The 7 Most Important Questions to Ask Your Solar Company – part 1

Solar Energy In Orlando, Florida is on the rise and the 7 most Important Questions You Should Ask Your Orlando Solar Company

1. What are the financial benefits of solar energy?

The biggest financial benefit for solar energy in Orlando, Florida is it will continually lower your kWh rate over time. As your power company raises its rates, by 4% a year on average, you will be insulated from these rate increases. Over the life of the system, your savings can exceed $50,000 over the money you will already spend. The best part about the money you make on solar is that it is in savings of post-tax dollars which means the money you make is not taxable and makes your gross rate profit the same as your net rate profit. For example, if you were to earn this same money in the stock market then those earnings would be taxable under capital gains.

2. What are the environmental benefits of solar energy?

Solar Energy will reduce your carbon footprint. Solar Energy doesn’t need to be drilled, Doesn’t need to be processed at a facility, doesn’t need to be transported and most importantly doesn’t need to be burned. According to a recent article from CNN, they state that solar may be the one variable that can rescue us from global warming. See link in video description below

3. How do I find out how much I pay for electricity?

You can look at your power bill to determine your active kWh rate, but make sure you factor in many power company charge either increased rates over a designated monthly kWh usage or a premium rate for energy used during peak hours. The average kWh rate including taxes ranges from $.12 to $.16 per kWh in Orlando, Florida.

4. What is net metering?

Net Metering is the agreement in place with power companies that allow you to produce your own energy and sell your excess energy to the power company for energy credits to be used at a later time or date. During the day your solar power system will produce all of the energy you will need for the entire day and then at night, you will use your accumulated credits from the energy you produced during the day. The best part of net metering is that you are able to sell your power to the power company at the retail rate for the energy that you use.

5. How does solar impact my property values?

This is what makes solar energy the best investment in the market. According to Forbes Magazine, you recoup 97% of your investment the day you install the panels on your roof. This is what allows you to convert a variable expense into a profitable asset. Essentially you are converting your power bill into an asset that increases your property value as well as insulating yourself from future power rate hikes.

6. How do solar photovoltaic (PV) solar panels work?

Solar panels generate electricity through the photovoltaic process. This is where the silicon solar panels separate the electrons from the protons. The electrons are then funneled down into the inverter that will convert the dc electricity into ac electricity which is what your home and the grid work off of.

7. Do my solar panels produce power when the sun isn’t shining?

It will generate some electricity but it will be less than when it is clear weather and sunny.
Here in Orlando, there is a lot of Sun but there is also a lot of clouds, hence getting a solar power system with SolarEdge power optimizers maximizes your solar panel system energy production.

For More Questions you should ask your solar company visit our ongoing series:

Questions you should ask your Solar Company – part 2

Questions you should ask your Solar Company – part 3

For a comprehensive solar buyers guide visit “The Secret Guide to Buying Solar”

When Buying a Solar Power System – Understanding The Math Is Crucial To Getting The Right System

Solar Math For Sizing The Right Solar Panel System

I think you will agree that understanding the math required to size a solar panel system for your home can be tricky.

It doesn't have to be if you follow the equations laid out in this article.

Discover the exact size of the Solar Panel System you need to power your home.

Understanding the size of the solar panel system you need is crucial to getting the right system installed for your home or business.  Knowing the math will do two things.  First, it will help you to understand how much energy you need to produce to counter the amount of energy you consume.  Secondly, it will arm you with information for when you are meeting with a solar consultant so you can test if they are being honest with you and recommending the right sized system.  For more information on checking out your solar consultant, I recommend reading my "Dummies Guide For Buying Solar" you will discover how to spot solar sales tricks and how to protect your family from them.

One of the best parts of solar energy is that it is math based.  That is a benefit you can figure out how much energy you need to produce down to the kilowatt hours (kWh), based on what you're using during the course of the year.  With this information, you have won 1/2 the battle.  You can then check your math with PVWatts.  PV Watts is a government sponsored site that utilizes calculations from NASA in regards to the amount of sunlight your area receives per day.  Which is an important variable in sizing your Solar Energy System?  In Central Florida, the average sunlight per day ranges from 5.34 to 5.60 depending on if you are located on the west coast in Tampa or inland in Orlando or in the east coast of Melbourne Florida.

Using the calculations included here will allow you to size the solar panel system you need for you home or business.  It will even help you to get and estimated the cost of your system.  Follow the steps and the math equations will take care of the rest.

