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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
A solar panel array could give you a renewable power source that will eventually pay for itself. Switching to solar energy can lower your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a reputable installer. That’s why, after conducting thorough research on providers, we put together a guide to the most dependable solar companies in Grass Valley. These installers offer dependable quality service.
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
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:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners cut utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re determining whether to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
It's important to hire a licensed solar installer. This help guarantee that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five distinct 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 have to say about local solar companies. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Get free, detailed quotes from at least three solar companies. The quotes should list all costs and identify the exact solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the most cost-effective option.
High-quality solar installations should include robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation issues like cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The output warranty guarantees an energy generation baseline. Strong warranties reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Solar energy can help lower your electricity costs in the long run. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to weigh these considerations.
The cost of solar panels varies based on system capacity and the solar technology used. The typical Grass Valley solar array has a capacity of 3.1 kilowatts. Homeowners in the area should expect to pay around $3,470 per kilowatt; the average Grass Valley homeowners spends about $7,488 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 company will account for things like the size, capacity, and panel type of the planned system, and should include prices for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor.
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. More specifically, you can install a solar water heating system.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can save money, raise your property values, and reduce emissions. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also give you further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on where you live and what type of panels you're installing. Since there's a moderate amount of snowfall in Grass Valley, your best time to get solar is in the spring and fall.
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 Grass Valley amount to $1,018.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from 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. Grass Valley has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.4 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Although solar energy is a great option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, you could consider 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 help the environment and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
When it comes 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. Regarding 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.
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.