Did you know it’s possible to sell excess electricity that your home solar panels produce back to the power grid? It can be challenging to purchase Tacoma solar panels if you don’t know if it will be worth the investment.
To make the best decision, you’ll need to know important details, such as how many solar panels cost and how much money you’ll save on your electricity bill by installing them in your home. We’ve created a guide to help make the decision process more manageable. Keep reading to find out more.
Understanding the Cost of Solar Power
It is easy to figure out whether installing solar panels in your home is worth it. First, you’ll need to figure out how much a solar panel system will cost for your home. You’ll then need to calculate how much energy it will create.
Suppose you know how much you’d need to pay to power your home without using solar electricity. In that case, you can figure out how many years it will take for your solar energy investment to pay for itself in saved electricity costs.
If you decide that your solar panel system will pay for itself in ten years or less, adding solar panels to your house is probably a good idea. If you do not have the upfront capital to do this, consider getting a loan. Despite how easy it may seem to figure out the cost of solar panels, people often feel overwhelmed when trying to do these calculations.
It is a good idea to use online calculators that simplify the process. For example, Solar Reviews provides users with a tool that shows them the estimated costs and savings for adding solar panels to their homes. It is an ideal place to start if you are trying to figure out if it is time to add solar panels to your home.
The Cost of Solar Panels in Tacoma, Washington
The average solar panel in Tacoma, Washington, costs less than three dollars per watt, which is below the national average. You should expect to pay around twelve thousand dollars for a six-thousand-watt solar system.
The estimated cost takes into account the thirty percent federal solar tax credit that is currently available.
Solar Panel Installation Cost in Tacoma, Washington
Larger solar panel systems typically cost less to install than smaller ones. It is because it’s often possible to buy them for a “bulk price.” Yet larger solar systems will cost more because they are composed of various smaller solar panels.
Every solar company charges different rates to install solar panel systems. One of the most reliable companies is Blue Raven Solar.
Understanding What Kind of Equipment You’ll Need
It typically costs homeowners in Tacoma between three thousand and fifteen thousand dollars to install solar panel systems on their homes. The cost varies because some people choose to add extra equipment, such as batteries.
At the very least, you will need to purchase an inverter to transform electric current into the alternating current that home devices use. You’ll also need to buy metering equipment and wiring. You should also consider investing in a battery if you want to be able to store electricity. Since Tacoma has many rainy days without sunlight, it is a good idea to have a battery to store electricity for powering your house.
But it is not necessary to purchase a battery. Since they tend to be expensive, homeowners often choose to sell the excess energy that their solar panels produce back to the electric grid. The downside of doing this is that you may need to pay to use electricity from the grid when your solar panels are not actively producing electricity.
Calculating How Much Energy Your Solar System Will Produce
You’ll need to take into account the expected solar irradiation levels that are available in Tacoma. Geographical locations with higher irradiation levels are sunnier, while those that have lower levels don’t get as much sun. A fixed solar panel in Tacoma will get about three and a half hours of peak sun per day. If you install a two-axis mount, you should expect around six and a half hours of peak sunlight per day.
When calculating how much solar power your solar system will produce, you’ll also have to consider where you’ll be installing solar cells in your home. You can maximize how much electricity your solar panels produce by placing them on a south-facing roof that does not have trees.
Solar Panels: Tacoma Cost Savings Estimate
If you add a twelve-KW solar system to your home that produces 16,686 kWh of electricity per year, it may take up to twelve years to pay back the cost of buying solar panels and installing them in your home.
If you can sell excess electricity that your panels produce back to the electric grid, you can pay back this cost much more quickly.
Tacoma Solar Panels: A Great Long-Term Investment
If you have been wondering if it is worth it to install Tacoma solar panels, it is important to understand that it will take several years to pay for your investment. It is a great long-term decision to install solar panels on your house.
If you want to learn more about the technology behind solar panels, don’t forget to check out the Technology section of our website.