Why Pellet Stoves and Solar Panels are Best for Energy Efficiency

If you’re looking for an efficient way to maximize energy savings, wood pellet stoves and solar panels may be the ultimate combination.  For more than a century, Americans across the country used wood stoves as a primary heating source. But between modern technology and the pollution generated from the combustion process wood stoves declined in popularity.

As technology advanced so too did the green energy revolution. And many homeowners today want to reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs as much as possible. The reduction in costs to acquire solar energy along with government tax incentives has fueled the acceleration of solar panel installations and alternative heating appliances.

Pellet Stoves

While based on the same premise as their earlier predecessors, modern wood stoves have been completely redesigned. The next generation of pellet stoves offers the convenience of modern technology and the efficiency of a wood stove with significantly less pollution. In fact, these new modern heating appliances have up to an 83% HHV (high heating value), according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And the EPA further states that pellet stoves not only deliver a high overall heating efficiency they are also the cleanest wood-burning appliances currently available.

Pellet stoves burn dried wood that are compressed into tiny pellets. These pellets are fed into a hopper providing a continuous source of heating. Some stoves also have digital thermostats making it easy to maintain a comfortable room temperature. Pellet stoves are available in a range of sizes, styles and features. And size does matter.  The size of the space will determine whether you need a small, medium or large pellet stove.

Solar Panels

Although pellet stoves are wood-burning heating appliances, they do require electricity to operate. And using solar energy as your power source is not only energy efficient, it can reduce energy costs too. The cost to install solar was approximately $3 per watt in 2018. This is a significant savings compared to the $122 per watt average cost of electricity in the U.S. today, based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), January 2018.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are typically installed on the roof of a home and capture the sun’s energy. The energy is converted into AC electricity to power the home. Homeowners also have an option to use Net Metering. Net Metering allows homeowners to sell the electricity they don’t use back to the energy grid.  On the other hand, the energy grid will provide electricity whenever there is not enough solar power to meet the home’s demand.

Solar Energy Tax Credit

The Investment Tax Credit of 2005 allows taxpayers to deduct 30% of the total solar PV system installation cost in their home for systems that are installed and placed into service on or before December 31, 2019. The amount of the tax credit reduces in subsequent years down to 10% before the program expires in 2023.

Live green and put more green into your pocket when you install a pellet stove and solar PV system from Burlington Fireplace and Solar. Visit our showroom today or contact us for a free estimate today!