Solar installations in a residential and commercial setting continue to grow year after year at an increasing rate. This growth comes from the continuous decreases in the cost of the solar panels themselves and the growing rebates and incentives offered by government organizations.
Now, you can take advantage of solar at a lower cost than ever in Connecticut. Everyone that chooses to add a solar installation to their home brings a number of positive impacts to the community as a whole.
More Jobs in Solar Sector
Choosing to add a solar installation to your house or business helps your overall community by growing the number of jobs in the solar sector. Currently, Connecticut is one of the fastest growing states in the solar industry with an expected growth of 594 MW in the next five years. A growth of 594 MW in the next five years would almost double the existing solar capabilities of Connecticut which currently provides 641 MW of power. This growth continues to build jobs for your local community. The solar industry is responsible for the creation of 2,193 jobs in Connecticut and that number will only grow as more people add solar energy systems.
Solar Reduces Water Pollution
Every coal, natural gas, nuclear, gasoline, and distillate fuel power plants require an extensive amount of water for cooling. Almost all of Connecticut’s power comes from one of these sources, so if you currently purchase power from Connecticut utilities a vast majority of it comes from these types of power plants. When these power plants use water, they also produce wastewater which oftentimes ends up in the local waterways.
Coal-fired power plants alone are responsible for 72% of all water pollution. This water pollution can lead to toxins entering the local water systems or the local marine life which has been linked to cancer, heart attacks, and neurological damage. So, by adding a solar installation to provide the power you use, you remove yourself from contributing to these power sources that can cause devastating effects on the community.
Solar Energy Reduces Respiratory and Cardio Health Issues
Another major benefit to your community of adding a solar installation is the reduction in air pollutants. These air pollutants include nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter emissions. They can cause a wide variety of respiratory and cardio health issues such as chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory and cardiovascular issues. All of these air pollutants come from the generation of power from fossil-fuel sources. So, reducing your dependence and use of power generated from fossil-fuel sources helps reduce the health effects caused by these pollutants.
An analysis conducted by the National Renewable Energy Labs, or NREL, showed that widespread adoption of solar energy would significantly help combat this issue. Even on a small scale, any solar installation can help keep your community healthy and avoid these nasty pollutants.
