It's Time to Go Solar
By going solar, you'll be saving time, saving money, and most importantly - saving our planet.
Why Go Solar?
Saves You Money
Financial returns and lower monthly utility bills are major incentives for going solar. A solar electric system provides an opportunity for anyone who is looking to reduce monthly utility bills and make a long-term, low-risk investment. The current 30% Federal Tax Credit for homeowners who switch to solar combined with state and local incentives make switching to solar easy and affordable.
Solar Works Everywhere
The solar resource of the United States is enormous. In fact, just one hour of noontime summer sun is equal to the annual U.S. electricity demand. Most states in the United States have good-to-excellent solar resource. Even places with relatively low solar resources, such as the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, can experience cost savings, and have similar solar resources to countries that have widely developed solar PV, like Germany.
Increased Home Value
Solar panels are viewed as upgrades, like a renovated kitchen or a finished basement, so purchasing a solar energy system will likely increase your home’s value. Studies show that homeowners pay a premium for a solar home; one study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory showed that on average, solar increased the value of a home by about $15,000. During the past year, homes with solar-energy systems sold for 4.1% more on average than comparable homes without solar power.
Better For Environment
Each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of solar that is generated will substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions like CO2, as well as other dangerous pollutants such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Solar also reduces water consumption and withdrawal.
Solar 101
Solar radiation is light – also known as electromagnetic radiation – that is emitted by the sun. While every location on Earth receives some sunlight over a year, the amount of solar radiation that reaches any one spot on the Earth’s surface varies. Solar technologies capture this radiation and turn it into useful forms of energy. When the sun shines onto a solar panel, energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the PV cells in the panel. This energy creates electrical charges that move in response to an internal electrical field in the cell, causing electricity to flow. You now have solar panels working efficiently to transform sunlight into electricity, but the electricity generated is called direct current (or DC) electricity, which is not the type of electricity that powers most homes, which is alternating current (or AC) electricity. Fortunately, DC electricity can easily be changed into AC electricity by a gadget called an inverter. In modern solar systems, these inverters can be configured as one inverter for the entire system or as individual microinverters attached behind the panels. Once the solar energy has been converted from DC to AC electricity, it runs through your electrical panel and is distributed within the home to power your appliances. It works exactly the same way as the electrical power generated through the grid by your electric utility company, so nothing within the home needs to change. On cloudy days and overnight, your solar panels may not be able to capture enough sunlight to use for energy; conversely, in the middle of the day when nobody is home, they may collect surplus energy—more than you need to operate your home. That’s why a meter is used to measure the electricity flowing in both directions—to and from your home.Your utility company will often provide credits for any surplus power you send back to the grid. This is known as net metering.
7 Steps To Going Solar
1. Proposal & Agreement
One of our experienced solar energy experts will put together a very detailed proposal for your home. They will meet with you in person or virtually to help you customize your system and get your process started hassle free.
2. Site
Survey
An expert Site Technician will visit to measure, review and finalize the plans we initially discussed. Just show them in and get back to your day.
3. Final Design & Review
We follow-up to review any tweaks or changes to our initial plan and make sure you're happy with the result.
4. Permitting
We'll handle the permitting and paperwork with the city. We'll let you know when everything is good to go.
5. Installation
Your roof gets an upgrade! The average install will take about a day, but you just need to be there to let us in.
6. City Inspection &
Utility Connection
Once your system is installed, we'll schedule the inspection with the city. A representative will stop by to ensure the new system is up to code. We will also work with your utility to get everything connected. The utility will connect your system to the grid and may need to install a new meter.
