How Freedom Solar Can Help With Savings
There are many factors that can affect the cost of your solar system, which is why it helps to have a trusted installer help you through the financial process. Here at Freedom Solar, were eager to help businesses go solar all across Texas and Colorado. Our financial expertise is just one of the reasons why were a leading residential solar installer.
Well help you find and take advantage of every possible financial incentive for solar energy in your area. The result? Youll reap the long-term benefits of these commercial solar power savings and see this sustainable investment for the future of your business.
Common Solar Panel Repair Costs
Solar panel repairs cost around $100 per hour. Annual maintenance comes out to $20 per panel. Your total bill may be as little as $100 or as much as $3,200. Broken glass, cracked panels, and loose connections are the most popular fixes. Expect to pay the hourly rate plus the cost of materials for professional repair work.
How Much Energy Do Solar Panels Generate
The power rating of panels varies by size and type , but typical panels have a 0.25kWp rating, meaning that they can generate 0.25kW at peak levels. Most domestic installations tend to be either 3kWp or 4kWp .
For context, your kettle requires 3kW. Typically, installers expect panels to generate 80% of their peak capacity. So, at their best, if all the panels were generating well for 8 hours on a sunny summers day, you would create a maximum of 19 or 25kWh per day.
Installers also work based on around 50% of the generated electricity being unused in the home and exported to the grid depending on usage patterns.
A 3kW system would, therefore, typically produce around 2,600 kWh during a year, of which half would be used in the home and half exported . A 4kW system might hope to produce around 3,400kWh over a year.
According to OFGEM, the typical house uses between 3,200 and 4,100kWh a year.
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Local Choices Of Brands And Price Of Solar Equipment
High demand for solar equipment in an area brings in more manufacturers, brands, outlets, and installers to the scene. The market forces of supply and demand will come into effect and bring down the prices naturally.
If you are staying in an area where more and more energy consumers are switching to solar, you will have more choices and lower prices while solar shopping.
Solar Thermal Panels Vs Photovoltaic Panels
You may find that in addition to the many other choices you have when it comes to solar, you also have two panel types to choose from. Thermal and photovoltaic are the two main types of solar energy. For most homes, photovoltaic is the most common type, while solar thermal is typically used for larger commercial settings.
Solar thermal panels use heat, which it then converts to energy. This means it could store the heat from the day and then produce energy at night. Photovoltaic cells produce electricity from light. This is the most common cell because they can be installed with or without batteries, and they do not overheat. Some thermal panels lose efficiency as they heat up, making them not as good a choice for mounting on top of a home or in very sunny climates. Both have a similar cost per watt, depending on the manufacturer.
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How Do You Pay For A Solar Panel Installation
Once you know the cost of solar for your unique project, its time to decide how youll pay for solar. There are three primary ways to finance a solar panel installation: a cash purchase, a solar loan, or a solar lease/power purchase agreement.
Generally, a cash purchase is right for you if youre looking to maximize your savings from solar, you have enough tax liability to take advantage of the solar tax credit, or you have the funds available to pay for a solar panel system upfront.
A solar loan is right for you if you dont want to shell out the amount of cash required to pay for a solar panel system upfront, you still want the most savings on your electricity bills as possible, and you would like to be eligible for all incentives and rebates.A solar lease or PPA is right for you if you would prefer someone else to monitor and maintain the system, if you arent eligible for tax incentives, or if youd just like to reduce and/or lock-in your monthly electricity bill.
Edmonton Solar Rebateslower The Cost Of Solar Panels
There is currently a tax incentive program for residents of Edmonton that you can take advantage of to help you save up to $4,000 on the cost of installing solar panels in Edmonton. The Change Homes for Climate Solar Program for the City of Edmonton Residents can offer you a rebate of $0.15/Watt up to a maximum of $4,000.
There are also special rebates and programs for adding solar to your farm, and for indigenous peoples. Keep your eye out for more rebates and incentives to get the most out of your solar energy system. They can change year-to-year and could help significantly reduce your costs. For more solar incentive info, visit our Edmonton solar incentives page.
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How Long Do Solar Panels Take To Pay For Themselves
Depending on the size of your solar panel system and the export tariff, your solar panels can be paid off after 15-25 years. A larger system is more expensive, but it can generate more electricity and, therefore, can bring you more savings in the long-run.
A 5kW solar panel system can break even after 15-20 years, while a 3kW system can take 21-25 years to break even.
