There is nothing like a beautiful, sunny day in Santa Monica. While there may be a lot of them, we still never grow tired of the consistent sunshine! One of the main reasons? It means we can help our customers continue to harvest the power of the sun for their benefit! With how expensive the electricity bills can be in this community, there is no doubt going solar is a serious attraction.
As the fastest-growing solar contractor in Santa Monica, Semper Solaris is ready to help you make your community greener and take maximum advantage of solar savings. While going solar may feel like a big, complicated decision, we like to take the confusion out of the equation. Our goal is to make the solar process and investment as simple as possible for our customers to understand and determine whether it’s right for their circumstances. We’ll walk you through each and every step to ensure you are comfortable with it!
Learn about our current offers or find out how you can go solar by calling our experts today!
Perks of Installing Solar Panels
Having solar panels installed on your home can be extremely beneficial. There are countless benefits you’ll reap from this investment — that includes everything from creating a more eco-friendly home to extra cash back in your pocket every month. Take a look at the wide range of solar benefits below!
Real Savings on Long Term Expenses
Looking for a way to reduce your energy bills? Having solar panels installed will greatly cut down on your monthly electricity costs. Electric company rates are predicted to have a steady increase throughout the next years, and being dependent on volatile rates and unable to dimish your electric use can be extremely damaging to your personal finances. Renewable energy allows you to break that cycle — to take charge of your energy source, to monitor your energy production, to understand how much you’re using and producing and to adjust your habits accordingly. On top of that, you’re no longer paying for that electricity: what you produce is yours, and whatever is leftover, you sell back to the electric company.
No Waiting Period for Savings
If you are on the fence about the upfront investment, solar purchase power agreements and leasing options allow you to get more affordable green energy through solar panels right away. You can enjoy all the benefits of solar with a simple “pay-as-you-go” model to take the financial burden off your shoulders and enjoy more immediate savings. A third-party company will actually own the system, but you’ll be able to buy the more affordable solar energy, saving you money month to month.
Reasonable Payback Timeline & Cost
For those who do want to buy their own solar panel system, the option can be very affordable and reasonable. With all the incentives, rebates, and savings, the payback period is often much quicker than homeowners even realize. This means all their savings on electricity goes right back into their pockets!
Boost to Home Value
As a prospective homebuyer, seeing that a house has a solar panel system in place can be very appealing. They can step into a smart home that will offer lower electricity bills, ultimately making it a much more attractive purchase. In fact, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that homes with solar panels were able to sell not only 17% faster, but for 20% more than comparable homes without panels installed.
Numerous Incentives Available
The most attractive incentive is no doubt the Federal Solar Tax Credit, which allows you to deduct a percentage of the total cost of your solar panel system (including equipment and solar installation expenses). That automatically takes out a huge chunk of the solar panel system cost! This credit is set to expire soon, however, so make sure you take advantage of it while still available. California is also determined to expand its reputation as a “green” and energy-conscious state, offerings rebates and incentives alongside the Federal Solar Tax Credit and local rebates for Santa Monica residents.
Proven Performance & Savings
Though they are constantly exposed to the elements, solar panels are designed to be sturdy and long-lasting. Typical solar panel manufacturers stand by their products with extensive warranties, often around 20 to 25 years. These performance guarantees give homeowners peace of mind that their panels are designed to perform exceptionally well for decades to come. And that’s just guaranteed performance, as solar panels are able to last much longer!
Protects Environment & Keeps Local Community Green
Santa Monica is a beautiful area to live in. Protecting that natural beauty is important, and going solar is one of the ways you can help promote a more sustainable future. It may seem small, but every house and every neighborhood can make a big difference for Southern California in the long run. Renewable energy options like solar panels cut back on air and water pollution that traditional fossil fuels emit. Not only is renewable energy good for the environment, but it’s also great for public health, reducing air pollution and protecting precious water supplies.
