How To Get The Best Solar Deal

Pros And Cons Of Sunpro Solar

Sunpro Solar offers customers a breadth of financing options and protection to cover their solar panel investment. Sunpro provides customers with a power production guaranteea rarity in the solar industrywhich states that your system will produce a projected amount of energy over 25 years. If it falls short, Sunpro will pay you double the difference in cash.

Sunpro also includes system monitoring through the Enphase MyEnlighten mobile app, allowing customers to measure their systems energy production remotely.

If youre considering Sunpro Solar, we recommend using our comparison tool to get connected with the best solar incentives in your area.

Buying Cheap Solar Panels In : A Guide To Discount Solar Panels

Upgrading to photovoltaic solar panels can be an expensive commitment, but there are plenty of cheap solar panels to choose from. This is due to an overall large drop in solar panel prices, coupled with a substantial increase in efficiency.

This means solar is cheaper and better at producing energy than ever before. So, which cheap solar panels are right for your solar power system? Browse our recommendations below!

Are Solar Panels Worth Getting

With SEG earnings, you can break even with solar panels much faster, making solar panels financially worth it in addition to the obvious environmental benefits. In addition, with continuous improvements to technology, solar panels are becoming increasingly affordable.

Keeping in mind the cost, savings, and earnings mentioned earlier, you can break even on your solar panel investment within the systems lifespan.

For example, with a 3kW system, you can break even after 21-25 years. With a 4kW system, you can break even already after 16-22 years. Finally, with the larger 6kW system, you can break even after 19-23 years.

So if youve ever asked yourself if solar panels are worth it, the answer is: yes, they are.

Do Solar Panels Reduce Your Electricity Bills?

Solar panels help to reduce your electricity bill. The amount you can save on your bills depends on where you live. In London, for example, you can save an average of £100-£270 on yearly electricity bills. In other areas like Stirling or Manchester, you can reduce your bills by £90-£230 per year.

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What About Other Plans

While some energy retailers market solar specific products, the reality is that most electricity offers come with some kind of feed-in tariff, even if its simply the mandated minimum rate for that state. With that in mind, its worth checking what FiTs are available on other plans that dont include solar in their name. One honourable mention goes to Red Energy, which in Queensland provides a feed-in tariff of 15c/kWh on the first 5kWh of electricity exported each day, before reverting to a still reasonable 8c/kWh. Below are Red Energys market offers in QLD.

Solar Panel Buying Guide Checklist

• Assess what energy you currently use and the system capacity you need .
• Check if your roof faces the right direction. Only north-facing panels will produce their full capacity.
• Make sure there are no trees, power lines or other structures shading your roof.
• Find out what local council approval is needed. Increasingly, local councils have staff on hand to help people make the best decisions on solar.
• Try to figure out your system’s payback time.
• The inverter is a key part of the system. See our guide to buying a solar inverter for all the details.
• If you’re considering adding a battery, see our guide to solar storage batteries to understand the pros and cons.
• Get multiple quotes from installers to ensure you’re getting a good deal, and make sure your installer is CEC-accredited .
• Make sure your solar panels meet the required standards .
• Check your solar panels’ product and performance warranties see below for what these are.

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Keep An Eye On Trade Policy

Changes in government trade policy also impact prices. In January 2018, President Trump imposed a four-year tariff on imported solar cells and panels that started at 30% and was set to drop 5% each year until February 2022. In 2020, the tariff rate for the fourth year was raised from 15% to 18%. The tariff resulted in a 16 cent per watt increase for the average consumer in 2018, which translated to an overall increase of $960 for a six-kW system, according to EnergySage.

The cost of foreign-manufactured panels may still drop, lessening the tariffs effect over time.

Solar Panel Distribution Pathways

The source you choose for your solar system depends on whether you want to do the work yourself or you plan to hire a contractor. Be careful. Unless you know what youre doing, saving money up front could cost you more in the long run.

In todays economy, there are several paths your solar equipment can take from the manufacturer to your home. The right path and the best price depends on your particular situation.

1

Most customers prefer Made in the USA solar panels, because of higher manufacturing, labor and environmental standards, not to mention warranties and legal recourse in case of defects. Most are willing to pay a higher premium for these assurances. But hundreds of overseas companies can offer panels at significantly lower pricesbut without the guarantee of quality, warranty, and environmental and labor standards.

