Questions & Answers

The cost of solar energy depends on a couple of factors, such as the size of the system that you choose, the panel that you want, and applicable incentives. In most cases, solar energy costs anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000 before incentives and between $9,000 and $22,000 after federal tax credits and state rebates. It’s not cheap, but if we tell you that you are actually saving money by going solar, would you believe us?

Well, think about the amount of money you would spend on electricity in the next decade. Now the price of solar energy doesn’t sound that high, right?

You can also opt to finance your system. The monthly payment for the whole system will cost you less than what you would pay for your electricity bill. In addition, we will help you calculate your costs as well as understand every aspect of solar energy financing.

Did you know that most households that go solar gain a complete return on investment in six to ten years? We can boldly state that solar energy pays for itself.

You should factor in the amount of money saved on electricity bills, which can go up to 20%. Then, there is the federal income tax credit, which reduces the price of the system by 26%, and different city and state incentives that can lower it even more. The amount of money that you would save by going solar is unbelievable! But, you are not just saving money — you are protecting the environment, and therefore, saving our planet!

The height of your power bill depends on various factors, such as the size of the solar system, your choice of panels, the available space on the roof, and the weather. If you have enough roof space, and your panels are efficient to the point of generating 100% of the power in your home, you can eliminate your power bill over time.

The only thing that you’ll have to pay for is a small fee for the utility connection. If you want a more specific answer that applies to your situation, you can always contact us for a detailed explanation and predictions.

If you have already switched to solar energy, and you’re planning to move, there are a couple of things that can happen.

First of all, you can opt to pay off the solar system when you sell the house.

Second, if the new owner of your home wants to go solar, you can transfer the ownership of your panels to them, and they will pay off the system instead of you. The process is quick and easy.

The third thing you can do is include the price of the solar panels into the cost of your house. That way, you won’t lose money or have to hope that the new homeowner will pay off everything.

There are a couple of studies that prove that solar panels affect the value of a house. Furthermore, solar panels can not only increase the price of the home but also help the house sell faster.

If you’re interested in learning more about this subject, take a look at the research The New York Times reported on back in 2016. The research was conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and sponsored by the Department of Energy.

It showed that buyers were willing to pay an additional four dollars per watt of solar power, which is about $15,000 more for a house that has an average-sized solar system.

As soon as the power goes out, the utility company will shut off solar panels immediately. There are two main reasons for this. A solar system is usually connected to electronics. They are responsible for adjusting the voltage, keeping the panels in check during the day, and ensuring that electronic appliances in your home are safe to use.

The second reason the solar panels need to be shut off is the safety of the workers that are trying to resolve the power outage issue. If solar panels continue to send power to the grid, they will put those workers at risk.

Net metering allows you to collect generated electricity, send the power that you don’t need to the utility company, and then use that energy when you need it. When your solar panels produce excess power, that power goes to the utility company, and your electric meter runs backward. At night, when panels can’t produce any energy, the company sends the power to you for free.

For instance, let’s say that your panels generated 60 kWh of excess power during the day. That power was sent to the grid. Then, at night, you drew the power from the grid, and you used 80 kWh. You would only be charged for 20 kWh.

If you used 40 kWh throughout the night, the utility company would store 20 kWh as credit. That is the difference between the amount that your panels produced during the day and the amount that you drew from the grid. You can use those credits anytime during the year.

Luckily, technology nowadays allows you to add as many panels as you need even after your panel installation is done. That way, you can expand the square footage of your house or welcome new household members without worrying whether your current panels will be able to produce enough power.

If you notice that your solar panels can’t generate a sufficient amount of electricity, you can give us a call. We will assess the situation and install new panels one by one. The only condition for adding more panels is that you have enough room on the roof for them.

You can install solar panels as soon as you get a permit. Our workers will need about eight hours to prepare and connect everything. If you choose a larger system, the installation will take no more than two days.

Our workers need to mount a special inverter near the main electrical panel. It can be located on the inside or outside of your home. Then, they have to mount the panels on the roof and connect them to that inverter in order for them to work.

But you don’t have to worry about this process. Atlantic Key Energy is responsible for ensuring that everything goes smoothly.

As we previously mentioned, net metering allows you to, in a way, store the excess energy. The energy that your panels produce during the day but your house doesn’t need is sent to the utility company. The company measures the number of kWh that you’ve sent and converts it into credits. You can use those credits to power your house through the grid whenever your panels can’t produce the energy, for instance, at night.

Another way to store excess energy is by buying storage batteries. The excess power goes to the battery instead of being sent to the grid. This option is more expensive, but it will let you store and use energy on your own.

A great thing about solar panels is that there are no maintenance costs or high utility bills. We are responsible for maintaining your panels and will provide you with a workmanship warranty that lasts ten to fifteen years. You’ll just need to make sure that your roof is clean and snow-free, as well as call us in case you experience an issue with your panels.

Unfortunately, not every household is a good candidate for going solar. There are many factors to consider before making the transition. Some of them are the orientation of your roof, the amount of available shade, and how much electricity you and your family use.

If you are interested in switching to solar energy, you can contact Atlantic Key Energy today. Our representative will come to your house and decide whether you can make this transition. In addition, our team will help you calculate the savings you can expect from going solar and work hard to design a system that is perfect for your home.

The first step of the process of going solar is contacting Atlantic Key Energy. After we agree on the time and date, an engineering consultant from our company will come to your home. They will assess the state of your house and tell you if you are a good candidate. What’s more, they’ll answer all your questions about solar energy and tell you how much money you can save. The process of assessment doesn’t take more than twenty minutes.

Our company will take care of everything, from the interconnection application to the inspections, permits, and approvals. The whole process can take anywhere from two to four months.