Provides More Energy Independence
Electricity costs are currently volatile, with some uncertainty about future expenses to homeowners. That means going solar is more valuable than ever before. Having solar panels allows you to take control back over your electricity costs from utility companies. Even with net metering and time-of-use rates, having solar energy gives you much more peace of mind with your primary electricity use coming from your solar panels or solar credit from your panels. With the always-improving solar battery storage technology, you can further increase your energy independence and decrease reliance on the grid!
Why Wait When You Can Start Saving Right Away?
Helping the local Santa Monica community doesn’t have to be time-consuming or costly. Going solar can be a great way to help support the environment and your wallet at the same time! The incentives and tax credits still available for homeowners in California make it an ideal time to invest in solar panels. If you are interested in learning more about how installing solar panels in Santa Monica can help you save, add value to your home, and benefit your community, reach out to our team. We can walk you through each and every step of the process and help you select the right panels and system size for your home needs and budget.
Semper Solaris is always just a quick call away. Get expert solar guidance today!
EMERGING SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
The future of Solar energy is promising as solar becomes more efficient, bringing with it innovation and the latest trends in solar technology. New chip technology, micro-inverters, and improvements to solar tech products are promising better and more efficient solar ideas. And looking to the future, groundbreaking technologies for building materials are on the horizon.
Fresh new designs make rooftop solar more attractive.
Bifacial solar panels
Also called double-sided panels, bifacial solar panels capture sunlight through both sides. They produce more energy than standard panels offering more savings on the cost of energy.
All glass solar panels
Glass panels have a sleek design that is more attractive and durable than regular silicon cell panels. These can are used in creative ways such being built into skylights. They also are less prone to degradation and offer fire resistance as well.
Frameless solar panels
If you don’t like the unattractive solar frames in rooftop panels, frameless solar sections use a unique mounting that looks more lustrous and matches the system for a modernized appearance.
Clear solar panels
Clear solar panels are frameless and visually appealing. They are enclosed in glass. They use the same technology as standard panels, but the cells are inserted between to glass casings instead of opaque backing.
Solar skin
New technology brings designs for a custom look to match your roof to your solar panel system with smart grids that are smaller than traditional panels. A few companies are pioneering this
Solar Shingles
These designer solar roof panels are set apart from other panel innovations. You can go solar without even noticing it on the roof. Tesla’s tiles are more durable than roof materials and will blend in with the style of your home. They are made with many styles of glass including textured and smooth glass and are one of the next great trends in solar.
Solar windows
Look for this amazing technology that makes sense. Solar windows generate electricity as the sun comes shining through the special hi-tech coating embedded in the glass.
There is a vision beyond the solar products you can acquire for your home or business or gadgets and inventions that we use in our lives. Pioneering research is paving the way for newer and better ways to reduce and eliminate the carbon footprint and offer a quality of life that is environmentally safe and maintainable.
Hornets And Grasshoppers
As we move forward in meeting the world’s energy needs and addressing sustainability and climate control, scientists are looking to nature for answers. It is apparent that we will need more and more electricity. We are accustomed to relying on electricity for the things we use each day—like turning on the air conditioner. And as the temperatures rise in the cities—that is not about to change.
Architect and Biologist Doris Kim Sung has looked to human anatomy for answers in the functioning of human skin and creating materials that work the same way. She has designed what is called a “Thermal Bimetal Skin” which can be used in architecture to regulate temperatures much in the way our skin functions to control the temperature in the body. It uses no electricity at all and can help control the temperatures in buildings to cut down on power used for heating and cooling systems. She is also looking to the respiratory system of grasshoppers for ideas on ventilation in buildings.
Scientists have found that some hornets use sunlight to produce electricity inside its exoskeleton. In an experiment, a solution was extracted then placed n a solar cell conductor, when exposed to light, the pigment in the solution generated electricity. Extracting energy from plants, animals and insects and biogenic solar cells made from living bacteria are in the sphere of scientific discovery.
Electrical capability from solar and other renewable sources is outdoing those from fossil fuels. Solar energy is one of the least expensive energy choices. Saving money and advances in solar technology leading to more options for the homeowner, make it an attractive option for homeowners in Escondido where sunshine is abundant.
