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Top New York Solar Installers

by Aisha Abdelhamid November 10, 2017

written by Aisha Abdelhamid

As a clean energy leader, New York is setting an excellent example for the nation. This is a state seriously committed to the solar revolution and the empowerment of the people through the wide-scale adoption of clean, renewable energy. And, with near-term plans for implementing more than 3,000 MW of solar power, New York solar installers are lining up like race horses at the starting gate.

If you’re among the folks ready and waiting to go solar in the Empire State, the following article offers an in-depth look at the solar market, as well as tips to keep in mind as you evaluate the great lineup of New York solar installers ready and waiting to get your job done right.

New York solar installers Credit votesolar.org

2017 National Solar Trends

Across the nation, solar is booming. Tracking growth and market trends, the US Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) reports that costs have dropped more than 70% since 2010 for installing a rooftop solar system.

At the same time, the average annual growth rate of solar in the US has been 68%, spurred significantly by the adoption and extension of the federal investment tax credit (ITC).

There are now around 1.4 million solar installations in the US. This represents nearly 45 GW of total solar capacity installed, or enough electricity to power more than 8.7 million homes.

Two million solar installations should be reached in 2018, and SEIA expects 4 million to be reached by 2022.

Credit SEIA.org

Solar Power Helps Fuel the US Economy

In just 5 years, the number of Americans employed in the solar industry has doubled, rising to more than 260,000. That’s over a quarter of a million folks making a living by harvesting clean, free energy from the sun in the US.

As of 2016, 39% of all new electric generating capacity came from solar installations. This was the first time solar beat all other technologies. 2017 looks likely to continue the trend, too, with solar hitting 30% of all new capacity for Q1.

Credit: SEIA.org

New York is Soaking Up the Sun

Although California has been dominating the US solar market with 35% market share in 2016, New York is claiming a fair share of the sunshine, too. Ranking number 10 in the nation for cumulative solar capacity, SEIA’s most recent data reveals that New York reached 1,012 MW in the first quarter of 2017.

Credit: SEIA.org

Consistently in the nation’s top 10 solar markets, New York is a consistent leader at crafting positive state solar policies. Via Governor Cuomo’s commitment to the NY-SUN initiative, the NY Public Service Commission (PSC) recently launched a 10-year $1 billion program to develop a statewide self-sustaining solar market. It is this program that will bring the development of 3,000 MW of solar installations across New York within the next 5 years.

This will be an ambitious effort, adding to the 1,011 MW already installed in the state, representing about 166,000 homes already powered by solar.

In dollar terms, over $3,252.19 million has already been invested in New York solar energy projects, with $774.45 million invested in 2016 alone.

In people terms, New York’s solar industry employs 8,135 folks, ranking 6th in the country for 2016. This breaks down into 746 companies in total, with 275 New York solar installers and developers, 94 solar manufacturers, and 363 other industry-related companies.

Credit: SEIA.org

Notable New York Solar Installations

With 32 MW of solar power capacity, Long Island Solar Farm was completed in 2011 and represents enough capacity to power more than 5,264 NY homes.

Other notable New York solar projects were completed by several large retailers in New York, including Anheuser-Busch, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars.

Owens Corning, as well, has installed 2 MW of solar capacity in Fera Bush.

Also at 2 MW, Cornell University’s solar farm owned by Argos Solar LLC in Geneva is among the NY’s larger solar installations. Completed in 2015, this installation has enough capacity to offset nearly 40% of the annual electricity demand at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES) in Geneva.

Credit: Cornell.edu

Best Tips For Evaluating New York Solar Installers

Like every decision to go solar, each solar installation is unique. But, no matter how it gets done, going solar is a great decision. Harvesting free, clean solar energy for powering your home is very satisfying, enhancing your green lifestyle by joining the solar revolution and helping to protect the environment.

And, happily, costs have decreased 70% since 2010, so rooftop solar is cheaper than ever. Finding the top New York solar installers is easier than ever, too.

While your situation is unique, and everyone benefits greatly from getting a free solar quote, the following tips are helpful for anyone wanting to get the most efficient harvest of solar energy from their installation.

Having this information at hand when you contact New York solar installers will help guide you and the installer you choose to get the job done right.

Research your home’s current electric usage — Gather the past 12 months of utility bills to know how much electricity your home is typically using
Guage your future electric needs — Is your family growing, are you thinking of putting in a pool or a hot tub, or interested in solar water heating?
Are you interested in installing an EV charger with your rooftop solar? If you have or plan to purchase a new EV, this is the perfect time to do it
Are you facing any time constraints over the next 12 months?
A solar installation is usually quick, but can potentially run into snags that take time to resolve
Keep in mind any budget constraints — if cash is tight, explore owning/leasing options with all New York solar installers you contact to find the right installation for your home and budget
Remember that higher quality hardware may offer a much better harvest of solar power, so the lowest price tag will not necessarily be the best choice

Remember, too, that labor and other ‘soft’ costs account for around 50% of a solar installation. Larger solar companies regularly spend generously on ‘soft’ items, like major advertising campaigns and internet marketing sprees, and their customers regularly foot the bills.

Also keep in mind that the New York solar installers you evaluate must be completely familiar with your local, state, and federal tax breaks and incentives, as well as local permitting rules, and other utility-related regulations.

Finally, weigh carefully the difference between local and out-of-town New York solar installers, since local experience, ongoing support, and the prompt honoring of warranties that you are offered can be crucial in both the near term and the future.

We celebrate NY's commitment to community health, resiliency, opportunity w #Solar4All http://t.co/9iPK8eEwEN #REV4NY pic.twitter.com/EJZmVaUNEb

— Vote Solar (@votesolar) July 16, 2015

Top New York Solar Installers for 2017

The following is a specially curated list of top New York solar installers for 2017. Please keep in mind that this list is alphabetical — it’s not ordered by ranking because ranks are based on many factors that may not apply to your situation.

Pulled primarily from positive reviews on such websites as solarreviews.com and solarpowerworldonline.com, this list represents a perfect place to start if you ready to evaluate the top New York solar installers.

2K Solar
4 Crotty Lane, New Windsor, NY 12553

American Solar Install
140 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237

Apex Solar Power
64 Main St, Queensbury, NY 12804

Buffalo Solar Solutions
1212 Abbott Road, Suite A, Buffalo, NY 14218
13 West Main Street, Cuba, NY 14727

Built Well Solar
3280 Sunrise Hwy., Suite 345, Wantagh, NY 11793

CIR Electrical Construction
400 Ingham Ave Lackawanna, NY 14218

Collegiate Builders
2901 South Park Ave, Buffalo, NY 14218

Direct Energy Solar (formerly Astrum)
1108 Kings Highway, Chester, NY 10918
28 Colt Court, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

EnterSolar
805 Third Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10022

Great Brook Solar NRG
819 County Rd 28, South New Berlin, NY 13843

Harvest Power Solar
57 Saxon Ave, Bay Shore, NY 11706

Hudson Solar
13 Hook Rd, Rhinebeck, NY 12572

Kasselman Solar
20 Walker Way, Albany, NY 12205

Lighthouse Solar Hudson Valley
4 Cherry Hill Rd., New Paltz, NY 12561

Monolith Solar
44 Washington St, Rensselaer, NY 12144

Namaste Solar
50 Main Street, Suite 1000, White Plains, NY 10606

OnForce Solar
728 E 136th St, Bronx, NY 10454

Paradise Energy Solutions
2351 NY-14, Geneva, NY 14456

RGS Energy
22 3rd St, New City, NY 10956

Rochester Solar Technologies
830 Phillips Rd, Victor, NY 14564

Safari Energy
989 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018

Simply Solar Systems
2890 Church Rd, Hamlin, NY 14464

SolarCity
15 Grumman Road West, Unit 4, Bethpage, NY 11714
923C Motor Parkway, Hauppauge, NY 11788
203 Ridgewood Dr., Elmsford, NY 10523

