| Summer is here and Jack did not look forward to | | | | to install the panels on his roof. Jack is going to |
| the high electrical bills that will follow from running | | | | get help from his sons. |
| fans and the air conditioning. His neighbor all last | | | | Bill and Jack grabbed another beer and got back |
| year had discussed getting solar panels to make | | | | to going over the step-by-step instructions that |
| electricity to save on utility bills. Jack certainly | | | | are broken down into 6 sections including the solar |
| knew that the cost of energy was going nowhere | | | | generation calculator. Jack got a kick out of how |
| but up. | | | | straight-forward everything was. |
| His primary thought was how expensive would it | | | | He particularly liked the calculator as it showed |
| be to install solar panels. He had no ideal the cost | | | | you how many panels were going to be needed |
| or what was involved but headed across the yard | | | | to power your home. Plus, it also told you the size |
| to see where his neighbor was on the ideal this | | | | of a battery bank you would need if you wanted |
| year. Bill and his wife were sitting on their deck | | | | to go completely off of the grid. All Jack had to |
| and were right in the middle of agreeing to finally | | | | do was Just key in some details and press |
| take the plunge and look for some home solar | | | | calculate! |
| panel kits. | | | | The solar panels are made using readily available |
| Jack's timing couldn't have been better. | | | | photovoltaic cells that coverts the solar energy of |
| Bill pulled out the plans and gave Jack a beer as | | | | the sun into electrical energy. The excess |
| he went over his research and what led him to | | | | electricity generated from your panels can then |
| make the decision. Bill's grand kids were big into | | | | be stored in a bank of batteries. When you need |
| the being green trend and it got Bill and his wife | | | | to draw on this extra power source an inverter |
| to start thinking about the environment. The | | | | simply coverts the battery's DC current to |
| thought of not only reducing what they spend on | | | | standard AC current and sent out to your home's |
| electric bills each month coupled with using an | | | | sockets. |
| environmentally friendly alternate energy | | | | If you indeed do decide to completely remove |
| generation source sealed the deal. | | | | your home from the power grid you will need to |
| Bill explained to Jack that he was going to make | | | | also install a backup generator. If you don't |
| his own solar panels with step-by-step instructions | | | | completely want to go off the grid your system |
| that included video instructions. What blew away | | | | will switch back over to pull electricity from the |
| Jack was not how simple it would be to build | | | | main metered power line coming into your home's |
| these solar panels, but the cost. Never in a million | | | | circuit box when demand exceeds your ability to |
| years did Jack think the cost would be so | | | | generate your own power. |
| affordable. | | | | For some lucky people they have tons of sunlight |
| Now, Jack knew this would not be your normal | | | | almost all year round. These people may generate |
| weekend fixer-upper type job. But Bill and Jack | | | | more electrical power than they need, even with |
| discussed joining forces to make the project go | | | | ample battery backup. The additional solar energy |
| easier. Bill explained that once the panels were | | | | you produce can be sold to the power company. |
| built the hardest part will be installing the panels on | | | | Think about that for a second. No electrical bills |
| the roof. Bill's wife insisted that Bill not attempt | | | | every month. The utility company actually paying |
| that on his own and get professional help. Bill told | | | | you each month. And, solar tax credits and |
| Jack that he had talked to a roofer who agreed | | | | rebates from the government. |