Solar Panels for your Home | Solar Panels, Battery Storage, Roofing, HVAC
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!
Have you made the decision to go solar? Now is the perfect time to take advantage of all the beautiful California sunshine that lands on your roof each day by investing in solar panels for your home. As you begin researching which solar panels to buy, you might be surprised to discover dozens of solar panel brands currently on the market. So how can you find out which top rated solar panels are the best fit for your energy needs, your roof and especially your budget? It’s simple: when you sit down with an expert during your solar consultation, ask these five important questions: What Are the Price of the Panels? For most homeowners, price is one of the most important factors in their solar panel purchase decision. If you plan on paying out of pocket, then solar panels represent a steep investment. Although cheaper solar panel options do exist, at some point you begin to sacrifice performance, efficiency, and design in exchange for a little bit of savings upfront. In our opinion, this trade-off isn’t worth it! How Efficient are the Panels? Before you buy a new car, most people want to know about engine type, if it has four-wheel drive, and if it will parallel park for you so you never ding the curb again. We all want to know the specs of the things we buy. Solar panels are no different. One of the most important specs to look for, in this case, is efficiency. Efficiency refers to how much sunlight (also called solar irradiation) the panels convert into electricity. These days, new advances in monocrystalline and polycrystalline have dramatically boosted the efficiency of solar panels. Unsurprisingly, the cheapest panels on the market will give you the lowest efficiency rate, around 10%. (Fun fact: The first commercial solar panel only offered a paltry 2% efficiency rate!). With mid-range solar panels, you can expect 14 – 15% efficiency. Top rated solar panels can reach past 20% efficiency in ideal conditions. Why is efficiency important? More efficient solar panels need less surface area to create the same amount of energy as a less efficient panel. The most efficient solar panels can be smaller, which can be useful if you have a small roof or if there is a limited area of your roof that receives ideal sunlight. If you have a larger roof, you may want to consider purchasing less-efficient panels. They’ll be bigger, but you could save a little money! What Is the Warranty? Almost all solar panel manufacturers offer some form warranty that guarantees that their solar panels will continue to perform at a certain level for a specific stretch of time. It’s important to recognize, though, that warranty is not the same thing as lifespan. The top warranties are typically 25 years, but many researchers believe solar panels can last much longer without losing too much efficiency. Still, warranties matter. If they start to malfunction, that warranty can protect you from expensive repairs or from a loss of efficiency that could increase your monthly energy bills. What Is the Temperature Coefficient? We’re digging a little into the weeds here, but knowing the temperature coefficient of your solar panel options will help you make the best choice possible. It will also impress your solar panel installation company! Simply put, the temperature coefficient will tell you how your solar panels will perform outside of ideal conditions. Solar panels work best at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Here in San Diego, Riverside, and Los Angeles, temperatures can blaze high above that in the summer, which will lower how much electricity your solar panels will produce. A solar panel’s temperature coefficient will tell you exactly how hot temperatures will affect efficiency. For every degree above 77 degrees, the efficiency of the solar panels will decrease by the temperature coefficient. What Is the Reputation of the Brand? Ultimately, the success of your solar investment will come down to how well your solar panels perform, and that will depend significantly on the quality of their construction. The top rated solar panels offer the highest efficiency, the best warranties, and the lowest coefficients, because they are designed by innovative companies that care about creating a quality product. You will pay more for these panels in the short term, but they will no doubt pay you back and then some over the long term! Important Tools and Resources Picking the right solar panels for your home isn’t always an easy choice. Before you make your decision, do your homework. Start by speaking with a solar installation representative. Here at Semper Solaris, we live and breathe solar panels. We go to the solar industry shows, keep up on the latest technology, and talk to clients every day about different solar panel options. Our reputation depends on how well the solar panels we install perform for our customers, so we make it our job to know everything about the industry. We can help you understand your options, guide you on how to compare different solar panels, and make recommendations based on your budget and goals. If you’ve got questions about solar panels, we’ve got answers — contact us today for a free energy audit! We’ve worked with lots of different solar panels, and we would be glad to help you find the best solar panels for your home.
Summer is making its way to California, and unless you are fortunate enough to live on the cooler coastline, temperatures are going to start to sizzle. How does all this heat affect the solar panels on your home? Many homeowners assume solar panels do well in heat. After all, sunlight and heat go hand-in-hand. The more sunlight, the energy solar panels produce, right? The truth is that excessive heat can actually make solar panels less efficient. What does that mean if you happen to live in Sacramento where summer temps top 90 degrees (Fahrenheit) or Fresno, which is no stranger to triple-digit highs? Let’s take a look at how heat affects solar panels for your house and how you can use this knowledge to get the best solar panel system for your piece of California paradise. Heat and Solar Panels To understand why high temperatures zap solar panel efficiency like a form of solar panel Kryptonite, we first have to discuss how solar panels work. In a nutshell, solar panels take advantage of all the light energy the sun sends down to earth in the form of photons. These little photons knock electrons out of the atoms that make up a solar panel cell. These dislodged electrons then zip around a circuit within the solar panel. It is this movement that produces an electric current. One factor that plays a role in how much power each little zipping electron creates is its original state before it gets knocked out of its electron. On a cool day, electrons exist in a nice, relaxed resting state. When the photon kicks them out of the atom, they become more energized. This difference, from low energy to high energy, produces a high current. On a hot day, the situation is different. The heat within the panels already puts the electrons into an excited state. That means they won’t pick up much energy when they are dislodged by the photons. So even though a solar panel can get the same amount of sunlight on a cool day and a hot day, the panels will produce more energy on the cool day. Depending on your brand of solar panel and the actual temperature on your roof, high heat can steal away as much as 10% of your solar system’s efficiency. How Hot Is Too Hot? How much heat can the solar panels on your home really handle? That depends on the solar panel brand you choose and something called its temperature coefficient. When you’re shopping for solar panels, you’ll notice that each different brand has an efficiency rating, with an average efficiency of 15%. A solar panel’s efficiency rate refers to how much sunlight it can convert into usable energy. Each solar panel brand will also have a temperature coefficient, which explains how well the panels perform in high temperatures. Generally, solar panels don’t begin to lose efficiency until their temperature rises to 77 degrees. At that point, for every degree increase in temperature above 77 degrees, a solar panel loses efficiency by the rate of its temperature coefficient. You can start to see how hot summer days can diminish the performance of your solar panels. This can be problematic at a time when you’ll probably want to keep that air conditioning going strong. Fortunately, good solar installers can offer different solutions to help your solar system manage hot days. How to Beat the Heat If you live in a part of California that endures long, hot summers, is there a way to beat the heat to ensure that solar panels for your house are still a good investment? Choose the Right Solar Panels The first way to manage the heat is to choose solar panels with a low temperature coefficient. Most monocrystalline and polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) panels offer a temperature coefficient between -0.35 and -0.5. You may have heard of a different kind of solar panel called a thin-film panel (TF). One of the biggest benefits these panels offer is that they can handle heat much better than their PV counterparts. Most TF panels offer a temperature coefficient of between -0.2 and -0.25. There’s a catch, though. TF panels have a much lower efficiency rate than PV panels, usually between 11-13% efficiency. Unless you live in some of the hottest areas of California, TF panels generally don’t match PV efficiency in the long run even with their lower temperature coefficients. Choose the Right Solar System Size When you work with Semper Solaris, we’ll calculate your average monthly energy usage in order to determine the ideal size for your solar system; we also know to check average summer temperatures and to keep the temperature coefficient in mind when making our recommendations. This is just one more reason why you should strongly consider working with a local solar panel installation company. A local company will already be familiar with the weather patterns of your area and will understand how the summer months will affect the efficiency of your solar system. If you endure long and hot summer months, your installation specialist may recommend a slightly larger solar system to make up for the efficiency loss during days with high temperatures. High Quality Installation While there really is no way to prevent diminished solar panel efficiency during the hottest days of the summer, your solar installation company can install your panels in a way to keep them as cool as possible to limit efficiency loss. For example, it’s common for installers to house panels in a thermally conductive substrate, which helps vent away heat. During hot days, many types of California roofing, including Spanish tiles and asphalt shingles, will absorb heat, just like a concrete sidewalk, which can make temperatures on your roof even higher than the ambient temperature. To address this, your installer will likely mount your panels a few inches above the roof. This allows for airflow between the panels and the roof and can help prevent a hot roof from heating up your solar panels. Choose the Right Solar Installer Even if your part of the state gets some serious heat in the summer, that doesn’t mean you have to give up on solar panels for your home. Instead, work with an experienced and local solar installer who can recommend the ideal solar system for your geographic area. Even if your solar panels aren’t as efficient during the summer, just remember that California’s weather is typically gorgeous (i.e. not sweltering) for a majority of the year, which means that your solar system can make up for diminished summer returns during the rest of the year. This is especially true because California offers net metering, which allows you to take energy from the grid when you need more power than your panels can produce and to put excess energy back into the grid when your panels generate too much in exchange for an energy credit. A well-designed solar panel system will average out during the year, reducing or even eliminating your energy bills altogether! Interested in solar panels but want to know how the summer temps in your area will affect your system? Contact us to schedule a free energy analysis. We would be happy to send a solar specialist to your home from one of our locations throughout California.