SOLARgeneration
747 Route 28, suite #4, Kingston, NY 12401

SUNation Solar Systems
171 Remington Blvd, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

SunBlue Energy
147 Valley St, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591

SunPower by EmPower Solar
4589 Austin Blvd. Island Park, NY 11558

SunPower by Infinity Solar Systems
4 Crotty Lane, New Windsor, NY 12553

SunPower by New York State Solar Farm
1938 Route 44 55, Modena, NY 12548

SunPower by Venture Solar
67 West St Suite 211, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Sustainable Energy Developments
318 Timothy Ln, Ontario, NY 14519

Tectonic Engineering & Surveying Consultants P.C.
70 Pleasant Hill Road, PO Box 37, Mountainville, NY 10953
24-37 46th Street, Astoria, NY 11103
118-35 Queens Boulevard, 10th Floor, Suite 1000, Forest Hills, NY 11375
36 British American Boulevard, Suite 101, Latham, NY 12110
1279 Route 300, Newburgh, NY 12550
280 Little Britain Road, Building 2, Newburgh, NY 12550
3495 Winton Place, Building E, Suite 260, Rochester, NY 14623
1 North Lexington Ave, Suite 530, White Plains, NY 10601

Trinity Solar
2180 5th Ave #1, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

UGE
330 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018

Upstate Alternative Energy
7773 Gloria Dr, Baldwinsville, NY 13027

Vivint Solar
22 Kairnes Street, Albany, NY, 12205
1565 Ocean Avenue, Bohemia, NY, 11716
3 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, NY, 10523
177 Cantiague Rock Rd, Westbury, NY, 11590

YSG Solar
79 Madison Ave, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10016

November 10, 2017 0 comment

Going Solar PV Rooftop Solar Solar Projects

Best Arizona Solar Installers

by Aisha Abdelhamid September 11, 2017

written by Aisha Abdelhamid

It’s hard to keep solar down in the sun-loving state of Arizona — folks are happy with their bright spot in the sun and more homeowners than ever are harvesting that golden energy hitting their roofs. Surmounting some of the worse political challenges to residential solar, Arizona still stands tall among the top US states with the highest solar capacity per capita. So, if you are among the many folks still looking up at your roof and dreaming of clean solar energy powering your home, read on. The following article will help you understand your state’s brilliant spot in the sun and find the best Arizona solar installers to harvest the rays hitting your roof.

US & Arizona Solar Industry Data for 2017

Topping all other power generating technologies across the US for the first time ever, 39% of all new electric generating capacity was provided by solar energy in 2016. Data for the first quarter of 2017 continued this trend, with 30% of all new capacity installed in Q1 2017 coming from solar energy.

There are now nearly 1.4 million solar installations nationwide, representing nearly 45 GW of total solar capacity installed, or enough electricity to power more than 8.7 million homes. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) predicts this number will reach 2 million solar installations by 2018 and 4 million by 2022.

Accompanied by stiff competition and economies of scale, SEIA reports that the cost of installing a rooftop solar system in the US has dropped by more than 70% since 2010. Over the past decade, the average annual growth rate of solar in the US has been 68%, largely spurred by the mobilizing effect of the Solar Investment Tax Credit passed initially in 2006.

Arizonans are among the earliest pioneers in the nationwide transition to solar power. With sunshine accompanying Arizonans for about 85% of the year, the huge popularity of solar energy in the Grand Canyon State is clearly a no-brainer.

However, joining this long history of solar power uptake in Arizona has been a lot of utility-sponsored pushback, filled with public battles over the value of rooftop solar power generation, the rate (and fate) of compensation for excess generation, and a big fat FBI investigation of APS, the state’s largest power provider, for suspicious political contributions.

In spite of all the public turmoil, over $1,109 million was invested in solar over the course of 2016, for a cumulative (and cool) total of $7,777.92 million invested in the Arizona solar market. Fueled by this generous influx, solar installations surged strongly, with Arizona rising to number 3 in the nation, up from 7th in 2016. More than 656 MW were added in 2016, bringing the total installed solar capacity in Arizona to 3,151.3 MW. Nearly half a million homes (469,000) in the state are powered by solar and 5.11% of Arizona’s electricity is “currently” (couldn’t resist) generated from solar energy.

Arizona also ranks in the top tier for solar employment, with 7,310 people employed in solar jobs. A statewide total of 432 companies support the solar market, comprised of 223 Arizona solar installers/developers, 74 manufacturers, and 127 other solar-related businesses.

arizona solar installers

Arizona solar companies map — screenshot from SEIA.org

Among the notable solar installations in Arizona, 100 MW Mesquite Solar 2 in Tonopah, completed in 2015, has enough capacity to power over 14,995 homes. Solana, completed in 2013, has 280 MW of capacity, enough power to plug in over 41,652 homes.

Planning a solar plant since 2014, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority inaugurated the 27.3 MW Kayenta Solar Project in June 2017. This is the first large-scale solar power plant built on the reservation, bringing electricity to many residents for the first time ever. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, an entity of the Navajo nation, is now planning additional solar power plants to be constructed on the 300 acres of land under Navajo jurisdiction in Arizona.

Joining such large retailers as Albertson, Body Sculpting Center, and Bookmans Recreational Exchange going solar, Macy’s tops the list with 3 MW of solar capacity installed on the roof of its logistics and operations center in Goodyear, Arizona.

Macy’s Solar Rooftop Installation at Goodyear, Arizona — screenshot from Google Maps

Best Tips For Contacting Arizona Solar Installers

With a 70% decline in cost since 2010, rooftop solar is cheaper than ever and finding the best Arizona solar installers is easier than ever, too. There are a few considerations to keep in mind, however, when you are contacting installers to get a solar quote. The following tips will help guide you to get the most efficient harvest of solar energy for your home.

Gather your past utility bills to know how much electricity your home used in the last 12 months
Consider the likelihood of your family growing, putting in a pool, hot tub, etc. to gauge your future electricity needs
Consider installing an EV charger with your rooftop solar if you have or plan to purchase a new EV
Consider any time constraints you may be facing over the next 12 months — a solar installation can potentially take a while to complete
Consider your budget constraints — explore owning/leasing options with all Arizona solar installers you contact to find the right fit
Consider higher quality hardware to get the best harvest of solar power — the lowest price tag is not necessarily the best choice

Keep in mind that labor and “soft” costs take up about 50% of a solar installation price tag. Larger solar companies typically spend more on “soft” items, such as major advertising campaigns and other marketing costs, with their customers footing the bills.

Also, the installer you choose must be completely familiar with all of your local, state, and federal incentives, as well as local permitting and other utility-related rules and regulations. Choose carefully between local and out-of-town solar installers, since local experience, ongoing support, and the honoring of warranties offered can be crucial in both the near term and the future.

