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 solar panel array could give you a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Adopting solar energy can help you save money and reduce your carbon footprint, but you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. Luckily, we've reviewed the options and created a guide to the best and most reliable solar installation providers in Soquel.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
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 reduce utility bills while benefiting the planet 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 help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. 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, an installer must complete a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of experience as an apprentice or journeyman, and pass written exams.
Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar providers. Detailed reviews can help you evaluate a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Be wary of companies with few or mainly poor reviews.
Get free, detailed quotes from at least three solar companies. The quotes should describe all costs and identify the exact solar parts included. Comparing several quotes can help you find the option that best 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 guarantees reflect a solar provider's confidence in its installations.
Installing solar panels can help reduce your electric bills over time. When evaluating the total price and value of solar panels, make sure to consider these factors.
Soquel homeowners typically spend about $7,464 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Soquel cost approximately $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average size of 3.1 kilowatts. A personalized estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for labor, permit fees, and preliminary work, and will account for your system's panel type, size, and capacity. Some homeowners prefer to lease solar panels 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
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array can be used to power any household appliance or system that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heating system.
There are many benefits to home solar energy. You can qualify for tax benefits, reduce emissions, and save money. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also offer you further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
It depends on where you live 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 reach peak performance until summer arrives.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, which means you can reap the environmental benefits and savings that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
You might be pleasantly surprised at how short it takes to get a return on investment from your solar panels. In perennially-sunny Soquel, you could make enough from your solar panels to recoup your investment in 7.1 years per 5 kW of rated capacity at maximum.
The type of solar panels you have will have specific maintenance steps to follow. Regardless of type, you should inspect your panels for damage and clean them regularly. Full-service solar contractors in the Soquel area offer multipoint 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 send the solar energy you don't use to your provider. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
Solar panels are becoming more popular 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.
