If you’ve gone solar, you’ve already decreased (or possibly eliminated) your electricity bill. But you may want to add more solar panels to your existing system; your solar panel system could be undersized to begin with, or you might have increased your electricity usage since installation due to new additions to your house, new appliances, or adding an electric vehicle (EV) purchase.
Ground-mounted solar is one way to install solar energy on your property. Before you decide to install a ground mount system, it is important to make sure you are the right candidate for this kind of project. Factors like space available, pricing, and electricity needs will all matter in deciding between a rooftop and ground-mounted solar installation.
In this week’s Solar News Roundup, Vermont utility Green Mountain Power reports that their virtual power plant program saved half a million dollars during the recent heatwave, and Duke Energy introduces a community solar program available to South Carolina customers.
The angle of your solar array is an important factor in maximizing your energy production. Depending on where you live, the best angle at which you should install solar panels will change. This is because it’s based on the average position of the sun over your property.
EnergySage’s own vice president of marketing, Luke Tarbi, just had a Tesla Powerwall 2 installed at his home in Vermont through Green Mountain Power’s new program – for just $15/month! In this case study, he shares his experience with the program.
We’d just closed on the house in Southern Vermont. Fortunately, the sellers left the house mostly furnished and stocked with supplies and a helpful “home instructions” booklet. One line of their “home instructions” stood out to us: “In the event of a power outage, there are flashlights and candles in the mudroom.”
If you want to install a solar energy system on your property, one of the first questions you’ve probably asked is, “How will I pay for it?” There are many financing options available today for homeowners who want to enjoy the benefits of solar. In many areas, an increasingly popular option for home energy improvements like solar is property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing.
In the continuing quest for the most efficient solar panels, a new technology has emerged as the potential future of photovoltaic technology: perovskite solar cells.
If you’re considering solar, you’ve probably heard about the federal solar tax credit, also known as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The Federal ITC makes solar more affordable for homeowners and businesses by granting a dollar-for-dollar tax deduction equal to 30% of the total cost of a solar energy system.
What does 30% actually mean for the average solar shopper? According to EnergySage marketplace data, the average national gross cost of installing a solar panel system in 2018 is $18,840. At that price, the solar tax credit can reduce your federal tax burden by $5,652 – and that’s just one of many rebates and incentives that can reduce the cost of solar for homeowners.
There’s plenty of information out there about the value of the residential ITC, but figuring out how to actually claim the credit when it comes time to file your taxes is another story. We’ll walk you through the instructions step by step from Form 5695 to Form 1040.
Installing a solar energy system is becoming increasingly attainable for homeowners across the country as prices continue to drop. Being savvy about where to find the best deals on solar can make your solar installation process pain-free, and lead to maximum savings.
As you’re evaluating your solar panel options, one of the top metrics to consider is a panel’s power rating, often referred to as its wattage. The number of watts in a solar panel indicates its overall capacity to produce power, and 100-watt solar panels are on the lower end of the spectrum. Higher wattage panels, like those over 300 watts, are capable of producing more electricity.
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