Every rooftop solar installation is unique, but no matter how you get it done, going solar is a rewarding decision. Harvesting clean, free solar energy to power your home brings a huge sense of satisfaction, knowing that you are part of the renewable energy revolution and doing your part to help protect the environment.

Image by David Crummey, via Flickr, of Tuscon homes with rooftop solar (CC BY 2.0).

Best Arizona Solar Installers for 2017

The list below is hand-picked to give you a list of the best Arizona solar installers for 2017. Every situation is unique, so this list is not in order by ranking factors which may or may not apply to your case. Listed alphabetically, the following Arizona solar installers represent the best in the market based on reviews and rankings from such sites as solarreviews.com and solarpowerworldonline.com.

American Solar & Roofing
1230 W 23rd St Tempe, AZ 85282

Argent Solar
671 N 137th Ave #105, Goodyear, AZ 85338

Arizona Energy Pros
20801 N. 19th Ave., #10, Phoenix, AZ 85027

Arizona Solar Wave
2812 N Norwalk, Mesa, AZ 85215

Black Platinum Solar
1505 W Cloud Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85086

Cool Blew Solar & Electric
8927 W Bloomfield Rd #135, Peoria, AZ 85381
15911 N 174th Ave, Surprise, AZ 85388

Custom Solar and Leisure
3941 E 29th St #601, Tucson, AZ 85711

Elevation Solar
2168 E Williams Field Rd #210, Gilbert, AZ 85295

Energy Solution Providers
111 North Main Street, Florence, Arizona 85132

Harmon Electric
945 W. Deer Valley Rd., Suite #100, Phoenix, AZ 85027

Mohave Solar
1849 W Acoma Blvd #110, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403

Net Zero Solar
101 W. 5TH STREET, TUCSON, AZ 85705

PEP Solar
20819 N 25th Place, Phoenix, Arizona 85050

Premier Solar Solutions
16807 N Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85032

Pur Solar, Inc
1505 Cochise St., Cottonwood, AZ 86326

SOBHM
10632 N Scottsdale Rd #266, Scottsdale, AZ 85254

SolarCity
7880 N Glen Harbor Blvd, Glendale, AZ 85307
3834 E Roeser, Phoenix, AZ 85040
1725 West Williams, Building E, Suite 60, Phoenix, AZ 85027
5401 South 37th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85040
3600 State Route 69, Dewey, AZ 86327
3016 E 33rd Place, Suite 1, Yuma, AZ 85365

Solar Solution AZ
2521 N Fairview Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705

Solar Topps
102 S. 28th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85034

Solar Universe
1565 W University Dr, Suite #103. Tempe, AZ 85281
4959 East 29th St, Tucson, AZ 85711
9324 E. Cooper Place, Tucson, AZ 85710

Sunbright Solar
4366 E 28th St, Tucson, AZ

SunHarvest Solar
2717 W Dunlap Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051

Sunny Energy
2720 South Hardy Drive, Suite # 4, Tempe, AZ, 85282

The Solar Store
2833 N. Country Club Road, Tucson, AZ 85716

Vivint Solar
236 S Mulberry #102, Mesa, AZ 85202

Yuma Solar
1161 E. 21st Street Unit C, Yuma, AZ 85365

September 11, 2017 0 comment

Going Solar PV Rooftop Solar

Top Hawaii Solar Installers

by Aisha Abdelhamid September 11, 2017

written by Aisha Abdelhamid

Although Hawaii is one of the sunniest spots in the US, there are still plenty of empty island rooftops that could be harvesting clean, free solar energy to power the home or business. Featuring all of the rooftop solar information you need to know, the following article gives you state and national data on solar installations, tips for evaluating solar installers, and a great list of the top Hawaii solar installers for 2017.

National & Hawaiian Solar Installations as of 2017

As reported by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), nearly 45 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity is now installed nationally. Over 2,044 MW were installed in the first quarter of 2017 — the 6th quarter in a row that has recorded more than 2 GW installed.

The annual growth rate of solar is surging at 68% over the last 10 years and has brought a current total of US solar installations to 1.54 million. No matter which state in the nation you happen to be living in, solar prices have dropped an average of 63%. So, if you haven’t installed solar up on your rooftop yet, this is clearly a great time to go solar.

Hawaii Annual Solar Installations. Credit: SEIA.org

In the sunny state of Hawaii, over 188,000 homes are now powered by free, clean solar energy. With a whopping 64% decline in solar prices over the past 5 years, Hawaii solar installers have been very busy. SEIA reports that over 107 megawatts (MW) were installed in 2016 alone, bringing the state total to 748.4 MW.

According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Hawaii generated more solar electricity per capita from distributed facilities than any other state in 2015. The EIA also reports that solar energy from both utility-scale and distributed resources generated 35% of Hawaii’s renewable electricity.

With 3,194 solar jobs filled in Hawaii’s market, there is still plenty of room for growth. And, with over $258 million in solar investments during 2016 bringing the current investment total to about $2,558 million, solar growth is clearly in the forecast for sun-soaked Hawaii. This is good news for the 126 solar companies on the islands, including 3 manufacturers, 91 solar panel installers/developers, and 31 other solar-related businesses.

In 2016, several notable Hawaiian solar installations came online. SEIA notes that Phase I was completed on the Waiawa Solar Project. This is Oahu’s largest solar project and NRG recently took over the 50 MW solar installation on lands owned by Kamehameha Schools in Kawailoa on Oahu. The project is scheduled to come completely online in 2019 and bring enough solar energy to power over 12,587 homes in Hawaii.

KRS I Anahola Solar, with 12 MW capacity, is also among the larger solar installations in Hawaii, generating enough to power to run more than 3,021 homes.

Large retailers in Hawaii that have completed solar installations include Albertsons, General Growth Properties, and Green Growth Properties. SEIA notes that Green Growth installed a 1 MW solar system at its location in Honolulu.

A map of Kamehameha Schools land in Kawailoa indicates the placement of solar panels. Source: ksbe.edu

Top Tips For Evaluating Hawaii Solar Installers

Finding the right Hawaii solar installer is easier than ever before. Harvesting clean, free energy from the sun is cheaper than ever before, too. Over the past 5 years, hardware prices have declined substantially, bringing rooftop solar installations into more people’s budget. The labor and other “soft” costs, however, still take up around 50% of the installation price tag.

Keep in mind that the larger solar companies typically charge more for installations because they want to cover larger marketing sprees than the smaller solar companies. Ongoing support and warranties offered with your solar installation may be impacted by your choice of a local or out-of-town solar installer. Also, don’t let cost be the final determiner — higher quality products, while more costly, can be the key to getting the biggest harvest of power from the sun.

Understanding the process of installing a rooftop solar system is crucial to solar success. First, put together some basic information about your family’s current usage and your future electricity needs by answering the following helpful questions:

How much electricity did your family use in the last 12 months?
Do you have a pool or hot tub, or plan to install these in the future?
Do you have or plan to purchase a new EV and plan to install an EV charger?
Is your family, and subsequent electricity use, growing?
Are you interested in owning or leasing your rooftop solar system?
Are you on a tight time schedule for your installation?

Your answers to these questions will help guide your evaluation of Hawaii solar installers, covered below, as you are deciding who to hire for your new rooftop solar system. And, with this information, the solar panel installer you choose will be able to help you get the most effective harvest of energy from the sun.

