With over a million humans infected by COVID-19, it’s safe to say that times are tough. Not only is the virus causing a scare to our physical well-being, but it’s taking a toll on millions of American’s job security and financial status. With a possible recession on our hands, every penny saved can make a difference. At Shop Renewable Energy, we’ve spent the last couple years connecting homeowners with the best solar companies in the United States. On today’s blog post, we’ll be explaining why it makes sense to go solar during times of uncertainty.
If There is Sun, You Save!
When you put a solar system on your roof, you guarantee monthly cash savings. That is why we like to consider a solar system an investment rather than a purchase. Unlike gambling on the stock market or trying to start a small business, there is one major variable that affects how much your solar investment will pay out: the sun! Many people don’t realize that even in cloudy or stormy weather solar panels are still able to generate electricity. Thus, solar owners are able to make money from sunup to sun down.
At Shop Renewable Energy, we are able to connect our customers to solar companies whose solar solutions help customers save 70-100% on their electricity bill year round. Thus, some of our customers only pay $5-$15 a month on the connection fee that keeps their panels connected to the grid. We also try our best to help our customers find solar companies who offer warranties and energy guarantees. Many companies we trust offer a 10 year workmanship warranty that allow their customers to get free repairs to any install or workmanship errors. For customers whose solar systems are underperforming expected rates, these companies make sure to cover the costs. Any customers whose systems are generating below 50% of their power bill in the first 6 months or below 85% in the first 18 months will receive a check covering the underperformance. With that being said, we want all of our customers to be saving every month for decades. With a 25 year warranty, our solar panels can provide our customers with hundreds in savings every month for decades to come. In times of uncertainty, it’s the recurring monthly bills that hurt the worst, so why not eliminate your electricity bills!?
If There is Sun, You Generate!
Like we said, no matter the status of the economy or health of the nation, solar panels will continue to generate power. Luckily, the sun will continue to shine. One worry of many Americans during times of uncertainty are power outages. As more people work from home, there is an increase in overall residential electric usage. This can cause a number of problems like power surges or blackouts. Blackouts can leave entire neighborhoods without power for hours and sometimes even days. By putting solar on your roof, you can guarantee power during one of these blackouts or surges. Rays from the sun will hit the negative-charged top layer of solar panels, knocking electrons loose. Those free electrons are drawn into an electric field between the negative top layer and the positive-charged semiconducting silicon of a photovoltaic cell, creating a flow of Direct Current (DC) electricity. Thus, your lights stay bright, your laptop charges, your fridge stays cool, and all your electrical appliances continue to run. To make things even better, solar panel owners who invest in a solar battery are capable of storing excess electricity from their panels. This stored energy can be used to run appliances during a power outage or even during the night when there is no sun to generate electricity. Overall, solar not only saves homeowners money, but it also allows them to have peace of mind.
Solar Savings are Certain! At least for 2020…
Certainty and savings rarely go in the same sentence, but when it comes to solar 2020 might be one of the last years of certain solar savings. To start things off, the federal investment tax credit (ITC) continues to dwindle year-to-year. For 2020, homeowners who go solar are eligible to receive a federal tax credit that is worth 26% of the cost of your solar system. This credit allows homeowners to save thousands on the overall cost of their panels. However, in 2021 that rate will drop by 4% and in 2022 it will no longer exist. The solar tax credit is the largest savings opportunity for residential solar available in the United States. It alone can make going solar worth it!
Along with the ITC, many states offer local solar incentives. These incentives include: net metering, sales tax exemptions, local rebates from your utilities companies, solar easement laws, state solar tax credits, and more. Unfortunately, as solar becomes more popular and even required in some states, these incentives will begin to disappear. Because each state, city, and neighborhood is so different, it is hard to say how much each homeowner will save without doing some basic research. Luckily, we have created a state by state guide for all the markets we are present in to help our potential customers determine whether your home qualifies for local benefits. Check out our Solar Savings by State Guide, featured in our blog post two weeks ago, and learn more about local incentives in your state or city!
Electricity Bills are Certain to Increase!
At times of uncertainty, the last thing that homeowners want to do is pay a monthly power bill. To make matters worse, electricity prices are on the rise. Utilities companies will continue to drive up prices and homeowners will have no way to get around expensive electricity bills. Over the last 20 years the price of electricity has gone up by more than 60%. The U.S. Energy Information Agency projects that residential electricity prices will continue to rise by at least 1% a year over the next 5 years. So even if your electricity usage doesn’t increase, your bills are still going to end up being more expensive. Going solar is a great way to combat rising energy bills, because your panels produce energy independent of the price of electricity. If installed properly, your system can cover the majority of your bill throughout the year and create a surplus of energy during the summer. By going solar, homeowners can eliminate electricity bills and have one less expense to worry about.
The Solar Cycle!
As you can see, owning a solar system has a variety of benefits that are not affected by times of uncertainty like COVID-19. One benefit that Shop Renewable Energy loves to highlight to prospective customers is that a solar investment means constant month-to-month savings. By buying solar, you will automatically reduce your solar bills and many of the customers will eliminate them completely (other than the monthly hookup fee). This means you’ll end every month with a little more cash in your wallet. Another part of the solar cycle are solar incentives like the ITC and net metering. In many states, if your system produces excess power, you can carry that surplus over to future months or even cash it in at the end of the year. This means that even during less sunny winter months you can still save big and your system can literally pay you back! The last recurring benefit that many of our customers forget about is the peace of mind that comes with helping protect the planet. Because solar is a renewable energy that harvests the sun’s light, our customers avoid using coal-produced electricity and can largely reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. No matter the day, month, or year, these benefits will constantly save you money and help preserve our planet!
We Know That The Future of Solar is Bright!
In this time of great uncertainty, Shop Renewable Energy not only wants to help homeowners save, but also instill confidence in the public that solar is always a great investment! Because of solar’s large price tag, we know that making the switch can be intimidating, especially during uncertain times. That is why we have developed a program that allows customers to get the biggest bang for their buck. Shop Renewable Energy knows that owning a solar system is so much more valuable than leasing one from a large solar power company. By purchasing your system, you unlock thousands of savings through the ITC, local rebates, net metering, and increase the value of your home. Not to mention you avoid rising power rates that solar leasing companies can charge as years pass by. For Shop Renewable Energy customers, purchasing a solar system means taking control of their power bill, saving for decades, and even making up to a 15% return on investment.
To help our customers feel more confident with their decision to go solar, we are offering a financing program called that gives our customers a check worth 18 months of solar loan payments. That way you can start your solar journey saving money! If you’d like to learn more about whether owning solar is a great decision for your current situation and unique home sign up for free consultation today. By pressing on the link below and filling out your contact information, you can set up a time to talk with one of our own solar specialists who will answer any of your questions and help you determine a solar solution for your home!