Solar panels in the house, a benefit for the environment and for the pocket

On this Earth Day it is important to reflect on what is done inside a home to care for the environment. Currently, Mexico has an advantage for the generation of green energysince it counts an amount of sun that is equivalent to an irradiation of 6.36 kWh/m2 per day (sufficient for the average consumption of a home), but the use of these systems that capture this type of energy within households it is still low.

The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reported that, until 2018 —latest data available—, there were 87,622 solar panels installed in Mexican homes, that is, less than 1% of the housing stock.

Selectra, a platform for managing and reducing expenses in companies and households, indicated that more information and knowledge is needed about the advantages offered by these systems.

“They are an investment whose benefits begin to be seen in the long term, so it is necessary to be well informed before making any decision,” the company said.

What are the advantages of solar panels?

Have a generation system green energy in a home it has multiple advantages, not only environmental, but also economic; some of them are:

• Reduction of costs in the electricity bill. By producing your own energy through the sun and buy less energy from the electricity grid.
• Increase in home value. According to Selectra, it has been shown that houses that have solar panels They are more valuable than those without.
• investment return. Despite the fact that solar panels and the installation imply high initial costs, it is estimated that there will be an average amortization of 5 years, with benefits from the first moment.
• additional income. sell the surplus solar energy that produce the solar panels in a home is possible through the Net Metering scheme.
• tax deductions. Individuals and legal entities with business activity may have access to this benefit, in accordance with section XIII of article 40 of the Income Tax Law.
• Low maintenance costs. The maintenance requirements of the solar panels they are minimal and increasingly easy to perform.

environmental benefits

energy independence. By getting a energy through sunlight, the dependency of the service of the electrical network of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) is broken.

Environmentally friendly energy. Data provided by Selectra indicate that, in 2022, the emission of greenhouse gases was 492,307.31 Gg.

“The electricity sector in Mexico is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, only behind the transportation sector, and Mexico is also in the ranking of countries that pollute the most due to carbon dioxide emissions,” Selectra explained.

Carbon footprint reduction. The solar energy It is a renewable source that does not run out and does not pollute.

On the other hand, the useful life of the solar panels it is between 25 and 30 years, even under adverse weather conditions, including the impact of hailstones up to one inch in diameter.

Are there disadvantages?

The installation of the solar panels at home brings benefits for the user, but it is necessary to take into account some characteristics so that they do not become disadvantages, such as:

• A professional is needed for the installation, which implies additional costs to the solar equipment.
• Not all roofs are suitable. The good performance of the solar equipment also depends on the shadows and the orientation of the roof where the solar panel is installed.
• Lower quality systems on the market. Depending on the brand, some have different levels of efficiency, durability, reliability and performance; factors that influence the production of energy.