Solar Power, Simplified

PHOTO CREDIT: SUNPLUGGERS.COM
Solar modules at the Springs Preserve and
Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas.

Published August 2009
Updated April 28 , 2010

Scores of websites offer information related to solar-power generation, covering the topic from almost every conceivable angle.

Thoroughly exploring even a fraction of them could quickly become a full-time job.

But there are basic details that a person contemplating a purchase of solar-power equipment may wish to know.

The most complete and current source of information on solar rebates and incentives available in every state is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, or DSIRE.

California residents who live in one of the state's three large investor-owned utility districts have access to an extensive site for solar PV information, whether they are interested in a residential or commercial system. The site, called Go Solar California, is part of the California Solar Initiative. Supervised by state agencies, it contains a searchable list of installers. New Jersey also has a useful and informative site for its Clean Energy Program, including links to installers.

The Florida Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida, which is involved in laboratory testing of equipment and installer training programs, offers a "solar information help desk" for people with questions. The North Carolina Solar Center, one of the organizations involved in maintaining the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, also has its own website.

The American Solar Energy Society, a nonprofit established in 1954, is another useful resource. Business owners in particular may wish to visit the website of the Solar Electric Power Association, a nonprofit trade group that primarily represents electric utilities involved in solar. The Solar Alliance is made up of solar manufacturers, integrators and financiers, and serves as a policy advocate for these elements of the industry.

Many other states, utility districts and other agencies that administer solar-electric incentives also offer excellent information, and many include installer listings.

The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency is a great place to start for those who don't know which agency handles incentives in their area.

Not everyone may have easy access to comprehensive, consumer-friendly information. In 2003, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, published a handy downloadable booklet that apparently is no longer actively offered. You may be able to find it by searching on the Internet or following the link on the right side of this page. Called “Get Your Power from the Sun: A Consumer’s Guide,” this 20-page publication contains much of what you need to know before you consider contacting an installer. Despite its age, most of it remains relevant.

Note that when the guide refers to the costs of generating solar power – mentioning figures of 25 cents per kilowatt-hour or $16,000 to $20,000 for a 2-kW system – it is referring to rough estimates that may now be outdated, or that describe prices before current incentives are applied. That isn’t clear in the guide.

If you can find the report, don’t rely on it for current solar PV cost information compared with utility rates, but the other parts of it are very valuable.

PHOTO CREDIT: SUNPLUGGERS.COM
Headquarters of the Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power.

In 2003, the California Energy Commission published its own version of the NREL guide, called "Buying a Photovoltaic Solar Electric System: A Consumer Guide." It includes some information not contained in the NREL edition. This report too is not currently offered by the agency but it may be possible to find it by searching the Web.

The government-funded database called DSIRE has listings of renewable-energy grants, loans, subsidies, rebates and other incentives available in various states, whether one is interested in a residential or commercial system. It also offers links within each state for more information. It’s not just for solar PV equipment; other forms of renewable energy and energy efficiency are included.

The DSIRE database is maintained by the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. For information on your state’s specific solar-related incentive programs, this is the place to start. As the site itself advises, a consumer seriously considering a solar purchase should use the site's links to go directly to the agency involved for the latest information about any particular program.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has produced two reports containing useful financing information. One is a detailed 54-page report that discusses costs and financing options and issues. Apparently intended in large part for policy-makers, it is also quite useful for consumers. Although it mostly refers to residential financing, business owners may find value in it as well.

PHOTO CREDIT: SUNPLUGGERS.COM
A solar home, Claremont, Calif.

The second is a much briefer (six-page) report from NREL on two new leasing programs, one offered through the state of Connecticut and one through a private company. Leasing solar equipment, sometimes with an eventual purchase in mind, has started to become a popular option in solar PV markets where it is available.

An informative web resource about leases and power purchase agreements is maintained by the California Solar Energy Industries Association. Its information is valuable to residents of other states.

Consumers interested in learning more about the solar PV industry or in contacting an installer may wish to visit the website of the national Solar Energy Industries Association, a leading trade group. This organization says it requires its members to sign a code of ethics that includes commitments to consumer protection and honest dealing. The site includes a membership directory, where visitors can search for installers or manufacturers.

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The California Solar Energy Industries Association, which is maintained separately from the national trade organization with that name, is a valuable resource for solar consumers. It offers excellent advice about dealing with solar contractors, including precautions to observe, and includes installer listings. CalSEIA says it requires members to agree to a detailed code of ethics regarding business practices.

PHOTO CREDIT: SUNPLUGGERS.COM
City National Bank, Riverside, Calif.

Another source of installer listings is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. This group, which issues voluntary certificates to installers who meet its training standards, is not a governmental licensing agency. NABCEP says it obligates members and certificate holders to adhere to a code of moral and ethical standards in their business practices and dealings with consumers.

Sunpluggers.com, an independent informational site, has no affiliation with any of these organizations.

A variety of solar calculators allow consumers to estimate how much electricity they would generate from an installation, what it might cost, or how much money they might save on electric bills. Calculators can be complicated, but those that are the most difficult to use may be the most accurate. Many manufacturers and installers offer them online. A number of state solar-energy rebate and incentive programs also provide them.

Their results may vary widely, we have found. Pricing information, which can be complicated and can change rapidly, has sometimes been off the mark when we have tried some of these calculators.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has created solar calculators called PV Watts1 and PV Watts2, which allow non-engineers to determine anticipated results from installations using a variety of criteria. Version 2 allows users to interactively choose from any location in the United States, and incorporates more data, while Version 1 relies on insolation data from regional sites.

The laboratory also has developed a simpler tool called In My Backyard to use in calculating potential production from a solar PV array or wind turbine at a home or small business. It includes a detailed analysis of production potential and costs, but as with other calculators, cost figures need careful checking and updating.  Most novices are likely to find In My Backyard easier to use than the PV Watts calculators on which it is based. In our single-use test of the tool, involving a location that already has a solar-electric system, its production estimate was quite accurate.

 With all online calculators, as with published data on sites like ours, consumers should keep in mind that financial information is subject to change and should be considered an approximation only.