Have your friends and family members considered switching to solar energy? Going solar doesn’t only help them reduce their carbon footprint, but it can also financially benefit them in the form of reduced energy costs.
Even if you are fully aware of the opportunities that come with investing in solar energy, your loved ones might not know where to start or why it’s necessary. Whether you’re living in a small village or a major city, here are some ideas to help others navigate the journey of solar energy.
How to Help Your Friends and Family Go Solar?
Here’s how you can help your friends and family members go solar.
1. Educate Them Regarding Solar Energy
A lot of people might have their own concerns or myths regarding solar energy. From concerns regarding affordability to questions about the safety of solar panel materials, your friends and family members might not be too sure where to get answers from. You can make sure they get the right information by having detailed discussions with them and sharing relevant facts and figures with them.
2. Talk About the Advantages of Solar Power
Word of mouth is extremely powerful, particularly when you’ve personally experienced the advantages of a solar system. Whether you talk about the savings you’ve made or show off your portable solar panel system, using your personal experience to motivate others to opt for solar energy is one of the biggest benefits you have.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that using solar energy can positively impact our planet and the community. Solar power reduces carbon emissions resulting in cleaner and healthier air. Whenever a co-worker, family member, or neighbor brings up the topic of climate change, you will already have the upper hand.
However, reduced carbon emissions aren’t the only benefits that solar energy offers. People who use solar energy are even helping to stabilize the electrical grid by producing energy using solar panels. Depending less on the electricity grid in periods of high demand, such as extreme weather conditions, can minimize the risk of power outages or blackouts.
3. Identify Major Life Changes
There are several reasons why a homeowner might have to consume a higher level of electricity than usual. From building a pool to having children, increasing electricity prices can add up when such changes occur. Even purchasing an electric vehicle can have a huge impact on your home’s energy bill, increasing consumption by up to 30 percent. When you use a solar system to generate solar power, such changes become more economically manageable.
4. Inform Them About Solar Rebates and Incentives
Federal and provincial governments in Canada have recognized the benefits of solar energy and are offering amazing incentives to Canadian residents to move to solar. Thus, make sure to talk about these rebates and incentives with your friends and family members as you encourage them to switch to solar.
For instance, you can tell them about The Canada Greener Homes Grant, where the government offers a grant worth $5,000 to homeowners to make their homes more energy-efficient. Besides the $5,000 grant, the federal government even offers an interest-free loan of up to $4,000 for making energy efficiency improvements, including solar PV! With a term of 10 years and 0 percent interest, this will surely help your friends and family move to solar!
5. Encourage Them to Start Small
If your family or friends are interested in moving to solar but are somewhat hesitant about it, encourage them to start small by just adding a few solar panels initially. This is going to ease their troubles and give them a chance to experience the benefits of solar without making a huge investment right away.
How to Help Your Friends and Family Members Choose the Right Solar Panels
Once you have convinced your friends or family members to switch to solar, you might have to help them choose the right panels for their needs. Here are some factors you need to pay attention to ensure this process goes as smoothly as possible.
1. Cost of the Solar Panels
This is perhaps the first thing a lot of people consider when comparing solar panels. The cost of the solar panels is determined by various variables, including the panel’s physical size, wattage, brand, durability, quality of the materials, warranty period, along with any certifications the panel might have received.
While the cost is an important factor in choosing a solar panel, it’s not the only thing you should pay attention to. Keep in mind that the cheapest panel you find on the market might not be the most efficient one and probably not the best option for long-term use.
2. Efficiency
The efficiency of solar panels indicates how much light the solar panels receive is converted to electrical energy and, consequently, how much power your system is going to produce. The greater the efficiency, the better yet costlier the solar panels. Ideally, you should help your friends or family members assess their needs and choose the panel that best matches their requirements.
3. Output Rating
Apart from efficiency, the panel’s output rating is going to impact how much energy the solar panel can generate. The output rating is the three-digit number that appears next to the solar panel’s name and indicates how many watts of electricity the panel is going to produce under optimal conditions.
Portable solar panels have wattage between 120 watts to 350 watts. The higher the wattage, the more electricity is going to be produced per panel.