Are you finally ready to get solar panels for your home? What an awesome decision! Top solar panels will help you slash your expensive energy bill and even help you do your part to protect this green-and-blue marble we call home. There’s just one teeny tiny speed bump on the road to glorious sunshine power. Your roof. Many homeowners eagerly start the process of solar installation only to discover that a roofing problem stops the project in its tracks. Don’t let roofing issues surprise you or your wallet! If your roof is damaged, aging, or simply not strong enough to bear the burden of your new solar system, then you’ve got to deal with that problem before you can go solar! Why Your Roof Is the Secret Key to Your Solar Panel Installation When you begin to research solar panels for your home, you will learn about all the different brands of solar panels available, as well as other important components of a photovoltaic system, like the inverter and the racking that holds the panels in place. Rarely is your home’s roof mentioned. That’s a shame, because your roof is a key component of your solar panel system. Your solar panels need to go somewhere, and while some homeowners choose to install their solar panels on the ground or even on carports, the majority of solar panels are installed on the roof. That means a roof must be sturdy enough to handle the solar panels. What you may not realize is that your roof is more than just a collection of tiles or shingles attached to the top of your home. A roof is actually a complex system made up of multiple layers that all work together to insulate your home and keep the elements out! A standard roof is comprised of: Roof Truss Decking Insulation Ice and water barrier Underlayment Wood frame Shingles or tiles If any component of these layers is damaged, it can weaken the entire structure of your roof and make it a bad idea to install solar panels. How do you know if your roof is damaged? Usually your roof will tell you! How to Identify Roof Damage You wouldn’t trust a chain with a weak link, right? That’s the same reason you shouldn’t install solar panels on a damaged roof. The most common types of roof damage are: Loose or broken tiles: This type of damage can easily be seen with the naked eye. Use a ladder to visually inspect your roof to search for loose or broken tiles or shingles. Worn down materials: Like all things, the components of your roof will simply wear out over time. Examples of age damage include bare shingles, shingle granules, and rust. As a roof ages, it becomes more fragile, and other problems are likely to quickly emerge. Water damage: When any component of a roof breaks down, water damage is soon to follow. Things like broken tiles, worn out sealants, torn underlayments, and more can result in water damage during the next rainstorm. Punctures and cracks: Trauma can crack the tiles of your roof or puncture the underlayment that is designed to keep out water. If something falls on your roof, if a roof installation is performed poorly, or even if someone walks on the wrong part of the roof, cracks or punctures can result! Standing water: Your roof is designed to efficiently shunt water off its surface, using its angled design, along with flashing and gutters. If you notice standing water on your roof, that indicates that something isn’t working. Structural damage: On rare occasions, the supports of your roof may shift, which can present a serious danger to you and your family. Roofs with structural damage are liable to collapse and must be addressed immediately! Not all roof damage is easily visible and identifiable, but it will eventually make itself noticed. The most telling symptom of a damaged roof is water damage to your home. You may notice water stains on your ceiling, interior walls, or exterior walls. This may turn into ugly mold or even result in active leaks during heavy rainstorms. If you notice any of these things, there’s a strong chance that your roof needs to be repaired or replaced before you even think of adding top solar panels. Why Your Roof’s Age Matters If you don’t see any water damage on your ceilings or get a free indoor shower every time it rains, does that mean your roof is fit and ready to handle solar panel installation? Not necessarily. One other factor you need to take into consideration is the age of your roof. That’s right, your roof can get old and fragile, just like us humans. The lifespan of your roof will depend on a number of factors, including: Its materials Its environment How well you (or the previous owner) cared for it Many roofs in California use clay tiles, which have a particularly long lifespan of nearly 50 years. Slate and copper roofs can last roughly the same amount of time. Wood shake roofs (which are more popular in the Northeast) have about a 30-year lifespan, while cement shingles tend to retire around 20 years. If you live in a particularly harsh environment, or if you’ve never resealed your roof or fixed noticeable damage, your roof’s lifespan may be cut short. What does it mean if your roof is nearing the end of its life, and how does that affect your goal of installing solar panels for your home? As the components of your roof wear out, tiles can be more vulnerable to cracking and the underlayment may easily tear. An old roof will not hold up well to drilling into tiles to install racking or carrying heavy solar panels. In fact, many older roofs were simply not built to handle the weight of solar panels. Before you call up a solar installation team to give you a price quote on solar panels, figure out the age of your roof. Many of us haven’t lived in our homes for 30 or 50 years, so finding this information can be difficult. Look through your home’s paperwork to see if a roof replacement is mentioned in the disclosures or contact the previous owner if you have their information. If your home is less than 30 years old, chances are that the original roof is still in place. If your roof is at or nearing the end of its lifespan, you will likely have to replace it before you can safely install solar panels. Why It Makes Sense to Repair or Replace Your Roof Before Getting Solar Panels for Your Home Let’s be honest. Repairing and especially replacing your roof is not an inexpensive prospect. If you were already planning to pony up a big chunk of money to install solar panels, the last thing you want to do is spend MORE money on your roof before getting your solar panels. As hard as it is to swallow, however, repairing or replacing your roof may be the right thing to do, even if it delays your solar panel installation. Think about it this way – you would never build a home on a foundation of sand, right? Your roof acts as the foundation for your solar panels. The stronger and better the roof, the longer your solar panels can do their job. If you try to cut corners and install solar panels on a damaged or aging roof, then you’re going to have to address those problems anyway in the future. Imagine how much more expensive it will be to have to call your solar installation company to take down your solar panels and then re-install them on your new roof. You’ll have to pay for the Roof Installation or replacement anyway, but doing it before installing solar panels on your home will save you lots of money and lots of headaches. Here’s another thing to keep in mind. Your roof plays a big role in insulating your home. One of the reasons you may always have to crank up the heat in the winter and the air conditioning in the summer is because your roof isn’t able to trap that heat or air conditioning. A new roof will make your home more energy efficient, which may decrease the size (and price) of the solar panel system you need to power your home. Here’s one more thing to consider. A new roof will increase the curb appeal of your home and increase its value, so some of that money you spent on fixing or replacing it will come right back to you when you sell. Why You Should Choose a Company That Provides Roof Replacements and Solar Installation You started this article just wanting to get solar panels for your home, and now you might to replace your roof too! That means you have to search out roofing companies in your area, schedule consultations, sign a contract, bring that team out… and then do it all over again for your solar installation contractor! Yikes, that’s a lot of work! It doesn’t have to be. Some solar installation companies also offer roof replacement services, including Semper Solaris. There are many reasons to work with just one company for your roofing and solar needs. First, you’ll save a lot of effort. It’s much easier to work with a single project coordinator than to research, assess, and hire two separate companies. Next, you’ll save time. It can take weeks to get on a contractor’s schedule. By combining projects, it will all be done be done together. Probably the biggest benefit of working with a single company for roofing and solar is that you can enjoy significant cost savings. At Semper Solaris, combining a roof replacement with solar installation allows us to be as efficient as possible. We are happy to pass those cost savings back onto our customers. We can even offer you financing options to make your roof replacement and solar panel installation more affordable. Sometimes getting solar panels for your home means repairing or replacing your roof first. With Semper Solaris, we can take on your full project and get solar panels on your new, sturdy roof before you know it. Contact us today to schedule a roof and solar consultation.
