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How to Get Grandfathered in to NEM 2.0

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How to Get Grandfathered in to NEM 2.0

NEM 2.0 (Current)

With California’s current (grid-tied) net metering protocol, known as NEM 2.0, solar customers receive a retail credit for excess energy produced by their solar panels which is transported back to the grid. This retail credit is used to offset the homeowner’s bill during times when solar production is insufficient (night-time and winter months) and customer’s draw energy from the grid (utility).

Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2023 – Transitioning to NEM 3.0

NEM 3.0 (Beginning April 14, 2023)

The California Public Utilities Commission has authorized (by law), the existing California utility companies to make adjustments to the current Net Energy Metering billing schedules via NEM 3.0.  NEM 3.0 introduces several changes to the existing net metering program after April 14, 2023 that will dramatically impact a solar customer’s savings and value.

Get grandfathered in to NEM 2.0 before it’s too late

NEM 3.0 IMPACT

One of the major changes is the homeowner’s excess credits will be credited at much lower rates (not the retail value). The expected percentage drop in value for these credits is about 75% of retail rates. This means, that unless a customer can store more solar energy in a battery which they can then run off of at night, the average size system won’t likely be able to produce enough excess credits to provide the standard 100% net energy offset customers have come to expect. Systems will have to be designed larger than normal if a homeowner wishes to have 100% offset – and be without a nasty “True-Up Bill” (reconciliation of their net energy) at the end of each year.

Another ding into customer’s solar energy savings will come as another non-bypass-able energy surcharge in the form of a grid-access fee based upon the size of the customer’s system. This feels like just one more way for the utilities to “maintain a level playing field” and keep control of their power monopoly. The new protocols also limit the system size eligible for net metering, with a cap of 11 kilowatts for residential customers and 1 megawatt for non-residential customers. Remember, they are in the business of making money off of you and I, and not the other way around!

CONCLUSION

Overall, NEM 3.0 aims to more accurately reflect the value of solar energy produced by customers and its impact on the grid, while also ensuring that non-solar customers aren’t unfairly subsidizing solar customers. Regardless, we expect energy prices to climb and solar to continue to be an attractive way to combat this inevitability.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

If you are a current homeowner on SDGE, SCE or PGE electricty, you literally only have weeks (not months) to get grandfathered in to the great NEM 2.0 program which will save you about 40-60% more than a solar system on the new NEM 3.0 schedule. Contact us for a free estimate and solar energy evaluation for your home or business today. Special incentives are available until March 31.

PG&E Customer’s Bill Could Double Its Rate After More Wildfire Incident

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According to a brand-new evaluation prepared for Gov. Gavin Newsom, if The golden state California wildfires remain to be as ravaging as they have been the past 2 years, countless clients’ electrical prices might increase up to 50% and threaten the state’s capacity to execute several of its top tidy power campaigns.

Read more from this latest news here:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/California-electricity-rates-could-surge-50-13757757.php

Energy Efficient Appliances

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Which appliances are most energy efficient and is the extra expense worth it?

Which appliances are most energy efficient and is the extra expense worth it?

A large number of household appliances available to be purchased in the United States are Energy STAR affirmed, which implies they utilize less energy than their ordinary, non-Energy STAR partners. Notwithstanding, Energy STAR machines frequently include a significant price premium, making numerous property holders to ponder: are the more productive appliances justified, and worth paying a premium?

The Energy STAR program was launched and maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 1992.

By and large, most of the resulting test comparisons were primarily positive. The amount of money you’ll save relies upon your power rates (from your power company) as well as the machines you’re hoping to change out, and also the incentives accessible for these new energy efficient items in your home or business.

Energy STAR appliances should lessen your electricity bills in the long term.

By and large, home machines – including clothes washers, humidifiers, dryers, dishwashing machines, refrigerators, freezers, and air purifiers –represent 20% of your home’s complete electricity bill. An Energy STAR apparatus will utilize somewhere in the range of ten to fifty percent less energy every year compared to its non-Energy STAR proficient counterpart.

