Learn About Solar
Learn About Solar
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What is a Solar System?
Forget everything you learned in school about the “solar system”. When we say solar system in this context, we’re talking about the network of electrical components designed to convert solar energy into electricity for your home or business.
The defining components of a solar system are the solar panels, the inverter (or micro-inverters), the electrical panel in the home, and the electricity meter; all of which connect to the utility company known as the grid.
An easy way to understand how solar systems work is to follow the diagram below:
Solar Panels
Solar cells are combined in solar modules, which are combined into solar panels, which produce electricity from sunlight through the photovoltaic (PV) effect.
Inverter
Your solar electricity is then sent to an inverter, which transforms the electricity from DC (Direct Current) to the AC (Alternating Current) that we use in our homes and appliances.
Electrical Panel
The inverter then feeds this AC electricity to the building's electrical panel, allowing it to power the electrical appliances and lights in the building.
Electricity Meter
Any excess electricity that is not used within the building is then measured by an electricity meter as it flows into the utility's electricity network, also known as the grid.
The Grid
For every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity a solar system sends back to the grid, homeowners get a credit on their electric bill. The 2 main ways a credit is calculated is either through net metering or a feed-in tariff. Net metering is where purchased and sold electricity are at equal $/kWh rates. A feed-in tariff is where the sold rate is preset, and normally below the purchasing $/kWh rate.
How Do Solar Panels Work?
When photons hit a solar cell, they knock electrons loose from their atoms. If conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides of a cell, it forms an electrical circuit. When electrons flow through such a circuit, they generate electricity. Multiple cells make up a solar panel, and multiple panels (modules) can be wired together to form a solar array. The more panels you can deploy, the more energy you can expect to generate.
Why Switch To Solar
There are many reasons why homeowners go solar, but the two most common are financial savings and to help the environment. Whether your motivation to go solar is economic, environmental or both, here’s a list of benefits to consider when considering solar.
Drastically reduce or even eliminate your electric bills
Electricity costs can make up a large portion of your monthly expenses. With a solar system, you’ll generate free electricity throughout your system’s 25-30 year lifespan. Even if you don’t produce 100% of the energy you consume, you will still reduce your electricity bill costs and save a lot of money.
Avoid rising energy costs
Every year, electricity prices continue to increase throughout the country. By investing in a solar energy system now, you can lock-in the price you pay for electricity today in order to protect against future increases in electricity costs.
Increase your property value
Homes with solar sell for more than homes without. And when you consider that solar allows you to reduce or eliminate electricity bills, it makes it an easy choice to go solar.
Drastically reduce or even eliminate your electric bills
Electricity costs can make up a large portion of your monthly expenses. With a solar system, you’ll generate free electricity throughout your system’s 25-30 year lifespan. Even if you don’t produce 100% of the energy you consume, you will still reduce your electricity bill costs and save a lot of money.
Avoid rising energy costs
Every year, electricity prices continue to increase throughout the country. By investing in a solar energy system now, you can lock-in the price you pay for electricity today in order to protect against future increases in electricity costs.
Increase your property value
Homes with solar sell for more than homes without. And when you consider that solar allows you to reduce or eliminate electricity bills, it makes it an easy choice to go solar.
Earn a great return on your investment
At the end of the day, solar is one of the best investments you can make. The average American solar purchaser sees a return on their investment of 20% or more, with most solar panel systems paying for themselves multiple times over the course of their decades-long lifetime.
Solar Tax Incentives
Right now there are lucrative federal solar tax incentives available that can offset the purchase price of a solar system through a 26% federal tax credit. The state of Arizona also offers a flat $1,000 incentive right off your personal income tax in the year you install solar as well.
Environmental Footprint
When you put a solar panel system on your property, you can avoid purchasing carbon-emitting electricity from the grid, pulling directly from your solar panels instead. And even when you’re not using the solar electricity directly, you’re offsetting the need for carbon-emitting generation by putting your solar energy into the grid. At the end of the day, a typical residential solar panel system will eliminate three to four tons of carbon emissions each year, the equivalent of planting over 100 trees annually.