From wearables to solar-powered cars. Solar tech is on the move. And Semper Solaris is a leader in providing the best solar products and installation. Call us today to begin taking advantage of the future of renewable energy—and go solar.
You’ve likely noticed the explosion of solar energy systems appearing all over the place in recent years. Solar farms are appearing across the United States, and many people are choosing to have solar energy systems installed at their home and business locations. Still, plenty of people haven’t subscribed to the solar energy idea yet. If this point describes you, you may want to consider some of the benefits you may enjoy if you had a solar energy system installed.
Below are five specific benefits of solar energy systems for your Bakersfield home and how they will enable you to get the most out of such an upgrade.
Solar Energy Systems Save Money
First and foremost, remember that solar energy is free. The sun shines several hours a day, every day of the year, especially if you’re in Bakersfield. So you can save a tremendous amount of money by having a solar array on your home that captures that free energy whenever the sun is out. The best solar energy systems can pay for themselves in just a few years, reducing what you spend on energy immensely.
With Solar in Bakersfield, You Aren’t Dependent on Energy Companies
A major benefit of solar energy systems is that they allow you to cut the cord from the electric companies. It’s a necessity that you’ve been using your entire life, so you likely never thought of it, but you are completely reliant on a company that can change rates, alter availability, or suffers outages outside of your control. With solar panels, you can own your electric source and not need to rely on such a company ever again.
Solar Energy is 100 Percent Renewable
This is the big one, the reason this is such an incredible potential energy source for so many people in Kern County and other year-round sunny locations. Solar energy is renewable. It’s never running out. Fuel prices, wars, and commodity shifts—none of it will affect the cost of your electricity if you have solar panels installed on your home.
Benefits of Solar Energy to the Environment
Right alongside renewability and sustainability comes another important factor: New solar energy systems benefit the environment in the form of a heavy reduction in CO2 emissions. Almost every other form of major electricity production in the United States burns fossil fuels. With solar panels on your home, you won’t be contributing to what is becoming an increasingly dire situation. Better yet, you’ll be able to help by producing your own electricity.
Get Paid for Your Energy
With the right solar panel array on your home, you may produce more energy than you actually need. This can result in Solar Renewable Energy Credits that can then be sold for cash. That’s right, you can actually earn tax credits and rebates for installing new solar panels on your home! If you remain on the grid, you can feed back into the system as well so that when you underproduce your needs, it balances out against what you’ve given to the grid.
Is Solar Energy Right for You?
The benefits of solar panels are plenty, including freedom from the energy grid, a chance to do your part to help the environment, and a way to both save and possibly even earn money. It’s a perfect fit for anyone looking for a substantial upgrade for the home with long-term benefits.
Above are just a few of the many amazing benefits associated with solar energy systems. If you’d like more information on solar panels for home use, don’t hesitate to contact Semper Solaris.
When people think about San Francisco, they often see it as a trailblazing city — home to some of the most innovative companies and forward-thinkers. It should come as no surprise then that the city has been leading the way on the renewable energy front. City leadership has been very vocal about their ambitious goals for San Francisco, especially when it comes to renewable energy.
Mayor Ed Lee has made it his mission to push the city ahead, aiming to have 50% of the city’s electricity needs covered by renewable energy production by 2020 — a decade ahead of California’s goal. As of 2017, the city was getting 44% of its electricity from renewable sources like wind turbines and solar panels. That leaves a 6% difference to make up, which is no small feat.
Leading the Way in Sustainable Energy Dependence
If California is passionate about going green, the San Francisco is sold-out. By bumping up the target goal by a decade, the city shows how much they are making sustainable energy dependence a priority.
So how does a city as big and populated as San Francisco pull off the push towards sustainable energy dependence? A major chunk of the energy will be provided by CleanPowerSF, which is a green energy program that is run by the city. As of now, the program already pulls nearly half of its electricity from renewable energy sources, with plans to increase that percentage more and more with time.
