SHINE Partners | January 2022
Think about technologies you use every day. As long as you aren't trying to be clever by thinking of the wheel or ramp, you're probably thinking of something recently invented. Electric lights, computers, television, telephones – all created in the last 150 years.
A smaller subset of tech – items you may use even more than those mentioned above – are even newer. Cell phones, pocket-sized smartphones with the processing power of a computer, laptop computers, and many more all have a massive impact on our daily lives, making communication, coordination, and computation easy and convenient.
Such inventions have marked the entirety of human history. Some arrive quietly, finding their way into niche applications. Others, like the computing technologies of the last century, make a big splash and revolutionize the trajectory of our species and planet.
For National Inventor's Day, let's take a look at one of those "quiet" technologies – solar power and the ability to store it efficiently.
How We Got Here
The technological explosion of the last 200 years has depended heavily upon fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas. Yet, all were formed by the fossilized and transformed remains of carbon-based life (plants, animals, microorganisms) from millennia ago.
Unfortunately, all fossil fuels are also finite. They are running out. Theoretically, currently dying organisms could also form fossil fuels millions of years from now, but we simply don't have that long to wait.
Furthermore, our reliance on fossil fuels to power human industry and technological development has had dire consequences. Burning fossil fuels for energy unavoidably produces massive amounts of carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Of course, humans produce carbon dioxide by breathing, and plants need the stuff, but the last 200 years have overloaded the system. As a result, our carbon emissions are unsustainable, and their effects on the environment will become more and more severe in the coming years.
That is unless we do something about it. But, with SHINE Partners and the incredible invention of photovoltaic (solar) technology, you can.
Where We Are
Solar power technology was actually invented in the mid-1800s if you can believe it. French physicist Edmond Becquerel generated an electrical current by exposing a particular solution of chemicals to sunlight.
Unfortunately, though this primary effect was the subject of many experiments and tinkerings for the next 100 years, it wasn't until the 1950s that Bell Laboratories demonstrated the first practical and useful solar cells
Just a few years later, Bell solar panels were used to power NASA's Vanguard I satellite. Solar technology has undoubtedly come a long way, but only in the last few decades have solar panels become efficient and affordable enough for practical use.
Recent advances in energy storage, namely in durable and reliable lithium-ion batteries, mean storing your generated solar energy is also more practical than ever. Solar energy storage allows you to get the most flexibility out of your solar panel system, smoothing out the unpredictable fluctuations in energy demand and letting you use your power when you need it.
These recent developments change everything, and more and more home- and commercial property owners are turning to solar panels every year.
Where We're Going
When you work with a reputable and reliable solar provider like SHINE Partners, you can dramatically reduce your reliance on public utility grids, and most of that electricity is produced by fossil fuels. So even if you don't reach complete energy independence, every kilowatt-hour of electricity you harness from the sun's unlimited energy helps reduce harmful carbon emissions.
Beyond the environmental benefit, the amazing invention of solar panels has the potential to save you money, too. Solar panels are an investment in your home or commercial property. Like any good investment, the savings they generate can pay for themselves and continue to pay dividends for years to come, and in many ways.
Reduced reliance on energy utilities – Using energy freely generated from sunlight means paying less for wired-in electricity. You may even have a property that can accommodate panels that produce more energy than you need. In that case, many utility companies offer market-rate kickbacks to use your excess electricity.
Tax incentives – Nearly all U.S. cities, counties, states, and even the federal government offer special tax incentives, grants, and other net financial benefits for installing solar panels.
Property value – Installing solar panels on your property raises its resale value. Exactly how much will depend on your specific market, but the phenomenon is near-universal. For example, quality solar panels from SHINE Partners typically last decades – potential buyers see a solar power system as another beneficial feature of your property.
Make the Switch Now!
Solar technology may be older than sliced bread. Still, we now sit at a unique crossroads: the need for clean energy is greater than ever before, and achieving clean energy for your home or business is more affordable and more accessible than ever before. Let SHINE Partners help you switch. Give us a call at 800-516-4452, email us at info@shine.partners, or visit https://shine.partners and let us know you're interested. We'll arrange an evaluation of your property and design a solar panel and battery storage system to meet your unique needs.
Don't disappoint our dear friend Edmond Becquerel. He spent what must have been days or weeks holding flasks of water up to the sun. Now, we get to use the resultant technology to change the world, one small slice of power generation at a time.
