Tailor-made systems for any situation make going solar easier than ever

Southern California offers a wide variety of places to call home. From one-story ranch houses and sprawling hilltop villas to vintage Craftsman bungalows and on-trend “tiny houses,” we choose to live in a great variety of structures.

But one thing that’s potentially universal to everyone living in the Southland is solar energy sustainability and savings. Choosing solar energy in California is a no-brainer. According to weather facts website Current Results, the sun shines around 73% of the time in the Los Angeles metro area.

At the present time, solar energy produces roughly 19% of the state’s electricity and that number is growing every year. And with more than 2,800 solar companies employing 76,838 people across the state in 2018 (according to the Solar Energy Industries Association), California is the national leader in solar installation.

With all of that competition, deciding how to go solar for your specific home can be a daunting prospect. Luckily, there’s help at your fingertips. Solar.com is a new, free online advice company that guides would-be solar buyers through the entire process. Solar.com’s CEO, Max Aram, touts technological advances in the company’s ability to help. “We’ve spent over five years building a platform that uses high-resolution satellite imagery and shade analyses to give us the information we need to design an optimum solar system remotely,” he said.

Going solar is a big decision, but it doesn’t necessarily mean a huge upfront cost. There are four main ways to go: buy your solar system outright, take out a loan, lease your system or enter into a Power Purchase Southern California offers a wide variety of places to call home. From one-story ranch houses and sprawling hilltop villas to vintage Craftsman bungalows and on-trend “tiny houses,” we choose to live in a great variety of structures.

1. Consultation: Get a comprehensive analysis of your energy consumption patterns, your home’s solar readiness and an explanation of the solar options that meet your goals. Solar. com’s system to takes much of the guesswork out of this process.

2. Financing: Deciding how you’re going to pay for it.

3. Design: Based on an analysis of your roof, shading and energy needs.

4. Submission: Permit applications, paying fees and applying for applicable rebates.

5. Installation: Putting in the system.

Another big decision to make is whether or not you include a backup battery in your plan. Like any battery, solar storage batteries reserve power. Their advantage is that power is just for you, and not attached the power grid. “When a solar system is coupled with a battery, homeowners can produce electricity during the day and store it in their battery to use at night or when the power is down,” said Aram.

A backup battery allows your system to continue operation even during a blackout, to the envy of your candle-burning, flashlight-wielding neighbors.

“A typical battery can supply electricity for the essentials such as lighting, appliances, and medical devices for over six hours,” said Aram. Your stored solar electricity also helps you avoid paying three times as much during the afternoon and evening peak periods (when, let’s face it, nearly everyone consumes the most energy).

Battery buyers can also take advantage of state tax credits and rebates like the California Self Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for homeowners who install batteries. Solar.com points out that these incentives are allocated on a first-come first-served basis, and recommends acting soon to take advantage of the more than $50M available for residential systems. More information about this program can be found on the California Public Utilities Commission’s SGIP portal.

-Joe Yogerst, Custom Publishing Writer