What is the APS Solar Buyback Rate?
From September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023, the APS solar buyback rate is 8.465 cents per kWh.
Read MoreWhat is a Solar Buy Back Rate?
The buy back rate is the rate at which the utility company credits customers per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for sending electricity from their home solar panel system to the utility grid. The utility installs a second meter at every home that goes solar in order to measure the amount of electricity sent to to the utility […]
Read MoreWhat is Arizona Public Service? What is APS?
APS is an electric utility company that covers part of the Phoenix, Arizona Metropolitan area and other parts of Arizona.
See our web pages on APS:
How to install solar system DIY?
A project to install a complete solar system on a home is a large endeavor that, when professionally managed, involves many experts from different fields. The salesperson will know what type of system is appropriate for your home based on years of experience. The draftsman knows how to create a professional design for the solar system. The engineers understand city construction codes and the other legal implications of installation.
There are people employed at solar companies whose entire job is to submit permit application packages to the various cities in the Phoenix area, and they have been doing it for years, as this is not a simple process to learn. Other administrative workers submit applications to the local utility companies.
After permit approval, a host of professional engineers, contractors, and administrative workers are involved in ensuring the solar system is installed safely and professionally on the home, and then guaranteeing the system is interconnected to the utility and working properly. A solar system installed improperly poses a serious safety and fire hazard, not only to the home it is attached to, but to all the neighbors in the area. This is why Arizona law mandates that the city and utility approve every solar panel installation before it is turned on.
In summary, the process to install a solar panel system is very complex and there is no manual or internet website that will take a homeowner through all the steps in detail. A homeowner may be able to figure everything out and install it over a period of many years, but at that point the homeowner will have spent far more money and time than they would have if they hired a professional company to install their solar system. Just like any large home improvement project, it is best to leave it to the professionals that have many years of experience.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreHow long will solar panels last?
We provide 25-year end-to-end warranties on your entire system when it is installed, but the solar systems typically last much longer than the 25-year period. Just because the manufacturer’s warranty on your car ends after four (4) years does not mean your car will stop working then. The same is true for solar panel systems.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreHow much electricity does a solar system produce?
Solar systems produce about 1,750 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year per kilowatt (kW) rating of the system. The typical system is around 7 kW, so that system will produce about 12,250 kWhs per year. Production also depends on what components are used in the system and the orientation of the roof to the sun.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreCan my HOA stop me from installing solar panels?
In 2003, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that it is unlawful to prevent a homeowner from installing solar panels on their home. This law on this is located here: Arizona Revised Statutes 33-439.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreWill my solar panels be obsolete in the future?
At this point, the solar panels are as thin as they can possibly get, and they are mounted as low on the roof as possible. The only direction technology is going with solar systems is that more electricity production capability is being put into each panel. However, the new panels with more production capability cost much more than the older panels with less production capability, and therefore solar companies rarely use the latest and greatest panels.
The only benefit you will have by waiting for technology to advance is that in the future you will need 18 panels on your roof instead of 20 panels. The cost savings for buying two less panels will pale in comparison to the cost savings you will enjoy by going solar now and ceasing the purchase of 100% of your energy from the utility. Going solar now is the right decision because the rate at which the utilities buy solar energy from homeowners continues to drop every year. Homeowners must act now to lock in their buy back rate!
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreI met with solar companies in the past and they couldn’t save me money. Can solar panels save me money?
The residential solar industry is always changing. For example, loan interest rates before COVID were always 3.99% and above. When COVID came in 2020, solar loan interest rates dropped to 0.49%! As time goes on, the materials used in solar systems continue to drop in price, which translates to lower prices for homeowners.
Government and utility incentives for going solar are always changing. For example, the Federal Government’s solar tax credit was supposed to drop to 22% in 2022 and then disappear in 2023. However, the tax credit was increased to 30% and extended to 2034 through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Pricing will vary between solar companies, and this depends on many factors. Phoenix Solar Panel Systems is known for their affordable pricing and it is likely they can beat the last quote you received from a competitor.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
Read MoreDo I have enough roof space to go solar? How much roof space for solar panels?
Sometimes, especially with homes that are two stories or more, roof space becomes a concern when looking into solar. Homes with two stories or more typically have the same roof space as a single story, but more people are living there and more space must be cooled by the air conditioner in the summer, which results in more energy usage.
Each solar panel generates a certain amount of energy, and if the roof space isn’t big enough to match the home’s energy usage to the solar generation of electricity, this can be a concern. The good news is that home’s with high energy usage will typically see a cost savings by putting any number of solar panels on the roof, even if that number of panels produces below the “optimal” level of electricity. We also have upgraded solar panels that produce more energy (watts) per panel but take up the same amount of space, and we use these upgraded panels when roof space is a concern to match the energy generation to the home’s usage.
Schedule your free consultation now or call us at (602) 753-0560!
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