Solar Power for Home

In May 2019, the number of solar installations in the United States has reached the impressive number of two million. It took about 43 years to get to that number and this rapid growth in solar electricity also concerns your house. Residential solar systems make up about 96% of all solar installations, counting from the smallest residential solar rooftop to the largest solar farm. Residential solar, that is solar systems made for houses, either rooftop or small ground mount, has increased steadily since 2010 and is expected to keep growing. This is true especially in states like California where a new law will require solar power for new homes starting 2020.

It seems that many Americans are looking to install solar at their homes and there are several reasons behind that. One reason can be the desire to help protect the environment. The electricity that powers homes and businesses all over the country often comes from burning fossil fuels like coal or gas. Not only do these sources of energy create air pollution, they also contribute to climate change and endanger our ability to live on Earth in the long term. One solution to this problem is to develop more renewable energy like solar and wind. Having renewable energy at your home can be a good way to do your part for a transition towards cleaner energy. But being a conscious citizen is not the only reason to buy a solar system for your house.

In many cases and in the long term, at home solar electricity can help you save money on your utility expenses. One of the biggest advantages of installing a solar system for your house is a 30% federal tax credit on the total investment cost of a system (but this tax credit might not last long). That means homeowners — but not renters — can subtract the credit from the federal income taxes they owe, which reduces the price of their solar purchase by almost a third. By being independent from the grid for some parts of the day, solar system owners can save money on the solar electricity they use in their home. But is solar power always the right choice for your home?

There are several criteria that makes a house eligible for solar.The first question to ask is whether a home solar system will help you save money. To see a return on your solar system investment, your usual electricity bill needs to be high enough to be able to see solar savings once the system is installed. Then there’s the question of upfront investment. Although many options exist to go solar (lease, renting, loan etc.), you might have to pay some money upfront to install a solar system on your house. If you are the owner of the solar panels, you will also have to pay for its maintenance, cleaning and possible reparation.

Another thing to keep in mind is the state of your roof. What kind of roof you have, whether it needs to be replaced or not and how much sunlight it receives will affect the possibility to install solar energy at your home. An old roof shaded by large trees in an area where the sun barely shines might not be the ideal candidate for a solar house.

Finally, in most cases, you need to be the owner of the house (and to actually have a roof) to be allowed to install panels on the roof and benefit from the perks mentioned above. Solar for apartment buildings and solar for renters becomes immediately more complicated and sometimes impossible. Going solar without a roof seems nearly unthinkable. So, what happens if you want to embrace renewable energy in your home without installing solar panels?

Here comes community solar: An easy and affordable way to enjoy the benefits of residential solar without installing solar panels. With halo community solar, you can get solar credits on your electricity bill therefore saving money AND helping protect the environment. All you need is an electricity bill. No roof, no solar panels on your roof and no upfront investment. It is like solar for renters or solar for apartment dwellers made simple. To be a part of this solar revolution, join us at halosolar.com