What is Net Metering?

Net metering is a policy that allows owners to sell excess energy back to their utility company. For every kilowatt hour of energy that a solar panel produces, the owner gets a credit for that kilowatt hour on their energy bill. In example, if a solar panel produces 10 kilowatt hours of energy in a month, the owner would get a credit for 10 kilowatt hours on their energy bill. This policy makes it easy for renewable energy owners to reduce their energy costs and helps to promote the use of solar power.

Increased Performance From Net Metering:

Net Metering is crucial for you because your solar system is at the peak of its production performance during the day, and is unable to produce at night. Furthermore, this allows your solar system to replenish energy back into the grid, that then gets put “on account” for you. It will then be credited back when you use it the most, at night; because your solar system will not be producing at that time. Essentially, you are being credited for the solar energy you aren’t using during the day, to be able to use it at another time; i.e. At night, or on a cloudy day.

Benefits From Net Metering:

Net metering is an amazing policy that enables solar to develop and benefit consumers, by reducing the cost of electricity. It is because of these reasons that Net metering is something we should all fight for.

What is the solar investment tax credit (ITC)?

Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is one of the most important federal policies for solar energy. It is a federally-funded rebate program that provides tax relief to homeowners who install solar panels on their homes. The ITC is a 26% rebate on the value of your solar system, but this rate is estimated to change in the future.

For Example, if you finance or purchase with cash, a solar system for $40,000, you get to keep 26% of that $40,000. If you finance your system you can get this benefit for zero dollars out of pocket.

When you file your taxes at the end of the year, you’re going to include the cost of your solar system, and the government will send you back a check for that amount (or subtract it from your existing tax liability). This is why it is important to take advantage of these programs while they are still in place today!

How do solar warranties work?

This is a popular question, and there are actually Three types of Solar Warranties.

The First type of warranty is on your solar panels.

These panels are usually warrantied for 25 years.  This means that they are guaranteed to produce power for 25 years. The production guarantee on your panels will depend on the type of panels you buy, typically the production guarantee can be anywhere from 85% up to 92% (if you opt for more premium solar panels).

The second type of solar warranty is on your inverter.

The inverter is the part of your solar system that converts direct current (DC) energy harvested from the sun to alternating current (AC), so you can power your home. Your inverter is warrantied anywhere from 12 to 25 years. We also include an option for a 30-year extended warranty, to ensure your systems lifetime performance.

The third type of solar warranty covers the “workmanship”

This warranty is for 10 years. Which ensures that all the work done, from installing the solar panels on your roof, to wiring your system into your electrical box, is all guaranteed to work for 10 years, to make sure there are absolutely no issues.

To summarize, you are looking at 25 years on the solar panels, 12 to 30 years on the inverter, and 10 years on the “workmanship” warranty. This is a great way to help ensure the longevity of your financial investment.

Is home solar system a good investment for my family?

A home Solar system is an investment that gives back! Solar increases the value of your home by producing excess electricity, which credits you a value for each kilowatt it produces.

In truth, each KW you produce is a KW that you don’t have to purchase from your electric company. Plus, the future value of all of those savings is valuable to the next buyer of your home.

Yet another great reason to go solar, not only does your investment give back to the plant, but it also gives back to you too!

How do I know if my home is a fit for solar?

There are three main factors to determine if your home will be a fit for solar, and were here to help you discover them:

The first factor in evaluating solar:

Is called “sun exposure”. This will determine the amount of sun your solar panels will be exposed to during the day, and whether or not your roof (or the location of your solar panels) will experience any extensive shade caused by trees, weather, higher buildings in the area, anything that could prevent your solar system from getting “proper solar access”; to ensure you are able to harvest enough energy to power your home. If your panels are able to have proper sun exposure, you will be good to go solar!

The second factor in evaluating solar:

Is the direction your panels would be facing. This also has to do with how much energy you will be able to harvest. Solar panels should ideally be facing the South or West, to be exposed to the maximum amount of sunlight possible. So, were looking for the right solar panel location, and direction, in order to ensure quality production.

The Third factor in evaluating solar:

Has to do with the structural integrity of your roof. Before installing solar, we have to be sure that there are no structural issues that would make it difficult to mount the panels.  Therefore, if it turns out that solar doesn’t work for your property, no harm done; you will still walk away with more knowledge on solar, and a clear understanding moving forward. This is why we encourage homeowners to reach out and get a free custom solar proposal from us, so we can do the work of analyzing your property and show you how much your solar system could cost, and how much you could save by going solar.

Think solar is too expensive?

