Solar Power
It’s no secret that residents across the United States have been dealing with outrageous record rate increases for years now. 2023 has brought even more massive rate increases. SAN DIEGO: San Diego Gas & Electric said customers can expect their energy bill to more than double this month. (source: fox5sandiego.com) LOS ANGELES: One Santa Monica household’s notice, reviewed by The Los Angeles Times, showed the customer’s old rate was $1,030 per year. The new rate? Also $1,030 per year, the letter said. But then a second letter from Edison arrived in the mail at the end of July. The new rate, the customer was told, would actually be $1,723 per year — a 67% increase that works out to nearly $60 a month. The first mailing had showed “an inaccurate rate analysis,” the new letter explained. (source: latimes.com) SACRAMENTO: Pacific Gas and Electric is proposing a 22 percent rate hike from 2023 to 2026. (source: cbsnews.com) BAY AREA: Over the last three years, PG&E monthly bills for combined services have risen about 39%, or an average of 13% a year. (source: siliconvalley.com) ORANGE COUNTY: That’s why electricity costs in the Inland Empire are up 15.5% over 12 months — and sadly that’s the second-best report in a year with a 24% peak. And that followed last year’s 17.5% jump. L.A.-O.C. power is up by only 10.4% — off the year’s 19.7% high and last year’s 12.5% increase. This is no regional outlier. U.S. consumers’ electricity costs are up 15.8% — more than triple last year’s 4.3% rise. (source: ocregister.com) • The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is considering whether to allow Pacific Gas & Electric to increase utility rates by 18% in 2023, in addition to the 9% rate increase that was already implemented in 2022. (source: cpuc.ca.gov) APS gave regulators a few options. If they want to eliminate the balance due for fuel, they can raise bills an average of $19 a month for residential customers for a year. That hit would total about $29 a month for customers on a demand rate plan. (source: azcentral.com) • In Arizona, the Arizona Public Service (APS) has requested a rate hike of about 13.6% by December 2023. (source: azcentral.com) “I am worried people are going to be shocked,” said John Ballenger, vice president at Texas retail electric provider Champion Energy. “Realizing this is 50 or 60 or 70% higher than what they had paid before; I’m just not sure it’s real to people yet. If it’s not, it will be very, very soon when the bills hit this summer.” (source: texastribune.com) • In Texas, homeowners also saw a massive surge to their electricity, with an increase over 50% to their rates at home in mid 2022. (source: texastribune.org) Because of a merger with the former Gulf Power, FPL has two sets of rates. Its petition said customers who use 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month in areas traditionally served by FPL would pay $130.23 in 2023, up from $120.67 this year. In the Northwest Florida areas formerly served by Gulf Power, customers would pay $160.43 in 2023, up from $155.61 in 2022. (source: cbsnews.com) • In Florida, TECO (Tampa Electric Co) announced that the typical residential customer’s monthly energy bill will increase by about 11 percent in 2023. (source: tampaelectric.com) With record rate increases, there aren’t many options to avoid the strain on homeowners’ wallets this year. One solution that is becoming increasingly popular and more affordable is getting a solar installation. Purchasing solar panels is a huge investment, but it will help you save on energy bills with solar. In case you’re not familiar with how solar energy works, it’s a form of renewable energy that is generated by capturing the sun’s energy and turning it into electricity. Solar panels, are made up of photovoltaic cells, are installed on rooftops or other areas to capture the sun’s energy. This energy is then converted into electricity, which can be used to power your home or business. That means, by getting a solar panel installation, you can start to offset or even eliminate your high electricity bills. Residents can also choose to get battery storage backups to bank additional energy from their solar panels. By gathering electricity produced from solar panels and storing it with a battery storage system, people all over the country can power their homes without sunlight and stay prepared for power outages, grid failures, and future rate hikes. Once you decide to install a solar energy system, what does the process look like? Different States and Counties have different requirements, however, it typically looks a lot like this: SITE ASSESSMENT: A solar panel installation expert will visit your home to assess the suitability of your site for solar panels. They’ll take into account things like the size of your roof, the orientation of your roof, your electric energy needs, the amount of sunlight that your home receives, etc. DESIGN AND PLANNING: Once the site assessment is complete, Semper Solaris will work with you to design a solar panel system that meets your needs. This may involve customizing the size and layout of the panels to fit your specific needs. INSTALLATION: After obtaining the necessary approvals, Semper Solaris will promptly schedule and commence the installation process. This typically involves mounting the panels on your roof or another area of your home, and connecting them to your electrical system. ACTIVATION: After the installation, your solar panel system will be enabled, enabling you to save on energy bills with solar energy. More questions? Feel free to give us a call or click HERE to schedule your appointment.
