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Solar power creates a sunny outlook for everyone 

My parents chose to buy and install solar panels on our home. The process was absolutely painless. Our bill just after this first month was $100 less than we budgeted for, which, needless to say, is very nice. I never thought we would wait for our electric bill to come, but now we welcome it.

Solar power produces no harmful emissions to the environment. In addition to being ecofriendly, solar energy is renewable, abundant, sustainable, not needing much effort or money, and always improving. For as long as the sun is alive, it is possible for us to get solar energy, so we should use it. 

With major companies such as Google and Amazon using it, solar energy is earning its place in the sun. Renewable energy (solar power, wind power, etc.) has gone up in the U.S. energy mix greatly over the past 10 years. Because big businesses are taking advantage of solar energy, many of their suppliers have gone down the same path. Apple reported last month that because of its 100% commitment to renewable energy, nearly two dozen suppliers of batteries, keyboards, and lenses have made the same thing.

But solar power doesn’t have to be limited to businesses, and it shouldn’t be. Using solar energy in houses and at colleges is an easy way for us to assist in saving the nature. Powering a home by the sun is not much more expensive than paying a regular electric bill, and just a few extra dollars could help save the environment. Many homeowners face anxiety when it comes to their electricity bills because, in most cases, there is nothing you can do to control your utility electricity rate. While the cost of solar has decreased by more than 70 % in the past decade, the cost of electricity has risen by about 5 %, and that trend in rising electric cost is expected to continue. Going solar puts you in the driver’s seat when it comes to energy generation. 

Using solar power at colleges is certainly beneficial to the environment, but it would also be advantageous to the households themselves. The average home sale price increases if solar panels are included. A study concludes that “homes with solar panels sell 20 % faster and for 17 % more money”. 

Colleges can be benefactors for solar energy, too. If the college’s newest residence hall were to go entirely solar, students would only pay roughly 52 extra cents per year, given that the residence hall is filled to capacity.  

For colleges, investing in clean-energy projects would be a large pull for many students. As a generation highly affected by climate change, young people are interested in making a difference. A survey found that almost half of young people think climate change and the destruction of nature is the most critical issue, followed by large scale conflicts or wars and inequality. 

Colleges are quite equipped to lead the solar-energy change (flat roofs, high population, etc.). Our college specifically has already invested in solar-energy projects on campus. By continuing to increase the number of solar-powered buildings on campus, the conversation around solar energy could be seriously redirected.  

With its benefits rapidly multiplying for all parties involved in its use, it is solar energy’s time to shine.