The Benefits of Going Solar

What are the financial benefits?

The environmental benefits of solar electricity are many. Most basically, you reduce your dependence on foreign oil imports, reduce your contributions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, and reduce local air pollution. For more detail, check out some of the following sites.

· U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Solar http://www.epa.gov/solar/renew.htm

What are the financial benefits?

Regarding the financial case for solar electricity, many people are surprised about how reasonable the costs can be. In general, the higher your electricity costs, the more solar makes financial sense. Here’s why.

State and federal incentives: California has a rebate program that reduces the upfront cost by ~25% (this rebate will lower over time so if you are considering solar, you should act soon). The federal tax credit is 30% of the total system cost.

· Learn how your PG&E rebate will be calculated: http://www.csi-epbb.com/

Energy savings: Many systems are designed to produce 80-90% of a home’s power. With net-metering, you can reduce your electric bill to a fraction of the previous cost.

Increased property value: Installing solar increases the value of your property without increasing your property taxes.

Lock in your energy rates: A solar electric system locks in your electricity rates for the life of the system allowing you to avoid price increases for electricity. And with global energy demand, who knows how much these prices may rise in the near future? For greater detail:

· California Solar Initiative – Cash Back on Solar: http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/csi/cash_back.html

· OnGrid financial analysis of solar electric system payback: http://www.ongrid.net/papers/PaybackOnSolarSERG.pdf