So, how can you tell if your Air Conditioner needs a repair? Or maybe yet, a replacement. Its April and you are ramping up the use of your trusty AC, however, you are noticing something about it that is needing your attention. You may have come to realize that over the years your AC has already been through several repairs and remarkably, it's still going. The thing is, you might already need to replace it. Here are 5 common signs that you may have to get yourself a new air conditioner: 1. It No longer Cools the Room the Way it Should One of the most telling signs of an AC that is past its prime is that after several repairs, it just is no longer consistent when cooling your room. When you first turn it on, it just blows warm air, and then it takes more than a few minutes to come up with cool air. Even then, it is not as cool as it used to be. For some, it might just be a case of blockage in the duct or maybe a thermostat that needs to be replaced. But if it is something that is regularly occurring then it might be time to replace your AC. 2. It’s Making Some Strange Noises that Doesn't Go Away with Use Grinding, loud squeaking, rattling, and sometimes a little bit of sporadic banging from wherever inside your unit could be signs that wear and tear has already had its way with your AC. A normal operating AC of considerable quality would barely make noise when it runs. But if your unit is getting too loud and is unusually troublesome because of the racket, and, you just had it repaired the previous month. It might do you good to have it replaced eventually. 3. Strange Smells Coming from Your AC An AC that works well should be able to blow cold, crisp, and odorless air from its vent. However, if you smell something strange like a burning or a musty, moldy smell that doesn't go away, it's about time to check your local dealer for a new unit. In fact, something burning could even be an emergency as it needs to be checked immediately. 4. Moisture Build Up One of the conveniences of having an air conditioner is its ability to control humidity, if not eliminate it. This is so that you can enjoy a cool and dry environment where you don't feel sweaty or clammy. An air conditioner that is no longer working properly starts to accumulate moisture right on the unit itself. It sometimes drips out in drops of water, or you might see the front panel "perspiring". Worst case scenario, your unit is already leaking water right inside your room. Fogging windows and moisture in the ducts and vents are also signs of your evaporator coil that is no longer working properly. Mold and mildew can result from these situations and could cause health problems later on. 5. Your HVAC System is Already Old and Needs to Replaced All appliances have their own life expectancy as to when they are able to deliver optimal service right before they expire. In the case of your HVAC system, it should be useful inside of 10 years or more. Naturally, if your air conditioner is already more than 10 years old, even with proper maintenance it will definitely show some signs of aging that could be a combination of any of the first 4 signs discussed above. Anyhow, an older air conditioner even though it may seem okay may already be outdated or obsolete unless it has a lifetime warranty. You could be running higher bills in terms of energy consumption, more than how much you will be paying for a brand new, more energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly unit. The use of Freon (refrigerant) in older ACs has already been phased out, due to its effects on the ozone layer. It was replaced by R-410A (in newer models) which doesn't damage the ozone layer. An air conditioner that still uses freon is already subject to replacement. That goes for older units 10 years and above. The Benefits of Replacing Your Air Conditioner Better Performance No more problems with humidity and irregular cooling patterns. A new unit will deliver consistent cooling power which will keep you comfortable for as long as need it. Savings from Repair Costs If you find yourself paying more in repair costs that are accumulated versus purchasing a new AC, it would make a lot of economic sense to replace it instead. Better Energy Efficiency Newer models mean better technology which then translates to energy savings, all the way to money savings.
