Solar panels and wind turbines are the hot button topics of late. As little as 10 years ago, we heard about this technology only in scientific journals. We thought this new age stuff was for the fringes of the debate, not for average people like us.

Now weíre listening, very closely. The economy has hit everyone hard. Considering a whole new approach to energy could be the answer. After the initial expense of these energy upgrades, the idea of saving money in the long run while helping the environment is quite appealing. Once you take into account the federal and state programs in place to help defray installation costs, this may be a cost-cutting idea you may want to consider. Let’s take a look at the basics about solar and wind power:

Solar Power Grows Up

The image of huge, bulky panels on the roof had many people running from solar power. The idea was to collect the solar radiation and turn it into usable energy for your house, but the collection method was often unsightly. Both homeowners and homeownersí associations complained. As technology improved, the solar panel units got smaller and smaller. In fact, there are very thin, streamlined and hardly noticeable panels on the market these days. There is even a line of solar roof shingles that make it hard to detect any solar energy installation at all.
Continue Reading →