By replacing the appliances you have in your home with Energy STAR certified machines, you are embarking on a long term investment decision that will lessen your utility bill which is particularly imperative when you perceive that power rates are ever-increasing. It is also to be noted that a few machines utilize more energy compared to others. The sum you spare is likewise reliant on how long you have been using your appliance and the power rates which you are paying.

Clothes Dryers

Dryers are one of the most energy-hungry appliances you’ll find in the normal American home. As per the NRDC, a run of the mill dryer can expend as much energy every year as a clothes washer and dishwasher combined and peradventure you have a more seasoned model, the number can turn out to be significantly higher. Energy STAR dryers utilize 20% less power than a customary model and will spare you approximately $210 in electricity bills through the lifetime of your dryer.

Washers

Peradventure you combine your energy efficient dryer with a energy proficient clothes washer; you’ll see extra reserve funds on your electricity bill as well as your water bills. An Energy STAR guaranteed garments washer utilizes forty to fifty percent less energy and around 55% less water when compared to standard washers.

If you replace your regular clothes washer with a energy effective model, it is possible for you to set aside to $50 every year on your water and utility bills. Energy proficient front-loading garments washers likewise require less clothing cleanser compared to top-loading garment washers, thereby enabling you to spare more cash weekly on detergents.

Refrigerators

There had been huge advances in cooler innovation in the course of recent years, which implies that old fridges are one of the greatest energy hoards in numerous U.S. homes. The Energy STAR affirmed freezers that are available in the market today are almost 10% more energy effective compared to other models which meet the government least energy standard. Peradventure you have a more seasoned fridge, you can spare considerably more on your energy bills with a energy proficient freezer, Energy STAR qualified freezers utilizes about 40% less energy than the traditional models that were sold in 2001.

Dishwashing machines

Dishwashing machines may not utilize the same amount of power as a continually running fridge or even a high-heat garment dryer, yet the power and water which is expected to operate a dishwasher add up. Energy STAR ensured dishwashing machines are 12% more proficient than non-guaranteed models as of now available to be purchased, and using an energy-efficient dishwasher will spare you approximately $25 per year.

Energy proficient machine discounts can build your investment funds

While energy proficient machines can include some significant price premium, they’ll spare you cash on the long run by lessening your power bills. By and large, there are additional states, nearby, or utility discounts that will lessen your daily costs. Also, in case you’re disposing of a more seasoned apparatus, you might be given a discount for reusing it.

When would it be advisable for you to put resources into top energy efficient machines?

When you change out the apparatuses in your apartment with energy proficient upgrades, then you can spare many dollars annually on your energy bill. The reserve funds you accomplish from a solitary energy effective apparatus may appear to be little without anyone else, yet your home machines will keep going for somewhere in the range of 10 to even 20 years, those little months to month investment funds will become very significant with time, and mostly, the value premium you will pay will be quite more than counterbalanced by your energy investment funds.

That being stated, the measure of cash you’ll spare with energy effectiveness measures is subject to the amount you’re willing to contribute. For instance, you can spare a couple of dollars from your bills by using LEDs in the place of glowing lights, but just in case you want to significantly reduce your bills, you’ll need to change out the machines and systems that utilize the most energy.

Considerably more noteworthy returns: introducing sunlight based board system

While energy proficiency measures will help protect your house against increasing power costs, you can make it a stride further by introducing sun powered panels on your properties to produce your own perfect power. When you decide to “go sunlight based,” you guarantee that your power rates will stay stable throughout a period of 20 or more years. The expense of introducing solarhas decreased by in excess of 50 percent in the course of recent years, which implies your sun powered investment funds are more than any time in recent memory.The national governments as of now set gauge proficiency principles for appliances available to be purchased in the U.S., which implies that no products available in the market are “wasteful.” Energy STAR ensured machines, notwithstanding, are more effective than the regular models accessible available to be purchased. Your general profit now depends on the efficiency of your present appliances which is to a great extent the function of how long you have been using it. You’ll see progressively extreme investment funds when you change out your more established ordinary machines with energy effective choices, as opposed to change outing a more current apparatus.