Solar panels have been the future of energy for a long time now. They aren't for everyone but they can do a lot of good in the long term. If you're someone who has disposable income and wants to save more on energy as time goes on. Going solar will do a lot of good for you. This also means as time goes on these solar panels are going to go cheaper. Here are 5 reasons why you should switch to solar energy. - Save money on your energy Using solar energy is going to free up the energy costs of making sure that other people have energy. Not only is this good for your community, but you will see yourself saving more and more on your bills because the energy you are using is natural. There is a lot of talk about the kind of energy that we should be using, but it feels like solar energy could be the best in California. Other kinds of energy are getting more expensive. If we get our energy from the sun, that means companies and countries don't have to fight and debate over the energy we should use, saving you money. - California has consistent, warm weather year around While solar energy is good, it's really only optimal in environments where there is a lot of sunshine. Even 93 million miles away, in a snowy town, there will still be solar energy, but it's not optimal at all. In California, there is no real worry about a power outage in the summer with solar panels. California has consistently been sunny and warm meaning that residents will get power as well as their electricity bills going down. For the people who want solar panels for financial reasons, the weather is going to make it a good choice. - Properties with solar panels are seen as more valuable Real Estate seems like it's at an all-time high in California. Living in the state can be expensive, but living in a property with solar panels is going to make paying the monthly bills a lot more attractive to tenants. It's also more valuable because not every person is going to have solar panels in their apartment complex. For people who want to stay indoors during the summer, they will receive massive benefits. If you're a real estate agent, this could potentially make the property more attractive to others. - Renewable energy in the long term As time goes on, there are going to be fewer and fewer fossil fuels for countries to take advantage of. This isn't a problem for our generation, but it could potentially be worrisome for the next generation. Even if they can have enough fossil fuels to last their lifetime, it's going to be a lot more expensive than the money that we paid for those energies. Using solar panels is going to make energy more affordable as time goes on. It's definitely an investment to use them now, but the benefit for the rest of society is definitely there - The government promotes it through policy If you're someone with capital or wealth in California, you definitely dread tax season. However, what you can to get some educations is use solar panels. The government wants to incentivize people to use these panels, so they can get tax breaks if they use them on their private property or business. You get this on top of the benefit for the money you save on your electricity bills. Perhaps, you won't notice these kinds of tax breaks immediately, but as you achieve more and more, you going to pay more attention to these benefits. Conclusion Solar panels aren't for everyone in America, but if you are going to get them, California is a great state for that. The sun is constantly out meaning, you will never have to go weeks without large sources of power. It can easily save you thousands of dollars on energy every year which is only getting more expensive. If you're a real estate agent, solar panels are a great way to attract new customers. And if you're a business, it can get you tax breaks in the state that has some of the highest taxes.
Originally published September 13th, 2018. Updated on January 6th, 2021. Over the past decade, homeowners interested in solar power for their home enjoyed a sunny surprise. A combination of strong renewable energy incentives on the federal and local level, as well as improving technology and growing manufacturing efficiencies has led to a continual drop in the cost of solar. In fact, if you purchase solar panels today you may pay up to 60% less than your neighbors who purchased the same sized solar power system ten years ago! With this information in mind, it might seem like a smart move to wait to purchase solar panels until the price drops even further. Unfortunately, some big political changes are creating a lot of volatility in the market, which may steadily bump up the price of solar panels. Now could actually be the very best time to purchase solar panels before prices continue to climb. Let’s look at some of the big changes that are happening in the solar world and how future changes could affect the price of solar power for your home even more! The United States Announces Solar Tariffs One of the Trump Administration’s favorite weapons is the tariff, which acts as a tax on imports of materials and goods from other countries. The Administration has been serious about instituting protectionist trade policies. Over the past year, President Trump has announced tariffs on over $200 billion in goods, including tariffs on steel, aluminum, washing machines, flat screen televisions, medical devices, and even airplane parts. One of the very first tariffs the president announced was a 30% tariff on all solar imports into the United States, which includes solar cells and solar modules. Semper Solaris offers you the freedom to choose American-made solar panels. This tariff has already had a major impact on the solar industry. According to Popular Science, roughly 80% of solar installations in the United States use imported solar panels, mostly from Malaysia, South Korea, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. When the price increases on these panels, solar manufacturers and installers tend to pass these costs onto consumers. Solar customers are already starting to feel the pain of this tariff. According to an investigation by Reuters, U.S. companies have canceled or frozen roughly $2.5 billion in large solar installation projects. What do the solar