The decision to go solar is not one most homeowners make lightly. The switch takes a financial investment, for one, and using solar also requires a commitment to conservation. While we think solar always pays off, we understand that people have a lot of questions about what it really means to own solar panels. How much will it cost? Does it matter if you’re the only one on the block with PV panels? It’s normal to be inquisitive. Before you set up your consultation to learn more about installing solar panels for your home, take a look at these commonly asked questions about residential solar. You may find that solar panels are not as overwhelming as they sound. In fact, they will make your life a lot easier. Here is everything you need to know to get started. Is My Home a Good Fit for Solar? The first thing to ask yourself is “Is my home a good candidate for solar panels?” Most homes are, but the three main factors are: sun, location, and space. You need enough sunlight per day for the panels to do their job, a location without obstruction that faces the right direction, and adequate room on your roof for the number of watts your home requires. Google’s Project Sunroof is a good place to start. Enter your address to see how many hours of usable sunlight you get per year; the tool also provides the expected solar savings over 20 years. The ideal placement for solar panels on a home is on a southern-facing flat roof. East- and west-facing roofs can also get a lot of sun. If you can only place your panels facing north you may not be the best candidate for solar panels, or you may need to get creative to make it work. How Much Do Solar Panels Cost? The cost to power your home via solar depends a lot on the size of the property and how much electricity you use. If you have a lot of natural light and don’t use central air, you won’t need as many watts at your disposal as a home with heated floors and a hot tub. A custom estimate will give you the best idea of how many panels are ideal for your property. That being said, we can turn to the average costs of solar to get an idea of how much they will likely cost: The price per watt for PV panels ranges from $2.71 to $3.57 in 2018 Most households require at least 6,000 watts to be self-sustainable Total costs for installing PV panels average about $12,000-14,000 per home Larger homes may require extra wattage Tax credits can help keep the installation costs in check How Long Does it Take to Install Solar Panels for a Home? Choosing the right solar panels and finding an installer you trust can be time consuming. After all, you’re going to be counting on your PV panels to power your home for decades to come. By the time you have an appointment to get the panels delivered and installed, you’re ready for the process to be over! The good news is that installing solar panels for your home usually takes just one to three days, depending on the size and number of your panels. You can stick around to help the installers with any questions, or get out of the house so you don’t have to listen to people walking on the roof all day. Installers will take care of everything from roof prep to meter installation at the same time the panels are placed. What Types of Panels are Available? All solar panels operate in basically the same way: they harness the energy of the sun for use in your home. But not all panels are constructed in the exact same manner. There are three main types of solar cells to choose from, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Monocrystalline Silicon (Mono-Si): These solar panels are the most efficient. They’re constructed with high-grade silicon and are characterized by having the corners cut off of each square inside the panels. These solar cells also last the longest. Mono-si panels operate best in warm climates like Southern California, and because they’re so efficient they often cost more than other types of panels. Polycrystalline Silicon (P-Si): This type of solar cell is easier to construct; pure silicon is poured into a mold to create a perfectly square design. They are slightly less space efficient than mono-si panels, because you may require more panels to get the same amount of energy. On the plus side, they are more affordable for a lot of homeowners. P-si panels often appear blue. Thin Film (TFSC): Several thin layers of photovoltaic material are stacked to create this type of solar cell. While these panels are affordable and they are visually appealing, with consistent black square panels, they take up a lot of space. The use of TFSC is growing in residential areas, but they are still mostly used in fields for large commercial use. If you have the room, thin-film solar cells offer consistent energy in areas of shade or heat, which can be a major advantage. What are the Long-Term Benefits of Solar? Solar panels have a few key benefits. The immediate returns include a monthly savings on your utilities -- you could eliminate your electric bill altogether, and you may even be able to sell some of your solar surplus back to the local grid. The long-term benefits of going solar include: A massive financial saving over the life of a solar panel. With 1,800 usable hours of sunlight each year, you could save $14,000 or more on electrical costs over the span of 20 years. Solar increases the value of your home. In California, solar panels add a value of about $20,000 to a home. Whether you sell your property soon or in 10 years, you will make back the cost of your solar investment. The community at large benefits when one person installs solar panels to their home. That’s because solar panels are contagious. Once a single neighbor puts solar panels on the roof, more people in the area are likely to follow suit. Over years this will create an energy-independent community. How Does Weather Affect Solar Panels? Your solar panels are left exposed to the elements. You may be wondering if they will survive their first hail storm or what happens in the event of a lightning strike. The good news is that solar panels are tested and made to withstand nearly any weather event. Grounding solar panels makes it very unlikely they will be hit by lightning, and they are designed to get through high winds and hail without major damage. Many solar panels were even able to survive Superstorm Sandy in 2012. In the rare event that your solar panel is damaged by weather, your homeowner’s insurance is likely to help you cover the costs of fixing or replacing the panels. How Long Do Solar Panels Last? Like any appliance or electronic device, solar panels do have a degradation rate. This rate represents the rate at which PV panels lose their efficiency. In other words: when do they stop working? Manufacturers used to think their panels would degrade by 1% each year, meaning they would only work at 80% after 20 years. But not so fast. In fact, a solar panel made today will degrade at a rate of less than 0.4% per year. After 20 years, your solar panel will still work at 92% of its maximum efficiency. Check out this guide about how much solar panels are worth after a few years. Are solar panels right for you? If you want to save money on utilities and do good for the environment, it sounds like it’s time for a consultation. Our professional team will take a look at your property, identify potential obstructions, and give you an estimate for installing solar panels for your home. There’s no pressure, just a risk-free conversation with Semper Solaris about how solar could give you energy independence and make your home more appealing to future buyers.
You’ve decided to join the renewable energy revolution and invest in solar panels for your home. Great decision! Not only will you be doing a serious favor for the environment by lowering your carbon footprint, but you’ll also dramatically lower your monthly energy bills… that is when your solar panel system goes online. When exactly will that be? The time it takes to install your solar panels can vary anywhere from one month to up to three months depending on a number of factors. Three months probably feels like a long time, especially while your air conditioner hums in the background, gobbling up expensive energy. Let’s look at each major step in the solar panel installation process and how it contributes to the speed of the project. Getting to the Solar Contract This article will mostly focus on the time it takes to install solar panels for your home after you sign a contract with an installer. However, if you are just beginning your solar installation journey, then you have a couple of extra steps to complete first, and each step will add time to the process. Finding a Solar Installer You may dream of solar panels for months or years, but your first concrete step to making that dream a reality will be choosing a solar installer. You may be chomping at the bit to get solar panels on your roof, but don’t rush this step. Choosing your solar installation company is the most important decision you’ll make in this entire process. If you choose an inexperienced company or a “guy with a truck” who swears he can install your panels at a cut-rate discount, you could come to regret that choice. We recommend seeking referrals from your friends, family members, and neighbors as well as reading reviews on well-regarded review sites, such as Angie’s List and the Better Business Bureau. It’s always a good idea to get more than one solar installation quote. This allows you to compare pricing and see how you feel about working with different companies. Resist choosing the cheapest quote. Many times, paying a little more for quality and experience in the short term will save you a lot in the long run. More Resources: How to Find Unbiased Reviews for Solar Power Providers in San Diego The General Site Visit When you begin to narrow down your solar installer choices, you’ll want to request a general site visit. A representative from the company will come out to your house to assess your home’s energy needs and evaluate your property. During the site visit, the installation expert will look at things like: Your roof type Roof angle The general condition of your roof Any shading concerns with your roof Any other factors that could affect your future solar power system With this information, the installation expert will be able to make a recommendation on the ideal solar panel system size for your home. They can also explain financing options and equipment brand choices to you. After the site visit, the solar company will provide you with a project quote for the solar panel installation. Typically, a solar company can schedule a home visit within one or two weeks of your call depending on their schedule. With a few solar installation quotes to compare, you should be able to make your decision. Your chosen solar installer will draft a scope of work that will confirm the size of your solar power system, the brands of your panels and converter, and your payment option (such as a cash payment, a loan, a lease, or a power purchase agreement). Once you sign a contract with your installer, and the installation will formally begin. Start your clock! Step One – The Engineering Site Visit (One to two weeks) Before your solar panels can even be ordered, the solar installation company needs to make sure your roof and electrical system are up to the task of going solar. They will dispatch an engineer who will perform an assessment of your home. The engineering site visit is different from the general site visit that occurred at the beginning of this process. The engineering visit will get into the nitty-gritty of making sure your roof is strong enough to hold the solar panels and that your electrical system can handle the amps that the solar system will produce. In other words, if there are any major problems with your home, this is when you’ll find out. For example, if you have an older home, your electrical system may not be able to handle the amount of energy you want your system to produce. This may require you to upgrade your electrical panel. Another common problem is that you may have an older roof that is nearing the end of its life. It doesn’t make financial sense (or cents) to install solar panels on your roof if you’ll have to uninstall them in a few years when you replace your roof. The solution is to replace your aging roof before installing the solar panels. (Yes, this will be expensive, but we offer a big discount if you use us for a roof replacement and solar installation.) This stage can be a nail-biter, but it’s definitely better to know problems in the beginning than to discover them after your panels are in place and you’re ready to flip the switch! Depending on your installer’s schedule, it may take one or two weeks to schedule the engineering site visit. Additional Resources: How Long Does