Electricity Rates In Georgia
Georgia residents pay an average of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour . This is 9% lower than the national average of 11 cents per kWh. By covering your homes entire electrical needs with solar energy, you will eliminate future electric bills. Keeping the 20+ year lifespan of solar panels in mind, this amounts to considerable savings over time.
Additional Considerations And Costs
- Permits. Permits are required to install solar panels in Georgia. Speak to your local municipality before you begin to get more information.
- Licenses. Ensure the company you hire to install your panels is fully licensed and insured in your county. Speak to your local municipality if you have questions or need more information.
- Warranties. Solar panel warranties vary from company to company. Ask your installer about what warranties may be available for your project.
- HOAs. If you live in an HOA, you may be restricted in what type of solar panels you use or their placement. Speak to the HOA board before beginning your project.
- Environmental zoning. Some parts of Georgia may be zoned as environmentally sensitive. If you live in one of these areas, you may be subject to additional permits and licensing before you can install the panels.
- Home value. Adding solar panels to your home can increase its value by roughly 4%. This can vary by area, so investigate similar homes nearby.
What You Should Know About Us:
YOU WILL SAVE MONEY
Our Georgia customers will save between $15,000 and $30,000+ over a 25-year period depending on the size of their system and their current home energy use.
Well send a solar professional to your home to review your utility bills. Our analysts will quickly evaluate your bills and your roof to determine if you are qualified for maximum solar savings. If not, we wont waste your time.
YOU WILL GET PREMIUM SOLAR EQUIPMENT
Blue Raven Solar customers deserve the best solar experience, so we offer only one level of quality: top-of-the-line. Our solar arrays are built using only high-end black-on-black, monocrystalline silicon solar panels and Enphase microinverters. When going solar you want high-quality productions at a low price. Going solar with Blue Raven means you get maximum value.
YOU GET WORRY-FREE SOLAR OWNERSHIP
To make your solar energy as dependable as the morning sun, we include a two-year productivity guarantee. Two years after installation, if our systems produce less than our original estimates, we update them with more panels free of charge.
We provide professional installation, and solar equipment warranties to ensure that you experience worry-free solar power system ownership.
YOU WILL GET THE FASTEST SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION IN GEORGIA
WE MAKE GOING SOLAR EASY
WE ARE LOCAL
Local teams, local office, and local partnerships in Georgia mean fast panel installation and net metering times, so you can begin saving with solar quickly!
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What Are The Advantages Of Going Solar In Georgia
Switching to solar in Georgia is an excellent way for residents to contribute to the state’s clean energy goals. A 2021 report found that 100% clean energy is feasible in Georgia by 2035.* When individual homeowners make the switch to solar panels, they do their part to contribute to this clean energy initiative.
Going solar can also offset Georgia’s carbon emissions. If Georgia achieved its solar capacity of 35,000 MW, the state would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 26.8 million, which is the equivalent of taking 5.7 million cars off the road for an entire year.*
Intro To Solar Power In Georgia
Quickly falling costs of solar cells are predictable, per Swansons Law, we see the price of solar panel rates drop at least 20% every decade. Solar prices went from a per watt rate of $76.67 back in 1977, and fell to an incredible rate per watt of just $0.36 cents in 2014.
Figuring out how to pay for your solar panel power system can be daunting, even though the costs of solar power is dropping quickly. The average cost for a 5kW system still runs as much as $20,000 installed. Due to the different policies and rules of each state regarding solar power, we are going to explore three different financial strategies for solar power installation.
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What You Can Learn From Our State Solar Panel Calculator
This solar calculator requires you to input your address, utility company, your average monthly power spend – it tells you:
- Solar electricity production in annual kWh you can expect from your solar system in Georgia
- The value of solar tax credits and other incentives you are entitled to based on the estimated size of system you need, your location and your utility provider.
- Likely cost based on an average of prices charged for solar systems of that size in the last year in Georgia or
- The likely payback period on your solar panels and your investment return.
- Your total lifetime solar savings based on each of the major solar finance options, a cash purchase, a cash purchase funded with a HELOC and a zero-down PPA or third party lease product.
If you want to see all of the above but also see live pricing, the three best solar deals available in your city andget binding quotes from each of these solar companies then use this Georgia solar panels calculator.This calculator requires you to also input your name and contact details because most of our 200+ installerpartners will only authorize the sharing of their live solar pricing where we have validated that you are a realhomeowner with a home in their service area. We respect the privacy of your data and only share your contact detailswith the solar companies you ask us to get binding quotes from.