tariffs mean for you as a homeowner? While larger solar utilities will feel the brunt of the solar tariffs, individual homeowners won’t be left unscathed. Analysts are already predicting that the tariffs will lead to a shortage of solar panels, which will hike prices. A Bloomberg New Energy report predicted that solar utilities could see a 10% increase in the cost of solar, while homeowners may face a 3% cost increase for residential solar projects. Here at Semper Solaris, we strive to use American-made solar parts. While American-made solar equipment won’t be directly affected by the tariffs, our costs could also go up as other installers switch to American-made equipment. As competition for American-made solar panels goes up, so will prices! The Solar Investment Tax Credit Is Slated to End in 2022 Over the past decade, the solar sector has grown an average of 68% each year. One of the biggest drivers of this explosive growth was the creation of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in 2006. The ITC allows homeowners and commercial businesses to deduct 26% of the total cost of their solar installation from their taxes. This deduction can even be rolled over to the next year if the deduction is greater than your total tax bill. In essence, the ITC is a 26% discount on the cost of solar. That often results in thousands of dollars of savings for individual homeowners who invest in solar. The ITC is a powerful incentive, which makes solar much more affordable for individual homeowners as well as commercial interests that invest millions to create massive solar farms. In many ways, the ITC has been instrumental in speeding up the transition in the United States from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. However, all good things much eventually come to an end. The ITC was created to help make solar more competitive as it got established in the United States. It was originally slated to expire in 2007, but the program has been working so well that Congress has extended the expiration date several times. The ITC began diminishing in 2020. In 2019, the tax deduction remained at 30%, but if you were to invest in solar power for your home in 2020, the deduction was lower to 26% and then to 22% in 2021. In 2022, the ITC will expire completely for homeowners. Homeowners should prepare for the worst and assume that the ITC will not be extended past 2022. Local Renewable Energy Incentives Are Going Away The federal government isn’t the only one who wants to help make solar more affordable. All across the country and especially in California, local cities and municipalities have poured money into programs that provide tax incentives and rebates to homeowners who go solar. However, there is a limit to how much these local entities can payout. In many instances, once the initial investment is used up, it’s gone for good. This is exactly what happened for customers of three major California utility customers – Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). Through the California Solar Initiative, each of these utilities was given a fund which they used to provide rebates for commercial and residential solar customers. Solar became so popular in the Golden State, that all three utilities used up their funds, putting an end to the rebates. Fortunately, not all local rebates programs have given up the ghost. Customers of the state’s largest utility, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) still has an active incentive program, which provides a rebate of $0.25 per watt for new solar projects. Rebates may also still be available for residents of Glendale, Pasadena, and San Francisco. However, there’s no telling how long these programs will continue. Local rebates and other solar incentives can save homeowners hundreds or even thousands of dollars off the cost of their solar projects, but they are disappearing fast. If you are fortunate to qualify for a local program, there’s no time to lose. Start searching for local California solar installers in your area right away so you can take advantage of these incentives before they are gone. Otherwise, you’ll be paying even more for solar power for your home when the local government could have picked up the tab! Don’t Try to Time the Market to Get Solar Power for Your Home Many financial gurus like to tell their followers, “never try to time the stock market.” You may wait so long for the perfect conditions to either buy or sell stocks that you’ll miss valuable growth opportunities and end up financially worse off than if you’d just invested steadily each month. The stock market is incredibly difficult to predict, and even expert mutual fund managers rarely outperform the indexes. The solar market isn’t much clearer. While the price of solar panels has steadily dropped over the last decade, that trend may not last much longer. With the Trump Administration’s hefty solar tariffs coming on top of the expiration of helpful federal and local solar incentives, the price of solar panels is likely to rise in the near future. Will prices continue to go up, or will they drop back down as solar technology and manufacturing efficiencies improve? What happens if a future administration eliminates the solar tariff or Congress decides to extend the ITC? All of these things are impossible to predict, which means trying to wait for the perfect time to purchase solar panels may be as futile as trying to predict the stock market. That’s why now is the perfect time to invest in solar. While we can’t tell you for sure that solar prices will continue to rise, but we can tell you with absolute accuracy that you will begin saving money the moment your solar system comes online. The sooner you invest in solar panels for your home, the sooner you’ll begin saving on your monthly utility bill and the faster your solar panels will pay for themselves! There’s no reason to wait. If you invest in solar this year or in 2019, you can still take advantage of the valuable ITC. Contact Semper Solaris today. We have local offices throughout California, and we would be glad to help you qualify for any available local solar rebates or tax incentives. Request a free, no-pressure energy analysis of your home right now!