Re-Roofing a House Take? Step Two: Pulling Permits (One week to several months) Any time you plan to make a major change to your home, your local town, city, municipality, or homeowner’s association wants to have a say. This may feel like a colossal waste of time, but building permits ensure that your contractor performs work that meets local building codes and protects your safety. Permitting requirements vary depending on where you live. Some cities require very strict permits, while others don’t. If you live under the careful eye of a homeowner’s association, they’ll almost certainly want to approve your project before it gets started. Fortunately, you don’t need to personally do all this paperwork yourself. Your installer will handle all the forms and just ask you to sign them. The length of this step will depend on how accommodating or slow your local civil servants are. In some areas, permits are approved in a matter of days. In others, it can take weeks or months to get that glorious stamp of approval. If there is an error on your forms, or your solar installation company’s plans don’t meet local building codes, your permits will be denied, and you’ll need to start all over again! Step Three: Raking in the Solar Incentives (Typically performed while pulling permits) Investing in solar panels for your home isn’t cheap, which is why it’s so helpful when the government offers to shoulder a portion of the bill. Even now, a variety of renewable energy incentives are still available to homeowners who pay for solar. The biggest one is the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) which lets you deduct 26% of the cost of your solar installation from your tax bill. Many state and local governments also offer their own incentive plans, including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Your solar installer should be able to identify all the renewable energy incentives you qualify for and help you apply for them. Typically, this process occurs in tandem with pulling permits, so it shouldn’t add a lot of additional time to your installation. What to Know About LADWP’s Solar Incentive Program Step Four: Ordering Your Solar Equipment (One day to several weeks) As soon as your permits are approved, your solar installer will have a green light to order your solar panels and the other necessary installation equipment, including the inverter and the racks that attach the panels to your roof. Your installation company may already have this equipment in stock, but if not, your project manager will need to work with the company’s shipping and warehouse department to put in the order with the equipment manufacturer. If your solar panels and other equipment are coming from overseas (such as China), you could be facing a wait of several weeks for the equipment to arrive. (at Semper Solaris, we strive to use equipment designed and manufactured in the United States). More Resources: 5 Questions to Make Sure You’re Getting Top Rated Solar Panels Step Five: Scheduling Your Solar Installation (One week to one month) When the paperwork is approved and your equipment order has been sent, your solar installer can finally schedule the installation. If your equipment needs some time to arrive, this could push out your installation. The other major factor will be your installer’s schedule. During the busy months of the year, a solar installer may be booked for several weeks or even a month out in the future. It can be frustrating to wait for their schedule to clear, but at least this indicates that your chosen installer has a great reputation and a thriving business. If you want to speed up the installation process, one option is to start during the offseason. Winter time is typically slower for most solar installation companies and can help get your solar installation on the calendar more quickly. Step Six: The Installation (One to three days) The day of your solar installation has finally arrived. On this day, the trucks will trundle up to your home, carrying well-trained installers and your equipment. After so much waiting, you may be surprised at how quickly this major step is accomplished. If you own a smaller home and/or ordered a smaller solar power system for your home, the installation may be completed in a single day. For larger systems and larger roofs, it may take two or three days to complete. What does a solar installation for your home actually entail? Here’s what will happen: The solar installers will start by prepping your roof so that they can safely and securely attach the racking. Next, they’ll install the electrical wiring that will connect the panels to your home’s electric panel. After the wiring is in place, the workers will install the racking on your roof to hold your solar panels in place. With the panels in place, the installers can attach the solar panels to them. Next, the workers will install the inverter, which will convert the direct current energy (DC) that your solar panels produce into alternating current energy (AC) that your appliances and the power grid needs. Finally, the workers will either install a power meter if you are going to plug into the utility grid and take advantage of net metering, or they will install your solar battery It sounds like a lot of work, but experienced and motivated workers can get it all done faster than you might imagine. More Resources: How to Prepare for Your Solar Installation Step Seven: Final Approval (several days to several weeks) The home stretch! The solar panels are sitting pretty on your roof, but before your installer can flip the magic switch, there’s one more step that needs to be completed. If you plan on using the net metering system here in California, you’ll need to get final approval by an inspector from your local government and/or your public electrical company. The purpose of the inspections isn’t to grind down your last nerve; it’s to ensure that your installer built your system up to code as outlined in the permits they submitted. As long as your installer knew what they were doing, your system will be approved, and your installer can finally, FINALLY, turn on the solar panels for your home. The time this process takes will depend again on the efficiency of your local government and whether your system requires one or two separate assessments. If you are not plugging into the net metering system and are instead storing your solar energy in a solar battery, you will not need a final review and approval from your public utility. Solar Panels for Your Home Are Worth the Wait It can feel like a long wait between signing your solar contract and finally flipping the switch to turn on your solar panels. However, even if you have a longer-than-average installation process, it still isn’t a long amount of time in the grand scheme of things. What are three months when you plan on spending the next ten years or possibly the rest of your life in your home? Also, solar panels last for decades, so it won’t hurt them to wait a few weeks on your roof before they start working. It’s also worth the wait to make sure you pull the right permits and receive the approvals you need to legally and safely operate your system! The solar installation company you choose can affect the speed of your installation. An experienced local solar installer will know which permits to pull, which incentives you qualify for, and how to request the final approvals once the system is in place. They’ll also be less likely to make mistakes during the permitting process or during the installation, which can slow down the work and cost you money! At Semper Solaris, we want to be your local solar installation company. We’ve opened offices throughout California so that we can offer local expertise throughout the state. Please take a look at our excellent reviews on SolarReviews.com, Angie’s List, The Better Business Bureau, and Yelp and then contact us for a free home energy audit.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “You need to spend money to make money.”? That’s all well and good… as long as you have the money to spend! Take solar panels for your home as an example. Solar panels can help you dramatically lower or even eliminate your monthly energy bills, but what if you can’t afford the hefty price tag? Then it’s time to consider a solar lease. This financing option is extremely popular with homeowners throughout California because a solar lease offers you a viable way to get solar panels with little or even no money down. In this article, we’ll take a look at solar leases work and answer all of your burning solar lease questions. What Is a Solar Lease? Many of us don’t have thousands or tens of thousands of dollars sitting in our savings account that we can spend on a new solar power system. Likewise, you may be wary of taking on a solar loan to pay for your system or refinancing your house to scrounge up the money. A solar lease can be an excellent way still obtain solar panels without handing over your life’s savings. A solar lease is a financing option that lets you essentially “rent” your solar panels from a solar leasing company for a set cost each month. (A car lease works essentially the same way.) The solar leasing company owns the panels and all the equipment and shoulders the full cost of installing, maintaining, and monitoring your system. A solar lease is an ideal choice if you don’t want to pay out-of-pocket for your solar panels. It’s also an excellent way for you to support renewable energy production and lower your carbon footprint. How Much Will My Solar Lease Cost? Every solar lease company offers different lease terms, but most provide zero-down payment options, meaning that you can lease your solar panel system without an upfront payment. Certain solar leases do require a small down payment, so make sure you review the terms of your solar lease carefully before signing the agreement. The actual monthly cost of your solar system will depend on a variety of factors, including the size of your solar system, the type of solar panels that make up the system, and labor costs in your geographic area. Will a Solar Lease Save Me Money? That’s the idea! Your solar lease provider will charge you a set rate each month based upon an estimate on how much energy your solar panel system will generate. Typically, solar lease clients enjoy a savings of between 10% and 30% each month on their energy costs. The beauty of a solar lease is that your savings are likely to increase over time. As the utility companies continue to raise their rates, you’ll save more and more compared to your neighbors who don’t have solar panels. How Long Does a Solar Lease Last? Your solar lease will be active for a set amount of time as defined in your solar lease agreement. Typically, these agreements last between 20 and 25 years. Again, a solar lease allows you to pay the same set rate each month for all the energy your system produces. Over 25 years, utility costs are almost guaranteed to rise significantly, leading to even bigger cost savings for you! What Happens If My Solar Panels Break? One of the things that make solar leases so convenient is that the solar leasing company owns your solar panel system and is responsible for continually maintaining and monitoring the system. In the rare instance that your solar panels break, or their performance drops, your solar leasing company will come out and fix the issue. You won’t have to pay out-of-pocket to replace your solar panels or to hire a repair team. Will My Solar System Cover All My Energy Needs? Ideally, if you are working with an experienced and high-quality solar panel company, your solar installer will accurately assess your home’s energy usage and recommend a system that covers your energy needs. That being said, your energy usage will fluctuate from month-to-month. For example, when the sizzling summer months roll around, you’ll probably want to switch on your energy-guzzling air conditioning. Your solar lease payment only covers the energy your solar panels produce. If you use more energy than your system generates, you’ll need to get the rest of your energy from your public utility provider and will be charged their rates. This is an important factor to understand and to consider as you plan your solar lease system. Energy usage changes over time in most households. For example, if you purchase an electric car in the future, your energy needs could quickly outpace what your panels produce. The same is true if your kids come back from college or a parent moves into your home. On the flip side, if your kids will be heading out on their own in a few years, you may want to consider leasing a system that is a little smaller than your current, kid-juiced energy usage rates would indicate. What Is the Difference Between Solar Leases and Power Purchase Agreements? As