4. Type of Solar Panel
There are essentially two types of solar panels: polycrystalline and monocrystalline. Monocrystalline panels have a darker tint to the cells and generally have a higher efficiency than polycrystalline panels. Nevertheless, these panels are usually the costlier option.
Polycrystalline panels have a bluer tint and generally have a lower efficiency than monocrystalline panels. This means you will need some extra panels to produce the same amount of electricity. However, they are available at a lower price, and even though you will need additional panels, these will be the cheaper option.
5. Temperature Tolerance
Temperature tolerance refers to the degree to which a solar panel can work properly when exposed to heat. Typically, most solar panels have a temperature coefficient ranging between -0.2% and -0.5% per degree Celsius (°C). Nevertheless, some panels can resist higher temperatures without experiencing a major decline in performance.
To get the right solar panels for your friends or family members, choose products that have a high level of thermo-tolerance, as they can maintain their efficiency even when the mercury rises.
Ultimately, this is going to increase the output of the solar energy system and help your friends, neighbors, colleagues, or family members enjoy higher cost savings over time.
6. Durability of the Panels
There are several reasons why you should look for durable solar panels when helping your friends or family members choose the right solar panels:
- A durable solar panel is going to last considerably longer compared to a less durable one. Thus, you won’t need to worry about getting a new one frequently.
- Durable panels have a higher chance of withstanding rough weather conditions. This doesn’t just help make sure that your solar panel is going to continue to work efficiently but protects it from possible damages that could render it entirely useless.
In simple words, paying attention to durability when choosing solar panels is a great way to reap the various benefits of this free and renewable energy source while protecting the planet in the long term.
Why Opt for a Portable Solar Panel System?
Portable solar panels are small-sized solar panels that you can easily install and carry everywhere. Just like regular solar panels, they contain an assembly of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into heat or electricity.
If your friends or family like to go camping, hiking, fishing, etc., or are simply looking for an energy-efficient way to power their appliances, a portable solar system might be the way to go. Here are some reasons why you should choose portable solar panels.
1. No Need to Drill Holes or Run Wires in Your Home
Portable solar panels are quite easy to install, even for someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience. At Bluetti, we manufacture suitcase-style portable folding solar panels with charge controllers that your loved ones can easily connect to deep-cycle batteries. Our portable solar energy systems even have USB outlet ports to help you charge electronics, including your laptop and phone.
2. Stay Powered Comfortably on Camping Trips
If your friends or family members like to go camping, the last thing they would want on a hot day is to park their RV in a campsite without any shade. Nevertheless, if they are using rooftop solar panels to generate energy, this is typically necessary to get sufficient sunlight.
When it comes to portable solar panels, your hiking fellows can just take them out and place them in direct sunlight as they stay comfortably parked under a shady tree. Staying in the shade is also going to protect their RV from getting damaged by the sun’s UV rays.
3. Effortless Maintenance
If your friends or family members get rooftop solar panels, they will often have to climb up to their roof and wipe away dirt or snow that has collected on them to keep them in excellent working condition. Portable solar panels are quite easy to maintain as they don’t require any access to the roof.
Best Portable Solar Panels
Here are some of the best portable solar panels you can get at an amazing price.
1. BLUETTI PV120
The BLUETTI PV120 is a lightweight and affordable solar panel that has caused a stir in the solar industry. It has monocrystalline solar cells with an efficiency of 23.4%, along with a long-lasting ETFEcoating. The solar panel is compatible with most solar generators with MC4 connectors and comes with a one-year warranty.
2. BLUETTI PV350
The BLUETTI PV350 is the biggest portable solar panel by the brand. It is made from the latest monocrystalline technology and has an incredible transparency of 95%. Both these factors lead to an efficiency of 23.4%.
Spread the Word and Go Green!
We hope this article gave you a good insight into how to help your friends and family members go solar. However, keep in mind that switching to solar is a major decision and one that you shouldn’t take lightly. It requires planning and research. However, with the right support and information, it can be a very rewarding experience.
By educating others on the process and helping them make the switch, you can contribute to creating a brighter future for everyone! With that said, don’t forget to check out BLUETTI’s solar panel products, including solar panels, solar generators, and a lot more.
