As carbon-based energy costs have soared and as humankind’s carbon footprint has grown, renewable energy sources have become more attractive. Consumers are concerned about the effect that their energy use has on their environment and on their pocketbook. As an alternatives to traditional, coal-fueled electricity, solar energy is especially appealing for these several reasons:

• Solar energy systems are extremely durable and require very little maintenance over a lifetime of 20+ years.
• Solar energy systems are a safe investment providing the low-risk return of reduced utility costs.
• Solar energy systems reduce exposure to volatility in energy prices. This exposure decreases as the capacity of the solar energy system increases.
• The state and federal government offer energy incentives that help offset the cost of the solar energy system. These are early adopter incentives, meaning that they decrease as solar energy capacity in a certain region reaches a target capacity for all systems installed in that region. This target is known as a Step. Consumers who install their system now will get larger rebates than those who install their system after the current Step is fulfilled. For more information on the Step incentives, and to find out what Step is available by region, go to www.csi-trigger.com.
• Solar energy systems are scalable, meaning that consumers can add capacity as their energy demands increase.
• Choosing solar energy helps reduce carbon emissions and dependence on non-renewable sources of energy.