Microinverter or String Inverter?

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Comparison between micro-inverters and string inverters

  • What is a Micro-Inverter – a micro-inverter can also be referred to as a solar micro inverter. It is a piece of electronic equipment used in PV arrays for changing the waveform of current – i.e. changing Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC).
  • What is a String Inverter? – String inverters can also be referred to as centralized inverters. They convert Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) but here the inverter is connected to a string of solar panels, instead of individually as does a micro-inverter.

When a micro-inverter might be a better choice than string inverters

Easy to install and use

  1. You don’t need an expert to install it for you. Micro-inverters can be easily set-up by you thereby saving you the cost of paying experts to do it for you.
  2. It does not require any additional hardware or manual configuration. It is Plug-and-play for the most part.
  3. Micro-inverters are connected to an AC source carrying normal household voltages. Whereas, central inverters are connected using multiple strings of thick DC wires from the solar panels to the central inverter through a tunnel.
  4. The installations of central-inverters demand 4-8 categories of high voltage DC wires which need to be connected correctly to the inverter.
  5. In the installations of string-inverters, the installer has to calculate line losses to determine the size of the wire that will be required to connect it to the panels. Also, the panels, central inverters, and the racking all require different grounding components.
  6. Even for the loading of the string-inverters, it requires that the person installing it, design the system to be able to load-balance each strand of panels.
  7. In a central-inverter, when a panel malfunctions, it can be hard to determine which panel exactly in the system is malfunctioning without testing each one of them with a micrometer.

Effectiveness (Total System Output)

  1. Micro-inverters make the best use of the power output of each individual panel resulting in an additional power of 5-15% per panel on average.
  2. Central (String) inverters will not function at 100% if there is shading on even one panel in the array, whereas a micro inverter system will function optimally, and every other panel’s production in the array will not be affected by the one shaded panel.
  3. If a panel malfunction in a micro-inverter system, it will not affect the whole system and the exact panel that is malfunctioning can be easily determined.

Safety

  1. Micro-inverters are safer to use, whereas string-inverters will expose the installer to hundreds of volts of unsafe DC power while micro-inverters do not.
  2. Micro-inverters are safe to handle as they do not produce power when they are not connected to your solar panels. On the other hand, a string inverter needs to be handled safely because they produce power as soon the panels are exposed to light.
  3. A string inverter can be wired incorrectly in a lot of ways which could lead to severe damage or even death of the installer.  
  4. There is virtually no way a micro inverter can be wired incorrectly because it is plug-and-play.

Durability and Cost Effectiveness.

  1. Micro-inverters last for a very long time having an average lifespan of about 32 years and also a longer warranty of 25 years whereas central inverters have a shorter lifespan and a shorter warranty period of 10-12 years.
  2. The cost of maintenance for a string inverter can be more as it will need replacement in 10-15 years.
  3. Be sure to ask your installer if your warranty will cover replacement of the inverters if and when they expire before the 20 or 25 year mark.

The advantages of a string inverter

There is certainly a lot to like about micro-inverters, but when might it be better to use a traditional string inverter?

1.      A string inverter is one connection point, so set up is very straight forward.

2.      When a microinverter fails, you will likely have multiple devices to replace, so this can be a hassle or an inconvenience.

3.      When you’re dealing with only one mounting plane or direction for your array, a single phase, string inverter is a very solid choice.

When to choose a micro-inverter based PV system

There are certain instances where you will definitely want to use a micro-inverter based system.

1.     The advantages of a micro-inverter set-up come into play especially when you have a system that contains multiple roof angles and possible shading as this will increase overall system output and efficiency.

2.     The second scenario is when you plan on expanding (adding panels) your system. In this case, adding extra panels and micro-inverters will be more economical because a string inverter is sized to the total system size, so can only be upgraded to a certain point before a larger or second string inverter will be required.

