Q: How much will I save on my electric bills?
A: Contact us for a proposal! Since every roof, site, and energy usage profile is different for different people, we need to take a look at your specific site to let you know how much you can save. We just need your address and a copy of your most recent electric bill to work up a preliminary proposal for you (free of charge).
Q: How does net metering work?
A: Net metering is how the electric utility offsets your electric usage with the energy a solar electric system produces. When the sun is shining, and your panels are clear of snow, they will produce energy. This solar energy first goes to power whatever in your house needs it. If you are producing more solar energy than your house needs at any time, the excess energy goes out onto the electric grid and spins your electric meter backwards. When the sun is not shining, or your house needs more electricity than the solar is producing, you will bring in as much energy as is needed from the grid. If you use more energy from the grid than you have produced from your solar in a month, you will be billed just for the difference (the net amount). If you produce more solar energy than you take in from the grid in a month, you will get a KWH Credit, shown on your bill, that carries over to the next month and offsets that month’s usage. It is all 1 to 1 accounting, so every KWH produced by your solar offsets 1 KWH that you use from the grid.
Q: Will I have power when the grid is down?
A: If your solar system does not have batteries, then you will not have power when the grid is down, even if the sun is out. Without batteries, your inverter cannot provide power to your home. This is a safety feature to protect the electric lineworkers, so they do not get exposed to electricity when working to fix the electric lines.
Q: Are there any financial incentives for installing solar and/or batteries?
Q: Do you offer financing?
Q: Can I use my electric vehicle’s batteries for backup power in my home?
A: In our area, the only incentive available to most people for solar and battery installations currently is the Federal Renewable Energy Investment Tax Credit. This tax credit is for commercial systems only, and expires in 2027. It gives you about 30% of your total solar and/or storage installation cost back when you file your business income taxes at the end of the year. We always recommend consulting with a tax accountant to ensure you are eligible to take the credit, as everyone’s tax situation differs.
A: We partner with Colorado’s RENU program to offer financing for residential solar installations, and CCEF for commercial installations. They use in-state lenders that have been vetted by the state to provide transparent, low cost loans for energy efficient projects. Ask us about it! We can get the loan approval process started for you. And beware of traditional Solar Loans that are marketed by many solar companies and online, as most of them contain lots of hidden fees and costs that are never disclosed to the buyers.
A: The answer to this question is “it depends”. While the technology exists to use your EV’s battery pack for backup power for your home when the grid is down, there are very limited approved options available in the US. Once Bi-Directional EV chargers are approved by more US testing laboratories, and vetted by electric utilities, then we will be able to implement this technology more universally. The EV manufacturer will also have to rate the EV model as approved to do “Bi-Directional charging”, and there are only a small handful of models in the US that have that rating currently. If your EV (current or future) has bidirectional “Vehicle to Home” or Vehicle to Grid” capabilities, contact us and we can explore your options!
Q: Do you install Electric Vehicle chargers?
A: We do! Contact us for more details.