Installation Process
If you’re in the market for solar, you probably want to know what actually happens during a solar panel installation. There are five big steps that need to happen after you sign your solar contract before the solar panels on your roof can actually power your home, and a lot of it is behind the scenes. To show you what you can expect, we’ve outlined a simple four-step guide for the typical solar installation process.
Find The Right System For You.
Designing Your System.
Installing Your System.
1) The field installers often start by preparing the roof to ensure the tiles or shingles are attached appropriately
2) The panel racking is installed to support the panels
3) The panels are placed and attached to the racking
4) The electrical components between the solar modules, inverter, and main service panel are connected
Commissioning Your System.
Our Services
Residential Install
Residential Install
Choose a Solar Plan that works for you:
Solar Loan
- No upfront cost
- Low monthly payments
- 25 Year Panel & Inverter Warranty
- Benefit from tax credits and incentives
Solar Purchase
- Own your system outright
- No monthly payments
- 25 Year Panel & Inverter Warranty
- Benefit from tax credits and incentives
Removal and Reinstall
Removal and Reinstall
Most of our removal and reinstallation jobs start with a comprehensive site visit. Our Engineering team will use this information to create a complete site plan for your solar removal and reinstallation project. This plan will be shared with you prior to project execution and serve as the roadmap for our installation crews throughout the project.
Our service department will work directly with you and your roofer (if applicable) to coordinate all removal and reinstallation dates
Once we have removed all panels and racking, we will safely bundle your panels and store them at your property in a predetermined safe location.
Our service department will coordinate the nearest installation date that best aligns with your schedule.
Your solar energy system will be reinstalled with clean panels and hardware. To conclude our installation process, we will conduct a final onsite quality audit to ensure the system is working properly.
Maintenance & Service Requests
Maintenance & Service Requests
FAQ's
Yes, you will still receive an electricity bill. Many utilities include a monthly service charge on your bill, and based on your solar production and energy consumption, you may still have to purchase additional power. The only exception is if you’ve installed an off-grid system where you disconnected from the grid completely.
The amount of power your solar energy system can generate is dependent on direct and reflected sunlight. As a result, your solar panels will produce slightly less energy when the weather is cloudy, but there still will be production. Your panels won’t produce electricity at night.
If your solar system is connected to the grid, it will shut off in the event of a blackout. This is to prevent emergency responders and electricity utility repair-people from being injured by your panels sending power back to the grid. The exception is if you have a solar battery as part of your system. These batteries can provide power to your home in the event that the grid goes down.
Solar rebates and incentives vary depending on where you live. The most significant incentive is the 26% federal investment tax credit (ITC), which allows you to deduct 26% of the cost of your solar system from your federal income tax payable. The tax credit can be carried forward to future years if you are not able to deduct the full amount of your following tax years. Check with your tax professional to determine if you are eligible and to plan your income tax strategy for the upcoming year.
Arizona provides a $1,000 state income tax credit available to solar customers.
After seeking professional tax advice and ensuring you are eligible for the credit, you can complete and attach IRS Form 5695 to your federal tax return (Form 1040 or Form 1040NR). The form and instructions are located here:
About Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)
Southern-facing panels produce the highest amounts of electricity. East and West facing panels produce slightly less, and north-facing panels produce the least. Ideal roof conditions have little to no shading. Also, the condition of the roof is important as older or damaged roofs may require repairs before a solar installation can proceed.
Solar systems can last up to 25 or 35 years, and it can be costly to remove and reinstall your solar panels if you need to replace your roof during that period. If your roof needs maintenance or repair in the near term, you should consider completing this before your solar installation. iVee League Solar can provide you removal and reinstall services if you are looking to repair your roof.
If you own your solar system, you generally receive a premium on the value of your home. National studies have shown that solar systems can increase your home’s value at an average of 4% but can be as high as 9%.