Reasons Why Time-Of-Use Pricing Method Will Increase Your Electricity Dues

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Decades ago, electricity bills were easier to interpret. This was done by obtaining the magnitude of current used, multiplied by the prevailing cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh), in addition to other non-specific charges stress-free.

Recently, power companies like PG&E have made moves on changing the method of payment for electricity.  The costs of electricity production are higher when demand is high compared to times when demand is low. Take for instance, when most people leave their houses for work, there is low usage and electricity is cheaper than when they come back from work and switch on electrical gadgets. At these times, there is pressure on PG&E to produce more electricity thereby leading to increased energy costs.

This pattern has been seen repeatedly in California. Last year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration wrote an article stating how California’s energy costs have been on the rise yearly during times of increased demand per day.

An Hourly Breakdown of California’s Energy Price

The cost of electricity from 8 PM in 2016 per megawatt-hour was $35which increased to $60 in the subsequent year partly due to the high reliance of its energy companies on redeemable sources of energy like solar power. Of course, there was an obvious decrease in its production cost during times of low demand.

The major concern now is the mode of transformation of the energy market since putting more energy to use as at the time needed is costlier, thereby resulting in rapid increase in prices at both the early and late hours of the day; except for institutions who remit a constant price for electricity since there’s no way electricity providers can recover the costs incurred in rendering electrical services in times of very high demand excluding the general cost of electricity.

Hence, the reason core California power companies are currently introducing a new pricing method for electricity named “Time-of-Use”.

Energy Prices – Time-of-Use Pricing

Time-of-Use Pricing simply means you are charged according to when you utilize power either at home or for business.

Time-Of-Use (TOU) pricing segments hours of the day, with each time frame differing according to dead periods. As of April 2018, PG&E mapped out its plan (applying E-TOU-A) thus:

This may look easy but for the fact that there is a slight change of plan from June to September, with a reduced rate of $0.32 and a high rate of $0.40, while between October and May, the reduced rate is $0.27 when the inflated rate is $0.28. So, seasonal variations also determine prices PG&E customers pay.

The majority of energy users are often faced with the sudden inflated bills of the time-of-use pricing method.

High costs of TOU pricing compared to the traditional or basic method is the main concern. Looking at the basic plan, for instance, the normal prevailing price is $0.21 per kWh, which is lesser than the lowest pricing TOU rate by 6 cents and summertime high rates by 11 cents.

Energy users should be ready for a costlier and flexible pricing system as the time-of-use method is now the standard being set (by PG&E as from 2020).

PG&E is now using TOU instead of the traditional rate. Just like every other working class individual, the house owner is absent from home during early bright hours of the day and comes home every evening except for weekends. This means 70% or 700kWh of energy consumed in May during zenith costs periods (3am-8pm on workdays) and 30% or 300kWh during idle days.

Considering this, their bill would amount to $377 this May which reflects an increase of 78% more than the amount usually paid using the previous pricing system. This should show you a glimpse of what residents in California will experience when TOU is standardized.

The news is that these high costs are just going to increase. House owners have overlooked the fact that the difference between the zenith and off-zenith costs has been on the increase in the last ten years. As PG&E is implementing the TOU pricing in recent years, analyses of PG&E pricing rates have shown that there is an increasing gap between zenith and off-zenith costs. Between June and July 2013 during summer, commercial zenith and off-zenith costs recorded a difference of 3 cents; during the same time in 2014, it became 3.5 cents. Recently, the difference is over 5 cents.

The pattern is very obvious. With the passage of time, the probability of an increase in the difference between zenith and off-zenith costs is high. Energy will become more unaffordable as at the times itis most needed.

California residents and the entire United States will now have to adjust their ways of life to a larger extent so as to put up with this experience. The way you use your electrical equipment at home will be greatly reduced so as to conserve energy. Otherwise, you would have no choice than to pay up the charges.

Increasing Energy Prices – Is There Another Way Out?

