Connecticut is a great location to setup a solar electric system for many reasons, one of the main reasons has to do with the high cost of electricity in this state. But, what you really need to consider as well are how many hours of sunlight occur on average throughout the year in CT.

Here are some statistics for solar sunlight hours per day in Connecticut:

Bridgeport CT Average Sunlight Hours is 4.4 hours per day with a fixed plate solar panel that is facing South

* with a one axis tracking flate plate solar collector, you can bring the average sunlight hours up to 5.5 hours per day

Hartford CT Average Sunlight Hours is also 4.4 hours per day with a fixed plate solar panel

* with a one axis tracking flate plate solar collector, you can increase the average sun hours per day to to 5.4 hours

Axis Tracking solar systems are going to have higher performance numbers always in terms of kilowatts of energy produced. The main reason is they have more direct sunlight hours hitting the axis tracking solar panels. Solar systems that pivot and follow the sun are great, but at the same time the prices for them are higher. You want to talk to a solar professional prior to purchasing any type of solar system, and make sure to get a clear estimate on how many hours of sunlight the systems should be expected to receive on average each day. Every solar electric system installer should be able to provide you with this information. Don’t get discouraged if you live in Connecticut and were hoping that the average number of sun hours per day would be something like 10. That is not the case in any state in the United States. Nor is that the case anywhere in the world for that matter. But since energy costs in CT are so high, solar is a great idea. And with the incentive programs that exists in CT, you should definitely be thinking about an alternative power source for your future.

If you are like a growing number of people in your country, you are thinking about the idea of generating your own power.  It definitely something that more and more people are thinking about over the past few years, and now, people are actually doing it too.  Here are the ideas you need to be thinking to get started and to get off the grid:

First of all, it is not at all true that an off grid solar system needs to be and can only be designed by a professional.  That simply isn’t the case anymore.  There is too much good information that exists these days.  If you on the other hand are looking for a system that will be connected to the utility grid, then yes, you will need some help from a professional.  But off grid is different.

As the solar industry has moved forward over the years, there are many different companies who now manufacturer pre assembled, or easy to install kits. That’s right, these things are nearly put together before they arrive at your home.  So, in reality, there is not much work at all to do once they arrive.  And as you would expect, you usually get a great manual that will talk you through the final steps of putting this system together.

Some of the factors you should consider before you purchase anything is with regards to sunlight.  If you live high up in the forest, where there are many trees all around, you should consider sunlight for sure.  The solar panels need to have as much sunlight each day as possible to do their job the best, so you want to minimize or even eliminate the potential for shade hitting the panels.  Since most people still live under a roof, that is the usual spot to place solar panels, but there might be an even better location where you are at, so just make sure to consider heavily the location before you buy anything.  You need to make sure you have enough space for the actual panels too, so figure all that out before you purchase anything.  You can match up your space available to different solar panel kits to make sure you are “all good”.

So, once you have done just a little bit of homework, it is entirely possible for you to start living a life off the grid, and producing your own power.  More and more people are doing it each day, which is great for many reasons.  Not only does it cut down or eliminate the electric bill, but it is even building a solar industry throughout the world which means more and more experiences people to help you along the way if something strange does occur.

This is the average electric solar panel system purchased in the United States.

Most people who are interested in having a solar system on their home, want to make an impact in reducing their electric bill, and a 3.0 kilowatt to 4.0 kw PV solar system can do just that.  If you are interested in earning all kinds of extra income

175 watt Solar Panels

from a solar electric system, the chances are you would need quite a bit larger system than one which is only 3 to 4 kilowatts.

The exact amount of electricity that a solar panel system of this size is going to produce is going to depend on the usual factors for any solar system anywhere in the US.  These factors are: 1) Sunlight hours, 2) Shading and 3) Orientation towards the sun.  To a lesser extent, outside temperature will also affect the solar panels production of electrity, but that’s nothing to be too worried about.

Buying a solar panel system of this size is going to be eligible for at least a 30% federal tax credit, and probably other state and local solar incentives.  What you should do is talk with the solar professional prior to agreeing on any prices and make sure the details of the incentives you are eligible for are written down in writing before you pay for the solar system.

Purchasing or Financing the Solar electric system:

Make sure to explore your options when it comes time to buy the system.  For over a year now, there are many great state backed and federally backed financing programs for homeowners to purchase solar power systems.  One of the main reasons is that these solar systems are looked at as a long term investment, and they add value to your home, so banks are more willing to loan money to homeowners because of that.  Also, there is a instant generation of income or return on a solar investment which also make a loan for this more appealing to banks.  There are several Green Banks, which specialize in loans for solar systems which you should investigate as well.  These banks often know the process very well and make it much easier for homeowners to buy solar power systems.  The solar professional you work with will also know about some good financing alternatives for you to help you get started.