Solar Energy Information

Solar energy information will provide you with a good start for choosing a solar energy system.

There are lots of benefits to using the power of the sun to help provide energy for your home. With any new technology, there are a variety of things to consider and questions to ask.

Preparing for vendors

Start by determining the amount of direct sunlight that your home gets. As you assess different technologies, some are better than others at efficiently collecting sunlight. Knowing how much, in terms of hours per day, that the sun directly hits your home will help your evaluation.

Have you had a comprehensive energy audit? While it's not exciting, reducing your energy consumption before purchasing a solar system will result in a significant savings on your current energy bill as well as your solar needs. Knowing your current energy usage is important in deciding how much energy you want your solar system to provide. Have your annual kilowatt usage handy.

Have a clear budget in mind and how much energy you want to produce. This will give you a good comparison for the efficiency and cost of each system you evaluate.

Will you net meter or bank your excess energy in batteries? Most people will net meter and sell their excess to their utility company or receive a credit.

Contact your insurance company and ask how solar panels will affect your policy.

Now you are armed with the solar energy information you need to choose and meet with vendors.

Meeting with Vendors

After you have narrowed the list of vendors and checked the Better Business Bureau on their track record.

Consider asking for literature on their products. You may have already found information on their website, but this is a good test on how they respond to your requests and their literature may be more specific than what is provided on their website. This will help you develop questions on how each manufacturer/vendor's products are different.

Each technology and manufacturer of solar panels has different efficiency ratings and warranties, understanding the differences will help in choosing the solution that is most efficient for your circumstances.

Dirt, snow, hail and other weather conditions may have an impact on your solar panel performance and longevity, ask each vendor what maintenance is necessary and how your specific weather conditions affect the panels. Also, what conditions will impact the longevity of your panel. In some instances, bird droppings cause dead spots.

If you have chosen battery storage or net metering, how will each vendor address your needs?

Installation may be done by the vendor or provided by subcontractors. Knowing how this will be done and by whom is an important consideration. What guarantees are provided for installation and by whom. Also, be sure they have the appropriate insurance.

I find asking questions about a vendors competition, specifically the other companies you are considering a valuable exercise.

Evaluating the Quotes

You now have three or so quotes from different vendors, hopefully, more than one has provided you with a good solution that fits your budget and your energy needs. Do all the quotes include government rebates (federal, state, local and utility company)? If not, know what rebates you are eligible for and ensure that the solar system your are choosing is qualified.

Check references, on your top two choices. Most people are happy to talk to you about their experience and if they are local, don't be surprised if they invite you to see their system.

1. Ask the references if their system is performing as they expected.

2. How similar is their system to the one you are considering.

3. How long have they had their system. Get at least one reference that has had a system for several years.

4. How have those systems performed over time?

5. Ask them to describe the installation, did it go as planned, where there any surprises?

6. Do they have any regrets? For instance, if they had known something sooner, would they have made a different decision.

7. Finally, would they purchase from this vendor again?

I hope solar energy information has provide you with a good starting point for evaluating your solar energy system. And helped you gather comprehensive information from vendors and references that provides you with peace of mind in your decision to purchase a solar energy system.

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