There are many reasons why solar energy is being discussed with so much fervor currently. Solar energy has many advantages and a few disadvantages. The disadvantages will soon be over come with increasingly better technology. The cost effectiveness too will soon be achieved both because technology improves and because the cost of oil or other conventional heating systems will spiral upwards. In any case it makes sense to invest in solar energy now and do your bit toward keeping the environment clean while at the same time saving money for yourself.

The main advantage of solar energy is that it is absolutely free and available in plenty. Nothing can be cheaper than free. It is available all the year round except on cloudy days and at nights. For these times you need to use rechargeable batteries and store the power generated earlier. This is quite a simple process. If you are on the grid, you need not even do this. You can simply feed the extra power you generate into the grid and draw from it at night. This net metering principle is applicable in many countries in Europe and in the United States. You save a lot of money this way and this can pay for the initial installation costs of the system.

Solar energy is also relatively easy to harness. For the home owner, all that is required are solar panels. These are basically silicon chips. These can be installed on the roof, thereby saving space. There is not much wiring to be done, nor digging of trenches.

Another advantage of solar panels is that they can be installed in batches. You can install a few first, see how it works for your self, save up more money and install some more panels later. This batch installation ensures that your upfront costs are kept to a minimum.

Solar energy or power is also a clean form of energy. There is no pollution involved in converting solar energy into solar power or electricity for your home. There will be no ugly and polluting smokestack arising from your roof spewing out smoke. Nor is it noisy. The solar panels work silently to produce enough electricity for all your daily needs. This non-polluting nature of solar power is a distinct advantage in its favor.

Solar energy is suitable for use in remote locations such as an off-grid log cabin in the wilderness. It is easy to install and its non-polluting nature means that your woods will continue to be pollution free even as you enjoy the benefits of electricity.

Solar panels and the entire system is virtually maintenance free. This ensures that you do not have to labor at keeping it running for years. Once installed, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the free electricity that it generates for years. Besides, as the panels are installed on the roof they do not take up any additional space.

Because solar energy is non-polluting and emits no green house gases as it is turned into electricity, it appeals to the environmentally conscious. As it does not use any fuel, it does not need you or your service provider to transport fuel or hazardous waste. By being independent of these fuels, solar energy cuts down on the use of fossil fuels drastically.

The recovery period for your investment can be short if your household consumes a lot of electricity. Households that use electricity more sparingly will take longer to recover their initial installment costs.

Solar energy is a clean fuel and does not contribute to acid rain and the like. Its environmentally friendly nature makes it a must have for environmentally conscious people. As more people realize the dangers of climate change, you can expect more people to install these environmentally friendly systems in their homes.

Solar energy systems also help sustain local economies by bringing jobs to locals. They can install these systems for people in their neighborhoods.

Home owners have the added advantage of seeing the value of their homes increase after they install a solar energy system with solar panels. The US Government too gives incentives to home owners who install solar energy panels in their homes. This incentive or indirect subsidy is available in may European countries as well. Many developing countries too are now beginning to offer such incentives. This makes the cost of installation of the solar energy panels lower than what it used to be, making the payback time shorter.

If you do not feel ready to install a full-fledged system, you can always opt for solar heaters and solar water heaters. This is a great way to immediately reduce your heating costs without investing in a full solar energy system. You too can do your bit for the environment without incurring too high a cost financially.

This renewable energy source is something that every home owner can easily capitalize on. Being absolutely free, it pays for itself over time.

As no fossil fuel is burnt, there is no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from a defective system. This is something that other appliances that use fossil fuels to heat up your home cannot guarantee.

One can also save money by building a solar power system from scratch. Alternatively, one can use a readily available solar power kit and save some time, though not money in the process.

Though photovoltaic cells are still expensive, technological improvements means that their prices are dropping steadily. This combined with the rising costs of fossil fuels makes solar energy a cheaper option in the long term.

To sum up, though harvesting solar energy for domestic purposes is expensive in the short term, it is cheaper in the long term. Besides, by using solar energy you will be helping to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and acid rain. With climate change being such a big picture in the agenda of all nations, you too can easily and safely do your bit to save the environment.