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.
The financial benefits of going solar are now well documented. Solar panel systems actually function as investments with strong rates of return, and homeowners generating solar electricity can avoid paying increased utility rates by eliminating their electricity bills. According to a 2015 report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, installing solar panels on your home can even increase your property values. If you’re reviewing multiple quotes, there are plenty of metrics that can help you make a decision about which solar option is best for you, but studies show most solar shoppers rely on one metric in particular: the solar panel payback period or break-even point.
For property owners who want to maximize their solar savings, solar loans make it possible to buy a solar energy system even if you don’t have the cash on hand to make a purchase. Solar loans come in many different forms, including home equity loans and home equity lines of credit, unsecured loans from specialty lenders, and Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans. Thanks to Fannie Mae, there’s a new solar financing option available to many homeowners – and it could be a game changer. If you’ve explored solar loans in the past and haven’t found what you’re looking for, it’s time to take a look at the new Fannie Mae HomeStyle Energy Program.
Degree days are a way to measure how warm or cold a region is. When it comes to energy, knowing about the heating degree days or cooling degree days your location experiences can help you understand how much energy you might need to use for home climate systems. In this article, we take a look at both cooling degree days and heating degree days and their impact on your energy use, plus potential ways to shift your behavior based on the degree days in your region.
2016 is poised to be the best year yet for solar. At some time during the next few months, the U.S. will reach a milestone of one million solar homes, and industry experts predict that this solar momentum will continue throughout the year. If you’ve been thinking about installing a solar energy system, 2016 is the year to go for it. Read on to find out why we’re now beginning the Year of Solar.
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