Today is National Solar Appreciation Day. It's a day to recognize the benefits of solar energy and talk about its use. Many Arizonans use the sun's energy to help offset electricity costs or because they want to go green. But, while there can be big benefits, there is also a lot of misinformation about solar that can leave consumers frustrated — the Let ABC15 Know team has seen it!
We spoke with Autumn Johnson, Executive Director of AriSEIA (Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association), about what consumers should consider and what questions to ask before installing residential solar.
Here are the key takeaways:
- Take your time to research. Treat solar installation as you would any other big purchase, like buying a car or a home. If someone knocks on your door, you do not need to sign a contract that day, week, or ever! Do your own homework about the company they are representing.
- Consumers will still have utility bills. If a company promises you will not have a utility bill after installing solar, that's a big red flag! Your utility bill will depend on many factors, including your usage, the size of your system, your utility provider, rate policy changes, which may or may not include additional fees, etc.
- When you use your solar energy matters. If the sun is not shining, your system is not producing power and, instead, you are drawing power from the grid. If you are running appliances and doing laundry at night when your system is not producing energy, then your usage will be more expensive. Johnson says that because of policy decisions, the power consumers buy from the grid costs two or three times more than the value of the solar on consumers' roof when they sell the excess to the grid.
- Don't assume tax credits apply to you. If you do not have any tax liability, you are not eligible for a tax credit. Do your own research and potentially ask a financial advisor about your specific situation. Do not rely on promises from a salesperson.
Here are questions to ask if you are considering installing solar:
- What's the expected cost of the system?
- When will I be expected to start making payments on the system?
- When can I expect to see a reduction in my energy bill?
- Who is my installer? Don't assume the company selling or financing the system is the same as the installer
Check out free consumer education resources on AriSEIA's website.
