Thanks to technological and manufacturing advances, costs for
solar panels have tumbled in the last decade, making solar energy more popular
for homeowners. But figuring out how to add a
solar energy system to your roof
can be daunting.
اضافة اعلان
Workers installed a solar and battery system this winter at my
home in a New York City suburb. It was a major investment but has already begun
paying off in lower utility bills and providing peace of mind that we will have
at least some electricity during power outages, which are common here because
storms often knock down power lines.
Interest in rooftop solar systems is high and growing as energy
prices rise and concerns about climate change mount. Many people are also
worried about blackouts caused by extreme weather linked to climate change. A
Pew Charitable Trust survey in 2019 found that 6% of Americans had already
installed solar panels and that another 46% were considering it.
“The biggest thing is that solar is a lot cheaper than it used
to be even in places like New York City and Boston, where it tends to be more
expensive than in the suburbs,” said Anika Wistar-Jones, director of affordable
solar at Solar One, an environmental education nonprofit in New York City that
helps affordable housing and low-income communities adopt solar energy.
If you are interested in solar, here are some things to
consider.
Can you add solar panels to your roof?
This question might seem simple, but finding the answer can be
surprisingly complicated. One installer told me that my roof was so shaded by
trees that solar panels would not generate enough electricity to make the
investment worthwhile. Hearing another opinion was worth it: The installer I
hired allayed those concerns and recommended some tree trimming. On sunny days my
system often generates more power than my family uses.
It can also be difficult to find out what your local government
and utility will permit because the information is usually not readily
available in plain language. I learned that lesson at my previous home.
When I lived in New York City, it took months of research to
learn that I couldn’t install panels on my roof. The city requires a large
clear area on flat roofs like mine for firefighters to walk on, it turns out.
And I couldn’t install solar panels on a canopy — a rooftop framework that
elevates the panels — because it would violate a city height restriction for
homes on my block.
The best approach is to cast a wide net and talk to as many
solar installers as you can. You might also consult neighbors who have put
solar panels on their roofs: People in many parts of the country have banded
together in what are known as solarize campaigns to jointly purchase solar
panels to secure lower prices from installers.
“That has been really successful in neighborhoods and
communities all across the country,” said Gretchen Bradley, community solar
manager at Solar One.
Can I afford a solar installer?
You should seek proposals from several installers. Comparison
shopping services like EnergySage and SolarReviews make it easy to contact
multiple installers.
When reviewing proposals, pay attention to how much the system
will cost per watt. This tells you how much you are paying for the system’s
electricity-generating capacity and allows you to compare offers.
The median quote for new rooftop solar systems is $2.75 per
watt, according to EnergySage. That works out to about $26,125 for an average
system of 9,500 watts before taking into account a federal tax credit. For the
2022 tax year, the credit stands at 26% of the cost of the solar system; it is
slated to drop to 22% in 2023 and end in 2024. Many states, including Arizona,
California, New York and Massachusetts, also offer residents incentives to
install solar systems, such as rebates and tax breaks.
Prices can vary greatly because of location, local labor costs
and other factors, like what kind of home you live in and whether other work is
needed before installation. If your roof is old or damaged, for example, it
might need to be replaced before a solar system can be installed.
Rooftop solar systems can reduce monthly utility bills,
depending on electricity rates, how much energy a home uses and state policies.
Systems that save more money will help buyers recoup their investment faster.
Vikram Aggarwal, chief executive and founder of EnergySage, said solar systems
should ideally pay for themselves within 10 years.
The excess electricity that rooftop systems produce is sent to
the electric grid, and utilities typically compensate homeowners for that
energy through credits on their monthly bills. The value of those credits
varies by state.
How should I pay for it?
If you can afford to buy a solar system outright, you will get
the best deal by paying cash. Systems purchased with loans or through leases
tend to cost more, especially over the life of the contract. Shopping around is
your best hedge against falling prey to dubious or predatory agreements.
The main advantage of leasing a solar energy system is that your
costs are typically fixed for the duration of the contract. But experts caution
that leases can be hard to get out of and could become a burden when you sell
your home, because buyers might not want to take on your contract.
Aggarwal noted that leases “make sense” for some people who may
not earn enough to claim the federal tax credit. He suggested that people
interested in solar leases get three or four quotes from different installers.
Should I buy a battery?
Adding a battery to your solar system will allow you to store
some of the excess electricity it generates to use during a blackout or in the
evening and night. A solar system without a battery will not keep you supplied
with power during an outage because most residential systems are automatically
turned off when the grid goes down.
Batteries can be expensive, especially if you want to run large
appliances and provide power for many hours or days. A 10- to 12-kilowatt-hour
battery, which can store roughly a third of a home’s typical daily electricity
use, costs about $13,000, according to EnergySage.
But another reason to buy a battery is that the federal tax
credit for rooftop solar systems applies only to the costs of batteries that
are purchased with solar panels, and not to batteries added in a different tax
year. About 28% of residential solar systems installed in 2021 included
batteries, up from 20% in 2020, according to a survey by EnergySage.
If I can’t install solar panels, can I still buy solar energy?
You might be able to join a community solar project, which are
usually installed on open land or on the roofs of warehouses and other large
buildings.
While the rules vary by state, community solar programs
generally work in similar ways. Members get two bills a month: one from the
community solar project and one from their utility. The projects sell
electricity at a discount to the rate charged by your utility, and each
kilowatt-hour of power you buy shows up as a credit for a kilowatt-hour of
energy on your utility bill.
New Yorkers who join a community solar project, for example, can
save about 10% on their monthly electricity bill, Bradley said. “It doesn’t
cost anything to sign up or leave a project,” she added.
While most states allow community solar, a majority of such
projects are in just four states — Florida, Minnesota, New York and
Massachusetts — according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
You can search for projects in your area on websites including
EnergySage and PowerMarket or through state agencies, like the New York State
Energy Research and Development Authority.
Read More
Lifestyle
Jordan News
