Most of the products we buy like groceries, shoes, clothing, etc are purchased through some sort of store or retailer therefore we are paying a retail premium for these goods and services. If you live in Maryland you are probably purchasing most of your energy (gas and electric) from Baltimore Gas & Electric, Pepco, Washington Gas, Delmarva Power, etc…Like any other product or service, when we buy energy we are purchasing it through a large company or what can be thought of as an energy retailer.

Like many things in our lives, the more work we do ourselves the more money we save. For example: If your dishwasher breaks you have the option to pay a retail premium to make the repair or to handle the entire repair yourself. Depending on your do-it-yourself skill level completing a repair like this may or may not be an option, but in the end a dishwasher is a dishwasher and the output from this repair is basically the same whether you pay retail for the repair or make the repair yourself.

Solar energy home improvements are in a league of their own. The successful do-it-yourself completion of a solar PV or solar water heater installation requires a high level of skill and can be a daunting task for even the most experienced do-it-yourselfer. Saving money by completing the project yourself is not always the best choice. Solar energy improvements are in a league of their own because whether you complete the project yourself, or pay a premium for a professional installation, the output from such an improvement has been fundamentally changed unlike a dishwasher replacement.

The value is much deeper than simply going green or saving money on your electric bill every month. You are no longer purchasing energy at a retail premium. You are taking control of your spending, energy consumption and giving yourself a new level of independence in a marketplace where all to often we are forced to pay retail prices for everything.

There is no doubt that generating your own energy is a commitment. After all, what significant worthwhile changes in your life have been anything but a commitment? Real change means taking an active role in the education, investment and implementation of things like solar energy, wind and geothermal.

What are your thoughts on energy independence?