If you are a sleep apnea patient and use CPAP therapy, you should be ready for emergencies where there would have no regular power available. To meet such eventualities, you should invest in solar panels and battery storage. For the past few weeks, California is witnessing regular rotational blackouts. Even in the past, California has witnessed a serious power crisis between 2000-01. Sleep apnea patients who are taking CPAP therapy may find themselves completely helpless if caught in a blackout in the night time. This is very much a real possibility now as peak power demand in the city is outstripping supply. How Do Solar Panels Help People with Sleep Apnea Using CPAP Therapy? You can buy a high watt solar panel system for charging your CPAP battery. You just need to spread the solar panels facing directly the sun and connect it to the CPAP battery. In about 8 to 10 hours, the solar panel would fully charge the battery. The solar panel is very easy to operate. All you need to do is spread it facing the sun. It will draw energy from the sun and charge your CPAP battery. Solar panels are able to draw energy from the sun even on cloudy days when the sun may not be seen prominently. Benefits If there is a power outage and you are not able to charge your battery, solar panels will charge your CPAP device and you can have a good night's sleep. You may also need the solar panel to charge your CPAP device during your outdoor adventure. Easy To Use Solar Panels? The solar panels capable of recharging your CPAP device are lightweight and powerful. They can charge your CPAP battery in 8 to 10 hours. The process to recharge the CPAP battery is very easy. You just need to connect the solar panels to your battery and let the panel sit facing the sun. Most solar panels are made using green technology and are carbon-footprint friendly so you will be helping the environment in the process. Solar Panels and Sleep Apnea Is there a link between solar power and sleep apnea? Yes, if you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and use CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure therapy), solar power can be a topic of interest for you. CPAP is a device that comes in the form of a mask that sleep apnea has to wear during his sleep. The mask has a CPAP component that supplies air at high pressure near the patient's nose during his sleep. This ensures there is enough air at high pressure in the face region including the nose and the throat that the patient does not have to struggle to breathe the air in. There is a continuous supply of air at high pressure for the patient to be able to breathe comfortably. How Is CPAP Related to Solar Power? CPAP is powered by a rechargeable battery. For this device to continuously work for the entire duration when the patient is sleeping, it needs its battery with adequate charging. In normal circumstances, the battery can be charged through power outlets in the day for use at night. You may need solar power to charge the CPAP battery. This is a possibility when there is a power outage or when you are on a hike and sleeping outdoors. What is Sleep Apnea? Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious problem that prevents a person from having a sound sleep. The problem is caused due to the weakening of the breathing muscles that mostly lie in the throat region. If the person is suffering from this problem for a long time, the lack of a good night's sleep can lead to many problems, especially related to the health of the heart. While a milder version of OSA can be treated and managed by adopting a healthy lifestyle, the more serious form of the condition needs medical interventions. Of all the treatments available, CPAP is considered to be most effective as it improves air circulation right in the face, near the nose, and the throat. It helps the patient's breathing system as air at a higher pressure makes its way through the nose and the mouth down to the throat and lungs without breathing muscles having to make any serious effort. CPAP manages to keep the patient breathing. It's a delicate balance between the patient's need for air and the CPAP working on its battery. If the battery gets discharged with no option to recharge it, the patient may suffer a difficult time trying to sleep. But if the patient has battery storage, he can recharge his CPAP device easily and manage to tide over the crisis. Solar Panels and Battery Storage Solar power is a source of clean energy as it provides non-grid energy. From average homes to municipal bodies, everyone is aware of the advantages of solar panel installations. They are also using it wherever it is possible. Except for the installation cost, it provides you electricity at much lower costs compared to no solar panels. Over time, it pays for itself and recoups the installation cost in about 5 to 7 years. There are good reasons for the greater adoption of solar power technology by more people and households. An important upgrade in the overall solar power technology is battery storage. This device allows you to store power generated by your solar energy system and use it when you need it. In normal circumstances, your solar panels generate electricity and store in the batteries attached to the system. Once the batteries are fully charged and your solar panel is still producing electricity, you can store the additional electricity in battery storage. You can use the battery storage when the normal batteries attached to your solar panels are completely discharged. You can also sell additional electricity to the grid and earn some money or credit. Using battery storage is an excellent way to tap the maximum amount of energy from your solar installation. Final thoughts Sleep apnea is a respiratory disease in which the person stops breathing for a brief period during his sleep. One of the treatments for this condition is the use of CPAP masks. To keep the CPAP working even during California blackouts or during outdoor hiking, you should use solar panels + battery storage in case of emergencies.
