Many people who consider installing renewable energy systems in their homes are put off by the relatively high investment. Why would you choose a solar thermal system that could cost thousands of dollars when you can buy an electric water heater for a couple hundred?

Long-term ROI

Most non-renewable energy systems have a negative return on investment: you pay out for the equipment and it immediately begins losing value. Over the years, it gets worse as you pay for maintenance and everything else... and you're still paying your utility providers for the energy you use to run the equipment.

Renewable energy systems generally have a higher buy-in cost. However, from the moment the installation is complete, the equipment saves you money: you still have to pay for maintenance but you generate your own power so your utility bills fall. Over a period of years, your renewable energy setup gives you a positive return on your investment, eventually paying for itself and even earning you a net profit.

Rising fuel costs

The problem with non-renewable energy sources is, well... they're non-renewable. In other words, there's a finite amount of the resource and a never-ending (and often rising) demand for them. The only logical conclusion is, therefore, that the price of those resources will rise as they become rarer. Although you may not notice it in the next year or two, if you look back ten years from now, you're likely to be astonished at how cheap fossil fuels were. The sooner you install renewable energy systems, the quicker you reduce your reliance on an increasingly expensive alternative.

Self-sufficiency

Without wishing to be a harbinger of doom, there is an increasing number of people who believe we should be prepared for the worst. That doesn't mean the end of the world is coming but it does mean that being more self-sufficient in case of natural catastrophes or other emergencies is a good idea. Installing renewable energy systems increases your self-sufficiency: if a flood, earthquake, violent storm or another disaster hits your utilities provider, you'll be better off than people who rely on grid-connected systems.

Lower environmental impact

It's easy to forget that all the power we use in our modern daily lives comes from somewhere. There is always a price to pay, even if we're so far removed from the actual impact of our actions that we rarely consider it. Switching on a light, running a hot bath or going online to chat with friends all use power that is generated from grid-connected utility companies burning non-renewable sources.

The more people who generate their own electricity or hot water from solar and other renewable systems, the less fuel is burned. That means less pollution, less damage to the planet and a better future for everyone. And you get to save money, too!