Solar Benefits...

Electrical costs from PG&E have been increasing on an average of 6% per year for the last 30 years, and even more in recent years. Installing a solar system on your home or business can reduce the current cost of electricity, while fixing the costs for the next 25 or 30 years. The compounding increases of current electrical rates makes going solar a financially beneficial project for most homes and business.

What can be cleaner than using the sun to produce energy? With nothing to burn, no noxious gases released, no load noisy engines. Another great benefit of solar is eliminating the building of new power plants. During summer afternoons, energy usage is at its peak. Office usage, primarily air conditioning, requires PG&E to build special peaker plants, usually running on natural gas, releasing global warming carbon dioxide to service this time of day. Solar systems produce most of their energy during this high need time, reducing kilowatt for kilowatt the need for these peak plants, and the carbon dioxide reduction is measured in the tons eliminated.

Solar systems require minimal maintenance (periodic washing of the solar panels), and the warrantee's of systems have doubled in the past few years. Most solar panel manufactures, now offer a 25-year performance warrantee, and inverters come with a 10 or 15-year warrantee. The basic components of a solar system have no moving parts and little down time. Utilizing a grid inter-tie system (see system types) eliminates the need for battery storage, often the highest maintenance item in off-grid (see system types) solar systems.

Many people believe it is easier to pay a monthly utility bill then face the up front costs of a solar system. Many financing options, rebates and credits exist that can minimize or eliminate the up front costs, and allow solar to be a monthly expense.

• The federal government provides a 30% federal credit when purchasing a solar system. This credit can be used to reduce your federal tax liability, dollar for dollar, and can be applied through multiple years.
• The California Solar Initiative provides rebates for the installation of solar systems.
• PACE assessments like the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP), allow for up to 100% financing for solar systems (after rebates). The assessment is applied to the property taxes of a home or business and paid over a 20-year period. If the home or business is sold, the new owners assume the assessment. The interest portion of these assessments can be tax deductable.
• Home refinancing and equity lines of credit, offer the ability to finance solar systems over many years, and make monthly installments. Like PACE assessments, the interest portions of these loans are usually tax deductable.
• While many other financing options are available, those listed above are the most common.