In just a year’s time, CleanPowerSF is aiming to have the ability to power around 320,000 homes and businesses across San Francisco. The cost and health benefits of installing more renewable energy options make this move extremely attractive to local residents and businesses alike, garnering it much needed support to move forward.
What Does the Future Hold for the Bay Area?
While it is an ambitious move, the city leaders are confident that have the ability to make the transition. Over the years, the renewable energy economy has thrived in the Bay Area, which helps drive prices down and makes the resources more accessible and affordable. This means the city could not only produce much of the renewable energy but purchase the rest from the plethora of wind and solar sources available in Northern California.
With a long-term goal of being 100% reliable on renewable energy by 2030, San Francisco is going to have to continue pushing back against big players like PG&E to pursue a more sustainable future. Continued patience and persistence are key for this city to continue its march towards a greener tomorrow.
Having solar panels installed on your home may sound like a good idea, but will it really save you money in the long run? The upfront investment for an average solar energy system in the Bay Area is around $18,000. That home size typically sees a monthly electric bill of about $150. So how do the savings pan out? True, $18,000 is no small chunk of change; however, that price tag doesn’t take the whole picture into consideration.
To really understand how much you could save with solar, you have to look at several factors, from NEM 2.0 to federal tax credits. Let’s take a closer look at the long-term investment and payback of a solar panel system below.
Incentives & Rebates Available to Bay Area Homeowners
One of the biggest draws of a solar panel system is that you get to see your utility bill cut down. Net metering allows you to take advantage of any additional energy you produce that isn’t used up by your household. You’ll be given credits from your electric company to cover any electricity demands you have outside of your solar production (i.e. at night or cloudier days).
Another reason going solar is more affordable than you think? The rebates and incentives. The Solar Investment Tax Credit — which is a 30% tax credit for solar systems — is a serious perk. Keep in mind that this tax credit will start to be scaled back after 2019, dropping to 26% in 2020 and further from there. That means the time is now to take advantage of this big tax break.
Live in San Francisco? Great news — you could receive another major rebate. GoSolarSF is an initiative that encourages homeowners to install solar panels, offering $300 per kilowatt for average homeowners and an extra $2,000 per kilowatt for any residences who are considered low-income. Additional rebates are available for various factors of the project With these rebates and the federal tax credit, those upfront costs could be majorly rolled back.
Don’t Forget the Added Home Value
In addition to rebates and cash savings, you also have to consider the perk of increased home value. Down the road, if you want to sell your home, you could be looking at a serious boost in how many potential buyers are willing to put down for your home. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy did a study that showed homes with solar panel energy systems can increase in value by around $4 per watt. The average system size in the U.S. is 5 kilowatts, which could mean up to $20,000 in added home value that buyers are ready and willing to pay. That’s a value increase in addition to the energy savings you’ve already taken advantage of over the years!
Find Out How Much You Could Save Today
The amount of money you could save by having a solar panel system install can vary based on a number of factors. For example, the average savings from the lifespan of a home’s 5.7-kilowatt system in the Bay Area lands you around an estimated $72,000. This number can fluctuate based on the size of the solar panel system you install, how much energy your household uses, and even unforeseen changes like spikes in inflation on utility power rates from PG&E.
The point is, the savings are real. Exactly how much will you save? Semper Solaris can help you get a better idea when you reach out to our team about your solar options.
There is no denying that electrical costs in San Diego and nearly all of Southern California are on the rise. As the state continues to move towards renewable energy resources like solar, the cost for grid-tied, traditional electricity continues to rise.
San Diego residents are going to see clear spikes in their electric bills over the next few years. In fact, you’ve probably already noticed some serious increases with San Diego Gas & Electric. SDGE has even requested another round of major rate increases that would go into place in 2019. The increases would total up to 28% by 2022, which means major cost increases for San Diego residents.
It is pretty clear that having solar panels installed is now more crucial than ever for residents who don’t want to see such major spikes in their energy bills. Our
San Diego solar company is happy to help local homeowners understand their options when it comes to going solar.
