Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Year after year, more Sonoma homeowners turn to rooftop solar panels to add value to their property and lower their carbon footprint. Solar power can reduce your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to select a qualified solar installer. That’s why we’ve reviewed the options and compiled a guide to the most trustworthy solar installation companies in Sonoma. These top providers consistently deliver high-quality and dependable services.
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
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:
Installing solar panels can reduce your electricity costs and benefit the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. When deciding if a solar provider is a good fit for you, consider these key factors.
Confirm that your solar installer is properly licensed. This ensures that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. There are five distinct levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. For a contractor to earn a license, an installer must complete 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 on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Stay away from companies with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call 3–5 solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should outline all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the best option that fits your budget.
High-quality solar installations should come with robust workmanship and performance warranties. The workmanship warranty covers any installation issues like poor alignment, poor wiring, or cracks in the panels. The output guarantee ensures an energy generation baseline. Strong warranties reflect a solar provider's faith in its installations.
Going solar can help reduce your energy expenses. Be sure to weigh these aspects when determining the cost and value of solar panels.
The cost of home solar panels in Sonoma depends on several factors, including your system's expected capacity and the type of panels you'll use. Generally speaking, a complete solar energy system costs $3,470 per kilowatt, not including labor, permit fees, or preliminary work. Most solar systems in Sonoma are 3.1 kilowatts, and the typical Sonoma homeowners spends $7,496 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
Incentive Amount:
Minimum financing amount is $2,500. Financing is repaid through a special assessment on property tax bills. Financing between $2,500 and $5,000 will be set for repayment in 10 years. Projects over $5,000 may be repaid over 10 or 20 years, at the property owner's discretion. Projects of $60,000 up to $500,000 will require approval by the Program Administrator. Projects valued at $500,000 and above will require specific approval by the Board of Supervisors.
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system 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.
With home solar panels, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your property's emissions, and be better prepared if there's an outage to the local grid.
It depends on where you live and what type of panels you're installing. With the winter months in California being very mild, you have a lengthy window to install your panels, though they won't hit peak performance until summer arrives.
Of course. The grid in Sonoma 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 Sonoma amount to $1,053.
The specific types of maintenance you need will depend on the type of panels you're using. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. Full-service solar contractors in the Sonoma area offer comprehensive maintenance plans to help you make the most of your panels and keep them healthy for as long as possible.
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 lower your emissions and could still qualify for distributed generation or other money-saving programs.
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.
