No one questions the fact that solar energy is abundant and when it is captured it can help conserve fossil fuels and can save homeowners money. But it requires a significant investment to install in any home. Installing home solar power collectors can be practical depending on the location of your home and your financial situation.

Not every home is situated in a way that makes a home solar energy system worth the cost of installation. Solar panel collectors work best if the home has a south facing roof. East and west facing roofs can be used but there will much less energy available. North facing roofs cannot be used at all.

The area or state where you live is another important factor. California and Arizona are the best location to capture solar energy. These states have state generous government support in terms of installation and operational tax incentives and have the ideal climates for harnessing the maximum amount of solar energy year around.

Other states can benefit from solar energy but the amount of power generated will be much less than in sunnier climates. In northern states the cost for installation and operation is marginal at best as it is really not cost effective. In reality, adding solar power to your home is not economically viable for 95% of home owners.

A typical home requires approximate 3,000 square feet of solar panels that generate 6 to 7 kwhs is considered the minimum. A typical 3,000 square foot solar panel system cost approximately $40,000. The average cost of grid electricity across the US is around 11cents/kwh. Residential home solar power is averaging approximately 25 to 30 cents/kwh.

Even with federal and state tax incentives for installing solar power the payback period is well over ten years which makes it a poor investment for 95% of homeowners. If you do live in an ideal location to capture solar energy and you can afford the high cost for a quality system it will greatly increase the value of your home.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, every dollar you save on energy cost due to green initiatives can result in a $20 increase in the value of your home. If your solar power system saves you $1,000 a year in energy bills the value of your home should increase by $20,000.

Installing home solar power collectors is a great way to save on energy costs, but for 95% of the homes it is impractical due to location and the cost.

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