Top Hawaii Solar Installers for 2017

The following list is specially curated to provide you with the top Hawaii solar installers for 2017. Please note that the list is in alphabetical order, not in order by ranking. This is because rankings are often based on many factors that may or may not apply to your unique situation. This list is created from sites such as solarreviews.com and solarpowerworldonline.com — all of the links have been hand-checked and represent a great place to start if you are a looking for the top Hawaii solar installers.

American Electric
OAHU – 799 Kahelu Ave, Mililani, HI 96789
MAUI – 360 East Uahi Way, Wailuku, HI 96793
KAUAI – 1865 Haleukana St. Unit A, Lihue, HI 96766
HILO – 221 Makaala St., Hilo, HI 96720
KONA – 73-4097B Hulikoa Drive, Bay 4, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Haleakala Solar Inc
OAHU – 98-104 Kanuku St., Unit #101, Aiea, Hawaii 96701
MAUI – 70 E. Kaahumanu Ave., Unit C-3, Kahului, HI 96732
KAUAI – 3-2600 Kaumualii Hwy #1528, Lihue, HI 96766

Hawaii Energy Smart LLC
1727 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, HI 96793

Hi-tech Plumbing Corp.
2108 Lauwiliwili St, Kapolei, HI 96707

Island Pacific Energy
521 Ala Moana Blvd, Suite M302, Honolulu, HI 96813

La’akea Solar
2741 Kanoelehua Ave., Hilo, HI 96720

Maui Solar Project
320 Hoohana St #20, Kahului, HI 96732

Pacific Energy, LLC
94-1093 Hanauna St, Suite 102, Waipahu, HI 96797

ProSolar Hawaii
74-5565 Luhia St, #105, Kailua-Kona, HI 9674

Renewable Energy Services
45587 Lehua St, Honokaa, HI 96727

RevoluSun Smart Home
210 Ward Ave #140, Honolulu, HI 96814

Rising Sun Solar Electric LLC
355 Hukilike St Suite 201, Kahului, HI 96732

SolarCity
599 Kahelu Ave, Mililani, HI 96789

Sol Systems (Hawaii)
4246 Hanahao Pl, Lihue, HI 96766

Sunetric
201 Kapaa Quarry Pl, Bldg 30, Kailua, HI 96734

Sun King
365 Hoohana Bay 6A, Kahului, HI 96732

Sunrun
550 Paiea St #506, Honolulu, HI 96819

Vivint Solar
94-496 Ukeʻe Street #101, Waipahu, HI 96797

September 11, 2017 0 comment

Going Solar PV Rooftop Solar Solar Incentives Solar Policy Startups

California Solar Installers

by Aisha Abdelhamid August 22, 2017

written by Aisha Abdelhamid

Although California dominates the US solar market, with 35% market share, there are still many residents of the Golden State thinking about going solar and seeking top solar installers for a new rooftop solar system. The following article features information on the state of solar installations in California, tips to keep in mind prior to calling a solar installer, and the top California solar installers for 2017.

The 2017 State of Solar Installations

With nearly 45 gigawatts (GW) of total solar capacity now installed in the US, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) notes that there are now nearly 1.4 million solar installations in the country. In the first quarter of 2017, SEIA reports, 2,044 megawatts (MW) were installed in the US. This is the 6th quarter in a row with over 2 GW installed and continues to fuel the average annual growth rate of 68% over the last 10 years.

Across all US solar market segments, prices have dropped 19% over the last 12 months, led by declining costs for hardware. Over the last 5 years, solar prices have dropped a whopping 63%. No matter where you live in the US, this is clearly a great time to consider going solar.

California Annual Solar Installations. Credit: SEIA.org

California, traditionally the dominant player on the national solar field, claimed a substantial 35% share of the US solar market in 2016. Beating the national average by 1%, solar prices in California have declined 64% over the last 5 years.

Taking first place in total megawatts installed, California solar installers added 5,2117 MW in 2016, bringing the current total to 18,920 MW installed. There are nearly 5 million homes (4,885,000) in the state that are powered by solar as of 2017, and solar power is now contributing 13.4% of California’s electricity generation.

Also taking first place in solar jobs, SEIA reports that California’s solar market is now employing 100,050 people in a total of 2,625 companies — 1,261 Installers/Developers, 455 Manufacturers, and 870 other related companies.

Topaz Solar Farm, one of the largest solar installations in the wolrd, was completed recently in California. It is a 550 MW photovoltaic power station in San Luis Obispo County with enough capacity to power over 142,000 homes in the state. Prologis, the largest owner, operator, and developer of industrial real estate in the US has installed 8 MW of solar capacity at its Rialto I-210 Distribution Center. Another solar PV project, Dulles in Jurupa Valley, has installed 2 MW — enough capacity to power over 516 homes.

SEIA also notes that several large retailers in California have recently gone solar in a big way, including AER Worldwide, Agilent Technologies, and Airdrome Orchards.

A Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 team. Caption by Adam Voiland.

An Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 team. Caption by Adam Voiland.

Top Tips For Reviewing California Solar Installers

Over 3,000 hours of sunshine kisses California every year, making the Golden State a brilliant location for generating power from the sun. And, with so much solar power already energizing the state of California, it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” it will become a net-zero state. If you are among the lucky residents considering going solar, consider this: The time is right, the price is right, and finding the right California solar installer is easier than ever.

While hardware prices have declined substantially over the last 5 years, labor and other “soft” costs still represent about 50% of a solar installation. In general, the larger solar companies spend larger sums on marketing and will charge more for installations to cover those costs. On the other hand, cost is not the only factor to consider when choosing a solar installer. Quality of products used, ongoing support and warranties offered, and the installer’s technical expertise will also substantially impact your future harvest of power from the sun.

At the heart of the solar industry, the solar panel installer holds the key to getting you the most effective use of the sun’s energy. Knowing more about the process of installing a rooftop solar system will help you evaluate installers before deciding on who to work with. The following tips will help guide your steps as you review the list of top California solar installers for 2017, covered further below.

1. Understand the Solar Installation Process:

When a solar installation plan reaches the launch pad, a team of installers arrives at your door, reviews your plan, and seeks access to work areas. This includes access to the roof, attic, electrical panel, garage, etc., as needed. Tools, equipment, solar panels, and related materials will be staged in areas that are convenient for the installers. Equipment and wiring will be installed, the team will clean up and leave, and then you will wait for the city or county inspector to approve the installation. After this, the utility company installs its net meter and gives the official Permission to Operate (PTO).

2. Understand Your Current & Future Electricity Usage:

Knowing your current and future electricity usage will help ensure that your solar installation plan covers your household needs. Review your utility bills for the last 12 months, and have them ready for solar installer interviews. Consider how your future electricity needs will grow as your family grows, if you put in a hot tub, or want a solar heater for your pool. And, if you plan to trade your car in for a new EV, you will also want to consider including an EV charger in your solar installation plan right now. Putting all this information on the table when you talk to a solar installer will help guide both of you to better decisions.

3. Understand the Difference Between Owning & Leasing Your Solar System:

Understanding the difference between leasing, often via a power purchase agreement (PPA), and owning the solar system installed on your rooftop is very important. There are important reasons why one or the other option may be more appropriate for your individual situation. The technology, in either case, is the same. The main difference is the relationship with the homeowner.

Owning your own solar power system comes with the potential advantages of reaping immediate tax credits, paying for itself over time, providing electricity to your home for free, and earning a little cash from selling excess electricity to your local utility. However, owning comes with associated maintenance responsibilities and a steeper upfront price tag, typically around $10,000 or more at purchase. And, without the cash upfront, you’ll need to take out a loan that might ultimately double your price tag.