2

Manufacturers often have agents whose job it is to convince retailers to carry their products. Retail stores have buyers, whose job it is to find the products the stores will carry. These two meet each other at the convention to decide which systems youll see in your favorite stores catalog.

3

Traditional middlemen buy equipment in bulk, and then they resell the equipment to contractors and installers. Large contractors/installers with enough volume and clout can bypass distributors and buy directly from manufacturers.

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How Much Can You Save With Solar

Most people can save tens of thousands of dollars on electricity costs over the lifetime of a solar panel system . The exact amount you can save depends on many factors, including how much you spend on electricity bills, how much electricity your solar panel system generates, incentives available in your area, and more. The best way to get accurate savings estimates is to compare custom solar quotes on our Marketplace your quotes will take all these factors and more into account.

How Do Solar Panels Work

• Some materials such as silicon can be made to produce electricity when light falls on them. This is called the photovoltaic effect. Solar panels use this to convert energy from sunlight into direct current electrical energy.
• An inverter unit then changes this into alternating current for your home’s electrical circuits.
• Any excess energy can be fed back to the electricity grid or to your own battery storage system.

What’s in a solar panel?

Most solar cells are made of silicon. Solar panels, also called modules, are each made of several solar cells , connected together and sandwiched between protective glass and a backing plate. The whole panel is usually surrounded with an aluminium frame. A typical installation includes several panels connected together in an array.

Types of solar panels

Almost all panels used in home solar systems are mono- or multi-crystalline. While there are technical differences between these types, don’t put too much consideration into this it’s much more important to consider other aspects such as price, rated power output, and warranties.

The rated power output, or capacity, of solar panels has increased over the years as manufacturers find ways to squeeze out more power. Not so many years ago, 250W panels were common now, you might be offered panels of the same size that deliver 400W or more.

Also Check: How Does The Solar Credit Work

Is Solar For My Home A Good Investment

A solar panel installation typically takes 8-12 years to pay for itself if you stay in your home. If you sell before that, you should easily recoup your investment through added appraisal value.

Well show you how much solar adds to your homes value when we present your solar proposal.

No more wasting money on electric utility bills. Your solar panels will be installed in a way that balances energy harvest and aesthetics.

Investing in solar panels for your home replaces an unpredictable monthly expense with a consistent, proven investment. Increase your property value while helping the environment? Yes, please!

What Size Solar Panel System Do You Need

To size your solar panel system you need to work out how much electricity you use and when you use it.

As a guide, a typical home uses 20kWh of energy a day. A 5kW solar system would meet most of the daytime power needs of such a home. However, these days solar panels are relatively cheap, so it usually makes sense to put on the biggest system that your roof can take and that you can afford. The excess electricity can go back into the grid and earn you some money via feed-in tariffs, or charge a home storage battery. 6.6kW is a common size for new systems, but bigger systems are also being purchased. The bigger systems often include a battery.

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Solar Rebates And Incentives

Although there are fewer government incentives for installing solar today than there were a decade ago, there are still two schemes in place that dramatically reduce the cost of installing solar and can improve your return on investment. These are feed-in tariffs and Small-scale Technology Certificates.

Is My Home Suitable For Solar Pv Panels

Solar PV panels are worth considering if you have a mainly south-facing roof with little or no shade and you’re not thinking of moving home in the near future.

Although a south-facing roof will give the best power output, a south-west or south-east-facing roof should also be fine.

But you would get less power out of the system, and be able to save less on your electricity bill.

How much energy you could produce with solar panels and therefore how much money you could make will depend on:

• the tilt angle of your roof and its orientation
• where you live: the South West gets more sun than the North, for instance, and this could affect the amount of electricity your system will generate, although not too significantly.

Six in 10 solar panel owners in rural areas generated more than 2,500kWh per year.* In urban areas, fewer solar panel owners generated this amount.

But the size of the system is a big factor affecting electricity generation. Those in rural areas were also most likely to have larger solar panel systems.

Use our solar panel buying advice and see the best solar panels brands to help make your decision.

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How To Get The Best Deal On Solar Power Systems

By | Submitted On October 20, 2010

There are a lot of solar power systems on the market, and getting a very good deal is quite likely if you know where to look. The important thing to know is that you can get a great deal, if you check out the types of systems on the market, because you can get systems that will cover a lot of uses which can save, and even make, money.

The best way to figure out what’s the best deal for you is to make sure you’re absolutely clear about what you need, and how much you want to pay for the solar power system. Putting your own economic requirements first is a good way of defining all the issues. It’s also a good way of matching solar power systems to your home’s needs.