A rising proportion of California house owners have started installing solar power systems on their rooftops so as to relinquish dependence on local power utilities. Following the uncontrollable increase in energy prices, the period at which the calculated cost of obtaining a system will be at par with current electrical charges is rapidly approaching.

It is currently calculated that a typical house owner can save enough money (meant for electrical bills) to buy a solar power system between 5 to 7 years, determined by usage and normal charges. Energy prices are on the high side and increasing daily. Therefore, the above stipulated time frame is expected to decrease. This is why we advise house owners to consider installing solar power. This way, you are exempted from financial pains.

Lastly, we suggest storage batteries for a more dynamic and efficient system for both new and old methods which in turn increases your savings.

The Selling Price of Sacramento Homes with Solar Panels Increases by 3% to 7%

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An analysis done by an online real estate website named Zillow showed the amount that homes with solar systems sold for as against those without solar systems. In the United States alone, it was found out that homes that had solar power had about 4.1% more sales than homes that didn’t. This summed up to over 9,250 of most homes.   

In the result of the analysis, Zillow made sure to include the fact that homes with solar power had varying premiums depending on the state of the market. The metro area in New York city which had homes with solar panels sold for 5.4% more than others. This is a median premium of $24,000. Whereas in Riverside California, homes sold for only 2.7% more. A median premium of $9,930. 

In the article were two California markets and the increases in their sale prices.  

  • San Francisco: 5.4% increase – $41, 650 more 
  • Los Angeles: 3.6% increase – $24,295 

The above information was only based on a single study by Zillow, which wasn’t detailed. A lot of factors affect the price at which home buyers are willing to buy homes with solar panels. They are: 

  • The primary market rate at which homes are sold in a particular community 
  • How good the solar power system of the homes is 
  • The general effectiveness of the solar panels in a particular area 
  • The degree to which solar power is valued in a community 
  • Does the homebuyer see the importance and use of the solar power system while pricing the home? 

A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that the amount of energy produced in a home determines the home price premiums rather than the home’s price. How long the system had been in use was also considered. 

Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory did an analysis of 43 pairs of homes sold in 6 states. The states were Maryland, Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina, Florida, and Oregon. After carefully matching the homes together and making comparisons, there was a striking difference between them. While one home had a solar power system, the other didn’t. 

There was found to be a median average sale price increase with homes that had solar panels. This was 2.91%. Homes in California located in the San Diego metro area were found to be selling for a little above average. This was 2.92% 

What To Consider Before Paying For A House With Solar?  

Despite all of the above results, there are things to keep in mind and consider when buying homes.  One of them is the age of the solar power systems varies. While the Solar panels on Californian homes were as old as 11 years, those in Florida were all below the ages of 4 years. The pricing for homes varies depending on how effective and useful the solar power systems are. The ages of solar power systems in Pennsylvania were not up to 2 ½ years. So the price of a home with a 15-year old system should not be the same as that of a 3-year-old system because solar panels depreciate in lifespan and efficiency over time.   

It was further explained in the study that the value of a home should not be the determining factor in anticipating the price of solar power. Homes with lower values might possess a high-quality system while homes with a higher value might have low-quality systems.  Having put this into consideration, it would seem unreasonable to pay more for a house that has a smaller system. 

Lawrence Berkeley clearly stated that: 

“Price per watt is the appropriate metric for valuing solar power systems, not the premium as a percentage of the home sale price, which is an inconsistent metric that widely varies by the PV system sizes and by the prices of homes.” 

In the United States, on average, the price for solar power homes is $3,145 per Kilowatt. While in California, the average is between $4,260 per Kilowatt according to their study. 

Solar Powered Houses In Sacramento  

While Californian homes were studied by the Zillow and Lawrence Berkeley, Sacramento houses were not in their research work and therefore no information was forthcoming from their end. However, in 2011, some economists in the National Bureau of Economic Research went ahead and studied the dynamics of premium price in Sacramento. The number of homes sales that took place in the state between January 2003 and November 2010, about 90,000 were studied all including the homes that were using solar power system at the time. This information was recorded in a paper titled “Understanding the Solar Home Price Premium”.  

