• How much money will a solar system save me in utility bills?
  At today’s average cost of $.13 cents per kWh for electricity, a 10kW system will save approximately $1560 per year in electricity.

• How big are the panels and what do they weigh?
  Generally the panels are 39” x 65” and weigh about 44-50 pounds. Most structures are built to easily withstand the load. We will perform a site inspection and structural review as part of our services.

• What size system will I need?
  Most homeowners tell us they want to install as much solar as possible to take advantage of the PA Sunshine Rebate’s cap of 10,000W DC (10kW System). Of course, it depends on what you can afford and how much power you want to generate. It also depends on the available area you have to install the system. For commercial applications, we will determine what incentives are available and provide a return on investment analysis.

• How much energy will the system produce?
  We will calculate the approximate system output. Generally a 10kW system will produce an average of about 12,000kWh and 12 Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC’s) per year.

• What is a SREC?
  Solar Renewable Energy Credits are clean energy credits issued in the form of a tradable certificate. Whenever a solar power system generates 1,000kWh of power, the system owner earns one SREC. Utilities need to acquire the SREC’s to comply with the PA Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard or they face penalties. We will facilitate the purchase your SREC’s as part of our service, making it easy to generate an income stream. A typical 10kW system will generate $3,300 per year income.

• How does battery back-up work?
  Because battery back-up adds cost to the system, we recommend it for households with critical need situations and for those who have frequent and long term power outages. The solar system will fully charge your battery bank and then feed power to the utility grid only after the battery bank is full. If the utility grid blacks out, the battery bank can be set up to automatically power critical household appliances (refrigerators, freezers) and pumps (sump pumps, well pumps). In the event of a utility company electrical outage, these critical items continue to function from the battery bank. PA Sunshine program requires the system to be tied to a utility grid in order to qualify for rebate.

• What if some of the panels are shaded by trees or nearby structures?
  As a general rule, a solar array should be free of shade from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Even partial shading may result in a dramatic output production. One completely shaded cell in one solar panel may reduce that panel’s efficiency by 75%.

• What is net metering?
  If you produce more power than you are currently using, your electric meter will run backwards and you will receive full credit from the utility company. However, if you generate more power than you use annually, your credit will be at a lower “price to compare” rate (generation and transmission charges) shown on your electric bill.

• What direction should the panels face?
  Because we are in the northern hemisphere, the panels should ideally face south although they may be turned up to 30 degrees “off” of south. The system will run most efficiently if facing southward. In our area, panels facing north or directly east or west will not meet the minimum requirements for the PA Sunshine rebate program. If the panels are positioned southeast or southwest, it is possible that the system output will be favorable and may qualify for the rebate. We will perform a site survey to determine orientation, efficiency and anticipated output.

• What angle do the panels need to be tilted?
  The latitude in our area is about 40 degrees and the optimal tilt would dictate 40 degrees as well. However, seasonal weather patterns also have an effect on solar production. Therefore, modules are optimally mounted at a 30 degree tilt to take advantage of the sun angle in the summer months as it is higher in the sky and the days are longer. Flat roof mounted systems are usually tilted on racks at 10 degrees in order to withstand heavy winds and prevent uplift.

• What incentives are available?
  The current rebates and incentives are truly unprecedented. The state of PA is offering up to a 35% rebate and the federal government is offering a 30% tax credit.

• What type of panels do we use?
  We only use the top rated industry panels to assure you of maximum electricity production. Power output is warranted for 20-25 years and manufacturers may vary depending on availability.

• How long will it take to install the system?
  This depends on the size of the system and where we are mounting the panels. Generally, it will take about two weeks to install a 10 kW system. Obtaining permits and inspections, panel availability, and rebate approval also may add several weeks lead time to the process.

• What are the expected maintenance costs for the system?
  There are no expected, regular maintenance costs for a solar system. This is one of the benefits of a solar system as opposed to other renewable energy products such as wind turbines and high-efficiency heat pumps that have moving, mechanical parts that wear out. Solar panels (also called “modules”) generally have a 25-year power warranty; the inverters generally have a 10-15 year warranty.

• How are the panels attached to my roof?
  They are fastened to 2.5” high aluminum or stainless steel rails approximately every 6’, directly to the roof trusses or rafters using a flashing bracket that’s made to prevent roof leaks.

• What about wind, hail or snow damage?
  Our modules are built to withstand 122 mile per hour winds and they are able to withstand heavy snow and sizeable hail.

• Do I need to insure my panels?
  That is up to you and normally that is done through your homeowner’s insurance policy. Contact your insurance agent for further guidance.

• Will adding solar increase the value of my property?
  According the Appraisal Institute, a home’s value has been shown to increase $20,000 for every $1,000 reduction in annual operating costs. Often, a solar system can recover more than 100% of its cost, and this percentage actually increases over time as electric rates rise. Most economic forecasters predict about a 3% electric rate increase per year.

Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC’s)
Generally speaking a 5k system will produce 6 SREC’s per year. A 10k system will produce about 12 SREC’s per year. You earn a SREC for every megawatt (1,000kW) that is produced from your system. Do not confuse SRECs with power that you've produced over what you've used. SRECs and power that you sell back to the grid are two distinctly different cash streams positively affecting payback and ROI of your Solar System. SREC’s are available for sale on the market to utility companies. Utility companies are required to sell renewable energy to their clients. They have a minimum % that they have to sell compared to their total sales. They either have to make their own renewable energy or buy from other generators. After your system is registered with the state, you become a generator off SREC’s. The weighted average for a SREC started in January of 2009 at $225.00 and was up to $397.05 in January of 2010.