FAQ

About the System

Will this system heat my pool?
How long will my solar system last?
How much space will the solar electric system take up on my roof?
If I move can I take my solar electric system?
I have a “?” sq. ft. home. How much will a system cost?
What can a panel power in my home?
How much roof space will be needed to power my home?
My roof gets sun for most of the day; that would be enough for a solar system, right?
Should I switch to a Time of Use meter once I get a system?

About the Costs & Savings

How will it affect the value of my house?
What is the payback?
Are there still tax credits and rebates?
What will it cost to get rid of my electric bill?
When is the best time to install solar?
How do I know if my system is producing what it is supposed to?

About Inverters

What is an inverter?

About Net-Metering

What is net-metering?
Why is net-metering important?
Will state tax credit apply every year?

About Rebates

How long can I reserve the rebate before installing the solar system?
What is the current rebate amount and how long will it last?
Who fills out my rebate forms?
Are the rebates ever coming back up?

About the Weather

How will the weather affect my solar electric system?
What happens if there’s a utility power outage?
What’s the effect of rain and fog?
Is snow covering the panels going to reduce production

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About the System

Q – Will this system heat my pool?
A – Typically, a solar electric system is not the most efficient or cost effective way to heat a swimming pool. Using solar water heating panels, natural gas or a propane heater would be a more efficient method.

Q – How long will my solar system last?
A – Most solar panels come with a 25 year power output guarantee and are expected to last at least twice that long. The power output guarantee on the solar panels is provided by the manufacturer of the panels and states that at the end of the 25th year, the solar panel will still produce a minimum of 80% of their original power output.

Q – How much space will the solar electric system take up on my roof?
A – A good rule of thumb is to allow 100 sq. ft. per every kilowatt of electricity the system produces. A solar electric system for a typical home will require 300-500 sq. ft.

Q – If I move can I take my solar electric system?
A – Although you can take your solar electric system with you if you move, it usually is better to leave it on the original house because it increases the resale value of a home.

Q – I have a “?” sq. ft. home. How much will a system cost?
A – The size of your home isn’t the issue, but rather what your average electricity bills are and how much of that average bill you would like to offset. How much you want to offset will dictate the system size and cost.

Q – What can a panel power in my home?
A – A grid-tied solar electric system is going to work to offset the electricity used by the entire home, not a specific device. The solar electricity from the panels will offset whatever is currently using electricity in your home.

Q – How much roof space will be needed to power my home?
A – The answer depends on your current electric usage and how much of that you would like to reduce. After looking at your electric bills, we’ll be able to determine how many panels, and how much roof space, will be necessary to offset your electric bills.

Q – My roof gets sun for most of the day; that would be enough for a solar system, right?
A – Even though your roof gets sun for most of the day, it may or may not be enough to make a solar electric installation cost-effective. On a site evaluation we’d be able to determine this for you. If there is not full access to the sun, year-round, it may take longer for the system to pay for itself, which would increase the return on your investment. Removing or trimming back some trees around your property can help with better access to the sun.

Q – Should I switch to a Time of Use meter once I get a system?
A – A time of use meter benefits customers who can produce power during the peak 12-6 M-F and use during the off-peak. Depending on the client this can be beneficial or not.

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About the Costs & Savings

Q – How will it affect the value of my house?
A – According to a study by ICF Consulting, solar can add $20 of home value for every $1 of yearly energy cost savings. For more information about how solar can increase your home’s value, visit http://www.irecusa.org/articles/static/1/binaries/wfnews.pdf.

Q – What is the payback?
A – Payback is immediate, if you were to finance your solar system your payments would typically be less than the electric bill that it replaces. A solar system will also add value to your property, reduce your monthly expenses and insulate you from higher and higher energy costs. If you were to pay cash for your system, at today’s rates, you will recover all your investments within the next 12-14 years, but as rates go higher the time it will take to fully recoup your investment could easily be less than 10 years.