How Much Energy Can I Get From Solar In Georgia
Aside from the power output of the solar equipment you choose to install, the amount of energy you generate with solar panels in Georgia is directly related to the amount of sunlight that hits your panels. This is good news for Georgians considering going solar: Georgia ranks in the top half of US states for the number of peak sun hours received per year, giving the Peach State excellent solar potential.
In addition to sunlight, some other factors that help determine how much solar electricity panels will produce include shading and panel angle, which are used to calculate your total production estimate. a prediction of how much energy your solar installation will produce over time. This evaluation offers a clear estimate of how much energy your solar installation will produce. You can see how much solar panels can save you based on factors like geographic location and shading by using the EnergySage Solar Calculator.
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Solar Panel Installation Company
The remaining key cost factor you should consider is the installer you choose. Given the massive popularity of clean energy solutions in Atlanta, you’ll have many options to choose from, but each comes at various price points for labor and equipment. Additionally, some companies in Atlanta know more about local solar incentives and can help you make good use of additional rebates or tax exemptions. However, they may charge more for walking you through the whole process. Even if they cost more upfront, they could help you save more money in the long run.
Average Cost Of Solar Energy Systems
Georgia solar panel companies work hard to satisfy the needs of the solar market. The price of a solar system has dropped significantly in the past few years. Usually, a solar panel price is calculated per solar panel, and per watt of power. The latter is usually used to compare the prices of different producers for one and the same system size. In Georgia, you can expect to pay around $2.98 per watt of installed DC power.
This means that 10 kWh in solar panels costs $29,800. A system of this size can produce enough energy to offset an average homes 100% of the energy used in the house. This system would also be enough to power a larger household. Contact your solar installer to see what solar system size would be the best for your energy needs.
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Solar Panel Financing Options
Solar panel installation requires a significant financial commitment, so any companies offer different payment options to suit different budgets. Heres an overview of the typical financial options offered by solar providers:
- Full payment: You pay for the solar system outright without a loan or payment plan. This option will save you the most money because you wont pay interest rates. Full payment also grants you ownership of your system, qualifying you for incentives.
- Solar loan: A loan allows you to make small payments over a longer payback period. However, youll pay more in the long run due to interest rates. Solar loans also qualify you for solar incentives.
- Solar lease: This option allows you to make fixed monthly payments with little to no up-front cost. Your solar company retains ownership of your system and is responsible for its upkeep. These agreements usually last around 20 years. Leasing customers dont qualify for solar incentives.
- Power purchasing agreement : A PPA allows you to pay for only the energy you use. Similar to an electric bill, the rate fluctuates each month. Your solar company retains ownership of the system and is responsible for its upkeep. You will not qualify for incentives.
What Are The Benefits Of Going Solar
The state of Georgia is not a super-progressive state when it comes to encouraging citizens to install solar panels. There are a few things to consider however-
- Georgias Solar Power Free-Market Financing Act of 2015: This law makes it possible for residents of Georgia to enter into so-called power purchase agreements, which can often make solar installations more affordable for both private citizens as well as businesses. A power purchase agreement is simply a contract between two parties in which one side agrees to buy electricity from the other based on a pre-established rate.
- Solar Power Performance Payments: Otherwise known as PBIs , the state of Georgia does offer small cash payments based on the performance of your solar panel system.
- Federal Tax Credit: The federal government offers anyone making a solar installation a credit on their federal income tax liability of up to 26% of the entire cost of their solar purchase and installation, which could be a value of $5,000 or more dollars.
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Solar Panels In Georgia
If you think about installing solar panels, Georgia is a nice state for that. Theres always enough sunshine to cover your basic energy needs or at least to reduce your monthly electricity bill. The 26% Federal Solar Tax Credit as well as some local incentives will make your solar installation even more profitable.
How You Pay For The System
Paying for your solar panels upfront means that you are the owner of your system. Owning gives you some substantial benefits, including an increased home value. If buying your system outright isnt an option, look into solar loans and solar leases. Each offers $0 down, and your monthly payments will most likely be less than your current electric bill.
It is important to note that you are not the owner when leasing a solar system the company you lease from is. Only the owner can claim the tax credits and rebates.
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Labor Cost To Install Solar Panels In Georgia
Labor costs to install solar panels in Georgia range between $0.76 and $0.83 a watt. For a 6 kW system, labor costs typically make up roughly $4,560 to $4,980. Many factors can impact the cost of labor to install your solar panels. Installations in rural areas are usually less expensive than those in larger cities or suburbs. Your labor costs are higher if you install your panels on a ground array than if you mount your panels on the roof. The type of inverter and panel you choose can also influence the total cost of your labor. Below are the average labor costs involved with installing solar panels of various sizes in Georgia.
