PV Gap

Reginald Said:

is it worth it to install solar panels?

We Answered:

Top 10 Economic Reasons Why Installing Solar Makes Financial Sense Today:

1) Solar panels work for 20+ years
2) Solar costs have dropped big in recent years
3) Federal Tax CREDIT of 30% of cost
4) Utility Rebates in California are worth another 10% - 30%+
5) Net Metering: Utility buys your electricity
6) Time of Use: Sell units of electricity for more than you buy
7) Tiered Pricing "penalties": can be reduced
8) Beat energy prices that outpace inflation
9) Tax benefits (especially for commercial installation - use "MACRS")
10) Compare Solar's ROI vs other investments!


TOP 10 REASONS IN A BIT MORE DETAIL...

1) Quality solar panels are guaranteed to last for at least 20 years. (Even panels from the 1970s still work and technology has advanced since then). That means even if you don't live there that long it will increase the value of your property.

2) Over the past few years, prices for solar panels and installation have dropped (from "over $12 a watt" to less than "$7 a watt" including all materials, labor, permits & taxes).

3) Even in states with no state/utility rebates, there is a 30% Federal Tax CREDIT for residential solar installation.

4) Californians also benefit from a very attractive rebate system (before the Federal Tax Credit is applied) where our customers can get anywhere from $2,000 to $50,000+ in ANOTHER cash rebate (depending on your utility company and the size of your system). You'll collect your rebate less than 4 months after installation is finalized or, at your option, we'll even accept your rebate as a final payment so you'll have less to spend upfront. (Note: these state/utility-established incentive rebates are structured in stages so that later customers get less-and-less attractive rebates over time. This means your best chance at a high rebate is now! Waiting as little as 6 months could easily cost your thousands of dollars.) See this government information website: www.dsireusa.org

5) Californian utility companies are required to enable "net metering". Put simply, that means that when your solar panels are making more electricity than what you're using (for example: during the sunny day while you're at work) the utility company is actually buying that energy from you. If you have a sufficiently-sized system you can reduce your yearly electric bill to virtually zero (minimum fees apply = around $10 a month). But starting in 2011, due to California Law AB 920, if you produce more electricity than you consume then the utility company is required to pay you for the difference.

6) You may benefit from "Time of Use" metering. Electricity costs more during the day (when everyone's air conditioners are going full-blast) which is how the utility company encourages conservation (to prevent blackouts). Luckily for us, your solar panels make the most electricity during the day. Consequently, you could easily sell the same units of electricity (measured as "kilowatt-hours") at a higher price during the day than when you use them at night (bought at the lower price).

7) You may drop from a penalized electricity pricing "tier" to a less expensive "tier". Another way utility companies encourage conservation is by pricing electricity in "tiers". Use less than your allocated amount and you pay the lowest price per "kilowatt-hour". Use over that and you get penalized with a higher "price per kilowatt-hour ". Some tiers can get to be double or even triple the price per kilowatt-hour. Installing solar lowers your electricity needs and may drop you down to a less-expensive tier thereby massively decreasing your monthly bills.

8) Energy costs have historically gone up (on average) about 5%+ a year (substantially outpacing inflation). With China and India increasing their energy consumption (per-person from 1/20th that of modern Americans to 1/5th) the economic demand is ever increasing which generally means prices will continue to go up. When you install solar you are locking in its low price of electricity for decades.

9) There are tax benefits for installing solar (examples: corporate accelerated depreciation OR if a resident uses a loan) - consult your tax professional for details.

10) Consider solar as an investment that has a measurable ROI (with an extremely low likelihood of "losing value") and inherent value (it's powering your home/business). Now compare that against other investments (real estate, Wall Street etc.).

...and remember that those are just the economic reasons.

Energy Independence
Because we need so much energy American foreign policy is affected. The more self-sufficient our country is the safer it is. The more dependent we are on foreign oil (even if it's our dear friendly neighbors to the north) the more vulnerable we are to interruption of supply or worse. We urge you to research, through whatever websites you already trust, the following issues: 1973 Oil Crisis, 1979 Energy Crisis, and especially Peak Oil. More info from t

Mike Said:

For WI residents, who would you contact in a 20 mile radius from Appleton for installing solar panels?

We Answered:

Simply Solar LLC They are from Oshkosh so they are border line 20 miles.
Their web site is www.simplysolarwi.com

Good luck with your project.