It’s official: it’s probably the hottest summer ever in the United States. If you live in sunny Los Angeles, muggy New York or sultry Tulsa, well, eighteen days longer than 100 degrees last month, you’ve certainly felt the heat. And if you’re like most of us, you’ve seen your electricity bill rise as you crank up the electricity.
Many Americans, particularly in the South and Midwest, have many air conditioning than ever before. And, of course, the AC requires a wide range of electricity: the window air conditioners can use around 1500 watts and the main AC unit can use around 3500 watts. In colder areas, air conditioning pays for up to 70% of your energy bill in the summer.
How solar power makes a difference
And if you can’t bear life without your own AC, you can save a little money. The answer huh? Photovoltaic tiles, yes. This is the perfect time to get the most out of your solar panels–longer days means more sunlight. When the sun shines and the heat rises, the solar panels pump out energy. For certain families, renewable energy ensures that they will fulfill any or even all of their power needs, including air conditioning.
Solar savings could add up quickly. It is not uncommon for air conditioners to push electricity bills higher by about 50 percent (or more) in the summer. Running to the sun ensures that you can feel less guilty for staying cool. If you’re connected to the grid, working the air conditioner means running filthy fossil-fuel-based power (ironically, although it normally lets you cool down, AC helps to steam up the earth and hot summers in the future).
Saving even more money on air conditioning
Once you have solar power, you can save a bit more by using your AC with some energy-saving ideas. Turn up a couple of degrees–you’re not really going to feel the difference, but your electricity consumption is going to fall. It’s safe to fire at 78 degrees or higher. As you go below 78, energy consumption is increasing by 3-4 percent.
