Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
A rooftop solar array will provide you with a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Switching to solar energy can help you save money and lower your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. Luckily, we've done the research and compiled a guide to the best and most reliable solar installation companies in Alpine.
Services Offered
Services Offered
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
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
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:
Going solar can be a great way to save money on electricity costs and help the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some key factors to consider when deciding if a solar installer is trustworthy.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This ensures that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. There are five different types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, an installer must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have barely any reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar installer that works with your budget, get free, detailed quotes from three to five providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Comparing several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship warranty addresses any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees show that a company is confident in its work.
Solar energy can help you lower electricity bills over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when considering the final cost and value of solar panels.
The average Alpine homeowner will spend around $6,837 on a home solar system after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Alpine cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average size of 2.8 kilowatts. An estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for preliminary work, labor, and permit fees, and will account for your system's capacity, size, and panel type. Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels in order to reduce upfront costs.
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. If you don't want to use solar power for your entire home, you can install a solar water heating system.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can reduce emissions, qualify for tax benefits, and save money. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also provide you with additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on your home's location and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have significant leeway to install your panels, though they won't hit peak performance until summer arrives.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Alpine, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 7.4 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
The specific types of maintenance you need will depend on the type of panels you're using. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. Full-service solar contractors in the Alpine area offer comprehensive 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 sell the solar energy you don't use to your provider. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