Leasing/PPA options appeal to cost-constrained homeowners because there are typically low or no upfront costs. The solar company owns and maintains the system installed on your rooftop, and you agree to pay a certain rate for the electricity generated for a certain number of years, typically 20 or 25 years. Both before and after the term expires, there are usually terms for buying the system outright, although the price may not be cost-effective and the process may not be straightforward.

4. Understand the Difference Between Local & Out-of-Town Installers:

Your solar installer must know your local regulations, building codes, and permitting processes, as well federal, state, and local tax credits and other incentives. Familiarity with your local utility’s net energy metering program (NEM) is also a must. Finally, once your system is installed, your warranty is crucial and your installer’s distance may impact ongoing support for your solar installation. Seek clear answers from potential solar installers regarding all of these important issues.

5. Understand the Timeframe Required for Your Solar Installation:

Although the actual installation doesn’t take long, the time required between choosing an installer and getting your system installed can vary substantially from one installer to another. Some of the larger solar companies can take up to 12 months before your solar panels arrive. The time lapse may be due to installer backlog, unavoidable administrative paperwork, and/or complying with governmental regulations. Always ask potential solar installers for a clear estimation of the timeframe you can expect from them.

Top California Solar Installers for 2017

The following is a specially curated list of top California solar installers for 2017. Please note that this list is alphabetical — it is not in order by ranking because ranks are based on many factors that may or may not apply to your case. Primarily based on positive reviews from sites such as solarreviews.com and solarpowerworldonline.com, this list represents the best place to start if you are a Californian ready to go solar.

Alternative Energy Systems
13620 Highway 99, Chico, CA 95973

AMECO Solar Inc.
7623 Somerset Blvd, Paramount, CA 90723

Amergy Solar
20373 Valley Blvd, #E, Walnut, CA 91789

AM Sun Solar
410 Sherwood Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Arise Solar
5390 E. Pine Ave., Fresno, CA. 93727

Baker Electric Solar
2140 Enterprise Street, Escondido CA 92029

Bland Solar & Air
4303 E. Brundage Lane, Bakersfield, CA 93307

California Solar Electric
302 North Montgomery Street, Ojai, CA 93023

Clean Solar
1445 Koll Circle, Suite 109, San Jose, CA 95112

Cosmic Solar, Inc.
HQ: 943 Poinsettia Ave. Unit 401, Vista, CA 92081
12717 Mirar de Valle Rd., Valley Center, CA 92082

GCI Solar
15261 Connector Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92649
2629 East Jensen Avenue, Fresno, CA 93706

Green Air
4050 Pike Lane, Suite B, Concord, CA

Green Conception
409 Irving Drive, Burbank CA 91504

Green Solar Technologies
6400 Laurel Canyon Blvd #400, North Hollywood, CA 91606

Highlight Solar, Inc.
1624 Remuda Lane, San Jose, CA 95112

Horizon Solar Power
27368 Via Industria Suite 101, Temecula, CA 92590

Kurios Energy
3025 E. Palm Avenue, Suite 101, Manteca CA 95337

LA Solar Group
HQ: 16238 Raymer St, Los Angeles, CA 91406

Lifestyle Solar
21 East Shaw Avenue, Fresno, CA 93710
1111 Story Road, Suite #1004, San Jose, CA 95122
2336 Auburn Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95821
4454 Enterprise Street, Fremont, CA 94538

LuxLight Solar Energy
312 East Tokay St, Lodi, California, 95240

Magic Sun Solar
3750 Taylor Road, Loomis CA 95650

Milholland Electric
14777 Pomerado Rd. Poway, CA 92064

Northern Pacific Power Systems
5600 Skylane Boulevard, Santa Rosa, California 95403

Nova West Solar
7429 N. First Street, Suite #104, Fresno, California 93720

PacificSky Solar
6617 Independence Ave, Canoga Park, CA 91303

PetersenDean Roofing & Solar Energy
HQ: 39300 Civic Center Drive, Suite 300, Fremont CA 94538
7980 Enterprise Drive, Newark CA 94560
9545 S Union Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93307
8680 Greenback Ln, Suite 220, Orangevale CA 95662
1705 Enterprise Drive, Fairfield CA 94533
2164 N. Glassell Street, Orange CA 92865
879 F Street, Suite 120, West Sacramento CA 95605
7010 Carroll Road, San Diego CA 92121
4165 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa CA 95407
21616 Golden Triangle Road, Santa Clarita CA 91350
1820 Container Circle, Riverside CA 92509
10770 Highway 41, Madera CA 93638
2210 S. Dupont Drive, Anaheim CA 92806
2228 Junction Avenue, San Jose CA 95131

Palomar Solar
1526 Sterling Court, Escondido, CA 92029

RGS Energy (Real Goods Solar)
3109 N Miami Ave, Fresno, CA 93727

Renova Solar
75-181 Mediterranean Avenue, Palm Desert CA 92211

Save A Lot Solar
6114 La Salle Avenue, #760, Oakland, CA 94611

Semper Solaris
HQ: 3111 Camino Del Rio North, Suite 400, San Diego CA 92108
1805 John Towers Avenue, El Cajon CA 92020
7807 Telegraph Road, Montebello CA 90640
1218 Spring Street, Riverside CA 92507
360 N El Camino Real, Suite 2C, Encinitas CA 92024
1701 East Edinger, Suite H1, Santa Ana CA 92705
2570 Barrington Court, Hayward CA 94545
3600 Pegasus Drive #3, Bakersfield CA 93308
77725 Enfield Lane #210, Palm Desert CA 92211

Sierra Pacific Solar
2550 Mercantile Drive, Suite D, Rancho Cordova CA 95742

Smart Energy Solar, Inc.
1641 Commerce St., Corona, CA 92880

SolarCity — CA Headquarters Offices:
3055 Clearview Way, San Mateo, CA 94402
444 De Haro Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
1000 Enterprise Way, Roseville, CA 95678

Solare Energy
9520 Padgett St. #107, San Diego, CA 92126

SolarMax Technology, Inc.
HQ: 3080 12th Street, Riverside, CA 92507
1640 2nd Street Suite #103, Norco CA 92860
1329 Barton Road, Redlands CA 92373
28441 Rancho California Rd, Suite #204, Temecula CA 92590
3230 Fallow Field Drive, Diamond Bar CA 91765

Solarponics
4700 El Camino Real, Atascadero CA 93422

Solar Symphony
341 North Engel Street, Escondido CA 92029

Solar Tech
9410 Bond Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92021

Solar Universe — CA Offices:
9000 Brentwood Blvd, Brentwood, CA 94513
4659 Golden Foothill Parkway Suite #105, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
5096 N. Blythe Suite 100, Fresno, CA 93722
17972 Sky Park Circle, Suite D, Irvine, CA 92614
855 Broadway Avenue Suite A, Seaside, CA 93955
10373 Trademark St Suite B, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
20275 Skypark Drive, Suite A, Redding, CA 96002
9380 Activity Rd., San Diego, CA 92126
10370 Slusher Dr. Unit 2, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
122 Calistoga Road, #574, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
101 First St, South San Francisco, CA 94080
1152 Stealth St., Livermore, CA 94551
8283 Bolsa Avenue, Midway City, CA 92655

