Save Money with Solar Electric Systems

Residential solar electric systems work with your home’s utility system to provide electricity converted from the energy collected in solar panels mounted to the roof. They can cut your electric bill by up to half, but they cannot provide all the energy you’ll need to run your home.  The home’s regular utility picks up the slack when the energy use exceeds the solar energy collected.  

In addition to the savings on your electric bill, some companies allow net metering or credits to your account for excess energy collected that’s not used.

Residential solar electric systems are available from a variety of dealers and can be used in just about any home with appropriate space for solar panels. Check with your state agency and municipal utilities to see if they offer rebates and incentive programs for the installation of renewable energy equipment. You can save thousands and even cut your costs in half this way. Here’s Maryland’s grant process outlined as an example.

Maintenance is low on these systems, so costs should be minimal. Batteries used as backups during a power failure may need to be replaced every 10 years. Solar energy is used to recharge these on a regular basis.

National standards exist on how these systems should be installed to ensure the installation is safe and legal. Homeowners associations should be contacted prior to purchasing a system, but some states prohibit HOAs from placing restrictions on solar devices.

Find a specialist in your area to discuss costs of installation. For DIYers, self-starter kits are available online for about $1,000. These include a diagram detailing how the system will need to be connected in order to connect to the grid.