Q – Are there still tax credits and rebates?
A – Yes, but you have to act fast, this is the last year for the 7.5% state tax credit and the rebates will be less next year. Now is the time to make the commitment and have your solar system installed this year. Solar electric systems are also exempt from property tax assessments; you will pay no higher property tax on the value added to your home.

Q – What will it cost to get rid of my electric bill?
A – The cost for this will again depend on your electric usage. The more panels we place on the roof, the more electricity costs we’ll be saving you.

Q – When is the best time to install solar?
A – The best time to install solar was last year and will always be last year. Solar electricity is getting more and more expensive as the rebates drop and the panel prices increase. Fortunately electricity rates are increasing at a faster rate than the price of solar!

Q – How do I know if my system is producing what it is supposed to?
A – Pure Energy Systems is one of the few companies that really makes it easy to monitor your system performance. When estimating what your system will produce we are conservative in our approach and use 20 year historical sun data from NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory). We will provide you with a production estimate for your system and we encourage you to match what we estimate your system will produce vs. the actual consumption. Your inverter has an LCD display that will provide you with a readout as to how your system is producing, which makes it simple to compare our estimates to your actual production.

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About Inverters

Q – What is an inverter?
A – An inverter converts the DC (direct current) power produced by solar panels to common household AC (alternating current) power.

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About Net-Metering

Q – What is net-metering?
A – Net-metering measures the difference between the electricity you buy from your utility and the electricity you produce with your solar energy system. Under net-metering any excess electricity produced by your solar energy system spins your existing meter backwards, effectively storing the electricity until it is needed. Your meter than spins forward when your solar energy system is not producing all the electricity you are currently using. Your electric meter keeps track of this “net” difference as you generate electricity and take electricity from the utility grid.

Q – Why is net-metering important?
A – Because solar energy is an intermittent resource you may not be using the power when it is generated, and net-metering allows you to receive full value for the electricity you produce without installing and investing in a battery storage system.

Q – Will state tax credit apply every year?
A – No, the tax credit is a one-time benefit.

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About Rebates

Q – How long can I reserve the rebate before installing the solar system?
A – In California, the California Energy Commission (CEC) provides you with a 6-month window in which to install the system. For new construction homes, an 18-month reservation period is given. If you do not install the system within that time frame, the reserved CEC rebate money is simply kept by the CEC. There is no penalty from the CEC if you decide not to install.

Q – What is the current rebate amount and how long will it last?
A – In California, the CEC rebate is currently at $2.60 per DC Watt. For up-to-date rebate information visit http://www.energy.ca.gov.

Q – Who fills out my rebate forms?
A – Pure Energy Systems takes care of your rebate forms, every step of the way. We float the rebate amount so you don’t have to.

Q – Are the rebates ever coming back up?
A – The rebates are not coming back up. They will reduce a certain percentage every six months.

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About the Weather

Q – How will the weather affect my solar electric system?
A – Solar electric systems are designed to withstand all weather conditions. Lightning, wind up to 80 miles per hour, and extreme temperatures are all things your solar system can handle. However, these conditions will temporarily reduce its energy production. When PURE ENERGY SYSTEMS designs your solar electric system, we use a method based on national data that takes these weather conditions into consideration.

Q – What happens if there’s a utility power outage?
A – With grid-connected solar electric systems, you will experience loss of power when the utility grid is down. This is intentional: when there is an electricity outage, there are people working on the power lines. If your system were allowed to stay active during the outage, the people working would run the risk of being electrocuted by the live wire.

Q – What’s the effect of rain and fog?
A – In fog, marine layer, or June gloom your system will still produce about 25-30% of normal. A steady rain cuts production but is great for cleaning your panels.

Q – Is snow covering the panels going to reduce production?
A – You’re absolutely right that during the time immediately following a snowstorm when the panels are covered the system production will be minimal. However, we place solar systems in the exact spot where sunshine is greatest. The first area to melt will be where the solar panels are located. Plus, the panels are tilted with a surface made of tempered glass allowing snow to easily slide off.

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