Let the sun do its thing.
Use Sun Power - Calculator
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How many people are in your household?
Use Sun Power
Energy from the sun is free for everyone and there is lots of it. In fact, over 70 percent of us live in countries with the right natural conditions for solar power - even if it doesn’t always seem like it. Even on a cloudy day, solar panels can still generate electricity and power your home with cleaner energy. And since most homes that use solar remain connected to the local energy grid, you’ll still enjoy reliable electric power at night.
New technologies and government subsidies have dramatically reduced the cost of installing solar and more people are choosing solar.
Installing solar panels or a solar hot water system in your home will save you money and cut your carbon pollution.
Tips
You’ll need a rooftop or plot of land near your home with good exposure to the sun. To get an idea of your home’s solar potential, use the PVWatts Calculator or the Photovoltaic Geographical Information System - you might be surprised by how much energy you could make.
If you’re not ready to install solar panels, you could install a solar hot water system instead. It’s a simpler system that runs water through tubes that transfer the sun’s energy to heat the water in your home.
Find an accredited installer in your region by searching for “solar comparison” in your browser. Contact your local authorities about any government grants or payment schemes available.
Benefits
The price of solar panels has dropped substantially, so the energy savings you’ll enjoy will outweigh the cost of installing them. You’ll be less exposed to energy shortages and price increases. And you’ll help us move away from dirty fossil fuels, cutting your carbon pollution.
Research shows that when you instal solar panels, your friends and neighbours are more likely to do the same. Together we’ll drive change in our communities and send a message to leaders that the energy system must be cleaner.
A quarter of the energy we use in our homes is used to heat water for showers, laundry, and washing dishes. A solar hot water system can save up to 70 percent of that energy.
Explore more steps
Inspire your organization to make changes that matter.Find out moreReduce the amount of meat you eat in a week.Find out moreUse solar to power your home or heat your water.Find out moreShare a ride, go electric or travel by bike or foot instead.Find out moreChoose how financial institutions use your money.Find out moreTeam up with others and boost your impact.Find out more
References
Countries in the favorable middle range of average daily PV potential between 3.5 and 4.5 kWh/kWp account for 71% of the global population.
ESMAP GLobal Photovoltaic Power Potential by Country
More people are choosing solar. Residential solar matched commercial solar for the share of solar PV net capacity installations in 2020.
PVWatts Calculator
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Research shows that when you instal solar panels, your friends and neighbors are more likely to do the same.
The typical solar fraction for residential solar heating systems is between 50% and 70% in the EU and US.
NREL and Vienna University of Technology
Rooftop solar is spreading as the cost of panels falls, driven by incentives to accelerate growth, economies of scale in manufacturing, and advances in PV technology.
Project Drawdown Solutions, Distributed Solar Photovoltaics
Hot water for showers, laundry, and washing dishes consumes a quarter of residential energy use worldwide. Solar water heating—exposing water to the sun to warm it—can reduce that fuel consumption by 50 to 70 percent.
Project Drawdown Solutions, Solar Hot Water
Globally, the levelized cost of energy for residential solar photovoltaics (PV) fell between 2010 and 2019, with markets showing a 42% to 79% cost decline.
Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2019, IRENA
Photovoltaic Geographical Information System
Impact metric calculations
To determine the carbon emission reduction estimates related to switching to using solar power, the following calculation was performed:
Solar Panels: (# of people in the household) x (total electric energy in kWh) x (county-specific kg CO2e/kWh for electricity) = kg CO2e / month
Solar Water Heating: (# of people in the household) x (water heating non-electric energy in kWh) x (fuel and country-specific kg CO2e/kWh) x (60% reduction in fuel use) = kg CO2e / month
Total: Solar Panels + Solar Water Heating = kg CO2e / month
For detailed calculations, references and assumptions, please see our Methodology.