The Benefits Of Solar Panels for Home
Last edited
Author
Andrew Blok
Electrification and Solar Writer and Editor
Editor
Andrew Giermak
Solar and Electrification Writer and Editor
Five million Americans have already adopted solar panels. Why? Because installing rooftop solar panels can deliver significant benefits. These solar panel benefits range from the global — like helping to address climate change and meeting rising electricity demand — to the personal, such as reducing your monthly energy bills.
Here are the biggest solar panel benefits for homeowners who go solar.
See how much you can save by going solar with Palmetto
Solar panels can lower your electricity bill
Let's start with one of the most significant benefits of solar energy: Installing solar panels can reduce your total electricity costs and help you save money on your utility bill.
The US Energy Information Administration reports the average monthly electricity bill in the US in 2024 was $142.26, or $1,706.88 per year. Rooftop solar panels can offset your monthly electricity costs, which may save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your solar energy system.
The average solar energy system can last an average of 25 years and may pay for itself in much less time.
Innovative models like solar leasing can reduce the barrier to entry and provide an alternative to people who don’t want to buy solar panels.
When you generate your own electricity with solar panels, you gain greater control over your energy costs. Solar batteries are often installed to provide backup power through an outage, but they can also store the excess power your panels generate and use it throughout the night or when your panels don’t meet your home’s immediate demand.
Here’s average estimated savings using data and estimates from real projects around the country.
| State | Avg. cost | Avg. estimated 25-year savings |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $23,173.00 | $65,463 |
| California | $19,414.00 | $105,292 |
| Colorado | $19,117.00 | $56,197 |
| Connecticut | $27,968.00 | $126,141 |
| Florida | $27,332.00 | $80,925 |
| Georgia | $24,814.00 | $45,416 |
| Illinois | $28,095.00 | $59,764 |
| Indiana | $25,475.00 | $55,151 |
| Kansas | $23,280.00 | $54,898 |
| Kentucky | $25,475.00 | $45,857 |
| Maine | $27,148.00 | $97,675 |
| Maryland | $26,731.00 | $84,633 |
| Massachusetts | $23,715.00 | $119,805 |
| Michigan | $20,340.00 | $54,190 |
| New Hampshire | $25,807.00 | $66,158 |
| New Jersey | $27,938.00 | $90,560 |
| New Mexico | $16,951.00 | $55,737 |
| New York | $20,448.00 | $97,553 |
| North Carolina | $22,970.00 | $60,191 |
| Ohio | $23,379.00 | $57,246 |
| Oklahoma | $23,815.00 | $39,199 |
| Oregon | $25,475.00 | $51,089 |
| Pennsylvania | $21,996.00 | $68,655 |
| Rhode Island | $23,641.00 | $97,227 |
| South Carolina | $17,211.00 | $43,669 |
| Texas | $27,296.00 | $78,676 |
| Vermont | $25,475.00 | $75,864 |
| Virginia | $26,810.00 | $70,113 |
| Wisconsin | $25,475.00 | $71,214 |
According to real data and estimated savings from real Palmetto installations. See state pages for further information.
Solar helps the environment
Replacing your use of grid electricity (which almost certainly includes some fossil fuels) reduces your carbon footprint. Solar energy is clean, green, and renewable — a better solution for your home, your community, and the environment.
While the manufacturing of solar panels requires resources and energy, their lifetime demand on the earth is less than that of fossil fuels, which produce harmful air pollution, including many of the greenhouse gases driving climate change.
Rooftop solar panels have an additional environmental advantage that they don’t require new land to be installed, just the space on your roof.
Credit: National Laboratory of the Rockies
See how much you can save by going solar with Palmetto
Solar (with storage) can help you navigate power outages
US electricity customers experienced an average of 11 hours of power disruptions in 2024, according to the US Energy Information Administration. That’s the most in a decade.
Solar plus storage can help you get through an outage. A backup battery installed with solar panels can power at least parts of your home throughout the outage. How much of your home and for how long depends on the size of the battery and what you choose to power. Paired solar panels will recharge your battery when the sun is out.
Storage isn’t for everyone, but it can be a clean and quiet alternative to a standby generator and meet your needs just as well. Batteries can also boost your solar savings outside of an outage, especially in areas with high electricity rates and low export rates.
Solar can increase the value of your home
Among the benefits of a solar system, purchased solar panels can increase the value of your home.
Some experts estimate a home's value could increase up to $20 for every $1 a solar energy system saves on energy costs per year. Zillow also found homes with solar panels sell for 4.1% more than homes without, worth an additional $9,274 in value.
In short, homes with owned solar panels have been shown to stand out, earn more, and sell faster.
(Leased solar panels won’t increase the value of your home and are excluded from the appraisal process.)
The many benefits of solar panels
A solar power system can save you money, cut down on carbon emissions, and help you remain prepared during an energy crisis or blackout.
While electricity rates continue to rise, solar energy continues to become more efficient, reliable, and affordable. It’s also one of the cleanest renewable power sources we have, and it’s available in abundant supply.
If you’re interested in exploring the benefits of solar for yourself, get a free savings estimate and quote from Palmetto.
See what solar can do for you:
Frequently asked questions
Are solar panels worth it?
Solar panels can certainly be worth it. Many people save enough on their electricity bills to earn back the cost of their solar panels well before the useful life of their panels is over. They can also raise home values when purchased and provide emergency backup power when paired with a backup battery.
Do solar panels save you money?
Solar panels can save you money. Estimates of the average solar payback period range from six to just more than ten years, though solar panels can last for 25. Payback periods are highly variable by state and circumstance. In some regions and for some homes, solar panels may not save enough money to be worth it on strictly financial terms.
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only. Palmetto does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors.
