Installing solar on your home offers numerous benefits. First and foremost, it is an environmentally friendly way to generate electricity. Solar power reduces your carbon footprint and helps to combat climate change by decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, solar energy is a renewable resource, meaning it will never run out. Going solar can also save you money on your energy bills.

Once you’ve installed a solar panel system, you’ll be generating your own electricity, which means you’ll be paying for less electricity from your utility company. This can result in significant savings over time. Another advantage of solar is that it can increase the value of your home. Many buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home with solar panels, as they know they’ll be saving money on energy costs.

The amount of money you’ll save by going solar depends on a variety of factors, including the size of your solar panel system, the efficiency of your panels, your local climate, and your energy usage.

On average, homeowners who switch to solar can save around 20-50% on their energy bills. However, some homeowners have been able to save even more, depending on their specific circumstances.

It’s also worth noting that Idaho offers incentives and rebates for solar panel installations, which can help to offset the upfront cost of going solar. In some cases, these incentives can significantly reduce the overall cost of switching to solar. With little or no startup costs, systems start paying for themselves immediately and increase each year as the cost of electricity rises.

Solar panels are designed to generate electricity from sunlight, but they can still produce some power on cloudy days. The amount of electricity that your panels will generate in cloudy conditions will depend on the intensity of the sunlight, as well as the efficiency of your solar panel system. In general, solar panels are most efficient at generating electricity when they are exposed to direct sunlight. However, they can still produce some power when the sun is behind clouds, as long as there is some light present. In fact, many solar panel systems are able to generate up to 20% of their rated power on cloudy days.

The number of solar panels you’ll need to offset your energy bill will depend on your specific energy usage, location, and the size of your home. To determine how many panels you’ll need, you’ll first need to figure out your average monthly energy usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh). This information can usually be found on your power bill.

Net metering is a policy that allows individuals with solar panel systems to sell excess electricity back to their utility company. Essentially, it allows you to receive credit on your energy bill for the excess electricity that your solar panel system generates. Here’s how it works: let’s say you have a solar panel system that generates more electricity than you use in a given month. With net metering, the excess electricity will be sent back to the grid, and your utility company will give you credit for the excess energy.

You can then use this credit to offset the cost of the energy you use from the grid at other times, such as at night or on cloudy days when your solar panel system isn’t generating as much electricity. Net metering is available in Idaho and is a great way to maximize the financial benefits of going solar. It allows you to save money on your energy bills by selling excess electricity back to the grid and receiving credit for it.

Whether or not you need a backup battery system for your solar panel system depends on your specific energy needs and preferences. If you have a grid-tied solar panel system, you’ll still be connected to the electrical grid, which means you’ll have access to electricity even when your solar panel system isn’t generating power (e.g., at night or on cloudy days). In this case, a backup battery system may not be necessary.

However, if you’re concerned about being able to access electricity during power outages, or if you live in an area with frequent power outages, a backup battery system can provide peace of mind. With a backup battery system, you’ll have a stored supply of electricity that you can use when your solar panel system isn’t generating power. Another thing that should be noted is that a backup battery system can be scheduled to discharge during night or during peak demand times to help reduce your cost on utility power even more.

We understand that investing in a solar system is a big decision. That’s why we stand behind our work with a comprehensive warranty that covers both labor and installation for 10 years. Additionally, depending on the inverter system you choose, our Enphase microinverters come with a 25-year warranty, while our batteries are covered for 10 years.

We are also proud to offer solar panels with a 25-year efficiency warranty, ensuring that you get the most out of your system for years to come. Our roof attachments also come with a 25-year warranty, giving you peace of mind knowing that your solar system is built to last.

We are committed to helping you save money on your solar system. As allies of Avista Utilities, Kootenai Electric and Idaho’s Governor’s Office of Energy & Mineral Resources, we have access to incentives that could potentially save you thousands of dollars. Our team will work closely with you to determine if you qualify for these incentives and ensure that you take advantage of every opportunity available to you.

Along with the many state incentives, the federal government also has a 30% tax credit in effect also known as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This credit can be claimed on federal income taxes for a percentage of the cost of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system!