One of the biggest barriers to entry for any homeowner who is wanting to go solar is, “How will I pay for it?” A common misconception for homeowners, is that it takes cash to go solar. Most people think solar is too expensive, because they expect to pay upfront in cash for their system, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Today solar systems have become the lest expensive option:

In fact, today solar is the least expensive option to provide your home with energy in most of the U.S. With low interest rates, and more available financing programs, it is easier than ever before for most homeowners to get zero-down financing.  There are two financing options for your solar system; with a low interest rate loan or lease. Let’s discuss both…

Loan terms on home solar systems:

A zero down loan allows you to choose a loan term, with multiple options for you, to tailor your loan towards what works best for you. We offer a 5-year, 10-year, 15-year, 20-year, or 25-year loan term option. We also offer the most competitive rates possible in the solar industry. If you go solar with a zero-down loan, that means you will finance the system through your loan provider, and instead of paying a monthly utility bill, you will pay a lesser expensive monthly payment to your loan provider. And you get to keep the difference.

leasing option for home solar systems:

In case, for any reason, you are unable to get a loan; you can always choose a leasing option. A lease is a monthly payment plan, that is usually over 20 years. Its that easy. Your lease payment will still be less than your monthly utility bill, which means with this option you are still saving every single month.

Solar experts:

Our team will help you determine what option is best for you. When you get your custom proposal from us, we will have one of our solar experts sit down with you, and explain all of your options, in detail, to help you understand, and decide what will work best for you and your family.

What is involved in going solar?

What’s next after I sign my contract to go solar? Well, that’s actually the hardest part, once you’ve signed your agreement, we do the rest. We will provide a dedicated solar expert to manage your project, and provide open communication and information every step of the way.

Solar site surveys and construction permits:

To get started we schedule your site survey. Then, we will create your solar system design, that will be submitted to the city. After that, you will receive a construction permit.

Scheduled solar install:

Once we have received the permit, we will schedule your installation, which typically takes 1-3 days depending on your systems size.

Inspect and permission to operate “PTO”:

After this, we finish the installation process for your home, and then we schedule a city inspector and/ or your utility company to approve the installation and give you “permission to operate”, or PTO.

Solar power is now on:

Once you receive the go ahead on the PTO, we will power on your system, and you can start enjoying the power of clean energy.

This whole process usually takes 30-60 days, much of this time is from waiting for permits, and inspectors.

Do I need to buy a battery?

No, not if you are on a grid-tied solar system, however there are two primary benefits for a homeowner to own batteries:

The first reason to consider a battery bank:

The first, is the ability the homeowner will have to store excess power, incase the grid goes down, or a disaster strikes i.e., a hurricane, or severe storm, fire, any thing that would cause your system to be unable to produce solar energy. You will then be able to rely on your batteries to provide stored energy, to power your home; even when your utility provider can’t.

The second reason to consider a battery bank:

The second reason for adding batteries to your system is because batteries can save you more money.  If you live in a region with specific rate structures, a battery would allow you to use your stored energy at more expensive times of the day.

Net metering and batteries:

Most regions are able to save money using net metering, and do not have a need for batteries, unless they want to have piece of mind knowing that you can provide power to their home, even when their utility provider can’t.

Solar expert:

You can speak with your solar expert for more information. They will be able to give you a more detailed proposal of how much it will cost for your system to include batteries, if you’re interested in adding them to your system. One of our many deep resources is battery manufacturers, and we will absolutely make sure you are taken care of; based on what way works best for you and your family.

What are my options when it comes to purchasing energy?

When it comes to your future with energy, it is important for you to know your options.

Going green with renewable energy:

The first option is going green, with clean, renewable solar energy. Take control over your monthly utility bill, by controlling what you use to power your home. Spend less for solar energy than you currently pay for your utility bill. With many other added benefits, like; increasing the value of your home, becoming energy independent, and helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint.

Best Solar Offer simplifies the process:

Best Solar Offer makes it simple for you, we provide zero down financing, and handle your project personally, there is nothing for you to worry about, we take care of everything for you, from start to finish.

Do nothing and stay on the power grid:

The second option involves doing nothing, and staying with your current utility. You know how your current system works, it provides the electricity your home needs, unless there is a power outage, or something, but your going to spend a lot more for that energy, and with un-predictable rates, your monthly utility price is never in your control, and will likely continue to go up, up, up!

Dirty energy vs clean energy:

Think about the options, would you rather pay a monthly bill for dirty energy that you have no ownership or control over? Or would you rather have energy independence with a reliable, and renewable source of clean energy? If your going to pay a monthly for the energy you use every month, year after year, you might as well financially invest that money into energy that will power your home, save you money every month, and add value to your home.

Making an informed solar system decision:

We care about you, the homeowner, and making sure you know your options, and get the best out of your investment. At Best Solar Offer, we want to ensure you can feel proud about how you power your home. In addition, we want to provide you with the best support, the best technology, and the best equipment to set your future up for success. The choice up to you, and we do everything in our power to help you make the most informed decision.

You can contact Best Solar Offer for more information or to set an appointment on our contact us page.