To protect the lifespan of your panels, ensure you always adhere to solar panel maintenance and cleaning tips.
Solar Panel Cost For A 2500 Sqft Home
The cost range of installing solar panels for a 2,500 sq.ft. home ranges from $18,000 to $55,000. Many different factors determine the number of panels and cost. Homes this size require more panels than smaller homes even for basic needs. If you add in any major electrical systems, such as HVAC, your costs will be higher. If you want to reduce your dependency on the grid by a significant amount, your costs will be higher as well. If you have relatively low energy needs, your costs could be even lower than the average.
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Make The Best Choice About Solar Energy
Solar energy is not right for every homeowner, nor for every home. With that said, many homeowners will find that the total cost of solar is more than offset by long-term, recurring energy savings that provide a sizable return on investment. Make sure you factor in cost, energy needs, tax incentives, home value and more as you seek to make a fully informed decision about whether to make the switch to renewable energy with solar.
Bigger Benefits With A Battery
Obviously, homeowners in states with higher electric bills will achieve greater financial gains from a home solar battery installation.
With lower electricity bills and power during blackouts, battery storage simply cant be beat. Brightbox home battery system keeps your house humming for approximately 8 to 12 hours at night or during a blackout. Your peace of mind recharges every day along with your home solar battery.
Brightbox enables you to store excess power produced by your panels. Then, you can use it to power up the house when you need it most. With time-of-use rates, solar panels enable you to shift your energy consumption away from expensive on-peak prices to reduce your electric bill.
Plus, a home solar installation further increases your financial gain from net energy metering . With solar battery storage, you use even more of electricity generated by your panels and send any excess to the grid for credit.
Sunruns home solar systems are customized to your house structure, lifestyle, energy use and financial goals. Well guide you through the process every step of the way, from contract through installation and maintenance.
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Solar Panel Installation Cost Calculator
Your solar panel installation cost will depend on a few factors. These are:
- The type of panels you want
- The amount of energy you want to generate
- The size and type of your property
- The direction in which your roof faces
- The quality of components you require
- Whether you want a battery or not
These factors will play a part in your total solar panel installation cost.
Adjustable Solar Panel Mount
An adjustable or tilt solar panel mount costs between $200 and $500. This is the mount type you need for a flat roof. It is mostly used in commercial settings, but if you have a residential home with a flat roof, you could also use this method. The rack is adjustable, so you can precisely catch the perfect angle of the sun. Since not all flat roofs are completely flat, the adjustable tilting feature allows you to get a better fit no matter what your slope is. Most have a range where they are adjustable and where they cannot go past.
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Average Solar Panel Cost
According to 2021 reports from the Center for Sustainable Energy, solar panel installation costs about $14,000$25,000. This figure was calculated by applying the average cost per watt to the average residential solar energy system size . The wide range is due to varying cost factors, such as location, type of solar panel, local utility rates and roof structure.
The table below breaks down the average solar panel cost by state.
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How Much Does The Average Solar System Cost
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Customer Testimonials
Having solar panels has given me reassurance that my bills will stay manageable.
Kerrie Lane, Egg Harbor City, NJ
With Sunrun, you can take control of your own electricity, and not be left at the whims of your utility company with the next inevitable rate hike. Join the more than a quarter of a million American households who have gone solar with Sunrun.
Whenever youre ready, our solar advisors are here to help. We can provide you with a free quote. Feel free to try our Cost of Solar Calculator.
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Type Of Solar Panel Systems
The type of solar panel system you chose will greatly affect the cost. Grid-tie, grid-tie solar and energy storage, and off-grid solar are all options differ in price. Remember, the best solar panels for your property will fulfill your needs and meet your price point.
Lets break down the primary purpose of each system:
- Grid-tie: You have access to the utility grid. Your primary goal is to save money on your electric bill
- Grid-tie solar and energy storage: You have access to the utility grid and your primary goal is to have backup power when there is an outage.
- Off-grid: You do not have access to the utility grid. Your primary goal is to live where it is not accessible.
Once you identify your goals, you can make a final decision based on price.
If you have access to the grid, you can lower the cost of solar panels by using a grid-tie system. When you choose a grid-tie system with energy storage, you have the potential to save even more. Storing electricity in the grid doesnt cost anything, and you may be able to sell your stored energy . An off-grid system is a significant extra cost.
With an off-grid system, youll need to purchase batteries which represent almost half the cost of an off-grid solar system.
