Cost of Solar Panels

Are you thinking about a sun-powered home, but hung up on residential solar panel costs? If so, you’ve come to the right place.

While the easiest and most accurate way to find out how much solar panels will cost is to schedule a free solar consultation, we’ll cover the basics here.

Let’s talk nickels, dimes, and what it’s going to really cost you to go solar. Now, don’t be surprised, but the price tag on solar is not a one-size-fits-all type of deal. Before understanding the true cost of going solar for your household, it’s important to evaluate a few key questions:

• How much energy does your home use?
• Are electricity prices rising?
• How much sunlight does your roof get?
• What is the price of equipment and installation?
• Which solar incentives are available to you?

1. Energy consumption: how much energy does your home use?

First things first, let’s talk about energy consumption. Electricity powers many of the things American households have grown accustomed to ― like refrigerators, washing machines and central air conditioning units. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “More than half of energy use in homes is for heating and air conditioning.”(1)

So, how much energy does your household use? Taking a peek at your electric bill could provide a snapshot of your home energy use. Or, you could get this information by chatting with a Solar Energy Specialist during a free solar consultation with ADT Solar.

If your family uses a lot of energy, it could affect how large your solar installation might need to be (and how many solar panels you’ll need to purchase). Taking these factors into consideration could impact the overall residential solar panel cost. The more energy generation you want, the more solar panels you’ll need.

3. Sunlight exposure: how much sunlight do you need for solar panels?

Sunlight exposure is the measure of how much sun your house (or, rather, your roof) gets during the day. Calculating sun exposure is broken down into three different factors:

• Roof Size and Type: It might seem like a no-brainer, but the size of your roof matters. With a bigger roof that has enough space for more solar panels, there’s a better chance that you could receive more sunlight. Subsequently, you’ll have access to more clean, renewable energy generation for your home.
• Roof Orientation: The optimal direction for your roof to face is towards the south. Although your solar panels can capture sunlight from any angle, the southern direction is best for solar power generation. If most of the space on your roof is facing towards the south, that means you may need fewer solar panels to generate the amount of electricity that you would like to produce. If your roof doesn’t face south, there are still options that could work for your home.
• Shade: Although most people have a tree or two in their yard, when it comes to solar panels, less shade is best. Because solar panels need direct sunlight to generate electricity, too much shade could lower your solar panel’s efficiency.(6) This will keep them from producing power from your home, and may potentially lower your savings. In some cases, a solution to shading could be simply trimming branches.

Since the amount of sunlight your roof has access to impacts how many solar panels your home will need, it’s safe to say this factor also contributes to solar panel cost.

4. Price of equipment and installation: how much do solar panels cost?

Your location, access to sunlight and shade, personal energy consumption and many other factors play a role in determining the cost of solar panels for your home. Solar system size is dependent on these factors, as well as the equipment needed and installation costs.

A solar energy system is only as good as its panels and equipment. We provide homeowners with high-quality, high-efficiency solar panels from brands like Q Cells and Silfab Solar that will last for the long haul. Enphase’s innovative line of microinverters and whole-home batteries are the perfect complement to ADT Solar’s 148 years of rock-solid reliability.

5. Incentives: are solar incentives available in 2023?

You should definitely factor in the solar incentives that are available to you when considering the cost of going solar.

When you schedule a consultation, your Solar Energy Specialist will take into account any available incentives that can help you cover the cost of solar panels.

A big solar incentive is the Federal Solar Tax Credit (also known as the ITC). It could apply a 30% tax credit to any qualified rooftop solar system if installed by December 31, 2032. In addition to the federal solar tax credit, many states and local utility companies also offer solar incentives. For instance, there might be a net metering program available from your electricity provider. Net metering is great because if your panels produce more electricity than your home actually uses, the excess will be rolled back to your utility company. And you’ll be granted some credits on your bill.

For more information about which solar incentives are available in your area, schedule a free solar consultation with one of our Solar Energy Specialists. We’ll help you understand the true solar panel cost as it relates to your home.