you research solar leases, you may come across the term “Power Purchase Agreement” (PPA) or see solar leases and PPAs used interchangeably. PPAs are very similar to solar leases, but they operate in a slightly different way. With a solar lease, you “rent” your solar panel system and all the power it generates for a set monthly fee. With a power purchase agreement, you pay a set fee for every kWh (kilowatt hour) the system produces. Your monthly payment will vary depending on how much energy your system creates. For example, in winter, you may pay less, since longer nights mean less sunlight your system can convert into energy. In summer, your PPA payment will be higher as your panels drink in all that extra sunlight. Can I Still Get Renewable Energy Incentives if I Lease? Depending on where you live, homeowners in your area who invest in solar panels may qualify for local rebates or other tax incentives. One of the biggest incentives is the federal tax deduction, which allows you to deduct 26% of the cost of your solar panel system from your tax bill. Unfortunately, all of these incentives go to the owner of the solar panel system. If you choose a solar lease, these incentives will go to the solar leasing company, not to you. Remember though, that the solar leasing company is paying for the panels, the equipment, and the installation. Renewable energy incentives allow them to offer you low lease rates and no-money-down financing options. Can I Purchase My Solar Panels? Most solar leases will allow you to purchase your solar panel system during the lease period or when the lease expires. You may have to pay a predefined price as laid out in the lease agreement or the fair market value of the system (usually whichever amount is higher). Purchasing your solar panel system may be a good idea if your income increases over time and you would rather eliminate your energy costs altogether rather than pay the set lease rate each month. What Happens If I Want to Sell My House? As you’ve learned in this article, a solar lease typically lasts between 20 and 25 years. That’s a long time. Considering that the average American stays in their home for 13 years, chances are more likely than not that you’ll move out of your house before your lease expires. In this situation, you have two options. You can choose to purchase the solar panel system outright and include it in the price of your home. The second option is to transfer the remainder of the lease to the new homeowners. Your solar leasing company has handled this issue plenty of times and can work with you and the new homeowner to transfer the lease. Unfortunately, if the home buyer does not want to take on the lease, you may face a steep financial penalty if you need to break your lease. In this situation, it may be a better idea to simply purchase the system and include it in the sales price of your home. What Happens at the End of My Solar Lease? Maybe you are currently living in your dream home and plan to stick it out into your golden years. In this case, you may wonder what happens when your solar lease comes to an end. At that point, you’ll have a few options on how to deal with the solar panels on your roof. You could simply choose to renew your lease, though your terms and payment rate may change. If you’re done with leasing, you can decline to renew the lease, and the leasing company will come out and remove your solar panel system. Your final option is to purchase the system. It is worth speaking with a solar installation company to determine if purchasing your current system is a good idea. Solar technology continues to improve at a rapid pace even as prices continue to drop. In 20 years, it may actually be a better deal to purchase a brand new solar panel system! Should I Buy Solar Panels for My Home or a Solar Lease? It’s important to carefully weigh the benefits and the drawbacks of solar leasing before you make a final decision. Leasing is the most cost-effective option in the short term. You can get solar panels on your roof with little or no money down and begin saving on your monthly energy bills immediately. Solar leasing is also convenient. You don’t have to worry about installation, maintaining the system, or monitoring it. You’ll also get one reliable lease bill each month for the duration of your agreement. However, if you want the most savings over time, it’s probably a better idea to purchase solar panels for your home. You’ll have to pay a big chunk of money out of pocket, but your system will significantly lower or even entirely eliminate your monthly energy bill. You’ll also get to take advantage of the federal tax deduction and any local tax incentives and rebates available, which can help lower the overall cost of your system. Most studies find that solar panel systems in California will pay for themselves in six to seven years. After that point, your solar panels will be keeping money in your pocket while you protect the environment. Not sure whether to purchase your solar panels or go with a solar lease? Talk to a local solar installation company to learn more about the pros and cons of each option. At Semper Solaris, you can contact us today to schedule a free energy analysis, and we’ll send a trained solar representative to your home to walk you through your financing options.
The kids are out of school, and the major holidays are still in the distance. No wonder summer is the prime moving season. You might not be ready to pack up and go quite yet, but seeing as the average American moves roughly 11 times in their life, chances are good you won’t be staying put forever. In the spirit of “moving season,” now is a great time to consider home upgrades, like solar installation, a kitchen remodel, and finally doing something to the patch of grass out front. The beauty of taking on a few big summer projects is that they can add value to your home and your life. You’re investing in your biggest asset and improving your domestic bliss! That’s a win-win. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable home improvement projects to consider this summer (or any time of the year). Solar Installation We’re a solar installation company, so of course we think adding solar to your home is a great financial move. Don’t just take our word for it, though. According to a study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, “home buyers consistently have been willing to pay more for a property with PV [photovoltaic solar panels] across a variety of states, housing and PV markets, and home types.” The researchers compared data on over 3,000 homes with solar panels with 18,871 homes without across eight states, including California. They found that solar panels conferred a value of approximately $4 per watt to the home’s worth. That means that a 5 kilowatt system (a system that produces an average of 5,000 watts a month) could add roughly $20,000 of value to the sales price of a home! That means your solar system will more than pay for itself when you sell your home, while also saving you money each month on your energy bills while you live in the home. We might be just a touch bias, but we think that’s a pretty good deal! We should note that the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab study only looked at homeowner-owned solar systems and did not provide data on leased solar systems. Remodel Your Kitchen Consumer Reports says it all when they proclaim, “kitchen is still king!” Professional millennial couples as well as baby boomers eyeing their retirement years want a beautiful, open kitchen with state-of-the art appliances and plenty of counter space to let them entertain and whip up dinners for the whole family. Before you start sweating the price tag, Consumer Reports has good news for you. “A smaller investment can have serious impact. For as little as $5,000, you should be able to add a new suite of appliances, as well as a new countertop and flooring, resulting in a fresh, coordinated look.” The well-regarded Cost vs. Value report released every year backs up this notion. According to the report, a minor kitchen remodel in Los Angeles has a whopping 113% return on investment in 2018! Knock Down Walls If you own a home from the ‘60s or ‘70s, you’ll probably notice something: walls. Lots of walls. These days, many families, and especially millennials, desire open-concept home layouts. They want life to flow naturally throughout the house and be able to easily entertain. According to This Old House, “Anything that opens the space and creates a sense of flow in the house is generating a response from buyers who can afford to be choosy. For the price of a few hundred dollars, you'll transform the feel of the house.” If your kitchen is blocked away from the family room or dining room, call a licensed contractor and start knocking down some walls! Replace Your Roof If you’ve read some of our previous blog posts, you know that roofs don’t last forever. Depending upon the type of roof you have, it may have a lifespan of anywhere between 10 and 30 years. If your roof is getting close to the end of its life, replacing it just makes sense. A leaky roof can result in significant property damage. Replacing your roof also makes another kind of cents. According to the Cost vs. Value report, replacing a midrange roof can give you an 82.5% return on investment when it comes time to sell. A well-designed roof can also lower your energy costs, allow you to install solar panels, and increase your home’s curb appeal! Bathroom Addition / Bathroom Remodel While older homes may have more walls than you need, they also tend to be lacking in adequate bathroom space. It isn’t unusual to find a three-bedroom home from the ‘70s with a single, tiny bathroom for the whole family. That won’t fly for today’s modern couples who expect a big master bathroom for themselves as well as a separate bath for their kids. A half bath in the main living space for visiting guests wouldn’t hurt either! While adding a bathroom to a midrange house will only net you a 78.2% return on investment, it could dramatically increase the number of potential interested buyers who would never consider a one-bathroom home. Doubling your bathrooms will also make life easier for your entire family. If you have all the baths your house needs, another consideration is a bathroom remodel. Buyers love double-sink vanities in the master bath, walk-in tiled showers, and big soaker tubs. Your investment will not only give you a bathroom you and your family will love, but it can also nab you a 90.8% return on investment for a mid-range bathroom remodel! Desertscaping Millennial power couples love the thought of a beautiful yard, but they don’t have the time to care for it. Older baby boomers may not have the physical capacity to prune bushes or keep up expansive gardens. In both cases, switching a thirsty grass lawn into a desertscape yard that utilizes drought-tolerant, easy-to-maintain plants can be a great addition to your home. A desertscape embraces California’s native plants to create a serene yard that requires very little upkeep and water. Today’s eco-conscious homebuyers will especially appreciate that these yards don’t gulp huge quantities of water, a precious (and expensive) commodity in drought-prone California. A desertscape will also give your home excellent curb appeal. Don’t forget that the outside of your home is what buyers will see first! One Project at a Time You don’t have to be planning a move in the next year or two in order to justify updating and remodeling your home. All the projects you do today will add to your enjoyment of the home while also adding to its value for a future sale. It’s like putting money into the piggy bank, except in this scenario, you also get lower energy bills, a gorgeous kitchen, and a lawn that requires almost no yard work. Don’t let this project list overwhelm you. If you’ve lived in a home for any amount of time, you know that it’s always a work in progress. Look at your budget and pick one or two home projects to tackle each year. We might be biased, but we suggest starting with solar installation or a roof replacement if your roof is nearing the end of its life expectancy. As you discovered in this article, solar panels can more than pay for themselves when you sell your home, but they’ll also help you save money immediately each month on your energy bill. Here’s one last nudge: the federal government’s generous 26% tax deduction for solar panel installation may not last much longer! Schedule a no-pressure, no-obligation energy analysis from Semper Solaris today to get the process started. We also provide Roof Installation and replacement services throughout California and can offer you big savings when you combine a roof replacement with a solar installation. We hope to hear from you soon!