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Average Cost Of Solar Panels In Atlanta
We go over average solar pricing in Atlanta.
The average cost of a solar panel system in Atlanta is $3 per watt. The average solar panel system size in Atlanta is around 6.8 kilowatts, meaning a cost of about $12,102 for a solar installation, or $8,955 after the 30% federal solar tax credit is applied.
The actual price you pay can be higher or lower than the average in Atlanta depending on a variety of factors, such as the brand of solar panels you choose and the solar company you hire. Despite the significant upfront cost, the average Atlanta homeowner can save around $20,000 on their power bills over 20 years, which is one of the positives of solar.
You can click the button below to get connected with a pre-vetted solar company in Atlanta for a quote for your home.
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Are Solar Panels Worth It In Atlanta In 2022
The table below shows the data extracted from a real life quote delivered through the SolarReviews marketplace recently for a fairly typical home in Atlanta.
As you can see the payback period is relatively short and equates to a much better return on investment than he historical returns that have been available from investing in things like shares or property.
Table 2: Cost, savings and payback period for an average residential solar system in Atlanta
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Solar Power Purchase With Loan Or Heloc
If $20,000 to purchase a solar energy system with cash seems insurmountable, but you own a home with a little equity in it, one alternative is to get a loan or Home Equity Line of Credit to purchase your solar power system. In many other states, buying a solar power system using a loan or HELOC is a no-brainer option.
Its not quite the same in Georgia. If you review the graph above, you see that your HELOC or loan will actually be more expensive over the loan term of 15 years, than what you will save on your electric utility bill. Once the loan is paid for, your savings add up to $6,697, an amount that isnt bad but isnt over the moon phenomenal either.
Think of a solar power investment in Georgia kind of like if you took out an Individual Retirement Account . Making HELOC payments each month now funds your imaginary IRA account and because your roof, with its solar panels, generates income every year you begin earning a $1,250 annual profit once the loan is paid off. Throughout the course of the 25-year loan period, you net thousands of dollars.
Buying your solar system using a loan or HELOC may be right for you if:
Georgia may be known for its sweet tasting peaches but the taste of their solar power incentives and policies leave more of a sour taste in the mouths of consumers. Georgia was a strong supporter of solar power in 2008, but the sole thing state legislators have done since then is to approve a good tax credit almost five years ago.
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Is It Worth Getting Solar Panels In Georgia
It’s estimated that you can save just over $23,000 over the life of your solar installation. Because Georgia lies so close to the equator, it gets a lot of sun compared to most other states, making solar energy a viable option and a savvy investment. In fact, a quality solar panel installation can boost your home’s value by 4.1%, or around $12,204.
Plus, there are other benefits. The payback time for solar panels in Georgia is around 12 years, after which you’ll be making significant energy savings. And thanks to net metering, if you have a system that generates more energy than you need, you can sell it back to the energy grid and reach full payback a year or two faster. But keep in mind that Georgia utilities don’t buy back energy at the full retail rate.
Find a Solar Panel Installer for Your Project
How Do I Get Solar Panels Installed In Georgia
Though Georgia may not have the most incentives for installing solar panels, that hasnt stopped a number of good companies from springing up in the Peach state. Keep in mind, if youre looking for a company to do your installation, do not limit yourself to looking at companies in your immediate area, as some companies are very willing to drive long distances and across state lines to get your business. Heres a quick snapshot of a few companies from Georgia:
Company: Solar Sun World
Address: 779 Harmony Rd, Eatonton, GA 31024
Years in Business: 5
Website: solarsunworld.com/
Reviews: 5 / 5 Home Advisor ,
Business Quote: Solar Sun World is leading the way in providing custom solar energy solutions for commercial and residential applications. Specializing in both solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, we have the right solution to meet your energy need. Combining the newest and best solar technologies with solar experts ensures your solution exceeds expectations.
Company: OCI Solar Power
Address: 5 Concourse Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30328
Years in Business: 73
Providing safe, reliable, and sustainable energy to empower communities.
Company: Suncatcher of Atlanta
Address: 612 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta, GA 30062
Years in Business: 39
Website: suncatcherofatlanta.com/home
Reviews: 5 / 5 Facebook
Company: Solar Sale USA
Address: 3116 Marjan Dr, Atlanta, GA 30340
Years in Business: Unclear
Website: solarsaleusa.com/
Company: Global Solar Energy
Years in Business: Unclear
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