GREEN LIVING

Celebrate National Solar Appreciation Day with Savings

by Rosa Colucci

March 18, 2025

National Solar Appreciation Day took place on March 14. Celebrated annually on the second Friday in March, citizens are urged to learn more about solar technology and share knowledge on social media channels. Solar energy can have a transformative impact on our planet as it reduces the need for fossil fuels. For most of us, solar energy means solar panels on your home.

Solar Energy in Pittsburgh

Although Pittsburgh ranks third among the 200 largest cities for cloudy days with 306 per year, solar energy is still a viable option for homeowners. Advances in solar panel technology and business models like net metering—which allows you to sell excess power back to your utility company—help make solar power effective even in less sunny climates.

First-generation, silicon-based solar panels generally reached 23% efficiency in comparison to new PV (perovskite solar cells) that capture a broader range of sunlight, reaching 30% or more.

For a 2,000 square foot house, the average monthly savings can offset up to 80% of your usage, reaching $100 to $200 a month.

Installation Fees

The initial cost to install a system can reach $10,000-$30,000. The Federal Solar Tax credit offsets that expense up to 30% on your tax return.

The initial system has a practical life of 20-25 years, but the panels do not operate without inverters which need to be replaced every 10-15 years. The panels need to be occasionally cleaned.

Remember actor Ed Begley Jr. riding his bike to the Oscars? He has been an environmental activist and has advocated for solar energy for more than 25 years. As an early adopter, he brought a lot of awareness to the technology and has made himself available through every media avenue to discuss the importance of green energy.

If you are interested in installing a system, call your utility company and ask for reputable installers that will also perform yearly maintenance.

A Numbers Game

Energy consumption is a numbers game that you can control. For instance, old incandescent light bulbs come in 40, 60 and 100 watt configurations. The equivalent bulb in an LED format would consume 4, 7 and 9 watts respectively and the bulb would last years longer. In a four-arm chandelier, with 60 watt bulbs you are using 3600 KwH of electricity versus 24 kWh with the same brightness level.

Your local utility also has a consumer program that will send you free lightbulbs and other energy saving programs including an energy audit where your whole house can be evaluated for energy savings before a system install.

For more information, visit www.solar-estimate.org to calculate your potential savings.