So you want to take advantage of all the gorgeous sunshine San Diego receives throughout the year to lower your energy bills and shrink your environmental footprint. Awesome! It’s time to start thinking about solar panels for your home, but what exactly does solar installation entail? You definitely don’t want to feel like you’re fumbling in the dark as you start this solar journey, so we’ve created this handy checklist to light your way. Our solar checklist lays out each step in the process, so you know exactly what to expect from start to finish. Step 1 – Make Sure Your Roof Will Hold Up Before you can put solar panels on your roof, you need to make sure your roof can handle the extra load. Materials Some roof materials are not conducive to solar panels, including slate and wooden roofs. Fortunately, here in San Diego, a majority of roofs are made with clay and Spanish tile, which are great for solar installation. Ownership If you live in a condo or townhome, your roof is probably owned by your homeowners’ association (HOA), and your CC&Rs likely do not allow you to make any modifications. In this situation, you can always lobby your HOA to invest in solar panels on behalf of all homeowners. Roof Size A small roof offers less area for solar panel placement. This may require you to invest in more efficient solar panels, which are smaller but also more expensive. Location Ideally, solar panels should face true south to receive the most direct sunlight. However, solar panels can still operate well (though less efficiently) on east- and west-facing roofs. Age Most solar panel systems can last an estimated 25 – 40 years. If your roof is on its last legs, it’s probably smarter to deal with that issue first! (Did you know we also repair and replace roofs in San Diego?) Shade The amount of shade your roof receives during the day can affect the efficiency of solar panels. If a big tree looms over your house or a taller neighboring house casts shade, your panels won’t work as well. Even if your roof isn’t ideal for solar panels, all is not lost. Old roofs can be replaced, or you can consider a ground mounted solar panel system. Step 2 – Determine How Much Energy You Use If order for a San Diego solar installation company to provide you with an estimate on your solar system, you need to determine the size of the system you want. To do this, you’ll need to work backwards and figure out the average amount of energy you need the system to generate each month. This may seem tricky, but it’s actually simple. You should be able to log onto the website of your electrical provider and download your statements for the last year. Each statement will list how much energy you used that month in kilowatt hours (kWh). Add up your energy usage from the last 12 months and divide by 12. This will give you your average monthly usage. You’ll want your solar system to generate this amount of energy for you each month so your solar panels can cover all your energy needs. Note: If you plan on increasing your energy usage in the future, such as by purchasing an electric car, make sure to take this into consideration when determining the size of your solar system. Step 3 – Select Your Financing Do you want to own solar panels for your home, or does ownership not matter as long as you don’t have to write a big check? You have a variety of financing options. You can purchase your panels outright, either with cash or through a loan. Most solar companies also offer solar leases and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). With solar leases and PPAs, the solar company owns the panels and charges you a set fee for your energy usage that is usually less than what you would pay the utility company. The upside of this arrangement is that you don’t have to pay a dime for your panels! Step 4 – Choose Your Solar Installation Vendor San Diegans have a lot of choice when it comes to solar installation companies. That’s a good thing! The best place to start your search is to ask your family, neighbors, and friends who have already invested in solar panels about the company they used. Another smart move is to check a company’s reviews on the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, and Yelp, so you can read what past clients experienced with them. Finally, we encourage you to work with a local company. Hiring local keeps your money in the community and supports local jobs and local families. Plus, local companies are invested in the community. They live and work here, so it’s in their best interest to do a great job for their neighbors. You should always get at least a few different quotes so you can compare and make the best decision for your project goals and budget. Price will, of course, be a factor in your decision, but don’t just choose the lowest-priced vendor. Make sure the company you pick has great reviews and a history of service in your community. Step 5 – Choose Your Solar Panels Your chosen solar vendor will probably have a few preferred solar panel brands that they recommend to you. Listen carefully to their recommendations, but know that you can choose a different brand. Premium brand solar panels tend to offer higher efficiency, better design, and a longer warranty, but you’ll also pay a premium price. Solar Reviews is a great resource for learning more about the dozens of available solar panel brands. They also host reviews from homeowners. Step 6 – Sit Back and Relax Once you’ve chosen your San Diego solar panel installation company, your financing plan, and your solar panel brand, it’s time for you to step back and let the solar company take the baton. Now it’s their job to: Order the panels and other equipment Pull all the necessary permits Install the mounting, panels, and inverter Receive permission to hook your panels into the local electrical grid Check the system and turn everything on A good solar company will walk you through each of these steps so that you understand exactly what’s happening and when. After the installation is complete and your solar panels are online, you’ll be able to check your meter to follow your energy usage. Most solar companies also offer monitoring software that lets you see how much energy your panels produced each day, so you can watch them work! We hope this solar installation checklist was helpful. If you live in California and have additional questions about solar panels for your home, let us know! We’d be happy to perform an onsite evaluation to determine if your home would be a good candidate for solar panels. We are proud to live and work here in San Diego and to employ veterans and San Diego residents.
You’re ready to get solar panels for your home, and you’re super excited about it. However, you have a “Debbie Downer” in your life. This is the one friend or family member who seems to secretly delight in raining on your parade. “Debbie” wants to be excited for you (really, she does!), but she read somewhere that solar panels create more pollution than they save. Oh, and there was a friend of a friend of a friend whose entire roof caved in after he got solar panels. Yikes! However, don’t let Debbie get you down; there are a lot of unfounded solar panels myths floating around. Let’s take these solar panel myths head on so that you can arm yourself with some powerful truth bombs the next time Debbie stops by. Myth 1: Making Solar Panels Creates More Pollution Than They Will Save Many homeowners appreciate the fact that solar panels help them lower their carbon footprint, while also saving them money on their energy bills. Here in Southern California, we want to be part of the solution in fighting climate change. Any time you manufacture a product, it costs energy and creates pollution. Solar panels are no exception. However, over their lifetime, solar panels do prevent more pollution than they cause. A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that solar panels pay back the energy required to manufacture them in four years. And most industry experts estimate that solar panels can last from 25 to 40 years. Even on the lowest end of this prediction, your solar panels will provide 21 years of net positive renewable energy creation. This same report also tackles the pollution that solar panels prevent. When Debbie Downer swings by for a visit, you can tell her that a solar installation that produces 1,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity prevents emissions of: 8 pounds of sulfur dioxide 5 pounds of nitrogen oxides 1,400 pounds of carbon dioxide To get a sense of what that means, the average household uses 830 kWh per month, so these savings represent just a little over a month of work for your solar panels if your system provides for your full energy needs. Myth 2: Solar Panels Don’t Work in Cloudy, Overcast Skies Here in Southern California, we get a lot of sunshine year-round. But what happens during “May Gray” and “June Gloom”? Is solar such a good investment if you live near the beach and wake up to a heavy marine layer each morning? Solar panels work best when they receive direct sunlight, but just because a few clouds are in the sky doesn’t mean solar panels stop working. According to Eco Watch, cloudy days reduce solar panel efficiency down to an estimated 10 – 25% of normal power output. Does this mean you shouldn’t invest in solar panels if you live near the shore? Not at all! The marine layer burns off by the afternoon, providing your panels with plenty of sunshine. If you live in a cloudier destination, you’ll simply need to purchase a larger solar system to make up for the cloudy days. As for “May Gray” and “June Gloom,” your solar system will be designed to produce the amount of energy your household typically uses each year. That may mean your panels produce more energy than you need in sunnier months, like July and August, to help balance out cloudier months and months with shorter days, like June and January. Because your panels are tied into the grid, it should all even out at the end of the year, assuming your system was designed correctly! Myth 3: You’ll Need to Purchase a Special Battery to Store Your Solar Energy Your solar panels only produce energy during the day, so what are you supposed to do during the night or during a stretch of cloudy days when the efficiency of your panels drops? Debbie Downer might point out that you’ll have to invest in batteries to store the excess energy your solar panels create during the day. These batteries typically only last five to ten years, so you’ll need to replace them regularly. What happens if you use too much energy, and the batteries run out of juice? Should you stock up on candles and lanterns? Not so fast. While battery backup technology, like the Tesla Powerwall, is improving by leaps and bounds and might be worth considering for those who wish to live off the grid, the majority of Southern Californians don’t bother with them. That’s because homeowners with solar panels have access to net metering. In a nutshell, this means that the solar panels for your home are actually connected directly into the energy grid. When your panels are producing energy, the excess energy goes into the grid and your meter will actually run backwards. At night or during cloudy days when you need more