Southwest Sun Solar
13752 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843
1310 Tully Road #115, San Jose, CA 95122

Sullivan Solar Power
16 Technology Drive, Suite 122, Irvine, CA 92618
2111 Iowa Avenue, Suite F, Riverside, CA 92507
8949 Kenamar Drive, Suite 101, San Diego, CA 92121

Sun First Solar
136 Mitchell Blvd, San Rafael, CA 94903

Sunline Energy
HQ: 7546 Trade St., San Diego, CA 92121
17901 Von Karman Ave. Suite 600, Irvine, CA 92614
1902 Wright Place, Carlsbad, CA 92008
11801 Pierce Street Suite 200, Riverside, CA 92505
333 H Street Suite 5000, Chula Vista, CA 91910

SunPower by Hooked On Solar
820 Sterling Parkway, Suite 70, Lincoln, CA 95648

Sunpro Solar
34859 Frederick Street, Suite 101, Wildomar, CA 92595
1571 Parkway Loop, Tustin, CA 92780

Sun Solar Energy Solutions
HQ: 8803 Scobee St., Bakersfield, California 93311
3911 E. La Palma Ste. C, Anaheim, California 92807
9730 W. Nicholas Ave., Visalia, California 93291

The Solar Company
20861 Wilbeam Ave, Ste 1, Castro Valley, CA 94546

Vivint Solar — CA offices
8090 Arjons Dr., San Diego, CA 92126
2510 Dean Lesher Dr, Ste A, Concord, CA 94520
9847 Pioneer Blvd, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Bakersfield, Camarillo, Chico, Concord, Costa Mesa
Fresno, Palmdale, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego
San Jose, Santa Fe Springs, Stockton

West Coast Solar
2155 Elkins Way, Suite F, Brentwood, CA 94513

August 22, 2017 0 comment

PV Rooftop Solar

Panasonic Announces New Marketing Programs For Solar Panel Installers

by Steve Hanley June 25, 2016

written by Steve Hanley

Panasonic manufactures a line of advanced hetero-junction solar panels that are up to 25% more efficient that other panels of similar size. The benefit to customers who choose Panasonic HIT solar panels is more electricity generation per square foot. That allows homeowners to maximize the output of a rooftop solar installation.

rooftop solar panel systems

June 25, 2016 0 comment

Energy Storage Going Solar Market Research Policy Research PV Rooftop Solar Solar $Solar Incentives Solar Policy Solar Research

California Solar Incentives, Solar Installers, & Solar Costs

by Zach June 7, 2016

written by Zach

Originally published on Cost of Solar.

California is ground zero for solar energy in the United States. So, it seems logical to start our state-level solar energy deep dives here. In the article below, I’ll provide as thorough a look at California solar incentives + solar installers + solar costs as I’ve seen anywhere. Actually, it is more thorough than anything I’ve seen.

Naturally, if you read through this and know of more California solar energy facts or resources I should look at and include, let me know in the comments!

Solar Incentives

The first thing to know is that there’s a solar investment tax credit (ITC) available across the United States that offers a credit from the federal government of up to 30% of the cost of a solar installation. However, you have to have that much tax liability in a single year in order to take advantage of the full credit. Additionally, the 30% credit runs through 2019, after which, a phaseout of the incentive begins (under current law). Here are some more details from the US Department of Energy:

Solar-electric property

30% for systems placed in service by 12/31/2019
26% for systems placed in service after 12/31/2019 and before 01/01/2021
22% for systems placed in service after 12/31/2020 and before 01/01/2022
There is no maximum credit for systems placed in service after 2008.
Systems must be placed in service on or after January 1, 2006, and on or before December 31, 2021.
The home served by the system does not have to be the taxpayer’s principal residence.

Solar water-heating property

30% for systems placed in service by 12/31/2019
26% for systems placed in service after 12/31/2019 and before 01/01/2021
22% for systems placed in service after 12/31/2020 and before 01/01/2022
There is no maximum credit for systems placed in service after 2008.
Systems must be placed in service on or after January 1, 2006, and on or before December 31, 2021.
Equipment must be certified for performance by the Solar Rating Certification Corporation (SRCC) or a comparable entity endorsed by the government of the state in which the property is installed.
At least half the energy used to heat the dwelling’s water must be from solar in order for the solar water-heating property expenditures to be eligible.
The tax credit does not apply to solar water-heating property for swimming pools or hot tubs.
The home served by the system does not have to be the taxpayer’s principal residence.

Across California, certain solar energy systems are exempt from property taxes, so no need to worry about increasing your tax bill.

Probably the second-biggest incentive for California solar consumers is the state’s net metering policy — hence the reason fossil fuel & monopolistic utility companies have been routinely attacking it and trying to remove or change it. The policy exists in the jurisdictions of all of the state’s utilities except LADWP, which has a feed- in tariff program in place and its own net metering policy. Under the state net metering policy, excess electricity a consumer generates with her/his solar power system (or other renewable energy system) is treated as follows:

Credited to customer’s next bill at retail rate. After 12-month cycle, customer may opt to roll over credit indefinitely or to receive payment for credit at a rate equal to the 12-month average spot market price for the hours of 7 am to 5 pm for the year in which the surplus power was generated. (If customer makes no affirmative decision, credit is granted to utility with no compensation for customer.)

While consumers using net metering were exempted from connection charges for years, the rules recently changed, and will coming into effect in July 2017 at the latest. Here are more details from DSIRE:

In January 2016, the California Public Utilities Commission issued a decision on its net metering successor tariff. Customers on the new net metering successor tariff will have to pay an interconnection fee, estimated at $75-$150; pay all non-bypassable charges for all electricity consumed from the grid (~$0.02-0.03/kWh); and go on a time-of-use rate. The net metering successor tariff will take effect for California’s three large investor-owned utilities (IOU) on July 1, 2017, or when 5% of the sum of non-coincident customer peak demand is reached for the IOU, which translates to an installed net-metered capacity of 2,409 MW for Pacific Gas and Electric, 2,240 MW for Southern California Edison, and 617 MW for San Diego Gas and Electric.

Click here to read more about the CPUC’s efforts to create a customer-generator successor tariff or contract.

Virtual net metering is also allowed for multi-family buildings, and an April 2016 CPUC decision added rules for solar-connected storage systems up to 10 kW. Here are some more details on the virtual net metering rules:

AB 2466 of 2008 allows a local government, if certain conditions are met, to distribute bill credits from a renewable energy system across more than one meter. To be eligible for this billing arrangement all electrical accounts involved must receive electricity under a time-of-use tariff, and all accounts must be owned by the same entity.

California also allows virtual net metering for certain utility customers. Originally authorized just for customers participating in the Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) program, the CPUC voted in July 2011 in favor of a proposed decision which extends virtual net metering to all multi-tenant properties and to all distributed generation technologies. Virtual net metering allows the bill credits associated with the electricity produced by the system to be distributed across all the tenants’ electricity bills.

Regarding solar + storage, here are the rules:

Energy Storage (IOUs Only)
California allows renewable energy systems coupled with energy storage to qualify for net metering. A chief concern when introducing storage to net metering is the risk that a customer would store grid electricity during times when electricity costs are low and export that same grid electricity during times when electricity costs are high. The CPUC developed rules to address this and other concerns. The CPUC developed different rules for PV systems paired with storage devices 10 kW or less, and PV systems paired with storage devices larger than 10 kW or other forms of renewable energy paired with storage of any size.

