There are a number of steps necessary for planning to power your house with solar energy. Once you have chosen the option that best suits you (see Step 3), follow the next steps that apply to you. Your solar installer and local utility company can provide more information about the exact measures you will need to take to power your home with solar energy.
1. Check Your House For Energy Efficiency.
Before starting the process of feeding your home with solar energy, homeowners should investigate their energy usage and examine possible energy efficiency improvements. Homeowners should be familiar with their total electricity use and consider low-cost, easy-to-implement efficiency measures before choosing solar power.
Explore the resources below to reduce your power consumption:
Home Energy Audits: A home energy audit can help you understand where your home is losing energy and how to improve the efficiency of your home.
Appliances and electronics: Use your appliances and electronics more efficiently, or consider investing in highly effective products.
Lighting: Switch to energy efficient lighting, such as LEDs.
Heating and cooling: If you use electricity to heat and cool your home, your heating and cooling needs will greatly affect how much solar energy you need. Aging your home and heating and cooling efficiently will reduce the amount of electricity you have to generate with solar energy.
2. Estimate Your Solar Potential.
Before you decide how best to use solar electricity at home, evaluate the potential of solar energy that can be generated at your address. Because PV technologies use both direct and dispersed sunlight to create electricity, the solar resource across the US is amply suited to domestic solar systems.
However, the amount of power generated by a solar energy system at a particular site depends on how much of the sun’s energy reaches it, and the size of the system itself.
Several services and mapping tools are available to help you determine the solar energy potential of your house. Some of the departments also provide information on the estimated size of the system, potential costs and savings, and local entrepreneurs.
These tools are an excellent starting point and can help you determine whether your home is suitable for solar, and if not, the best path forward to still benefit from solar. While these tools are useful, they do not take into account all of the variables that need to be taken into account for your specific system.
For that, you will need to work directly with a solar installer who can provide an accurate assessment of your solar potential as well as detailed recommendations, estimates, and equipment expertise. Consider the following:
Nearby shade trees. Entrepreneurs will also help assess shade, but also consider your own trees or your neighbor’s trees that are still growing and may shade your system in the future.
The age of your roof and the duration of its replacement. If you expect to need a new roof in the coming years, you can consider doing this upgrade before installing solar.
Restrictions or approval requirements from neighborhood associations or landlords. Some states now have “solar rights provisions” limiting HOA’s ability to restrict solar installations or limit solar access. These provisions vary from one state to another, and by municipality; check your own HOA pacts and state laws.
3. Evaluate Your Options To Use Solar Energy.
Buying and installing a system you own and maintain entirely is no longer the only option if you want to switch to solar power. Even if you rent your home or don’t want to purchase a rooftop system, there are many programs that will allow you to benefit from solar electricity.
Here are some of the options available to use solar energy at home; check with local installers and your utility programs available in your region.
- Purchasing A Solar Energy System
- Community Or Shared Solar
- Solar Leases
- Power Purchase Agreements (Ppa)
- Solarize Programs
4. Estimate Your Solar Power Requirements.
To help your contractor make recommendations on the type and size of your system, gather information on your home and electricity use.
Review electricity bills to determine yearly electricity requirements. Your consumption will be given in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Review each month of the year; you may use more electricity in some months than others (e.g., if you use the air conditioner in the summer). Some utilities provide tools that can assist with this examination.
Consider any expected changes. If you purchase an electric vehicle or plan to add a house, you may need more electricity. If you continue to make significant changes to improve your home’s energy efficiency, you may need less electricity than you used in the past.
5. Obtain Site Quotations And Evaluations From Solar Installers.
When researching installers, be sure to find qualified and insured professionals with the proper certification—the solar industry standard certification comes from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. You can also ask friends and relatives who have recently gone solar for referrals and check online resources for reviews. Before committing, obtain proof of authorization before working with an installer.
There are also web-based tools that can help you easily find and compare solar installers. Obtain at least three bids for the installation of the PV system and ensure that bids are based on the same specifications and parameters to allow comparison of purchases.
When interviewing installers, remember to ask the following questions:
Does your company know the local licensing and interconnection processes? Often, obtaining building permits and permitting interconnection can be time-consuming and time-consuming. Make sure the installer is familiar with these local processes to make sure your system is installed and connected promptly.
Can the company provide references for other clients in your region? Talk to other customers in the area to learn more about the challenges they faced and how the company helped resolve them.
Is the business duly authorized or certified? Photovoltaic systems must be installed by an installer with a suitable license. This usually means that the installer/subcontractor has an electrical contractor permit. Your electrical status card can tell you whether a contractor has a valid electrician’s license.
Local construction services could also require that the installer has a general contractor license. Contact your city or county for additional licensing information. In addition, salary programs may ask you to work with a specific installer to receive the system’s discounted price.
What is the guarantee for such a system? Who is responsible for the functioning and maintenance of the system? Most solar systems are backed by a standard industry guarantee (often 20 years for solar panels and 10 years for inverters). Making sure that the system is backed by a strong warranty is often an indication that the installer is using good equipment.
Similarly, the landlord should determine who is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the system. Most lease and PPA agreements will require the installer to perform system maintenance, and many installers offer competitive O&M plans to host-owned systems.
Does the business have outstanding or active rulings or privileges against it? As is the case for any project requiring a contractor, due diligence is recommended. Your state electrical card may tell you about any judgments or complaints against a state-authorized electrician. Consumers should call the city and county where they live to find out how to assess entrepreneurs. An additional source of information is the Office for Business Improvement.
Submissions must clearly indicate the maximum output capacity of the system, measured in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). Also request an estimate of the amount of energy the system will produce each year or month (measured in kilowatt hours). This number is very helpful when comparable to your existing utility bills.
Bids must also include the total cost of commissioning the PV system, including hardware, installation, connection to the grid, permits, sales tax and warranty. A cost/watt, and estimated cost/kWh are the most useful metrics for comparing prices across different installers, as installers may use different equipment or offer quotes for systems of different sizes.
6. Understand Available Funding And Incentives.
Solar photovoltaic systems installed during 2020 and 2021 are eligible for the 26% tax credit. On August 2022, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, raising it to 30% for the installation of what was between 2022-2032. (Systems installed on or before December 31, 2019 were also eligible for a 30% tax credit.) It will decrease to 26% for systems installed in 2033 and to 22% for systems installed in 2034. The tax credit expires effective 2035, unless renewed by Congress. No maximum amount is eligible to be claimed.
If you choose to lease or purchase solar energy, remember that you will not be eligible for this tax benefit since you will not be the owner of the solar energy system.
You can look for other state, local or utility incentives in the State Incentives Database for Renewables and Energy Efficiency (DSIRE).
In addition to incentives, ensure you explore all available solar financing options. Every situation is different, and what is best for your home depends on a wide variety of factors. The Clean Energy States Alliance guide helps homeowners understand their options, outlining the pros and cons of each. Also check out the Homeowner’s Guide to Solar Energy for additional financing options.
7. Work With Your Installer And Utility
If you choose to install a solar system, your installer should be able to help you complete the required permits and steps.
Your setup program will determine the right size for your system. The size will be based on your electricity requirements (determined in step 4) and the following:
- The site’s solar resource or available sunlight
- The system’s orientation and tilt
- The system’s efficiency at converting sunlight to electricity
- The system’s efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity.
Your installer will also ensure that all equipment is installed correctly and oriented and tilted in such a way to maximize the daily and seasonal solar energy received and produced by your system.
Ensure you understand how the billing and net billing will work, as well as the additional utility charges you will have to pay.
Reference: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/planning-home-solar-electric-system
