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 could give you a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Going solar allows you to cut your utility bills and shrink your environmental impact. But you'll want to find a qualified installation company first. That’s why we’ve analyzed the options and assembled a guide to the most reliable solar providers in Lincoln. These top companies consistently deliver high-quality and dependable services.
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Family-operated business
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
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
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 benefiting the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re evaluating if you want to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This helps ensure that the work is done correctly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five different levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. For a contractor to earn a license, a contractor must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Look at review platforms such as Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and TrustPilot to find out what previous customers have to say about local solar providers. Reviews can give you an idea of a company’s dependability and customer service. Be cautious of companies lacking reviews or with predominantly negative feedback.
Get free, detailed quotes from 3–5 solar companies. A quote should describe all costs and identify the solar parts included. Looking at several quotes can help you find the best value for your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation problems such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. The performance guarantee ensures a specific energy output level. Strong guarantees indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Switching to solar power can help reduce your energy expenses. Be sure to evaluate these aspects when determining the cost and value of solar panels.
In Lincoln, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.1 kilowatts. The typical Lincoln homeowner spends $7,514 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will factor in additional information based on your desired system's size, panel type, capacity, and required preliminary work. In some cases, homeowners may prefer leasing solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
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 heating system.
With home solar PV, you can save money on your energy bill, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
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 Lincoln amount to $1,053.
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, the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, and their rated capacity. Lincoln has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.1 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
While solar energy is a great option for many, it might not be ideal for homeowners in wet, dark areas. In these cases, a contractor might recommend 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 lower your emissions and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
The best type of residential solar panel depends on your specific needs and goals. Generally, monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient for Lincoln homes. However, if you're looking at a more frugal option, then you may want to consider thin-film or polycrystalline solar panels. When you're choosing a contractor, make sure to ask about the types of solar panels a contractor offers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Solar panels are gaining wider adoption for their high efficiency and low maintenance costs. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
