Five solar facts that could change your world (no, really)

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.

The clean energy industry moves really quickly, which is a good thing — we need innovation and fast action if we’re going to solve the climate crisis. But that speed also means it can seem hard to keep up with the clean energy options available to you.

So we wanted to make sure you know the facts about solar energy. What if we told you, for instance, that you can go solar without putting any panels on your home — because all you need is a power bill? It’s true. Read on to learn about five important facts about solar power.

Plus, when you sign up here for solar savings, Arcadia will give you a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

#1. You don’t have to install rooftop panels to support solar energy.

All you need to go solar is a power bill. Really. That’s because anyone who pays a power bill can join a community solar farm and help put more clean energy into their local power supply.

Community solar farms are groups of solar panels that you, your neighbors, and area businesses can subscribe to, rather than installing your own panels. The farm may be located on unused land or even on community buildings. When you join, you’re subscribing to a portion of the total energy that the farm produces. Your portion is based on how much energy you use in a typical month.

With community solar, there’s no installation and no hassle. It makes solar available to renters and homeowners alike, no matter what kind of roof you have.

#2. Joining a community solar farm doesn’t cost you more. In fact, you’ll actually save a little on your monthly energy costs.

When you join a community solar farm, part of your existing power bill gets repurposed to support the farm. As the farm generates electricity, you earn credits on your monthly bill from your utility. The credits from your utility will always be larger than the portion of your power bill that goes to the solar farm, so your total energy costs will always be lower. You could save up to 10% of your bill, depending on where you live.

Arcadia manages all of that for you, so it’s super simple. And there’s no additional costs to enroll because the solar developer pays them for connecting people like you to the solar farm.

#3. Signing up for solar is easy. Like, really easy.

Joining a community solar farm through Arcadia takes two minutes, and you don’t even have to get off your couch to do it. Here’s what you need to do:

• Enter your zip code and utility company and create your Arcadia account. They’ll make sure that you’re eligible to join their community solar program (it’s available for most NJ residents, and they’re working with state legislators to expand the program!).
• Sync your utility account with Arcadia so they can figure out what your portion of the solar farm should be (remember that it’s based on how much energy you use in a typical month).
• Wait for Arcadia to identify a solar farm to match you with. This could take a few months, so Arcadia will keep you up to date. In the meantime, you can relax knowing that you’ll be making an impact while earning guaranteed savings as your future solar farm generates clean electricity.

Arcadia is a service provider independent of your utility and is committed to putting you and the planet first. Arcadia is not affiliated with your utility, and your utility has not approved this product.

#4. With community solar, you’re making a direct impact on New Jersey’s power supply.

Joining a community solar farm is one of the easiest and most direct ways that you can help clean up our state’s power supply. The electricity that the solar panels generate flows into the grid, powering NJ homes and businesses with clean energy. By putting more solar energy into the grid, you’re decreasing the demand for energy generated from fossil fuels — and the greenhouse gases they emit.

And that’s not the only benefit! Farmers and local building owners can lease their space to solar developers to host the solar farms, bringing in extra revenue. Community solar also creates jobs, leads to more local investment, and funds local government operations.

#5. Solar energy really is better for the environment, from start to finish.

Solar energy is totally renewable, and it doesn’t emit harmful greenhouse gases like fossil fuels do. We’re getting better at reducing waste on either end of a solar panel’s lifecycle, too. Manufacturing processes are becoming more efficient (and less expensive). A standard solar panel generates net clean energy in 1.5 years (meaning it has generated more energy than the energy required to produce it). Not bad, considering a typical solar panel will last 25-30 years. Can’t exactly say the same about an oil rig.

When a solar panel does reach the end of its lifespan, many of its components can be recycled. Some trials have managed to recycle 96% of the materials in solar panels. Different countries have different regulations regarding solar panel recycling, but the solar industry as a whole is working to make the process more efficient and scalable.

Ready to earn guaranteed utility bill savings
while helping clean up NJ’s energy?
GO SOLAR AND GET A $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD

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