But before we get started here is some basic information about benefits and costs...
Photovoltaic Systems
Solar electric, or photovoltaic (PV) systems, collect electricity from photovoltaic panels and send it to an inverter and into your house electric panel.
PV systems require little or no maintenance (just keep the panels free of dust, and leaves.)
For each 1,000 watts of PV you can get up to 1,200 kWh of household electricity per year. To see what this means, check your electric bill to see how many kWh of electricity you use.
Your electric meter spins backward when your home isn't using the energy generated, giving you retail credit for power produced.
1000 watts of PV takes up about 65 to 90 square feet of space.
PV systems cost between $7.50 to $11.00 per watt installed.
A 1,000 watt PV system typically costs around $10,000 installed.
A 2,000 watt system costs around $17,000 installed.
A 3,000 watt system costs about $23,000 installed.
The State of Washington will pay you a minimum of 15 cents for every kilowatt hour that your system produces.
There is currently no sales tax on grid-connected photovoltaic systems.
The Internal Revenue Service will give you a tax credit of $2,000 (or 30% of system cost for business taxpayers).
Hot Water Systems
Solar hot water systems can collect up to 70 percent of the solar energy that reaches them and deliver it to you.
They can be used for domestic hot water, for hot water space heating (such as radiant systems) or for both.
A typical household with reasonably good solar access can generate 50 to 75 percent of its hot water from the sun.
A solar domestic hot water system ususally costs between $6,200 to $8,400 installed, depending on the size.
The Internal Revenue Service will give you a tax credit equal to 30% of the installed system cost.
There is currently no sales tax on solar water heating systems or installation (some restrictions apply).
A solar hot water system can prevent the emission of many tons of CO2 over its lifetime.
Sun Eye Graph
Sun Eye Image
First We'll Evaluate Your Site and Home
Solar Site Evaluations
Our regular solar consultation goes like this: If you aren't familiar with how solar energy is used in a home we'll walk you through the various system types and installations. We'll look at your home or business, identify the best location for solar equipment using the new Sun Eye (output pictured above) and use software with real weather and product data to predict the performance of one or more proposed systems. We will then give you an estimate of the cost and send you a written proposal if you would like to proceed. We charge a modest fee for site visits.
In some cases we can measure your roof from space, ask you some questions about your home, and give you a preliminary assessment by e-mail for no charge. If you would like to proceed past that point, then we will do a site visit to get the rest of the details necessary to give you an accurate estimate and proposal.
You Can Then Make an Informed Decision.
We'll use our evaluation of your site to design and install the solar energy system(s) of your choice.
