Ten things you should know about solar

November 4, 5:52 PMBay Area Solar ExaminerLucie Poulicakos

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Source: Sun Chariot Solar, Photographer: Paula Sobey ~

Ten things to know about solar.

1. The panels you see most commonly installed on rooftops today are called Photo-voltaic modules (PV) - they have been around since the 1950's. The fundamental technology in the modules has not changed and there are no moving parts. Once installed, these modules are designed to last more than 30 years.
2. Most solar module manufacturers guarantee the power production from their modules for at least 20 years, some even guarantee power production for 25 years.
3. The utility company pays you when you generate more power than you use. Through a process called Net Metering, PG&E will credit you for power you generate but do not use. Today that credit is used to offset costs that you incur when you need to buy power from PG&E. Beginning in 2011, PG&E will be required to pay you for the power you generate, even if you generate more power than you use. This is called a Feed-In-Tariff.
4. A study conducted in 1999 suggested that for every $1 saved in energy costs property values increase by $20. The article can be found here (source: Entrepreneur Magazine) More Evidence of Rational Market Values for Home Energy Efficiency
5. Maintaining a solar system is very simple - the modules need to be washed a couple of times a year.
6. The Federal Government offers a 30% tax credit for installing a solar system. This a real credit and not an itemized deduction. The credit amount is calculated using the cost of the system less the money you get back from the California Solar Initiative program. This credit is available until 2016 and there is no dollar limit.
7. Some cities, like San Francisco, offer additional discounts to install solar. A listing of incentives by location can be found here:  DsireUSA.
8. Solar systems help stabilize the cost of electricity. PG&E has increased residential electric rates three times this year! On average rates rise about 5% annually.
9. CA's Million Solar Roofs initiative wants to bring online 3300MW (megawatts) of solar power by 2017. The recent 3rd Quarter 2009 Report published by the CA Public Utility Commission states that 509MW have been installed to date at 52,714 sites. Read the full report here:  CA PUC Staff Progress Report -October 2009.
10. The cost to install solar has dropped almost 10% since last year.