Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Solar is one of the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy for Shafter residents. Making the transition to solar energy can help you save money and shrink your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a qualified installer. That’s why we’ve researched the options and assembled a guide to the most dependable solar installation companies in Shafter. These top providers consistently deliver high-quality and reliable services.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Family-operated business
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
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:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners lower 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 imperative that your solar installer has the proper licensing. This ensures that the work is done correctly using current installation best practices. There are five distinct types 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 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 can help you evaluate a provider's integrity and customer service. Be wary of providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
To find a solar company that fits your budget, get free, detailed quotes from at least three providers. The quotes should list all costs as well as all solar equipment included. Looking at several quotes helps you identify the option that best fits your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with comprehensive workmanship and performance guarantees. The workmanship guarantee covers any installation problems such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment. The performance guarantee promises a specific energy output level. Strong guarantees indicate that a solar installer has faith in its installations.
Going solar can help decrease your energy expenses. Be sure to consider these aspects when judging the cost and value of solar panels.
Shafter homeowners typically spend about $7,037 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Shafter cost roughly $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average size of 2.9 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for labor, preliminary work, and permit fees, and will account for your system's panel type, size, and capacity. Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels in order 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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric system or appliance in your home. A more specific example is installing a solar heating system for your water.
There are a number of benefits to home solar energy. You can reduce emissions, save money, 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.
Of course. The grid in Shafter already uses a large share of renewable energy sources, and you may be able to sell your excess generated energy to your utility for additional cost savings.
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 Shafter amount to $993.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should clean your panels regularly and inspect them for damage. Many solar contractors in the Shafter area offer comprehensive maintenance plans to help you keep your panels healthy and make the most of your system.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your utility or state offers net metering, you can return the solar energy you don't use to the grid. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