The sun is an all-natural alternative energy source that produces radiation you can turn into electrical and heat energy. This form of renewable energy offers plenty of benefits to those who exploit it. Harnessing the sun's rays can lower your electrical bills and cost of living, especially if you live in a major city like San Jose. The city is usually associated with wealth and is considered a modern metropolitan area. San Jose is believed to have one of the most highly-priced housing markets in the globe. San Jose has a tropical Mediterranean climate that offers more than 300 days of sunlight per year that is ideal for harnessing solar energy on a residential or commercial scale. A standard solar installation should come with solar panels, a DC-AC inverter, and a UPS battery storage. The average electricity charge rate in San Jose is considered to be 31% higher than the Country's average charge rate. Investing in San Jose solar panels and battery storage can ensure you have a constant electricity supply, especially during grid blackouts. You don't necessarily have to depend on the electricity; you can reduce costs and enjoy electricity during blackouts by buying a solar panel installation in San Jose. Advantages of Investing In San Jose Solar Panels: Apart from reducing electricity costs, procuring a Solar panel and battery storage unit can offer you the following benefits: You can use solar energy virtually anywhere Solar rays can be harnessed virtually anywhere across the world as long as the sun is shining. All you need is a solar panel to capture the sun's energy and a battery storage unit to store the electrical power. If you live in remote areas in San Jose, buying a solar harnessing solution may be best for you. If your premises are off the grid, solar energy can be a cheap yet effective electricity source. It is more environmentally friendly The normal electricity people use at homes is usually generated by burning fossil fuels, conducting nuclear reactions, and, to a lesser extent, harnessing hydroelectric and wind power. The sun offers the best alternative energy that has the least negative effect on the natural environment. Solar energy doesn't release any harmful fumes and doesn't affect water negatively. Moreover, solar energy is silent; even if you live in urban residential places, you will generate and store energy without polluting the environment in any way. You get a free federal tax credit and additional incentives for using solar energy When you buy solar panels and San Jose battery storages, you will receive a tax credit. Now is the time to buy while incentives are available at a high rate. Buying a solar panel installation in San Jose can also provide you with cash rebates from the California Solar initiative. Make sure to double check the incentives available before moving forward on your purchase. Solar Energy creates opportunities and jobs Every solar energy consumer requires a qualified solar panel installer, and the increase in demand for renewable energy is creating numerous opportunities in the job sector. Buying a solar installation in the San Jose area will assist in generating income for local companies. The Straight Forward Process of Acquiring Solar Panel Installation in San Jose First of all, consider if you are eligible for low-income solar services that offer a wide range of reimbursements and incentives. Also, identify whether your roof requires repair before the installation. It’s usually smarter to hire the best roofing company in San Jose than doing repairs yourself. It would be best if you also identified additional ways of making your home/ premises more energy effective as you buy a solar panel solution. Procuring energy-saving lights together with solar energy can greatly reduce electrical costs. As mentioned earlier, having a solar harnessing installation can offer you many benefits. Here is a step by step guide on how to acquire a San Jose Solar panel. Start by identifying your premises' solar capability Depending on the residential or commercial premises, there are various potentials you can exploit with solar energy. Nowadays, you can use digital tools such as the Google project Sunroof software that use a real-life professional to suggest suitable solar solutions for your premises. Find a suitable contractor to install the solar harnessing system It is important to hire a competent licensed contractor to ensure your solar installation is done effectively and lasts longer without the need for maintenance. Solar panel installers in California must have a permit from the Contractors State License Board. Clients can confirm whether a firm is legit by crosschecking its license number on the Contractors State License Board official web page. Weigh your payment options There are numerous firms out there offering solar services. If you have the cash up front, consider solar installation firms with the best offers and those that come with additional features. If you don't have the money, other financing options include leasing and hire purchase options. Review and understand all the relevant paperwork Understanding your solar installation contract's terms and conditions can help you comprehend important aspects of your San Jose battery storage and solar panel. Such aspects include Warranty covers, total costs, and a checklist of the installed equipment. Ensure the contractor applies for the necessary San Jose permit Before you can install a solar harnessing system, you need to get a permit from the city of San Jose. This permit can be obtained through an online application. The process will schedule a premises inspection, after which you can plan for the installation of a San Jose solar system. Schedule the solar panel installation Once all requirements are met, you can plan for a residential or commercial installation. After the process, you can enjoy solar energy and the advantages that come with it. Conclusion Investing in solar panel installation solutions in San Jose can reduce energy costs, among other benefits. The process of acquiring a solar energy solution is quite straightforward, especially if you know and fulfill the set requirements. To learn more or to book an appointment, contact us today via our appointment booking form.
