3 Best Solar Companies in Delaware

The Main Types of Residential Solar Systems

Advanced solar panel technology means there's a aesthetically-pleasing, tailored, and reliable source of clean power for any home. You now have multiple panel types to choose from, and your contractor can help you choose based on your home's design, energy needs, and budget.

Monocrystalline

In the hot summers of Delaware, you'll get the best results from monocrystalline panels. Each black-hued cell has only one silicon crystal, meaning you can generate more energy with a small array. While they cost more in the beginning due to their more intensive manufacturing process, their efficiency means you'll save more money over the longer term.

Polycrystalline

Polycrystalline solar panels have brown cells made of multiple silicon fragments. Aside from their lower upfront cost, they have a less wasteful manufacturing process.

Although polycrystalline panels can provide you with the same high capacity as a monocrystalline system, they'll take up more space on your roof.

Thin-film

Thin-film panels are a good choice for value in more "partly sunny" areas of Delaware. They maintain efficiency as temperatures fluctuate and work with many different roof shapes. Thin-film solar panels use different metal alloys instead of silicon crystals. Some homeowners choose them for their lower weight or ability to fit on non-rectangular roofs. Others select them for their high heat resistance and low-light performance.

However, they take up more space than monocrystalline or polycrystalline panels, and you might have better-performing options if your property has high solar potential.

Solar Purchase Options

Delaware's available solar purchasing and financing tools have granted more homeowners access to on-site generated energy than in the past. Your contractor may go over the following options with you:

• Solar leases: You can completely avoid down payments or upfront costs with a solar lease. Instead, you'll pay based on what the provider expects your panels will generate. Leases often include the cost of repairs and scheduled maintenance. If your panels don't reach their efficiency target in a certain month, you could receive a partial reimbursement. Although leases may offer an attractive price tag, a lessee can't take advantage of rebates, tax incentives, or other state programs since the leasing company retains ownership of the panels.
• Power purchase agreements (PPAs): With a power purchase agreement, your contractor will pay for your system upfront, then sell the power from your panels back to you. The cost per kilowatt you pay will likely be less than what you'd pay your utility company. If you decide to use a PPA, read the terms thoroughly and ask about what occurs at the end of the contract. If you don't renew the agreement, transfer your system to a willing buyer, or buy the system from the contractor, they reserve the right to remove the panels.
• Solar loans: Most homeowners decide to take out a solar loan, whether through their contractor's financing partners or a local bank. It's usually quicker to repay a loan than to finish a PPA. Further, because you're purchasing rather than leasing, you can take full advantage of incentives and special offers from your utility or local government. Bear in mind, however, the specific terms of a solar loan will often depend on on your credit score.

Besides the purchase price of the panels, you'll also be liable for your installer's labor costs and the price of electrical, roofing, or plumbing work that they delegated to other contractors. Each financing option will generally cover all of these costs.

Residential Solar Incentives and Cost Support

You might be eligible for financial incentives for installing home solar panels, like the following:

• Rebates: Rebates can come from a manufacturer, power company, or government. Your solar installer can help you file applications during the planning phase of your project. In some cases, the rebate amount will be sent to the installer as compensation for installing a company's products or interconnecting the system. Other times, it will go directly to you, and you can use it for your first loan, lease, or PPA bills.
• Tax credits: The IRS provides a 30% tax credit on the value of your new solar installation, so you should include Form 5695 with your federal returns for the year. Your state, county, or city could also offer similar income or property tax credits, or even exempt solar equipment for a period of time after installation.
• Net metering: Many homeowners have solar panels that generate more electricity than their property needs. If you're enrolled in a net metering program, you'll transmit power you don't use back to the grid in exchange for credits on your energy bill. This saves you money and bolsters the security of the power grid for others in your area.
• Net billing: Some utilities and electrical co-ops have switched from net metering to net billing. Net billing customers sell their excess generation wholesale, with small houses receiving compensation at the equivalent rate as large solar farms.

Solar Energy By the Numbers in Delaware

Curious about solar energy's impact on the Delaware economy? These statistics paint a good picture of the growing solar market in your area.

• Delaware generates 80 MW of residential solar energy, reaching 14,606 homes and growing.
• Without solar, the average family spends about $1,849 a year on their electricity bill.
• A five-kilowatt solar array in Delaware has an average payback period of 13.7 years. That said, you would also save $839.13 on your energy bill.
• In Delaware, the average new home solar array is rated for up to 9.7 kW and costs $27,861.
• Solar energy has enabled the creation of 495 jobs in Delaware, with more added as companies grow and technology continues to improve.

Useful Resources

Want more information on Delaware's solar opportunities, incentives, and regulations? Visit these online pages and reference guides:

• Best solar companies by city: If you're looking for tailored solar company recommendations in your area, Today's Homeowner has just what you need. We can recommend you the best companies in cities like WILMINGTON,DE, DOVER,DE and NEWARK,DE.
• PVWatts: Created by the federal Department of Energy, this tool allows you to enter your address and get predictions of how much energy a solar panel system could generate at your specific location.
• DSIRE: DSIRE has lots of information on the latest local and statewide solar incentives. Search by your location, utility company, and the type of solar system you're planning to install.