Why You Should Go Solar in the Bay Area

It’s no secret that the Bay Area is a great place to live. The weather is perfect, the food is fantastic, and there are many outdoor activities to enjoy. But what about your home? Is it as well-equipped for living as you are? If not, then now might be a good time to consider going solar in the bay area!

In this blog post, we will explore some reasons why homeowners should go solar in their area and how they can do it!

The Bay Area of California

Living in the California Bay Area is a dream for many people. If you live in San Francisco or another surrounding city, there are plenty of great places to enjoy outdoor activities and meet new people! The weather is beautiful. With San Jose averaging 257 sunny days per year and an average temperature of 82 degrees F in the summer, the location is ideal for comfort all year round.

The Bay Area has become an attractive region for tech companies to open up shop due to its proximity to Silicon Valley. As a result, lots of new homes have been popping up. This provides an excellent opportunity to go solar.

Also, The California Energy Commission voted unanimously to require solar panels and battery storage in new commercial buildings and certain multifamily residences beginning January 1, 2023. So why not join the movement and have solar installed on your home as well?

Why You Should Go Solar in the Bay Area

There are many reasons why you should go solar in the bay area, including:

• You can help reduce climate change by using clean energy
• Solar power is a renewable resource that will never run out!
• It’s a great way to save money on your energy bill
• It’s easy to switch your energy provider
• There are rebates and tax credits available for all homeowners who go solar!
• No dependence on electric companies for your power
• No need to worry about price hikes and outages
• Solar power creates jobs
• Solar panels will increase the value of your home

Going Solar in the Bay Area

In between 2008 and 2017, over 22,000,000 people were impacted by almost 4,300 reported blackouts. Don’t become part of the next set of stats. Consider going solar.

The possibilities are endless for your new solar-powered home. You can go off the grid or simply use solar power to help reduce your energy bill and carbon footprint, whatever you choose!

How to Get Started

Now that you know all the reasons why going solar is a great choice, let’s get into how to go about it. The process is pretty straightforward:

• The first thing you’ll need to do is check your property lines and assess which areas of your home receive the most sun throughout the day. You don’t want any shadows or trees casting a shadow over your solar panels.
• Next, you’ll need to contact a reputable company and have them come out for an estimate. They will ensure the roof is sturdy enough to handle the solar installation and discuss any rebates or tax credits available in your area!
• Finally, sit back and enjoy the benefits of clean energy while getting ready for next summer.

Saving with Solar

Solar energy is an excellent alternative to fossil fuels, but one of its most significant advantages is that it saves you money! The average cost of installing solar panels in California ranges from $11,985 to $16,215. Therefore, in California, a solar panel installation costs between $2.40 and $3.24 per watt on a price per watt (PW) basis. 

The money you save from cutting ties with the electric company will allow you to pay for the solar panel in a few years.

Average Savings with Solar

The amount of money you’ll save each month by installing a solar panel system is determined by the size of your home, the size of your solar panel system, and how much energy you use each day. Then there are various options involving whether to purchase or lease your solar panels.

Paying for Solar Panels

For example, a cash purchase will necessitate a significant upfront expenditure. A lease may allow you to make less initial investment money than your usual bill, perhaps as little as $0 down and no monthly payments. However, when looking at the system’s total cost over its lifetime, the upfront cash payment might save a significant amount of money.

Let’s say a family spends $200 every month on their electricity bill. This is equivalent to $2400 per year. If they install a solar panel system (and pay cash) in that first year, they will spend at least $10,000 on installation fees. Unfortunately, there’s no formula to tell us how much grid power they’ll require in the future, so for this example, let’s assume their solar panel eliminates all of their energy needs and that their new bill would be zero.

Leasing, on the other hand, is not a good idea for everyone. Those who want to lease out their solar equipment and then sell it later to profit should think carefully before making this decision. Because there’s no way to predict exactly how much their bill will drop, it’ll be based on the leasing contract they choose.

A solar lease is a type of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in which the solar panels are installed, maintained, and owned by a third party. The provider of a PPA gets rebates and tax credits while you pay a discounted rate for power. You benefit from lower energy costs because the system is managed and run by the solar company.

Incentives for Going Solar

Solar incentives in the Bay Area, such as rebates and tax credits, are a significant component when considering the financial benefits of solar power. They provide a financial return on investment while reducing your carbon footprint and assisting the environment. The cost of installing solar has dropped dramatically in recent years, and these financial incentives make solar energy more accessible and cost-effective.

Rebates

In the Bay Area, California, subsidies for solar installation are available in some areas and municipalities and solar firms. In addition, some local utilities will refund you depending on how much energy your solar panels generate over 20 years. Check with your provider to see what discounts and incentives are available in your area.

Tax Incentives for Solar

In the Bay Area, you may take advantage of the solar tax credit. The cost of purchasing your solar system is eligible for a federal investment tax credit of 30%.

Exemptions and exclusions for solar power include property and sales tax exemptions given by state and local authorities. For example, according to California’s property tax regulations, your property tax assessment will not rise when you install solar energy in the Bay Area.

You will continue to get tax deductions for depreciation throughout the life of your panels after they are paid off.

The Benefits of Going Solar

Solar panels are a great way to save money on your electric bill and help the environment at the same time. By making the switch to solar, you’re not only helping lower your bills in the short term but greatly reducing your carbon footprint too. There are fewer clear win-wins than being able to help your family and the planet simultaneously.

If you live in California, there’s no better place than San Jose or the Bay Area for solar power!  If you live closer to Sacramento, be sure to read our article ‘Why you should go solar in Sacramento‘.