Frequently Asked Questions
How much does solar cost?
There are multiple ways to have solar. The price of a solar system has dropped rapidly in the last 6 years. The electricity from a solar system can be less than electricity from the grid. There are also lease arrangements that can lower an electric bill with no upfront costs.
Does solar require batteries?
No, if a building is connected to the electric grid, electrical storage in the form of batteries is not necessary.
What is net metering?
Net metering is the system that utilities use to credit solar energy system owners for the electricity produced by their solar panels. With net metering, you only pay for the electricity that you use beyond what your solar panels can generate. Net metering policies differ from state to state.
What is the payback?
The payback is a simple calculation that divides the cost of the system by the yearly savings of that system allowing you to know how long the system will pay itself off. The payback can vary between different solar sites and depends on efficiency and initial cost.
What happens when it snows or rains?
Snow slides off and cleans the panels due to warming after a storm. Rain cleans dust and bird droppings restoring the panel efficiency.
What happens when it is cloudy?
Panels produce best in bright sunshine, but will still produce some electricity during cloudy periods.
How does solar work?
PV panels directly produce electricity from sunlight, have no moving parts, and use an inverter to change the direct current (DC) power they produce to usable alternating current (AC) power.
Why solar and not wind?
Both are renewable energy sources. Currently the cost of residential solar electricity is less than the cost of residential wind generated electricity.