Take Advantage of Cost-Saving Opportunities
While solar providing savings by cutting back on electrical expenses, there are also other cost-saving opportunities that can make going solar even more affordable and attractive to homeowners. Semper Solaris is extremely familiar with installer solar panel systems in San Diego. We’ve helped countless customers take advantage of lowering their SDGE bills and know the process inside and out.
Making solar worthwhile can include capitalizing on rebates and tax credits offered to residents. These include the 30% federal solar tax credit and the NEM 2 net metering law passed that helps homeowners to sell their excess electricity produced by their panels. You can also see if you qualify for the numerous other programs for San Diego residents.
So how can you tell if it will be worth the investment for your home? The biggest factor is ensuring the cost of installation is covered and exceeded by the production of your solar panels. That means some factors like panel type and size, roof size and adjustments needed, weather, functionality over a 25-year period, and financing choices all come into play. If you payback your solar panels in an average of 5 to 6 years, you could be looking at significant savings over the lifespan of solar panels.
Find Out How Much You Can Save with Solar
At Semper Solaris, we make it our mission to help our customers truly maximize their savings on solar. That means we will go over your options when it comes to selecting the right solar panel type, battery storage options, and potential rebates and offers that may apply to you. We want to make sure that going solar is worthwhile for you. Interested in finding out just how much you could save on your electric bills by having solar panels installed? We are here to provide the answers. Connect with Semper Solaris today to learn more.
As one of the leaders of solar power usage, San Diego has added another piece of renewable energy infrastructure to the city. The San Diego Padres’ Petco Park began installation of a new 336,520-watt solar power system in January of this year and wrapped up the project by March, ahead of Opening Day for the team. This is just another example of the Padres commitment to leading the league in energy sustainability. The new solar polar system is now considered the biggest system in the Major League Baseball.
Exactly how big was the project? To put it in perspective, more than 715 high-efficiency solar modules were used, each generating up to 470-watts of energy. It is projected to generate 330 kilowatts of solar power, which is sufficient to cover the energy needs of the whole front office for the Padres. In the next 25 years, the system is estimated to produce more than 12 million kilowatt hours, resulting in millions of dollars in savings throughout its years of usage.
For San Diego, this is a great achievement in promoting energy sustainability. Petco Park is considered one of the top sporting venues in the city, making a serious statement about their dedication to promoting cleaner energy and capitalizing on the real savings offered by solar power.
San Diego Leads the Way in Solar Power
As the eighth largest city in the U.S., San Diego is poised to make a serious impact when it comes to renewable energy. The current population sits just around 1.4 million, with nearly 490,220 households – many of which are considering adding solar panels to their properties. The goal of the city to become more sustainable should come as no surprise after Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s words: “San Diego continues to lead the way on climate action as we march toward our ultimate goal of 100 percent renewable energy.”
He hopes that Petco Park’s commitment to this vision will help spur other major business and homeowners to take similar action. The Mayor and all of San Diego are looking towards a future goal of cutting greenhouse gases in half by the year 2035. He also aims to have the city run on 100 percent renewable energy by this time. Though his goals are ambitious, it’s a vision that is resonating with more and more San Diego residents, especially considering the rising cost and impact of traditional electricity production.
Join the Clean Energy Movement
The great news about the solar movement? It doesn’t just benefit the environment and make San Diego’s energy consumption more sustainable — it also makes it more affordable and can even put money back in the pocket of homeowners thanks to Net Metering laws. What more incentive do you need to join the clean energy movement? Going solar in San Diego can help you protect your beautiful city and your long-term savings all in one.
Ready to join the movement? Start by learning how much going solar can save you. Give Semper Solaris a call today.
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 30% 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 30% 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.
Currently, the ITC is slated to begin diminishing in 2020. In 2019, the tax deduction will remain at 30%, but if you were to invest in solar power for your home in 2020, the deduction will 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. That means 2019 may be the last year that you can enjoy a massive 30% sale on the cost of solar power!
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 pay out. 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!
