What is the average cost to buy solar panels?
Depending on the state, a home solar system can cost between $15,000 to $29,000 for system sizes ranging for 4kW to 8kW.* The more power your household uses, the more solar panels you’ll need, which will add to the cost of your solar system.
Sound like a lot? The upfront cost of a solar system doesn’t have to keep you from going solar. Get in touch with Solarsmartnow advisor to see how you can go solar for as low as $0 with our flexible financing options.
Some of the most common incentives include state tax credits, property and sales tax exemptions, Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and rebates from your local utility. No matter which state you live in, you can also be eligible for the federal solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) if you purchase your own solar system.
When you sign up for a free quote, our in-house Solar Advisors will work with you to figure out how much you can expect to save. This relies on factors like your utility's solar guidelines, how much electricity you use, and how much sunlight your home gets. We’ll only recommend solar if it’s the right fit for your home energy needs.
Once you’re approved for a solar installation, your home will undergo a site assessment so our Solar Design Experts can work on your personalized home solar system design.
After that, our Solar Design Experts will make any necessary adjustments to your design and get your final approval. Once it’s approved, we’ll submit your design to the city for permitting, which can take up to eight weeks. From there, either Solarsmartnow or one of our local certified partners will perform your solar installation. We only partner with the top-rated solar installers, so rest assured that you’ll have the highest quality solar installation available.
When your installation is finished, the city or county will perform a final inspection of your system. Once it’s approved, it’ll be connected to the grid, and we’ll submit your documents to your utility company. After your utility company grants Permission to Operate (PTO), you’ll be ready to power your home with the sun.
You receive energy credits from your utility company for power you produce and don't immediately use. Your energy credits count towards any energy you get from the utility.
Most of the energy your panels produce is used right away. This energy does not appear on your utility bill because it never went to the grid. If you have a battery, the energy that it stores also does not appear on your utility bill.
In Hawaii, energy that solar homeowners produce is not sent to the grid so utility customers do not receive energy credits.
In many U.S. states there is a policy called "Net Metering" which means the utility credits a homeowner for solar energy that is not consumed by the home. Those net metering credits are used up when the home takes power from the utility
What 's net metering?
There may be times when the customer’s system generates more electricity than the home needs during the day, week or month. In these cases, a credit is issued to the customer’s account for the excess power. In other words, the customer will only pay for the energy that the utility provides.
How do I apply for Tax Credits?
We calculates shading and solar potential on every rooftop that it covers, but the system size and financial estimates are tailored to residential rooftops. Commercial and industrial solar economics are often different from residential rooftops for a variety of reasons, including different regulations, electricity prices, and solar installation costs.
Sometimes you can. Different utilities have different rules on this question. Some utilities may limit the installation size to a proportion (e.g., 120%) of the electricity consumed over the prior year.
Actual savings can vary from projected savings for a variety of reasons. Fast-growing trees can shade solar installations, reducing production over time. Utilities can change how much they charge their customers for electricity, changing the savings from solar. Policies that are beneficial to solar installations may change (e.g., Net Metering). For states without net metering, savings may also vary by the amount of solar electricity consumed in the household compared to the amount exported to the grid.