You have done the research. California is an great place to install solar panels. Is it right for you as a homeowner? The information provided here will help you to know about the value of solar power in California. It will also help you make a well-informed decision about installing solar panels on your home. Let's review all of the reasons why you should consider going solar in the great state of California. Solar Power in California: What You Need to Know Solar energy is not a new concept in our beautiful state. In fact, California is the number one solar state, and has been for quite some time. Hundreds of thousands of people have been employed across California to install solar panels on residential and commercial buildings. The solar panel installation industry has continuously gained popularity over the past few years. Solar panels that were installed across California in that time have been able to produce over 15,000-megawatts of energy. Over 3.75 million homes use solar energy to power their homes. Usage of solar energy can be made easy with NEM The use of solar power by the owners of solar homes in California can be measured easily by using a unique billing system known as NEM or Net Energy Metering. When a home solar system produces more energy than the consumption of its owners, then NEM can help in crediting the retail value of the surplus energy supplied back to the grid. Homeowners can use these credits on the days when they are not able to produce power due to lack of daylight. However, the policy of Net Metering used in California cannot be used in all cases because some of the solar panel installation services in this state have made it easier for the homeowners to use NEM. They ensure that all clients can use the advantages of this policy by handling the documentation required for this purpose. Installation of solar panels in California So, if you have decided to install solar panels on your home in California, after going through all of your research, get in touch with Semper Solaris to get your project started. Join the California solar community today!
Solar panels have many advantages, and saving money is definitely one of them. Using solar energy in place of grid electricity can save money on the monthly electricity bills. Though solar panel installation is quite an investment, the overall benefit offsets the one-time high investment. If you plan to stay in the same house for long enough, you can quickly recoup the investment on solar power panels in a few years. Moreover, with battery storage, you can save the extra electricity generated by your solar panels and use it in place of regular grid power. Semper Solaris is a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer, so you can be sure that you will have a top-of-the-line battery installed! Now, most utilities allow consumers to sell solar power to them. Either way, you can save money through the power generated by the solar panels installed on your property. Solar power also saves you money when the electricity goes off for a more extended period, such as during a storm or forest fire. The solar energy not only supplies power to your house and allows it to function without any significant disruption. It also does so for no extra cost. If you use a generator, it will consume fuel, cost you and cause noise and pollution while the solar power will provide you power without any extra cost. Clean energy A primary reason why solar power is popular is that it is clean and renewable energy. Unlike fossil fuels, it does not generate pollution. Its mechanism allows it to tap solar energy without creating any pollution at all. So, when you are using a water heater, illuminating your house or running the appliances on solar energy, you know the power has a completely clean source. Another important aspect of solar energy is that it comes from a renewable source of energy. Unlike coal, petrol, or gas, solar power is not going to get depleted with time or overconsumption. Adding solar power to the sources of power that we use can ensure energy security. Considering the pollution that fossil fuel generates and the entire spectrum of problems that pollution causes, solar power is a lot more beneficial and cost-effective. Solar installation Why some people think solar panels may not be saving money for its consumers is because of the significant investment that it entails at the time of solar installation. Setting up a solar power system is somewhat cost-intensive. You have to invest in solar panels and possibly batteries depending on your preference. But once the investments are made, you can reliably tap into solar energy and save on the electricity bills. Except for minor repairs from time to time, changing the batteries is the only recurring cost associated with solar energy. The Final Answer Although installing a solar energy system at your property may look like an expensive proposition, the long-term savings that you make on the monthly electricity bills far outweigh the one-time investment. More importantly, in the case of solar energy, you are using a clean source of energy that’s not adding to the pollution.
