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 energy is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners in El Sobrante. A new solar energy system can help you decrease your carbon footprint, provide a dependable source of power, and add value to your property. Adopting solar energy can allow you to save money and reduce your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. That’s why, after properly vetting providers, we assembled a guide to the most reliable solar companies in El Sobrante. These providers offer dependable quality service.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
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:
Installing solar panels can lower your electricity costs and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. When determining whether a solar provider is the best option for you, consider these key factors.
Verify 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 types 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, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a provider's reliability and customer service. Avoid providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Get free, detailed quotes from three to five solar companies. A quote should describe all costs and identify the exact solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the best value for your budget.
Quality solar installations should include strong workmanship and performance guarantees. A workmanship warranty covers any installation defects (such as poor wiring, poor alignment, or cracks in the panels), while a performance warranty ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees show that a company is confident in its work.
Solar energy can help reduce your energy expenses over time. Be sure to consider these aspects when determining the cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of home solar panels in El Sobrante depends on several factors, including the size of the system and the type of solar technology being used. Generally speaking, a complete solar energy system could range from $3,470 per kilowatt, not including permit fees, preliminary work, or labor. Most solar systems in El Sobrante are 2.8 kilowatts, and the typical El Sobrante homeowners spends $6,803 after accounting for federal tax refunds. Some homeowners may prefer to lease solar panels and 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
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can qualify for tax benefits, save money, and reduce emissions. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also offer you further energy independence 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 achieve peak performance until summer arrives.
Yes, it's possible to use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, meaning that you can reap the savings and environmental benefits 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 El Sobrante amount to $839.
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 the grid. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
Of course. Solar panels exist independently from the power grid in El Sobrante and will continue to generate power even if the grid is having problems. Keep in mind, however, that a solar system won't take you through a nighttime outage if you don't have a storage system. Your contractor can discuss some economical options to keep your home's power access reliable through the worst conditions, including battery backups or an emergency generator.
Solar panels are on par with other forms of renewable energy. They have low maintenance costs and today's systems can stand up to the worst conditions.
