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The sun has always been an important part of life on Earth. In fact, life on this planet would be impossible if not for the warming rays that the sun offers. Ancient Greeks worshiped a god named Helios, which means "Sun God," and it is not hard to see why. Along with heat and warmth, the sun also offers energy, which can be harnessed through solar technology. This technology has come a long way in recent years and is quickly becoming a household commodity. There are many people who are investing in home solar panels in Seattle each year. Here are a few things you probably didn't know about solar energy. 1. There are numerous tax incentives available to homeowners who want to use solar energy. In fact, many U.S. homeowners who are investing in solar are doing so with the help of different tax incentives created for these projects. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, there is a credit available called the Investment Tax Credit that will give homeowners a 30% tax credit for purchasing solar systems and having them installed on their homes. This can help homeowners recoup their investment more quickly. 2. The world's largest solar plant is in the United States. It is located in California in the Mojave Desert and is called the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm. It is expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 140,000 homes, and is also displacing approximately 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is the equivalent of taking about 60,000 cars off the road. 3. Germany currently leads the world in solar installations. It helps that the German government has a goal of 100% renewable electrical generation by the year 2050, and so far its solar capacity is nearly double that of any other country. Other countries that use significant amount of solar energy include Italy, Japan, Spain, China, and the United States. 4. The space industry has been using solar energy for several decades. Renewable energy can be a large benefit to spacecraft, and many a spacecraft have sported solar cells since the 1960s. The first artificial earth satellite to be powered by solar energy was called the Vanguard 1, and it actually still remains in orbit today, logging more than 6 billion miles in its lifetime. 5. Solar energy continues to become an economical choice for homeowners and business owners alike. However, the biggest hurdle to solar energy is not the solar equipment itself, but the other costs associated with it. These costs include permitting, zoning, and getting the system hooked up to the power grid. These processes can add upwards of a couple thousand dollars to the bottom line, keeping some consumers away. There are initiatives working overtime to drive these costs down so that families and businesses can afford to go solar. 6. There is an incredible amount of energy available that is not being taken advantage of yet. In fact, solar energy is one of the most abundant energy resources on the earth. 173,000 terawatts of energy hit the surface of the earth continuously, and with 1 terawatt being equal to 1 trillion watts, this is a number that is hard to comprehend. Doing the math, this translates to roughly 10,000 times the world's total energy use. And because the sun is not going anywhere, you can be sure that when you install home solar panels in Seattle, you will have access to more renewable energy than you need, and once you recoup the initial cost, you will be able to provide inexpensive energy for your family for many years in the future. Solar Energy Industries Association website discussing the 30% Investment Tax Credit: http://www.seia.org/policy/finance-tax/solar-investment-tax-credit
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