As the first half of 2018 is over, the city of Los Angeles proved to be the best in yet another category. According to a report from Environment America Research & Policy Center, Los Angeles took the title of ‘Best City for Solar’, passing up neighbors in San Diego for the number 1 spot. “In a city full of stars, it’s the biggest of them all –the sun– that is powering our homes, schools, stores, and studios with clean, renewable energy,” said Michelle Kinman, a Clean Energy Advocate with Environment California Research & Policy Center. This was made possible by unveiling one of the largest rooftop solar projects in the city of Los Angeles. The new solar project is gaining interest because of the 2.2-megawatt array of solar panels being placed on the roof of the Los Angeles Convention Center. This installation was the largest solar panel system on any public convention center on the entire West Coast. The city of L.A. alone has a whopping 350 megawatts of installed solar panels, which provides approximately 82,500 homes with energy savings and a decreased carbon footprint.
Want to know the best part?
This was all made possible by the efforts of many people in Los Angeles, but mostly the utility. They allowed a streamlined process for permitting of solar installations in locations all around Los Angeles. This led to the creation of many solar programs, which provide incentives to those investing in solar energy. “The impressive growth of local solar is also a reflection of the improvements we’ve made to streamline all aspects of the solar programs, making it easier for customers to go solar,” explained General Manager of LADWP, David H. Wright. These incentives are a huge factor for those debating the investment in solar energy. Programs have helped provide over $314 million in incentives for the businesses and residents of Los Angeles.
Coming in Close Second
As Los Angeles took the top spot, cities like San Diego, Phoenix, San Jose, and Honolulu fall close behind because of their commitment to reducing their cities overall carbon footprint. San Diego actually held the first place spot until this Convention Center Project was concluded. Southern California has no short of sunlight, allowing for Los Angeles and San Diego to dominate the United States in solar energy production. As the twenty-first century kicks off, we will see a huge increase in solar energy installations. Especially with the implementation of the Paris Climate Accord, cities around the world will begin investing in these solar “farms.” These farms will allow for a huge reduction in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. As Los Angeles leads the way, other cities in the states hope to follow suit because of the great possibilities that Solar Power brings.
In this new age of solar energy, there is a lot of buzz around which type of panels are best for your needs. Living in Los Angeles has its perks but also its downfalls, one being small yards and tall buildings, which can sometimes put a limit on your solar options. But one thing that stands true is that Los Angeles never runs short sunlight. the But as you are researching into the solar panel options you will see that there are many different brands and types of panels out on the market. Today we are here to discuss two different types, the ground mount, and the rooftop solar panels.
Ground Mount:
Ground Mount Solar Panels come in two different types, typical ground mounts, and pole ground mounts, which both have their own use cases. Ground Mounts are driven into the ground at a fixed angle, while pole ground mounts usually come with a tracking system which adjusts the panel to the optimal angle for maximum sunlight. Ground mounts allow for homeowners to utilize the maximum area of land for solar energy generation. Ground Mounts allow you to determine the angle for your panels while roof panels are pretty limited to the contour of your roof. Ground Panels tend to be more efficient in capturing solar energy because of this factor.
Roof Top Mount:
Rooftop Solar Panels are also a great fit for most projects because of their ability to be installed on any roof! Some people do not have the land to use ground mounts, and this is why the roof panels are the more popular of the two for residential jobs. The roof panels are drilled into the roof and have other support structures to keep the panels set at a set angle. This is great for any areas that have high winds or any sort of unexpected weather.
Which option is best for me?
This is a trick question and doesn’t have one answer. It depends on your location in Los Angeles and if you have any sort of land for ground solar panels. Ground Panels tend to be better for people with plots of land because you can allocate certain areas to panel installment. Living in Los Angeles has its pros and cons but most people do not have big yards because of the close proximity to neighbors. The best bet for most residents of Los Angeles would be to invest in Roof Top Panels, this assures you are getting the best return on your investment. At Semper Solaris, we are committed to providing the best quality service no matter your needs. Reach out to a representative to discuss your options today.