runs through Mexico, the Bahamas, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, and Southern China. On the summer solstice our Earth will soak up about 7600 exajoules of solar energy. 7600 exajoules is equal to about 15 times the amount of energy that is used worldwide in a year.

More Solar than Ever

This year the summer solstice is a big deal. Why? Because we have more Solar PV (photovoltaic) capacity installed worldwide than ever before. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimates that over 13,000 Megawatts of cumulative solar electric capacity currently operates in the U.S. alone, enough to power more than 2.2 million average American homes. Last year also represented a 41 percent increase in solar panel deployment over 2012, making solar the second largest source of new electricity generating capacity behind natural gas.

Another 6,000 MW of PV are forecasted to come online throughout 2014, a 26% growth over 2013’s record installation totals. The new solar added in 2014 will generate enough clean energy to power over 1.13 million average American Homes. With all the new solar power available, prices have plunged. The average price of a solar panel has declined by 60 percent since the beginning of 2011. As prices fall due to technological advancements, more individuals can purchase solar power for their own homes.

Solar for your Home

It is easier than ever to get your energy from solar power. Many homes are able to install solar panels on their roofs and end up spending less on their monthly utility bill as a result. Solar PV companies work with homeowners on financing, with options to pay for the whole system upfront, or to pay nothing upfront, and to cover the costs of installation through savings over time.

If you would like to learn more about solar energy for your home, please contact our partner, SolarCity, and they will get back to you as soon as possible to answer your questions about solar energy.