PV systems paired with storage devices larger than 10 kW and non-PV renewable energy technologies paired with storage of any size:
The CPUC issued a decision in May 2014 establishing rules for net metering systems paired with storage devices larger than 10 kW. In addition to other requirements, these systems must : 1) install a non-export relay on the storage device(s); 2) install an interval meter for the NEM-eligible generation, meter the load, and meter total energy flows at the point of common coupling; or 3) install an interval meter directly to the NEM-eligible generator(s). While these rules originally applied only to systems paired with storage larger than 10 kW, a subsequent CPUC decision extended these requirements to all non-PV technologies paired with storage of any size.

PV systems paired with storage devices 10 kW or less:
The CPUC issued a decision in April 2016 establishing rules for net metering PV systems paired with storage 10 kW or less. Rather than installing the extra equipment required for storage devices greater than 10 kW, the rules for PV systems paired with smaller storage protects against rate arbitrage by relying on system output estimations. Specifically, utilities are required to establish monthly maximum allowable output limits for net metering facilities using CPUC-approved tools. Any export by the customer’s system which exceeds the monthly limit would not be eligible for net metering credits.

The other big solar incentive in California for years was the California Solar Initiative’s cashback grant for installing solar. However, that program is now closed across the state for residential consumers. It is still open for commercial consumers in the San Diego Gas & Electric district.

That said, there are still numerous other solar incentives available in The Golden State. DSIRE collates the most comprehensive index of solar incentives in the country (or the world) as far as I’m aware. It shows 208 solar incentive programs in California. Of course, most are for specific cities, counties, utility jurisdictions, or special districts. I could quickly paste them all in here, but DSIRE continuously updates the incentives as they change, so I think it’s best to just direct you there to find the incentives that could benefit you.

Solar Installers

First of all, before looking into installers in your area, be sure you are prepared to evaluate installers and solar financing options. You don’t want to go to a solar installer with no background knowledge and info about what you are looking for, just as you don’t want to go to a car dealership in the same way.

Naturally, being the largest solar market in the US (by far), all of the big players in the home solar installation industry operate in California. Here’s the top 10 list (nationally):

SolarCity
Vivint Solar
Sunnova
RGS Energy (Real Goods Solar)
Solar Universe
Bland Solar & Air
Amergy Solar
Smart Energy Solar
KDH Solar
Direct Solar Energy

It’s not clear if KDH Solar & Direct Solar Energy operate in California, but solar installers #1–8 do.

As hinted above, though, not all installers are equal. Last year, SolarCity’s MyPower prices were found to be 34% higher than the California average. (Note: SolarCity later ended its MyPower program and just launched another home solar loan program.) Keys to evaluate are the types of financing options installers offer (and try to push on you): internally provided solar loans vs solar leases/PPAs vs solar loans from other companies. Then you have to evaluate how those options compare to other financing options you could use, weighing upfront costs, interest rates, timeframes (a 30-year loan is sure to cost you a lot more than a 20-year loan), and what’s included.

Aside from contacting individual installers, you can get quotes from a variety of installers via Cost of Solar, Pick My Solar, EnergySage, Google’s Project Sunroof, and probably other such services.

You can also check reviews on Yelp, but I hear that reviews are commonly planted on the site, so I don’t know how reliable they are.

A comprehensive database of solar installers/contractors was created and is maintained by the California Energy Commission, and you can search for one in your area via this tool.

Solar Costs

According to the Q4 2015 US Solar Market Insight report, average solar PV system pricing breaks out as follows:

SEIA notes, “Overall system pricing fell by up to 17% over the course of 2015, depending on the market segment, with the largest declines in the utility fixed-tilt sector. On a quarterly basis, pricing continues to trend downward with some levelling-off in the residential sector in particular due to strong investment in customer acquisition and the stubbornness of other soft costs. In the non- residential and utility sectors, there were annual declines of 10% and 17%, respectively. This reflects continued aggressive cost reductions, both in hardware and soft costs, in national system pricing on an aggregate basis. Moreover, as installers and EPCs expand to regions with lower labor and regulatory compliance costs, these regions will have a larger impact on aggregate pricing. Due to advantages from scale, variations in utility system costs are much smaller than variations in residential and non-residential solar costs.”

Here are some more details on solar PV system pricing:

Average pricing for residential rooftop systems landed at $3.50/Wdc in Q4 2015, with nearly 65% of costs coming from on-site labor, engineering, permitting and other soft costs.

While residential hardware costs have fallen by over 16% in the past year, soft costs have actually risen on an industry average basis by 7%, primarily due to rising customer acquisition costs among national and local players alike.

In the non-residential market soft costs remain a challenge as well. Hardware costs fell 15% year- over-year while soft costs saw a modest decrease of 6%. In Q4 2015 soft costs accounted for approximately 50% of total system pricing. Soft costs can be even higher for projects in areas with strict labor requirements and particularly in tough permitting and interconnection jurisdictions. In order to continue reducing costs, developers and EPCs are looking to squeeze additional power density for commercial sites and amortize fixed costs over more power output – and therefore reduce dollar-per-watt and dollar-per-kWh.

California represents nearly 50% of the US solar market. While it’s not clear what the precise averages for solar costs are in California, the state can’t be too far off the average, on average. 😀

Based on the Pick My Solar research noted above regarding SolarCity, the average price of a SolarCity system is $5.10 per watt, while the company found the average price in the state to be $3.60 per watt. That matches up closely with GTM Research & SEIA’s Q4 average of $3.50 per watt. So, I think it’s safe to say that the California average is somewhere between $3.40 per watt and $3.70 per watt (but remember that soft costs have been coming down, and if the trend has continued in 2016, the overall average could be dropping).

If you have more information on solar costs in California, let us know!

June 7, 2016 1 comment

Simple Solar Installation with Easy Solar Solar Installation App

by Guest Author May 25, 2016

written by Guest Author

The sales process in the solar residential sector can be tough. Sales reps have to deal with high customer acquisition costs, difficulties with team workflow, and shortage of time when it comes to professional preparation of documents at the initial stage. The EasySolar* app can substantially improve this process.

Common Barriers In Solar Sales

Presenting different scenarios of photovoltaic systems to customers usually requires a lot of time from solar reps and an engineering team with no guarantee of conversion. Usually, solar companies combine Excel spreadsheets with a sales management software and homegrown code. This means dedicating at least 3 hours of work, blocking further project development. With the EasySolar app, customer requests or changes such as different module layouts or financing models can be applied directly to the project.

When the engineering team is responsible for both design and proposal preparation, it can create an additional bottleneck in sales process, especially with numerous requests for proposals, or when individual economic analysis preparation is time consuming. However, if the software is simple enough to be handled by solar representatives, and advanced enough to present desirable data to the customer, the engineering team does not have to be involved in the process of initial system design, price quotes, and feasibility studies. This helps to maintain the customer pipeline.

How The Process Can Be Simplified

Let’s have a look at the sales process with the EasySolar app and online platform. After first consultations, a sales representative goes to perform a site visit to collect the first project data. This is the moment when a good use can be made of the mobile app. A professional tool on a smartphone or tablet is always more impressive for customers. First measurements such as: solar radiation, azimuth, rooftop inclination angle, and shadow analysis can be performed using the EasySolar mobile app.