energy than your panels are producing, your system will automatically switch over and pull energy from the grid. Your meter will then tick forward. If your solar system is set up correctly, it should mostly even out by the end of the year. All of this happens automatically, and you never have to worry about your lights not turning on at night or the heat suddenly shutting off. Net metering is a great system and one of the reasons why California has had so much success in increasing its production of renewable solar energy. Myth 4 – Solar Panels are Too Expensive The cost of solar panels continues to drop precipitously as the technology improves, manufacturers increase efficiency, and heavy competition forces prices down. If you talk to a family member or friend who purchased solar panels a decade ago, you might be shocked at the price tag. Don’t go by their numbers. According to Energy Sage, the average cost of solar panels is between $2.71 and $3.57 per watt depending on where you live and the brand of solar panel you choose. These numbers reflect the cost before tax credits, rebates and other local incentives, which are still available for many California homeowners. If you pay out of pocket for your solar panels in California, you can expect to pay between $11,928 - $15,204 for a moderately sized 6kw system. This cost is far lower than what it was even just five or six years ago, but it’s not pocket change either! One thing to consider is that solar panels are an investment that will pay for themselves over time. Because California supports a net metering system, your solar panels will feed excess energy into the grid, which may be able to zero out your energy bill by the end of the year. Since energy prices are almost certainly going to keep rising, your panels will become more valuable over time. Solar panels can also add value to your home. An analysis performed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab found that a 5 kWh solar system could increase a home’s value by $20,000 in California – more than the cost of the entire system! Additionally, California’s Proposition 7, which passed in 1980, prevents the state from increasing your property taxes when you add solar. Adding solar panels for your home is a good deal! However, not everyone has $12,000 sitting around. Most solar companies offer solar lease options and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) that can save you money on your energy bills while requiring no money down on your solar system. Myth 5 – Solar Installation Will Destroy My Roof Roofs are expensive, and whenever you (or anybody else) installs something on your roof, there is always a risk of damage. However, as long as you hire a professional and experienced solar panel installation company with roofing experience, you won’t have to worry about damage. Most solar panels are connected to the roof using a mounted railing system and are not directly attached to the roof. These mounts are typically surrounded by special metal coverings called “flashing” that provide extra protection from the elements, and roofers can also fill in gaps with special sealants. If Debbie Downer knows a friend of friend whose roof was destroyed after installing solar panels, it is likely because the homeowner tried to install solar panels on their own. Roof work is difficult and highly technical and not every roof is ideal for hosting solar panels. When you work with a professional solar company, a technician will assess your roof to ensure that it is strong enough to support the panels. If your roof has underlying issues or will need to be replaced in a few years, it’s probably a good idea to focus your attention on the roof first, and then get solar panels after your roof has been replaced or repaired. (Guess who provides Roof Installations and replacements? We do!) Let the Truth Shine Through Don’t let the Debbie Downer in your life make you question your commitment to getting solar panels for your home. The truth is that solar panels will lower your carbon footprint and energy usage over their lifetime, which can help you fight climate change for future generations. Solar panels aren’t cheap, but their prices are dropping, and they will only increase in value as energy prices continue to rise. While solar panels may not work as well on cloudy days, California’s net metering system means you’ll never run out of electricity. Finally, when installed correctly by a licensed and experienced solar installation company, solar panels will not destroy your roof! Have more questions about solar panels? If you live in California, we’d love to confirm your facts or dispel any other solar myths you have. Give us a call today to set up a free energy analysis. We can also assess your roof if you think you might need repairs before going solar.
One of the most common questions we get from prospective clients is: How many solar panels will I need for my house? It’s a good question, because the number of solar panels you need will of course affect the price of your solar panel installation. The number of solar panels you need for your home will depend on how much energy you typically use, where you live, and the efficiency of your solar panels. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2016 the average U.S. family used roughly 10,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity, which would require about 16-20 solar panels. That’s the average, but you’re not average, right? In this article, we’ll help you figure out how many solar panels you need to power your life here in sunshine-rich Southern California. Your Energy Usage The first step in determining the size of your solar installation is to figure out how much energy you use. The last thing you want is to invest in a solar power system that doesn’t produce enough energy or produces more than you need. This average household data we mentioned above provides a baseline, but it might not be relevant to you. A family of six in a 5,000-square-foot home in San Marcos with a heated pool and two electric vehicles is going to use a lot more energy than a couple living in a 2,000-square-foot home in Carlsbad who don’t drive electric cars or have a swimming pool. You can find your typical energy usage by looking up your energy bills for the past year. These should be available by logging into your electric company’s customer portal. Each bill should include your total energy usage in kilowatt hours for that month. Add up the amount for the past twelve months and then divide by 12. Viola! You’ll have your average monthly energy usage (typically between 850 and 1,000 kWh). Assuming you want your solar panel system to cover all of your electricity needs, you’ll need to install a system that can produce this amount each month. Where You Live Where you live also plays a role in how many solar panels you need for your home. Americans who live in states like Washington and Maine have to endure long winter nights and many overcast days of the year. Their solar panels get less sunlight, which means they have to put more panels on their roof to produce the same amount of electricity as someone living in a sun-rich state like California. Of course, just because the sun is in the sky doesn’t mean your solar panels are producing at max capacity. For example, sunrise and sunset won’t help your panels generate much solar energy, because when the sun sits at such a low angle, the atmosphere filters a lot of the light. Also, rates of sun can even vary from house to house depending on external features (like tall trees or a big hill behind your home) that affect how much sun you get. When calculating how much electricity your solar panels can produce, it’s more important to figure out how many peak sun hours your location receives on an average day rather than just the amount of time the sun is in the sky. Without getting too technical, you can think of a peak sun hour as an hour when your panels are receiving strong, direct sunlight. (If you do want to get technical, a peak sun hour is when the intensity of sun is 1,000 watts per square meter.) In the U.S., most areas receive an average of three to five peak sun hours per day. When you schedule your energy analysis with a solar installation company, an energy expert will help you determine the average daily usable hours of sunlight your home receives. Solar Panel Efficiency Not every solar panel is alike. Different brands offer different levels of efficiency. When we talk about efficiency, we mean how much electricity each panel can generate in an hour. Depending on which brand of solar panel you choose, you can expect an efficiency anywhere from 250 to 350 watts per hour. (Note – these numbers always refer to the amount of energy produced during peak sun hours.) That difference adds up. Let’s assume your home receives four hours of peak sun hours a day. A 250-watt panel will produce 1kWh per day (250 watts x 4 hours). That’s around 30 kWh per month in a 30-day month. A solar panel that produces 350 watts will give you 42 kWh in that same month. While higher efficiency solar panels tend to be a little more expensive than their less efficient counterparts, they can end up saving you money if you need to purchase fewer solar panels. They’ll also take up less room on your roof! At Semper Solaris, we are proud to use SunPower solar panels, one of the highest quality and most efficient solar panels on the market. Calculating How Many Solar Panels You Need for Your Home As mentioned above, our energy experts will help you determine how many solar panels you’ll need. If you’d like to estimate this beforehand to start your planning, here’s a quick example of how you can crunch the numbers: Say that you own an electric car and aren’t about to scrimp on using your air conditioning in the summer. Your average monthly electricity usage rate is a little higher than average at 1,000 kWh per month. During your energy audit, the solar representative mentions that your area receives a daily average of 4.5 peak sun hours. After discussing your options, you consider high-efficiency solar panels that can produce 300 watts per peak sun hour. Let’s do the math. 300 watts x 4.5 peak sun-hours = 1,350 watts One solar panel on your roof will produce an average of 1,350 watts or 1.35 kWh per day. 1.35 X 30 = 40.5 kWh per month (assuming a 30-day month). You need a solar panel system that produces 1,000 kWh per month. 1000 kWh / 40.5 kWh = 24.69 solar panels. Whew! That was a lot of math, but we got our answer. Your home would need roughly 25 solar panels in order to meet your existing energy needs. You’ll notice that this number is actually lower than the average mentioned at the beginning of this article. That’s because we get higher-than-average amount of peak sun hours here in San Diego, and because this scenario incorporates high-efficiency solar panels. No wonder Californians love solar panels! This article should help you get a general idea of the number of solar panels you need, but to get an accurate estimate, request a consultation with a knowledgeable and reliable solar panel installer in your area. If you live in California, take a look at our serviced locations and schedule a free energy audit with Semper Solaris.
