Residential Solar in PA

Single-Family Residence - April 2019

Goodbye electricity bills, hello clean energy!

Quick Facts

Energy Needs Met

100%

or more of electricity

Net Investment

$23,244

Property

Owner:: Eric Dorward
Type:: Single-Family Residence
Address:: 1290 Cranberry Ln W, York, PA 17402
Energy need met:: 100% or more of electricity

Technology

Type:: Solar PV
Installed:: April 2019
Size of System:: 16 kW
Purposes:: To generate electricity

Financial Details

Gross Cost of System:: $33,705
Value of Rebates:: $250
Value of Tax Credits:: $10,112
Net Cost of System:: $23,244
Own or Lease:: Cash Purchase
Additional Financial Notes:: I asked for a cash discount and my installer knocked 5% off the purchase price. Worth asking if you can pay cash.

Professionals & Suppliers

Products:: LG Solar; SolarEdge Technologies
Installers:: PowerStream Solar & Electric LLC

What You Need to Know

Description:

50 325W LG panels with optimizers and two inverters.

Other Benefits:

Panels on the roof increase the lifespan of the roof.

My Motivation:

Mainly environmental concerns, but it also makes financial sense. Getting $10k from the government to reduce my energy costs for decades is a no-brainer.

Advice:

If you are at this site, you've made a good first decision. Prices can vary widely. Talk to or meet the top two bids you get. Installers would prefer you pay cash, so ask if they can give you a discount if you can pay that way. Don't lease, no matter how reputable the company. Get a loan or a Home Equity loan/LOC instead.

Experience with Installer:

If it feels like you are buying a used car from the installer you've contacted, you probably don't want to use that one. The installer I chose was easy going, knowledgeable, and came in with the best offer. Good options are out there! The biggest annoyance is likely to be your utility company and there's not much you can do about that. Ask your installer how well they know your power company.

Additional Notes:

The vents on my roof don't appear in aerial photos. Yours might not either. Installers really don't want to move vents if they can avoid it. Instead of moving vents, my installer gave me two extra panels for free. My installer bid the project with 315W panels, but when they ordered them from their supplier, they couldn't get them for months. Instead of waiting, they gave me 325W panels from the same manufacturer at no extra cost. An extra 500W for free? Another indication I chose the right installer.

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