While Lawrence Berkeley recorded the amount of energy the solar power systems produced, they did not have that. They only made a comparison between the prices of homes that had solar power systems and those that didn’t. From findings, the homes with solar panels had a higher percentage increase in their selling price than homes that do not have it. it was about a 4% increase.  Further findings made: 

Some streets are termed solar streets; this is because they had solar-powered homes lined up against each other. Such homes sold for 3% more than the usual price.   

Homes which powered by solar energy but not on solar streets sold for about 7% more than the actual price. 

Meanwhile, homes in areas like San Diego which has college graduates as homeowners and the owners had hybrid vehicles, the prices of the homes were more than the average prices. 

Other Factors To Consider 

Although a solar power system would normally affect the price of a home, there are other factors to consider. The value of the solar system of home differs based on the buyer and the seller’s perspectives. While observing some homes in Sacramento, some observations made by Ryan Lundquist. These observations were: 

  • Recouping Investment: When homeowners are about to sell their homes, they often have the intent of getting back the amount they paid for the solar power system. But in most cases, the price at which it was bought doesn’t compare with what the price is now. In most cases, the old ones were usually more expensive.  
  • Age: The older the solar system, the less the effectiveness and its productivity. A newer system would naturally have a longer life span than an older one. 
  • Actual Cost: If there had been a reduction during the initial transaction of the home, this would affect the decision of the homeowner when reselling. 
  • Duration of Usage: A home might come with the advantage of having a solar system that would save the buyer the cost of paying power bills for the next years. Such a buyer would, of course, be expected to pay for that service. But peradventure the buyer only intends to stay in the home for a 5-year period? 

There are situations where the owner of a home might give the solar system on a lease. This means that the solar system would be a financial burden on the buyer of the home, meanwhile, the solar system would be considered a feature and included in the cost price of buying the home. The best bet for home sellers would be to pay off their lease before they consider selling the homes.  

These and many more factors should be carefully put into consideration when selling a home. But even in all these, the truth still remains that a home with a solar system is a home with more worth.  

The Advantages and Disadvantages of DIY Solar in 2019

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Solar has become a vogue thing in 2019 and a lot of daring homeowners are starting to think about “do it yourself solar installation”- the idea of building a PV system by yourself. Obviously, there is a lot involved in a solar installation and there is a correct and incorrect model of do-it-yourself solar projects. 

Here are a few DIY Solar installations (see photos) that went very badly in the end. 

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Going solar has lots of monetary advantages: it decreases the cost of electricity and increases the quality of your home. Financial benefits like federal tax credits for solar can decrease the total cost by 30 percent or even more. Although solar is a great investment, the combined, upfront price label can cause sticker shock to some. To save money most house owners are weighing the DIY options versus financing a system and getting a professional installer to handle the work. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of DIY solar below, which one should consider before making a decision on a DIY solar project. 

Step by step process of DIY solar panels. 

  1. Design and size your system based on energy needs 
  2. Purchase your solar equipment (solar panels, inverters, racking) 
  3. Provide your city/county planning department a plan set with code-abiding solar schematics and application for solar permit 
  4. Install the racking or mounts for the panels 
  5. Connect the solar panels to your racking equipment 
  6. Install a solar inverter 
  7. Notify the local utility and AHJ of completion and request for PTO (Permission to Turn-On – i.e. “connect” to grid) 

Do it yourself solar panel installation could be less costly, although your choices are sometimes limited. 

According to information from the solar marketplace, the average total cost for a DIY solar system for homeowners (the amount before financial benefits and rebates are applied) is about $18,300. Of this amount, the design, installation, and cost of labor brings it about ten to fifteen percent of the entire bill. So, you can potentially save up to half of the amount that a  professionally installed solar PV system will cost.  

Even at that, it is still very enticing to use a professional who can provide a worry-free installation, labor warranty/guarantee and affordable financing which is less than using a credit card or home equity line of credit for the investment. The money saved on upfront materials and installation will be free for other things. 

