Solar power is good for the environment and a smart investment for homeowners. As part of Go Solar West Hollywood, you can request, receive, and compare solar quotes from local solar installers on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace.
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The amount of money that you can save by going solar is directly related to the cost of electricity where you live – if you pay more for electricity, you save more when you start generating it yourself. With more than 250 annual clear days on average in Los Angeles County, solar installations are a great investment.
Even if you have a flat roof, eaves or dormers, your home likely suitable for solar, too. Solutions like microinverters and angled solar panel mounts ensure that your panels get enough sunlight to power your home or business. Even if you've been told before that your home is not a good fit for solar, it's worth checking again since technology has improved. To take a look at your solar potential, try entering your address in the Los Angeles County Solar Map.
West Hollywood has resources for property owners who live in a condominium complex or multi-family home.
Multiple studies by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found that, if you buy a solar energy system for your home, your property value increases by an average of $15,000. Solar power doesn’t just reduce your electricity bills – it’s actually an investment in your property. You do not get taxed on the increased property value.
In the early stages of the solar shopping process, use a solar calculator that incorporates equipment costs, electricity prices, and financial incentives to estimate just how much you can save by going solar in West Hollywood.
If you’re ready to start reviewing specific quotes from solar installers, register your property at no cost on the West Hollywood EnergySage Solar Marketplace site. There, you can receive proposals from local program installers customized to your property.
Solar installers can provide more detailed information about the options that will work best for your property. Finding a contractor that has experience in the industry and that you are comfortable working with will go a long way in helping you with the process of going solar.
There are plenty of financing options available to help you go solar. Whether you decide to buy your solar PV system or lease it from a third-party owner, solar can provide significant financial benefits with no money down.
Purchasing a solar energy system is your best option if your primary concerns are long-term financial benefits and flexibility. However, to buy a system, you will need to make an upfront investment, or get access to capital through a traditional lender, or finance it through the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program.
By purchasing a solar energy system, you can gain access to state and federal tax incentives that help to reduce your upfront costs. When you own your system, you may also qualify for tradable renewable energy certificates (TRECs), an additional stream of income that can increase returns on your investment. Owning a solar system can also add to the value of your property.
If the property is owned by a corporate entity, you may also be able to recover some costs through depreciation. (Consult your tax advisor if you have any questions about how this might work.) However, some of these benefits are expiring soon – now is the best time to go solar if you want to take full advantage of incentives.
There are plenty of solar loan options available to help finance your solar PV system purchase with little to no money down, while still delivering the financial benefits associated with ownership. Go Solar California also discusses solar pricing and financing options that may be available to you. Also, see how much you might save with a solar energy system for your property using the Solar Calculator.
Leasing a solar PV system is a great low-risk opportunity to reduce your electricity costs. While the financial benefits of a solar lease might be lower than if you owned the system, solar leases have no upfront expenses and do not require you to take out a loan.
Leasing arrangements also offer energy production guarantees and maintenance services, offering peace of mind that the system will always produce energy without incurring any unexpected costs. However, systems owned by a third party are not included in property value assessments, so they have little to no impact on the value of your property.