Checking out the deals- How to research solar power system deals

Solar power system hunting should be done online before you start looking at any purchase. Comparing systems is a valuable way of checking out price ranges and types of system available.

Checking out types of system:

• Solar/grid systems: These are power systems which also connect to the grid. They’re the ones used to sell power to the grid.
• Solar hot water: Big cost savers, the solar hot water systems take the strain of these major power consumers.
• Individual solar panels: These are the go-anywhere panels which can be hooked up to any electrical system. They’re quite common in rural and remote locations, and for standalone systems.

Checking out prices:

Best Solar Panels In 2021

You can view the brands I recommend here. I also asked installers in the SolarQuotes network for their recommendations asking them what they would install on their own rooftops in terms of both high-end and budget products. Discover what they voted the best solar panels in 2021.

Next up Ill go through the different types of solar panel technology currently available. If you would like a simple answer to the question how do solar panels work? before we get into the different technologies, then that link should satisfy your inner geek.

Otherwise lets move on or if youre ready to get pricing on a system, you can get up to 3 solar quotes via my service from Australian installers I have personally pre-vetted and trust that I will match to your requirements and location.

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The 9 Best Solar Panel Manufacturers In 2021

Weve taken a look at the worlds best solar panel companies and assessed their product range, picking out the cream of the crop.

If youre thinking of harnessing the power of the sun, do it properly and make sure you get yourself top quality panels. Taking the cheap option is just not worth the risk.

Use Your Solar Panels At The Right Time And You’ll Max Their Value

Once you’ve got your panels installed and they’re up and running, make sure you make the most of them by using them at the right time.

For example, in the winter, when there’s less sunlight and you’ll generate less solar power, you’ll take more energy from the grid. It’s a good idea to set appliances to run while it’s light outside, staggering them to max the savings.

Also Check: Can Mobile Homes Have Solar Panels

Do Solar Panels Affect House Insurance

In most cases, when you install solar panels on your roof, your insurance should cover you under the current terms. However, since a solar panel installation results in a change to the home structure, it is always advised to contact your current insurance provider before proceeding with the installation.

Its important to note that your home insurance may not include a cover for any damage by your solar panel or theft of the system. Therefore, its important to confirm with your insurance provider that your panels will also be covered.

Installing solar panels is a worthwhile investment for both homes and companies. They are a great step towards sustainability, reduce utility bills, and can even be a way for you to earn money back.

Make Final Connections To The Consumer Unit

After the panels are wired to the inverter, the final connections to the consumer unit will be made. A generation meter will also be connected, which measures how much electricity your panels actually produce. Smart meters and solar panels work together very well and can make meter reading far easier.

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Length Of Manufacturers Warranty

Take note of what guarantees the manufacturer offers. If the manufacturer is reputable and the warranty period on the panels is substantial you would naturally expect your solar system to last long for a long time, long enough to pay for itself and make you a profit. However, for a warranty to be honoured, the manufacturer needs to be still operating. So, be cautious of brands without a track record in Australia.

Check What The Utility Will Pay For Your Grid Exports

Many states offer net metering, which means that you can sell excess power from your system to the utility grid at the retail power rate. Florida and New York State are notable examples.

Other states apply Time of Use billing, which changes the electricity rates over the course of the day, potentially influencing how much youll earn for your exported power. This is the case in California, for example.

In states with Time of Use and feed-in tariffs, you may be better off with a hybrid system . These systems allow you to store the surplus power produced during the day in a battery, for use at night.

And then there are states where your exported power will earn a price lower than the retail rate. This is usually called a feed-in tariff, and is in effect in places like Arizona.

If net metering is available, you should take advantage of getting the full retail rate by installing a grid-tied system that will export plenty of power to the grid.

Make sure you discuss compensation for exported solar power with your utility and your solar company.

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Bottom Line: Are Solar Panels Worth It

Solar panels are worth it both for the long-term utility savings and the environmental impact. When you’re choosing a solar energy company to power your home, look for one that has a high efficiency rating to maximize the amount of power your solar system generates and a good warranty to protect you from future maintenance costs.

As a member of the ConsumerAffairs Research Team, Kathryn Parkman believes everyone deserves easy access to accurate and comprehensive information on products and businesses before they make a purchase, which is why she spends hours researching companies and industries for ConsumerAffairs. She believes conscious consumption is everyone’s responsibility and that all content deserves integrity.