In our homes today we rely on electricity for many things.  It powers our lights, appliances and electronics.  Many of us use it to provide our homes with hot water, heat, and air conditioning.  As more electricity is used, our electric bills rise.  In turn, fossil-fueled power plants generate more electricity to meet the electrical demands, but these plants generate more pollution, as well.  An excellent solution to the rising costs of using electricity is the installation of a Solar Energy System in your home.

Solar-electricity, or photovoltaics (PV), converts sunlight directly into electricity.  In layperson terms, PV solar systems consist of modular panels made of silicon, which react directly to sunlight by generating electric current.  An inverter changes the DC (direct current) generated by the panels into AC (alternating current).  A grid-connected small solar electric or photovoltaic system receives back-up power from a utility's grid when the PV system is not producing enough power.  When the system produces excess power, the utility is required to purchase the power through a metering and rate arrangement.  Net metering is the best arrangement.  Under this arrangement, the power provider essentially pays you retail price for the electricity you feed back into the grid.

The advantages to installing a Solar Energy System in your home today are:

• The return on your solar investment has never been better!  Current utility rebates and federal tax credits for our high-performance solar photovoltaic (PV) systems create very favorable financial incentives for installing a solar system now.*
• Declare energy independence.  Invest in a solar PV system and generate your own electricity from sunlight — a clean, silent, renewable energy source with no emissions.
• Enjoy long-term solar life expectancy.  With PV panels’ 25 year warranty and 40+ year lifespan, your solar system will last for years to come, sheltering you from rising electricity rates and making your solar investment look better every day.
• Add value to any property.  Solar systems are exempt from property taxes, but the value of a solar system is added to the appraised value of a property.  It is one of the few home improvements that can be justified in terms of return on invested dollar.

After meeting with you and discussing your power requirements, the sunlight availability of your home, and other important factors, our Solar Energy System Designer will determine the type of system that will best meet your needs.  Call us to schedule an appointment and begin your energy independence today!

*The Federal Government's Income Tax rebate and new "Grants in Lieu of Tax Credits" offsets 30% of the cost of residential or commercial photovoltaic systems.  In addition, local utilities are offering customers rebates on the purchase and installation of solar energy systems.