Peninsula Light Company is committed to helping our members find affordable, reliable, and safe energy options.
Q: Is rooftop solar a good option for me?
A: Maybe.
How much you might benefit from a residential solar array depends on:
- How much you pay for electricity
- How much energy you use
- Your roof
- State and local incentives for solar development
- Your rooftop solar provider
Q: Is my house suitable for a rooftop solar array?
A: Maybe.
- Does your roof face south or west and is it shaded?
- Will you need to replace your roof sometime during the life of the panels? If so, you should replace your roof first.
- Have you explored all of your energy efficiency options? (It doesn’t make sense to purchase more solar than you need!) We can help you reduce your energy use and right-size your array.
- Does your community have restrictions?
Q: Will solar panels provide electricity in the event of an outage?
A: No.
Without a battery system and a “smart inverter,” most rooftop arrays do not provide power during outages. To learn about PenLight’s requirements to connecting solar to the grid visit www.penlight.org/energy-services/netmetering-and-renewable-credit.
Q: What should I know before I sign a contract?
A: If you are purchasing a rooftop solar array, be sure to ask:
- What is the total installed (turnkey) cost of the system?
- What is the payback period? What are the assumptions underlying that estimate?
- Will I need to finance the array?
- Who gets the tax credits (the “renewable energy credit”)?
- Will I receive “free” electricity once panels are paid for?
- Does the company offer warranties on panels AND inverters?
- What are the details of the service contract?
A: If you are leasing panels in a rooftop array, be sure to ask :
- What is the upfront cost of the system?
- Are there other customers in the vicinity with comparable systems
- How much electricity are their systems producing?
- Who gets the tax benefit (the “renewable energy credit”)
- Can the lease be transferred if I sell the house?
- Does the lease company have the right to run a credit check?
Q: As a consumer, how can I protect myself and my investment?
A: Research.
When you make the decision to invest in residential solar, you are making a significant financial investment. Be sure to do your research on the company.
- Are the installers North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Electric trained and certified?
- When was your company established and how much solar has it installed to date?
- Can your company provide a list of the projects and references for them?
- Are you accredited with the Better Business Bureau? If so, what is your rating?
Have more questions? Call us at (253) 857-5950 or shoot us an email! Visit our Net Metering and Renewable Credit page.