Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
A rooftop solar array will provide you with a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Transitioning to solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and decrease your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and assembled a guide to the best and most reliable solar installation providers in Cupertino.
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
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:
Putting solar panels on your roof could reduce your electricity payments while benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint through renewable energy use. Key considerations when researching local solar installers are as follows.
Verify that your solar installer is properly licensed. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. There are five specific classifications of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, a contractor 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 TrustPilot, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's dependability and customer service. Use caution with companies that have no reviews or mostly negative ones.
To find a solar company that fits your budget, get free, detailed quotes from 3–5 providers. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Comparing several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
High-quality solar installations should come with robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues like poor wiring, cracks in the panels, or poor alignment. The output warranty ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong guarantees reflect a solar provider's faith in its installations.
Solar power can help decrease your electricity costs over time. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to weigh these considerations.
In Cupertino, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.0 kilowatts. The typical Cupertino homeowner spends $7,249 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will consider additional information based on your desired system's panel type, capacity, required preliminary work, and size. In some cases, homeowners may prefer to lease solar panels 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
Incentive Amount:
Single-family residential gas-displacing systems: $18.59 per therm displaced
Single-family residential electricity or propane-displacing systems: $0.54 per kWh displaced
Multifamily and Commercial gas-displacing systems: $14.53 per therm displaced
Multifamily and Commercial electricity or propane-displacing systems: $0.42 per kWh displaced
Low-Income Multifamily gas-displacing systems: $19.23/therm displaced
Low-Income Multifamily Electric or Propane Displacing systems: $0.56/kWh displaced
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the smallest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can qualify for tax benefits, reduce emissions, and raise your property values. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you additional energy security and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on your location and the kind of panels you plan to use. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have a wide time window to install your panels, though they won't reach peak performance until summer arrives.
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 Cupertino amount to $961.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on the average sunlight in your area, their rated capacity, and the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power. Cupertino has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.5 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Regarding taxes, the federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30% of the panels' cost. Depending on where you live, you could also claim or apply for state or property tax incentives. Regarding insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should consult with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
The most common types of home solar panels in Cupertino include monocrystalline, thin-film and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are balanced and efficient, while thin-film and polycrystalline panels pair good performance with greater upfront value. Talk with your local provider about which solar panels they work with.
Solar panels are becoming more relevant than ever for their low upkeep costs and high efficiency under a variety of conditions. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
