A common myth among renewable energy skeptics is that solar isn’t strong or reliable enough. We’ve already thoroughly debunked this myth in a previous article. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Just look at the countless organizations out there whose operations demand continuous, uninterrupted, reliable power – 24/7:
- The Armed Forces is a perfect example. These guys don’t take chances, and yet, the US military is one of the biggest supporters of solar power.
- Google doesn’t mess around either. Their invaluable data need continuous storage and cooling around-the-clock.
And even more recently is San Diego’s North County Fire Protection District (NCFPD), a firefighting unit that serves more than 50,000 area residents. These guys aren’t simply storing data – they are protecting lives. And any type of electricity downtime is absolutely unacceptable.
The NCFPD has just finished installing 4 separate solar PV systems on stations in Rainbow, Bonsall, and Fallbrook.
But why did they do this exactly?
Why Did the NCFPD Decide to Go Solar?
The reason is quite simple actually.
The firefighters wanted to protect themselves against rising electricity bills. Current grid rates are already exorbitantly expensive, but utility prices are expected to increase over the coming months and years.
Collectively, the 4 solar PV systems will generate more than 120 kW of clean electricity – or 180 kWh of power annually.
This represents money that the NCFPD no longer has to send to SDG&E anymore. These newly installed solar panels will capture free sunshine and provide clean electricity.
But how big are these savings?
The payback period for these installations is about 7 years. It will take this long for the monthly utility bill savings to exceed the upfront cost. It helps that the NCFPD was also able to take advantage of several incentives specific to the state, including the California Solar Initiative.
And of course, the firefighters didn’t have to pay everything up front. Like most savvy solar customers, they used low-interest solar loans to help finance their investments. And they’re able to use their monthly savings to pay back that loan and still save money in the process.
Environmental Advantages of Going Solar
The financial benefits only represent one piece of the puzzle. These firefighters also went solar in order to help protect the environment. PV panels don’t produce CO2 or other greenhouse gas emissions. So given the choice between staying with dirty grid electricity (at cost) or switching to clean solar energy (and save), the decision was easy.
But here’s the really cool thing.
These financial and environmental benefits are available to everyone who decides to go solar in San Diego. The technology is 100% scalable, so you can invest as little or as much money as you want.
You probably don’t need a 120 kW PV system like these firefighters did. But even with a 5 kW solar installation, you can watch your electricity bill plummet and your carbon footprint shrink to zero.
To learn how Sunline Energy can help, contact us today for a free and honest quote.
