Are you considering installing Solar Panels in San Antonio to power your home?  Great news!  Rebates and tax credits could now lower a home owner’s payments  to less than $100 a month for installing 5 kilowatts of solar power.  By installing Solar Panels.
on the roof of your home, you could save $60 a monthly utility bill, according to figures Tuesday provided by Solar San Antonio and the San Antonio Federal Credit Union. SACU has committed $2 million dollars in financing for “green” loans.

Forty percent of people in San Antonio polled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory said they would be interested in going solar, but that high upfront costs kept them from doing so.  These cost should come down as time technology gets more affordable.  I remember paying $700 for my first dvd player back in 1997.

Another option is to use a Wind Generator.  They harness the power of the wind and convert it to energy to power appliances in your home.

A 5-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system can cost as little as $4.75 per watt to install, or $23,750, according to Solar San Antonio.  Interest rates could range from 5.75 percent to 6.75 percent, depending on the terms of the loan. An $11,875 CPS Energy rebate and $3,562.50 federal tax credit would offset more than half the total cost.

How do solar panels work?

Solar Panels
 harvest the sun’s energy to produce electricity to power lights and appliances and anything else that requires electrical power. This is often done through solar photovoltaic cells that are arranged in a grid-like pattern on the surface of the solar panel. These cells collect sunlight during the day and convert it into energy. The energy is created by sunlight striking crystals on the solar panel causing electrons to break loose. Special conductors convert this into electricity and transmitted to a battery for storage. Household power needs are then pulled from this storage.

How effective are  solar panels? Solar panels work best on sunny days to power a typical home. Solar panels are installed on the side of your roof that gets the most sunlight.  Solar panels need about 6 hours of sun exposure in order to work effectively.  If you can afford the upfront cost, solar panel are really effective and can really save you a lot of money in the long run.