If you’re ready to buy solar panels for your home, there are a few questions you should ask. While you are indeed making the smart decision to go solar, you still need to do your due diligence in order to make this transition to renewable energy a successful one. From questions that can help reinforce your choice to switch to solar and understanding exactly what solar energy can be used for, to finalizing the details of costs, installation and which solar panels you should buy—there’s a lot to know about installing a solar power system. Here are five crucial questions you should be asking before installing a home solar power system - with answers to match - so you can go solar with full confidence. 1. Why go solar? There’s a long list of benefits to going solar that should make you feel comfortable in changing your home energy source. For starters, using solar energy reduces your carbon footprint. Unlike fossil fuels and gas, solar is considered a clean source of energy, meaning it doesn’t pollute the air with harmful emissions. So, while you’re doing good for the environment, what’s in it for you? The bottom line is, going solar will save you money in the long run. Based on the average household electricity usage, solar energy has been shown to save $10k - $30k over a course of 20 years, when compared to what’d you pay for a traditional electric bill. Furthermore, you will never have to deal with unpredictable electricity bills again. Once you have a system installed, the cost of solar energy is fixed and free, since you are essentially getting power from a free energy source (the sun, that is). 2. What can solar energy be used for? Solar panels for home energy can be utilized in a multitude of ways. The primary use most people think of is using the energy collected from your panels to power everything in your house, from the electricity to the heating and cooling. Here’s how it works: The solar panels installed on your roof capture particles of sunlight (aka, photons). These photons are then converted into electrons of direct current electricity. This current then flows through a solar power system that converts it to alternating current power, which is the type of electricity that comes from the wall outlet that connects to your TV, computer, lamps and kitchen appliances. On top of solar panels providing your home with electricity, you can also opt to heat your water through a solar collector that heats water directly or via a “working fluid” that is used to heat water. 3. How much are solar panels going to cost? It’s easy to ask the question, how much do solar panels cost? But when it comes to solar systems, they are not one-size fits all, and an easy answer isn’t always easy to find with a quick Google search. That’s because there are many factors that come into play when determining how much solar panels will cost to install. The size of your home and the amount of electricity needed to power it are the major factors in determining many of the initial costs. To give you a rough idea, this 2018 year, homeowners will pay between $2.71 to $3.57 per watt to install solar, with the average U.S. system calling for 5000 watts. What it boils down to is around $9,485 to $12,495 (after tax credits) for a total system. Don’t be alarmed by these numbers because we’ve seen solar systems pay for themselves relatively quickly. If you’re looking at it from a big-picture perspective, the tax credits you get for going solar and the overall amount of utility savings make the actual value of the panels great. They will pay for themselves and even help you save money over time. For an exact idea of how much solar panels will cost for your home, we’ll give you a free energy analysis that can determine exactly how much energy your home needs and how many panels should be installed. 4. What are the best solar panels for my home? When it comes to installing solar panels on your home, you want to make sure they are the most efficient on the market. The top-rated solar panels, according to SolarReviews, is Enphase Energy. These ratings are based on homeowner reviews, but keep in mind that you should also consider your specific energy-saving goals and how much you're willing to invest upfront. Getting the most trusted name in solar panels is key to ensuring satisfaction in your switch to home solar energy and that’s exactly what our team at Semper Solaris looks for in solar panel manufacturers. 5. Who are the best solar providers near me? While using the best panels the solar industry has to offer is a must, choosing the right solar energy system provider to install them is just as important. You want to look for a company that has had proven experience and expertise in the solar roofing field. Word-of-mouth can be one of the best ways to find out who does solar in your area. You can also opt to do a quick internet search. From the list of providers that pop up, be sure to do your research. We recommend looking for testimonials from homeowners that have used that company’s services. You also want to make sure that you receive personal attention from the solar company you choose to hire. Open communication between contractor and customer builds trust. Knowing that your solar needs are the top priority for the company you are working with will help to keep your mind at ease while you are installing your new system. If you reside in California, Semper Solaris provides solar power services up and down the state, installing only the best solar panels for homes. Making the decision to go solar is a big one that can lead to endless benefits in home energy usage. Understanding what exactly solar energy can power in your home along with the kind of financial investment it will take, can inform your decision on what solar panels to buy and have installed on your home roof.
Have you been thinking about investing in solar panels for your home? Solar energy is a prime example of clean energy. It relies only on the power of the sun to produce electricity. “Clean energy” is a term that describes energy produced without pollution. On average, a single home solar panel provides roughly 3,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, all without producing pollution. Homes with solar panels are valued higher on the real estate market, and homeowners can significantly reduce their utility bills by installing solar panels. Still not convinced? Learn more about the benefits of having solar panels for your home. Understanding the Benefits of Installing Solar Panels for Your Home The primary barrier to the widespread adoption of residential solar energy is the cost, which can be in the tens of thousands of dollars per home. But according to a study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the price of solar installation is dropping fast. The median price of an installed solar power system fell by 60 percent over a span of 15 years, from $12 per watt in 1998 to $4.70 per watt in 2013. This price adjustment is before any incentives, such as government rebates or tax breaks, are factored into the cost. The declining price of solar energy is due to increases in the efficiency of production as well as the amount of power a solar cell can produce. In addition, many homeowners who install solar energy systems will be eligible for government tax credits and rebates that will lower the cost even more. Solar panels require very little maintenance and can last between 25 and 45 years because they have no moving parts. The benefits of switching to solar power are numerous, and they include reducing current levels of pollution, lowering electric bills, gaining a higher home resale value, and, in some cases, benefiting from a self-sufficient home power grid. A home that relies to some degree on solar power is inherently reducing its pollution footprint. Solar panels for your home do not burn any fossil fuel, as they rely only on sunlight to produce electricity. Solar power does not produce any harmful emissions, such as greenhouse gasses, and does not contribute to global warming or acid rain. Replacing the traditional system of power plants with solar panels would reduce the cases of respiratory and even cardiovascular illnesses that occur due to air pollution. In addition, solar panels lack the moving parts found in wind energy systems, which means that solar power also does not present any threats to birds. As a homeowner, you can significantly reduce your utility bills by installing solar panels for your home. Depending on the area, homeowners may also be able to sell some power back to the utility grid if their solar panels produce more than their household uses. Home energy prices have risen an average of 3 percent per year since 2002, while solar panels have dropped in price, making solar power an increasingly competitive option compared to relying on utility companies. And solar panels for your home can reduce the cost of energy for everyone, including neighbors who do not have solar energy. Using solar power drives down the demand for electricity from the grid, especially during the summer, when the cost per kilowatt-hour and demand for electricity are the highest. Furthermore, in areas where solar-powered homes contribute electricity to the grid, it enables utility companies to draw power from these cheap sources rather than turning to more expensive power plants. According to a Boston University study by professor Robert Kaufmann, solar-powered homes currently deliver a price drop of one cent per kilowatt-hour in Massachusetts, where the average cost per kilowatt-hour is 15 cents. A home with solar panels will sell for a higher price than other homes that do not have them. According to a study done in January 2015 by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the sale price of a home with a solar array goes up by an average of $15,000. That figure comes out to an additional $4 of resale value per watt of power produced by the installed solar energy system. This resale value pertains primarily to homes with panels that have already been fully paid for. Homes with solar panels installed enjoy a varying level of energy independence. Inherently, these homes will enjoy strong protection from utility cost increases. Depending on the utility, a home with solar panels may also become a generator of electricity by selling power back to the grid. Homeowners will often also install batteries that can store electricity for use when it’s cloudy or during power outages. Although this option is more expensive, a sufficiently powerful system of batteries and solar panels can enable a home to run without relying on the grid at all. Are you ready to invest in solar panels for your home? Contact your local California solar power provider. Protecting the Environment Energy, Economic, and Environmental Benefits of the Solar America Initiative (PDF) Renewable and Alternative Energy Energy From the Sun Reducing Energy Bills Solar Energy Solar Power Saves Everyone Money Reduce Your Energy Costs Increasing Property Value Solar Energy Resources for Homebuilders Energy Independence How Many Solar Panels Do I Need on My House to Become Energy-Independent? Solar Panel Installation Costs Tracking the Sun (PDF) Going Solar in America (PDF) Solar Power for Your Home: A Consumer’s Guide (PDF) Should You Put Solar Panels on Your House? 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