Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Rooftop solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Albany homeowners. Transitioning to solar energy can lower your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and assembled a guide to the best and most trustworthy solar installation companies in Albany.
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on solar companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
Installing solar panels can lower your electricity costs and benefit the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is right for you, consider these key factors.
Hiring a licensed solar installer is critical. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using current installation best practices. There are five specific levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, a contractor must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check Google Reviews, TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a provider's reliability and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. A quote should outline all costs and specify the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps you find the option that aligns with your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation issues, such as cracks in the panels, poor alignment, or poor wiring. A performance warranty ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar energy can help lower your energy expenses. Be sure to evaluate these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Solar panel costs vary based on system capacity and the technology being used. The typical Albany solar array has a capacity of 3.0 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay approximately $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Albany homeowners spends roughly $7,314 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar provider will account for things like the capacity, panel type, and size of the planned system, and should include prices for labor, permit fees, and preliminary work.
Incentive Amount:
Eligible products can be financed for up to 25 years, depending on the useful life of the eligible product.
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Incentive Type: PACE Financing
Incentive Amount:
Locally determined
Incentive Amount:
For projects 30 kW or larger, 50% of incentive will be received up-front; 50% will be received based on actual kWh production over the first 5 years. For projects under 30kW, 100% of the incentive will be paid up front.
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Incentive Amount:
Step 1 Incentive Rates (contact utility to determine current incentive levels):
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. More specifically, you can install a solar heating system for your water.
With home solar PV, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your home's carbon footprint, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In many areas, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, so you can reap the environmental benefits and savings of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Your installer can give you an estimate of what your energy bills will look like after you install solar panels. Generally, your energy bills will decrease significantly because you'll be using energy from the sun for free, instead of buying energy from the utility company. The average annual savings in Albany amount to $1,053.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should clean your panels regularly and inspect them for damage. A majority of solar contractors in the Albany area offer multipoint maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your utility or state offers net metering, you can send the solar energy you don't use to your provider. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
Although solar energy is a great option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, a contractor might recommend other forms of renewable energy, such as wind or geothermal power, as a primary source. It is also important to speak to a qualified installer to determine if their solar system is compatible with the climate and environment of your area. Even if you choose a different form of renewable energy altogether, you'll still lower your emissions and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