Owning a house that runs entirely on solar power is most definitely a possibility! With the help of solar panels and solar batteries, making your home a solar-powered property has never been cheaper. The cost of installing a solar energy system has dropped drastically in the past 20 years because of the fast improvements in technology. Even though it may be cheaper than ever, there are still a few necessities to make this dream of running your home on solar power alone, a reality. First, you will need to understand how much energy you use on average per month. This will allow you and your contractor to know how much energy your panels may need to generate to keep your home powered throughout the month. When considering the amount of energy generated by your panels, it is also smart to understand that some months may be better than others for generating power. This is where solar batteries can play a crucial role. When the sun doesn’t shine as bright or as long as usual, it is good to utilize your solar batteries. Solar batteries allow users to store excess energy gained on those long sunny days to be used later. This is key because if you have no energy stored, you will be required to use energy from the grid to power your home. Secondly, the climate you reside in also plays a crucial role in making this dream a reality. If you live in a cold, cloudy place, it may be more challenging to run your home entirely on solar. For example, while living in the Pacific Northwest during the winter months, you may go weeks without seeing direct sunlight. Although, if you live in the southwestern states like California or Arizona, you may go weeks without having an overcast day! These differences in climate play a critical factor in the ability to jump on the solar bandwagon and cut ties with the energy company. Third, the surrounding trees and houses located near your home. These can hinder the amount of energy that your solar panels can generate throughout the day. If you have a huge tree blocking your panels for a third of the day, this can drastically change the amount of energy stored. Make it Possible Don’t let any of these three factors scare you away because running your home on solar alone has never been easier. With the help of solar estimators and countless numbers of installations in your general area, solar contractors understand the ins and outs of what may be needed to allow you to make this leap to solar energy. The key to this possibility is the number of panels and solar batteries installed on your home. The critical part is the use of solar batteries; without a battery, no excess energy can be stored to use later. Semper Solaris is a Tesla Powerwall certified installer, and with powerful batteries such as Tesla Powerwall out on the market, this possibility is closer than you think.
Solar panels are a significant investment, but you may be wondering… What about when it’s dark? Do my panels still work? Well, the easy answer is no. Solar panels are made from a photovoltaic material that needs sunlight to produce energy, so when it is dark, the panels do not produce power. However, that doesn’t mean you will be left out in the dark! Your solar panels go into standby mode, and you draw power from the grid instead. Here are a few ways you can still keep your home up and running during the evening hours Net metering: This term means that during the day while your panels are producing excess power, that extra is sent back to the grid, and you earn credits. At night, you can draw those credits back to use instead of paying for power from the grid. You will have to check with your local power company to see if net metering is available in your area, or give Semper Solaris a call. Some power companies are phasing out net metering, or they charge a higher rate for you to use those credits. What if my company doesn’t have net metering or if I use all of my credits up? In the evening, when your panels go into standby mode, you will draw power from the grid-like you usually would. You will receive a bill for your usage just like you do now, but it will be a smaller bill than usual because your panels provided your home with electricity during the day. Battery Backup System: Investing in batteries is a great way to store your own power, so you do not have to rely on net metering or the grid at all. When your panels are producing more energy than you can use during the day, the excess is channeled to a bank of batteries. At night, your system will switch to battery power, and you can use your stored solar energy to keep your home up and running free from the grid! You can also rely on your batteries during blackouts or other types of power outages. What about cloudy or rainy days? Well, luckily, your panels still produce some power even when there is no direct sunlight. In fact, sometimes your panels provide more energy during cloudy days because the sunlight reflects on the clouds, which can produce more power than the sun alone. Generally, on a cloudy or rainy day, though, your panels will provide 10-25% of what they usually would, so you may have to rely on the grid for power unless you have a battery backup system. Give us a call if you would like to learn more about installing a battery backup system with your solar panels. We can evaluate your current panels to see if we can add batteries, or if you do not have solar and want to install both at the same time, we can help!