If you have the option, we recommend connecting a grid-tied system. However, off-grid solar will still save you money in the long run if you want to live away from a utility grid.
Browse our grid-tie solar kits and off-grid solar systems for up-to-date pricing.
What Type Of Solar Electric Systems Are Available
The average system costs noted above are for a grid-tied, roof-mounted solar electric system. Grid-tied, rooftop solar systems are by far our most common type of solar electric system installed throughout Maine.
However, there are other solar system options available such as grid-tied, grid-tied + battery backup, off-grid battery-based systems, and ground-mounts. To ensure you get the information you need to make an informed decision about what type of solar system will work best for you, we have outlined the options available below.
These are by far the most common type of solar electric systems in Maine. With this system, your home can be powered by the sun when it is shining. You are still connected to your utility provider , so you still also have power when sunlight is unavailable. Net Metering allows the electricity generated by your solar system to offset the electricity used from the grid during the night or on cloudy. This ensures that all of the electricity your system produces offsets your usage and ultimately your electric bill. However, if the grid goes down, your system will shut off and you will lose power. Grid-tied systems are the less expensive option, due to not needing batteries and other additional equipment.
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How Many Solar Panels Will You Need
To know how many solar panels you will need, you will want to determine how much electricity you use in your home daily.
Modernize recommends discussing these factors with a trusted solar contractor. For ease, bring your electric bills with you to a consultation or calculate how much energy you use per day ahead of time by taking your monthly kilowatt usage and dividing it by 30. For context, the average house in the United States uses about 900-kilowatt hours a monthroughly 11,000 kWh a year.
Ultimately, the number of panels you purchase matters because it contributes toward the amount of kW of electricity produced each day. In turn, the more of your electricity costs you want absorbed by solar energy, the more panels you will need. If you only want a portion of your power to be produced by solar panels, you wont need as many panels.
The Cost Of Solar Power For Homeowners
First, let’s look at the cost of installing a solar power system for your home. The average, upfront cost of a residential solar power system is between $3,500 and $16,000.
Why the huge range of costs? Well, a lot of the variation depends on the size of the system you’d like to install and the type of panels you want to use. Whatever system you use, keep in mind that solar power is capital intensive and the main cost of owning a system comes upfront when buying the equipment. The solar module will almost certainly represent the largest single component of the overall expense.
There are some additional costs, as well. Other equipment necessary for installation includes an inverter , metering equipment , and various housing components along with cables and wiring gear. Some homeowners also consider battery storage. Historically, batteries have been prohibitively expensive and unnecessary if the utility pays for excess electricity that is fed into the grid . The installation labor cost must also be factored in.
In addition to installation costs, there are some further costs associated with operating and maintaining a PV solar array. Aside from cleaning the panels regularly, inverters and batteries generally need replacement after several years of use.
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Solar Panel Monthly Cost
If you purchase your solar panel system, they have no ongoing monthly costs. However, if you do not want to purchase the system upfront, you have the option of leasing your panels monthly. This can have a wide range of monthly costs based on your area and things like system size. It is only advisable if your electric bill is considerably higher than these figures to offset your monthly energy costs. Otherwise, you may find that purchasing gives you a better overall return on your investment. Getting a loan can also be an option for those who cannot afford such a large payment.
Solar power might appear expensive, but you are paying for power anyway. The difference is after several year with solar your system is paid for. After several years of paying your electric bill, month after month, with power costs going up year after year, the only thing you have earned is the right to continuing doing it for the rest of your life.
Cost To Install Solar Panels On A Roof
The average cost of installing solar panels on the roof of your home is between $15,000 and $21,000 for a 6 kW system. Roof installations are the most common. They do not take up additional space and cost less to purchase and install. They are difficult to access and clean, however. And if you need to replace your roof, you must have the panels reinstalled. They are also difficult to expand over time, so if you need more panels, you may run out of space.
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How Can Solar Help My Household
The potential to save money is often the fundamental reason why people add solar, and rightly so. It makes sense to choose a solution that can deliver a reliable power supply to your home, at a reduced price.
Solar meets the majority of power needs for New Zealand homes, but usually not all of them. For this reason, most customers choose a hybrid model that combines conventional power , and solar power.
This option gives you control, with back-up from the main electricity grid when you need it. In addition to that, if you go for a system with a battery storage option, your solar system will also store excess power that can be used during low daylight times.
A hybrid solar system enables you to maximise your power bill savings as energy generated from your solar panels is used first. Therefore, you only use electricity from the grid when you need it.
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