Subsequently, the PV design can be made by capturing a rooftop photo and performing quick 3D visualisation on a mobile device with few clicks only. Any change of layout can be performed right away so that the customer can see the possibilities of module collocation on their rooftop. Alternatively, layout can be placed on Google Maps or sketch.

Component configuration can be performed selecting among more than 50,000 modules and 5,000 inverters. With a few more clicks, economic analysis can be calculated using a variety of financing models and flexible price quotes. A beautiful proposal, with the preparation taking no more than 5 minutes, can be sent to the customer via email right away.

All data, including financial analysis, component prices, and selected components, are saved for future projects. It means, the more we use the app, the quicker it gets!

Finally, the project can be polished using the fully synced EasySolar online platform. Projects can be easily managed and shared, and the proposal can be customized with the company logo and colours as well as chapters selection.

Software Is An Integral Part Of Every Solar Business

Well-tailored software is no longer a luxury good for solar companies. It’s an integral component to boost company sales and reduce its operational costs, and it doesn’t have to be complex or expensive anymore.

EasySolar helps by removing complexity from the solar sales process so that solar pros can quickly and effectively design a PV system, generate customized proposals, and manage the entire sales process … anywhere they are.

A typical rate for a solar pro reaches USD$60 an hour. It’s 3 times more than EasySolar’s monthly subscription plan. If we assume they need at least 3 hours to create a preliminary project in a conventional way, and only 5 minutes if they do it with EasySolar, it’s easy to calculate that, using this powerful software, the company is saving at least USD$175 per project.

Also, note that the EasySolar app is available worldwide.

Although it may take one afternoon to learn how to use the app, EasySolar offers strong technical support, including free webinars. Time dedicated to learning this powerful software quickly pays off and helps solar businesses to grow.

www: http://easysolar-app.com

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw1Xd1uYcRE

contact: support@easysolar-app.com

About the Author: Joanna Giętkowska, International Business Manager at EasySolar, is responsible for international customer service, product development, IT support, and public relations. Her adventure with solar started when working as an economic analyst for photovoltaic plants in the Canary Islands. Since then, she has also given lectures in photovoltaics for the commercial sector and worked as the editor of online photovoltaic magazine panele-fotowoltaiczne.pl.

Joanna has a MSc in Solar Energy with a bachelor’s degree in engineering relating to environmental protection & management (Gdansk University of Technology, Universita dell Salento & Universidad de La Laguna).

mail: joanna.gietkowska@easysolar.co
twitter: @gietkowska

*This article has been kindly sponsored by EasySolar.

May 25, 2016 1 comment

Jobs

Why We Install: SolarCity Highlights Solar Jobs From A Veteran’s Point Of View

by Tina Casey November 11, 2015

written by Tina Casey

Veterans and solar jobs make a perfect match, and to underscore that point in honor of Veterans Day, the leading US solar installer SolarCity has produced a video spotlighting a SolarCity Senior Inspections Coordinator and former US Army sniper, Frank Sandoval. In the video, Sandoval makes a great case for the restorative power of work with a purpose, and solar jobs in particular.

The SolarCity YouTube video tells a compelling story, but it’s not the whole story. CleanTechnica got the inside scoop from Sandoval himself in a phone conversation last week, so we’re happy to fill in (many) more details with the following exclusive interview.

Solar Jobs Generate Excitement

In the video, Sandoval describes how solar jobs can be a major turning point in the lives of returning veterans. In our conversation, he recalls another major turning point that occurred just two weeks after he began work:

I’ll never forget this. I was on top of a house in Pasadena and someone stopped, honked their horn and gave us a big thumbs up because they saw solar panels going up on this house, ran to the store, bought us a case of water, and brought it to us.

At that point I knew I wasn’t in your average construction company. I knew that I was going to be a part of something that everybody wanted, and that everybody was embracing.

That’s when I started paying attention to what I was actually doing.

When I started with this company I thought it was just construction. You know, that doing renewable energy is a different type of construction. So, my mentality was construction. But I didn’t actually realize until that moment that I saw that person. It wasn’t even a customer, it was a random person that had seen us, and was excited about it, and at that point I really started telling myself like what am I actually doing?

And then I started doing my own research, and then it kind of blew up from there, as far as my passion.

If you really think about it, nobody gets excited about construction. You look at a house being built, and no-one gets excited that we’re construction workers.

[snip]

That was just one [instance]. If I had a quarter for everyone who said, “We’re happy you guys are here in the neighborhood, we’re excited, we’re going to get it ourselves,” or the neighbor says “we’re excited about this,” I wouldn’t have to work. I would be a rich man.

Climate Change Or Not, Solar Jobs Are Important

In the course of our somewhat casual conversation, Sandoval’s research clearly shows. He makes an essential point about sustainable energy, regardless of the source:

As far as the reason why I’m here, it’s not necessarily for the climate change…I’m a big fisherman and hunter, and I notice a lot of resources are being [mis]used, like water is being used to cool down nuclear power plants. I’m a firm believer that we’re not overfishing, we’re overusing the waters.

With solar, it stops that. It’s a tool that stops the destruction of our environment.

Fossil fuels and things like that really destroy the natural resources that we have. If we can have the same kind of energy without destroying our land, then why not.

Solar Jobs For Solar Veterans

Solar jobs are just one good renewable energy match for veterans. The wind energy industry, for example, also has a great appreciation for the skill set that veterans bring to wind turbine installation and other aspects of that sector.

One difference with solar jobs, though, is that today’s active duty service men and women are beginning to come into civilian life with a hands-on appreciation for the uses of solar energy.

Sandoval returned home several years ago, before the Department of Defense began ramping up its adoption of solar energy, but he explains how he was able to see the advantages of renewable, scavenge-able energy as the first pieces of solar equipment began trickling in:

Before I left, solar was mentioned. It was a different way of using energy, because we were using generators, and these things are loud and obnoxious. You can hear a generator for miles away.

A little bit close to the end, the generators started being put away, and solar panels started being used.

That was the change that I started seeing in the military. And you know, the military is using a lot of solar for everything. Out in the field, you can get power. You don’t need a generator, you don’t need a fuel truck….all that logistics in a combat scenario, it takes a lot of timing.

So if you can put a solar panel, that you don’t have to keeping this thing fueled, to keep giving it power, then that’s a win-win.

Sandoval found SolarCity through a veteran, and before we rang off he made sure to bring this message to more of his fellows:

When you come home, you have a home with SolarCity. You can put down your M4 memories, pick up a drill, pick up a hammer, and start solar memories.

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Image (screenshot): via SolarCity

November 11, 2015 0 comment

innovations in Solar finance img from wikimedia commons

Going Solar Rooftop Solar Solar $

Innovations in Solar Finance For Homeowners & Installers

by Aisha Abdelhamid May 1, 2015

written by Aisha Abdelhamid

Prioritizing ease-of-use for home solar installers, and long-term value for homeowners, a new partnership between Sungage Financial and SMA America is offering innovations in home solar finance.

Sungage Financial, a leading residential solar finance platform, is making it easier for homeowners to realize the financial benefits of solar ownership while saving on energy costs at the same time. Offering convenient, flexible repayment terms, the Sungage® Solar Loan does not require a down payment.

The new partnership pairs Sungage’s simple-to-use home solar finance platform with SMA, the global market leader for residential solar inverters. With a broad product portfolio, SMA offers a compatible inverter for all solar PV system sizes and for every type of solar module on the market.

May 1, 2015 0 comment