Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Year after year, more Discovery Bay homeowners install rooftop solar panels to lower their carbon footprint and add value to their property. Switching to solar energy can reduce your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you begin the process, you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. Luckily, we've done the research and compiled a guide to the best and most reputable solar installation providers in Discovery Bay.
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
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 crucial factors to consider when evaluating if a solar installer is reliable.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done properly using current best installation practices. There are five different classifications of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn a license, a contractor must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and Google Reviews to see customer feedback about local solar companies. Detailed reviews can help you assess a company's dependability and level of service. Use caution with companies that have hardly any reviews or mostly negative ones.
Contact three to five solar companies to receive free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and specify the exact solar components included. By comparing multiple quotes, you can identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship warranty covers any installation defects (such as poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees demonstrate a company's confidence in its work.
Solar energy can help decrease your electric bills over time. When considering the total price and value of solar panels, be sure to consider these factors.
The cost of solar panels varies based on your system's capacity and the solar technology used. The typical Discovery Bay solar array has a capacity of 3.0 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area can expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Discovery Bay homeowners spends roughly $7,395 on a new solar system after accounting for federal tax breaks. (Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels to lower their upfront costs.) A personalized quote from a local solar installer will account for things like the capacity, size, and panel type of the planned system, and should include prices for permit fees, labor, 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) array can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. A more specific example is installing a solar heating system for your water.
There are many benefits to home solar energy. You can reduce emissions, raise your property values, 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.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, so you can reap the environmental benefits and savings that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, the average sunlight in your area, and their rated capacity. Discovery Bay has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.0 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Yes, solar panels will still be able to generate energy during a grid outage. To ensure that your solar system is able to keep working during a power outage, make sure to choose a quality solar provider that offers battery backup systems or emergency generators.
With respect to 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. As for insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should talk with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
