Solar Energy 
Many families and business owners have found good reason to install photovoltaic electric systems in their buildings.
Some want to reduce their use of fossil fuels and so protect the environment. Many hope to improve our nation’s energy independence. Others are ready to invest in their energy future by creating a non-polluting power source that is under their own control.
We believe these are all valid reasons to invest in photovoltaic energy, and we hope the following information will help you decide if this emerging technology is for you. Green Home Pros has a certified Solar PV team and will customize your home for the proper solar energy investment.
So Get Started With Solar !
Ten Steps to getting started!
- Learn about solar technologies. For general information about the different solar technologies, vist Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office of the U.S. Department of Energy at www.eere.energy.gov/solar
- Get an energy audit before going solar. Before you start planning the size of you solar installation, evaluate how much energy you could save by making our home more energy efficient. Call and schedule your energy audit today. There are many reasons to go solar, if your electricity bills are low but your natural gas bills are high, you may benefit from adding solar and converting to electrical appliances, or installing a solar thermal system to heat water.
- Assess the most efficient location for panels. Figure on needing 100 square feet of panels per kilowatt (kw). A typical home installation is 1.5 to 3 kw ac, so you would need about 150 to 300 square feet for panels. You will need unshaded roof or ground space facing South, West or East, with the panels angled between 5 and 30 degrees.
- Consider the aesthetics. While a state mandate prevents architectural boards from restricting solar panel installation based solely on aesthetics, we strongly encourage you to consider your system’s visibility to the neighborhood and visual integration with existing buildings. Consider a high performance location with low public visibility “ building integrated technologies” 9such as thin panels that act as roof tiles) or using framing and mounting techniques that maximize a system’s visual integration.
- Talk to Green Home Pros solar specialist. Our installers will assess your location and suggest the size and type of system that is best for you.
- Reserve your incentives. Green Home Pros will provide you with your incentive application forms. After the program administrator receives your completed application, it will reserve funds based on the size of your solar project. These funds will be reserved for periods of time indicated in each program, by which time you must provide adequate proof of progress towards installing your system. The administrator will require you to provide documentation to show that you are moving for ward with the project. * Green Home Pros will walk you through the process and make sure that what incentives are available at the time will be applied towards making your home more efficient.
- Install the solar system and get your permits. Photovoltaic systems and hot water systems require a building permit, which would be handled by Green Home Pros. Systems that are mounted on the ground rather than the roof may require a land use permit and may need to be approved by the county or city architectural review board.
- Claim your state rebate. After the building permit has been signed off, claim your reserved rebate. Getting your check an take up to three months, however Green Home Pros will float the rebate, automatically deducting the rebate from your final bill
- Complete interconnection with the utility. Once you have received signoff on the building permit, the utility interconnection process can be finalized. Within five to ten business days after the utility company receives a completed application, you get permission to operate your solar system. Green Home Pros will handle this process for you.
- Apply for your tax credits. Tax incentives change from year to year. Under current tax code, when you file your federal income tax return you will receive a tax credit of 30 percent of you out of pocket, after rebate costs for any solar system. The tax credit is capped at $2,000 for homeowners, but businesses can take the full 30 percent. You are also eligible for an exemption on your state property tax. Please not that these programs are continually changing and Green Home Pros will direct you to the proper programs at the time of your request for service.
Estimating the payback period
You will often hear the word “payback period” in relation to solar power. This is the length of time it takes to pay for your solar system through your energy bill savings. Calculate it will the following formula
Payback = System Cost / (monthly energy bill savings x 12)
For example, if your system costs $20,000 and it saves $200 off your electricity bill each month.
Payback = $20,000 / ( $200 a month x 12 ) = 8.3 years
This is an oversimplified calculation and does not include financing costs or escalating electricity costs from your utility, or other important considerations, A more complete calculation can be performed by you Green Home Pros analysis.