Your solar energy should be able to generate electric current for 25-35 years, so it is important that you think about both the upfront cost and the monetary benefit for all of your solar options. If you purchase solar kits like the ones available online or at an Electrical supply store, it can be cheaper but you won’t generally have the choices and warranty convenience that solar installers are ready to provide. Most at times, solar installers purchase their equipment from distributors that don’t sell retail and they can obtain prices only available when purchased in large quantity. 

Around the nation, the solar price is dropping. 

Advantage: Create your own solar works for small off-grid projects. 

Virtually all home solar kits are created for an off-grid purpose, which means that you cannot make use of it connected to your utility. For the average homeowner, going off-grid is not to your advantage. Having the ability to connect to utility-generated electric source is important because if your solar energy system does not create sufficient electricity to be able to meet your demands (at night and in winter) throughout the year, you’ll want to supplement with some grid-provided electricity. 

Home solar equipment can be a good idea if the goal is not to power the whole house. RVs, boats, and the ever-popular tiny houses are all great items for trying the do it yourself solar, that is because these are generally off-grid and mobile already. 

On a similar topic, DIY solar projects can be of great help if you own a large property and desire to power an outside area such as a barn, or toolshed or want to easily install outside lights. In such instance the power demand will be quite low, so buying a little home solar kit and installing it yourself is achievable. 

Disadvantage: installing solar is difficult, homemade solar energy requires education and experience. 

When you want to go the DIY route with your solar panels, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. A home solar kit can be cheaper, but solar installers give much more value and peace of mind for a relatively small additional price. Whenever it comes to installing a valuable electric system on your property, looking for someone who knows what he is doing can help you conserve time, money and aggravation in the long run.  

A professional solar installer can get the job done faster and safer because they have the experience that online research cannot beat or DIY guides can copy. All States demands that all installers be qualified and licensed to install solar and independent certification such as North American Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP’s), Solar PV installation Professional Certification makes sure that the company you decide to work will have a great knowledge of the entire process. 

Your solar installer will aid you to finish and file the permits and applications that you require to submit in order to get your solar energy system up and working. This is really important because your utility will not let you connect your system to grid without signoff from a certified utility/electrical inspector. 

Also, because of the experience of the solar installer, they should be able to help you concerning the financial incentive because they will have a better knowledge of the solar incentive in your jurisdiction. They can even help you to find an incentive that you might have missed. Finally, it is very important that you know that most product manaufacturers will only honor their warranty when a certified installer install the equipment. And virtually all installers can offer a warranty on their own labor too. 

Other great ways to conserve money on your solar installation 

Of course, when trying to make such a great decision for your house, you can discover the solar choice that has a better financial advantage for you. DIY solar energy is not the only way to conserve money when trying to go solar. 


“Next Level Energy is accustomed to fixing other’s mistakes. Call us (530-316-1421) if you need help with your on or off-grid system, or don’t want to go it alone when putting together a system. We are Strike-Check approved. We can diagnose and trouble-shoot some failing or failed systems. By the way, it’s always a GREAT idea to make sure your system and home are fully insured, regardless of who installed/installs your system.”

Solar Home Power System: Tapping the Power of the Sun

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The amount of solar energy the sun offers on an hourly basis is beyond what we can consume in a year. The energy that comes from the sun is important to us in many ways, including providing us with electricity. However, the sun will not automatically power our house. There needs to be a mechanism made available to tap this energy and convert it to electricity that will then power your home. Technology will grow over the years, and the majority of our appliances will be solar powered.

Homes will become independent by producing their own electricity. The exciting aspect is that it will not just stop there. Homes will soon become inter-dependent. This means that homes will begin to supply each other electrical power. The development in net-metering law allows a home to supply electricity to other homes and building if it produces more energy than it can use. This service to others will be rewarded in the form of a credit on your utility. This system gives you retail value for the power that you generate in excess.

Why you should go solar:

There are other benefits you stand to gain from the use of solar energy. Let’s take a look at these other benefits.

