Rebates won’t last forever for solar

In order to encourage the installation of solar power systems, many governments and utility companies are offering incentives for installing a solar energy system. This could be a wise decision for several reasons. Rebates will not last forever, however, so those interested in solar are encouraged to make their decision as soon as possible. 

The sun almost always shines brightly in California

Drought conditions in California have one advantage: they mean the sun’s shining a lot and that energy can be utilized by wise consumers and businesses. All that sunshine is available to use as power if you have the right solar panels. It’s a typical sight in sunny California: for the past several hours the house is bathed in the sunshine, its photovoltaic panels converting the light into electricity. With an average of over 3200 hours of sunshine a year, there aren’t many places in the United States with brighter weather than parts of California. Wasting that valuable energy is foolish and costly to utilities and human health.

To convert this abundant natural capital into clean energy and smaller utility bills, many residents have chosen to invest in solar energy systems for their homes. The City of Santa Clarita issued between 1,000 and 1,500 solar permits for individual households over the last year, according to City Building and Safety Official John Caprarelli. This is a dramatic increase over past years.
“From 2012 to 2013 is when we saw a real sharp increase in solar energy systems,” he said.  “We went from issuing a dozen permits a year, to issuing over 1,000 a year.”
Solar’s increasing popularity has not come without challenges. While the California Energy Commission voted in May that all new housing developments must come with built-in solar systems by 2020, those who own existing homes must consider issues of cost and permits in order to buy the systems.

Cost of a typical solar energy system is coming down still

The average cost of a 4-kilowatt residential system, typical for single-family homes, is roughly $34,000, according to industry experts. Several state and federal incentives, however, are available to help offset the high cost of solar system installation. The California Solar Initiative offers cash rebates of up to $10,000 to customers of Southern California Edison. The payoffs from these programs, however, may not be available in the future. That will depend on the decisions of lawmakers. Several federal subsidies can help as well. Legislators have expanded the Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, to cover solar installations until at least 2021, at which time the program may be renewed. The ITC is equal to up to 30 percent of the cost of the overall system, with no limit.
 
Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need, and how much you can save.

Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.