Across BC and Canada, more and more homeowners are taking advantage of the most abundant and free energy source on Earth by adding a solar power system. The Shuswap is no exception. With approximately 2,000 hours of sunlight annually, rooftop solar systems are now a common sight throughout our region. And here at Copper Island Fine Homes, we’re finding that more and more of our clients are asking about solar power.
The photo above was recently taken at one of our current projects, a small and beautiful home on the Shuswap North Shore. Our client wants her new home to be as self-sufficient as possible the moment she moves in. We looked to one of our area’s largest installers of solar systems, Riverside Energy Systems out of Kamloops, for assistance. They designed a system that would provide a sizable amount of the energy requirements of the home, and completed the installation in a single day.
As the inset graphic illustrates, solar power is relatively simple. Photons from the sun are absorbed by the panels, which convert the energy from freed electrons to DC current. The DC current is converted to AC current by an inverter. The AC current then powers your home and, when there is surplus power, it’s exported into the grid, providing a credit on your monthly electricity bill.
Solar makes sense for many reasons. With utility bills on the rise, incorporating a solar system allows you to take control of your electricity. Adding solar panels to your home lowers your monthly bill on average — and depending on the system, electricity usage and the amount of sunshine in a given month, can even result in zero bills. Adding a battery storage system can improve efficiency by allowing power to be stored during the day and used during the night or cloudy days.
In addition, a solar system, with its 25 to 30 year life expectancy for solar panels, is increasingly seen as value-adding feature by home buyers, so a solar system should be seen as an investment that will increase your property value for years to come.
If you’re interested in a solar power system in your new home or renovation, don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss the options. For more information, a great place to start is the Riverside Energy Systems website (www.riversideenergy.ca).