  • Going solar is better for the environment: this is one major reason solar energy has become popular. The fact that it is renewable energy which has no harm to society when it is been consumed makes it a welcomed idea. The traditional source of energy like coal and gas emit substances that are harmful to the environment. Solar energy is not in that league.
  • You will save some money on your utility: aside for the cost of purchasing the solar panel, you will not have to pay money for electricity anymore. Since the energy power is from the sun and the sun is a free gift of nature; nobody will charge you for tapping energy from the sun. You have the possibility of providing energy to others in retail value which is another benefit of going solar as explained above.

Now that you know some reasons to why you should go solar, let’s look into how solar energy generating systems work.

Solar power system:

A solar power system is a combination of several solar energy generating components. Components such as the photovoltaic (PV) panels, the DC to AC converter usually an inverter primarily make up a solar power system. There are others such as the energy storage battery, the voltage regulator and so other mini accessories. How all these work to provide you with electricity is that the PV panels, combined in multiples arrays, capture the photons that are generated by the sunlight. These photons are then converted into electrons which will generate the direct current (DC). The inverter receives it and converts it into an alternating current (AC), which powers your home.

pv system

When choosing your solar panel, you need to choose carefully since it’s a major component of the success of solar power generation. There are two major types of solar panels:  polycrystalline and monocrystalline. Polycrystalline panels are sold at lower prices, however, they are sensitive to high temperatures, have a shorter lifespan, and are less space efficient. Mono-crystalline panels are expensive to buy but they are highly efficient, suitable for commercial use, and have a longer lifespan.

Solar Efficiency

The features of solar panels you are to be concerned about are its solar efficiency, the cost, the warranty on it, and technology type. This brings us to the discussion about solar panel manufactures. The current top three solar panel manufacturers are JinkoSolar, Trina Solar and Canadian Solar. However, there have been changes in the last few years which have seen the introduction of some new entrants into the solar manufacturing industries. Also, old solar manufacturing companies are now gaining market. Because of the increase in demand for solar power, companies now can compete.

Solar Power Components

Let’s take a deeper look into the major and minor components that make up a proper solar power generating system.

  • Inverter: this is the system that helps convert the DC to AC which is needed by the homes.
  • Performance Monitoring Device: this device helps to check the health of the system. It will also indicate how much electricity is generated and indicated when there is a change.
  • Storage options: this is in the form of rechargeable batteries which can be installed to help store up energy for future use. In some places, your excess energy is sent to the grid in exchange for credit.
  • Solar panels: this is the most important component of the solar power generating system. It is this component that adsorbs power from the sun. Without it, there will be no solar power generation.

How to choose a Solar Panel

When choosing your solar panel, you need to choose carefully since it’s a major component of the success of solar power generation. There are two major types of solar panels:  polycrystalline and monocrystalline. Polycrystalline panels are sold at lower prices, however, they are sensitive to high temperatures, have a shorter lifespan, and are less space efficient. Mono-crystalline panels are expensive to buy but they are highly efficient, suitable for commercial use, and have a longer lifespan.

The features of solar panels you are to be concerned about are its solar efficiency, the cost, the warranty on it, and technology type. This brings us to the discussion about solar panel manufactures. The current top three solar panel manufacturers are JinkoSolar, Trina Solar and Canadian Solar. However, there have been changes in the last few years which have seen the introduction of some new entrants into the solar manufacturing industries. Also, old solar manufacturing companies are now gaining market. Because of the increase in demand for solar power, companies now can compete.

Choose the Best Solar Manufacturing Company

The question now is, is it a must that the solar company you buy your solar panel from must be one of the top manufacturing companies? It is important you know that the quantity of sales made is the major determining factor for ranking solar manufacturing companies and not necessarily the quality and cost-benefit the customers derive. Therefore, if you are choosing to go for one of the top manufacturing companies, be sure you are not just purchasing from them because they are a top company but also because they offer you quality in exchange for money. Your solar panel is supposed to be effective and last you at least two decades of use.