Calculating Amount of Watts a Solar Panel System will produce

  1. Size of System being recommended – 6kw
  2. Times by the amount of sun per day – 5.6 (florida hrs)
  3. Times by 80% efficiency – 20% is lost by inverters and wiring
  4. times 365 days a year gives you annual production
  5. Divide by 12 for monthly number

Example :  6kw x 5.6hrs = 33.6 x .8(80%)= 26.88 x 365 = 9811.2 wpy / 12 = 817.6 wpm

Calculating System electricity savings

  1. Take watts per year
  2. Times it by electricity rate .12
  3. Divide by 12 to get monthly savings

 

Example 9811.2 wpy x $.12 = $1177.34 / 12 = $98.11 savings per month

Calculating System Cost

  1. Take the KW in System
  2. Times it by 1000 to get watts
  3. Times it by rate $3.5 per watt

 

Example 10KW x 1000= 100000 x $3.50 = $35, 000

Calculating The amount of Watts needed

  1. Get electric bill and add up the 12 monthly average daily usage rates
  2.  Times by 30
  3. Divide by 12 for monthly watts

 

Example 49+50+50+40+27+32+31+35+34+34+42+49+63=536×30=16,080watts

16080/12=1340 watts per month

 

Calculate Annual Electricity costs

  1. Take total annual watts
  2.  Times it by average electricity cost per watt $.12 FL
  3. For monthly average divide by 12

 

Example: 16080 x $.12= $1929 / 12 = $161 per month

 

Calculate How many Panels you need

  1. Take the total amount of KW system
  2. Times by 1000 kilowatts to watts
  3. Divide by efficiency of panels (Canadian Solar is 250)

 

Example 7.5 KW (system) x 1000 = 7500/250 = 30 panels

Calculate size of PV system needed

  1. Take your annual wpy and divide by 365
  2.  Take your watts per day and divide by amount of daily sun exposure 5 – 5.5
  3.  Take the daily KW needed and divide by a .72 efficiency factor

 

Example  16080 / 365 = 44.05 kwd /5 =  8.8 kw / .72 = 12.23 kws

 

Efficiency Factor of 72%

The 0.72 efficiency factor is based on the following assumptions: average solar access of 95% (shading derate factor); modules with a positive-only production tolerance; inverter efficiency of 96%; module temperature derate factor of 0.88; DC and AC wiring derate of 0.98 and 0.99; module soiling derate = 0.95; module mismatch derate = 0.98; system availability derate = 0.99:

0.95 × 0.96 × 0.88 × 0.98 × 0.99 × 0.95 × 0.98 × 0.99 = 0.72

Armed with this information you can find out the best way to size any solar installation project.  No matter if you are installing a solar panel system in Orlando Fl or anywhere else in the country.  just check for the usable sunlight hours.  You can always call Emerald Sun Energy Florida's Premier Solar Power Company to assist you in your equation calculations and have a Free In-home Solar Consultation.  Fully understanding this will protect you from dishonest contractors.  To find every dishonest contractor tip you can read our buyers guide "The Secret Guide to Buying Solar".

Solar Energy Revolution Is Now

Solar Energy Revolution

Solar Panels Orlando

Solar Panel Installation Revolution

Solar Power is a safe and abundant energy source in Orlando Florida that can reduce pollution and solve our energy crisis for the future.  There are so many positive reasons for the expansion of solar energy that many people find it hard to believe.  Because if that was the case we would be using it already.  Unfortunately, because of special interest groups and oil monopolies, the expansion of solar has been repressed.  However, in recent years the expansion of solar has begun due to a variety of reasons that we will explore here. First off our Government back in 2006 realized the need for us to become more environmentally responsible and decided to pass an incredible financial incentive to add solar to homes and businesses.  That was the introduction of the 30% federal tax credit.  What this means, so long as you have enough taxable income you will receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost of your solar panel system.  If your home solar panel installation cost $30,000, you would receive $9,000 back from the Government.  Effectively lowering the net price of your solar energy cost to $21,000.  This credit is available through 2019 so now is the time to take advantage of this while you can. Next, the cost of solar panels for your home have dropped by 70% since 2008.  This is due to the laws of supply and demand.  After the tax credit came into existence the demand for solar began to increase which started to drive down the manufacturing cost of solar panels.  As the demand continued to rise more contractors entered the solar industry and created even more competition which drove the price down even more.  The prices have now plateaued and according to consumer reports in June of 2016 “now is the best time ever to buy solar”. With Federal Tax Credit still available and prices at their lowest point has now created an atmosphere for a solar energy revolution.  If you wait much longer you will lose 30% discount.  Most experts agree that prices are at their lowest and will slowly creep up from here.  So for all of the people who were waiting for cheaper pricing the time has arrived. The biggest reason for the dawn of the solar energy revolution in Orlando Florida is you can now purchase a system using the money you pay the power company and actually save money from day one.  Because of no money down financing options and 20 year terms as low as 5% you can add solar to your home today and lower you energy expense immediately.  For example, if you are paying $200 per month to the power company, you can now have a situation where you are paying $160 to finance your solar power system and $30 to the power company.  Effectively saving $10 per month in year one.  Please keep in mind this is an example and results can vary but not by much. I typically recommend a shorter payoff period which will give you a better long-term return on investment but it is clear that the above example creates an atmosphere for people to take advantage of owning their own power instead of renting it. In conclusion, it will be exciting to see over the next few years how the solar energy revolution explodes and people start to take control of their energy needs for themselves.  Now that solar has passed the 1,000,000 home mark the expansion should be exponential and the benefits shared by all
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Contact us

2151 Consulate Dr

Orlando, FL 32837

info@emeraldsunenergy.com

Office: (407) 504-0922

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