need help choosing a solar energy company
 

I am thinking of getting solar electric panels for my roof. Has anyone had good or bad experiences? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Whatever you do make sure of the contract, there have been reports of some "zero cost" companies placing liens on homes and then when you decide to sell the new owners MUST take over the contract.
It is unfortunate, but the current utility environment in Florida appears to make it impossible to breakeven on solar, you are forced to NET metering, review the rates very carefully. DO NOT enter into any agreement with a solar supplier where they are the middleman between you and the utility.
Bottom line, there have been many threads on this in the past, and the general conclusion, you will not break even in your lifetime.
Please proceed carefully.

Agree with the Tinker. We looked into it and at this stage of our life made no sense.

Not to mention very expensive to remove solar panels when roof needs replacement.

Are you trying to save money or save the planet? If you are trying to save money, you cannot do it with a solar system. A solar company will give you a totally dishonest breakeven calculation that ignores the time value of money, and the maintenance costs to own a solar system. Save your money, buy a 5 percent CD, and use the interest to pay your electric bill. If you are trying to save the planet, go for it.

cost vs return.... spring for a couple nice vacations, for you and your Lady!

Florida doesnt sell SRECs, so your break even point will be far far in the future.
In MA, our SRECs check was a nice chunk of change and our $200,000 system had an 8 year payback. (175 panels on a barn roof).
We looked into it in Florida and it wasnt a reasonable investment.

The power companies in Florida don't want you making electricity and competing with them. You are going to pay them one way or another and are unlikely to break even. Leasing would be out of the question. Florida is not a state that makes it easy to benefit from solar panels. Contrast this to CT, where I had 28 solar panels put on my roof in 2011 and have not bought a single watt from the power company since then. There is an even exchange for the wattage you produce. Every year we get a credit for the over wattage we generate. Good deal, in a state that has one of the highest electrical rates in the nation. Electrical rates in Florida are cheap by comparison.

Attaching solar panels on a sloped asphalt roof is one of the craziest ideas I have ever heard of. If solar energy was really a good idea, the power companies would have their own solar panels and mount them on the ground.

Interesting thought

They're waiting for us all to install them and sell them our surplus electricity on the cheap

In reality, companies the World over are installing solar panels (on roofs and on the ground) but power companies have to get the most out of their current infrastructure (until that reaches end-of-life) so rarely invest in "competing" technology.

There is a 2-megawatt solar array on the ground in front of Coleman.

Federal Facility To Save $79 Million in Energy Costs Over 2 Decades | Constellation's Energy4Business Blog

Two things… consider the Payback time and your age. You might just find that it’s not a wise investment.
Second… I would definitely not put panels on an older roof. If you roofing is more than just a few year old it will cost you a Lot more to
Replace once the panels are on the roof.

Good Luck

Yep, many power companies will have to put large scale solar plants (among other technologies) on the ground at some point with the push to stop producing electric by coal via our feds. U seen or heard of any new coal or nuclear plants being built lately? It’s possible someday utilities will have to work with homeowners for micro grid systems (aka home based installs).

Tesla system installed
 

It seems that most responses focus on return on investment or saving the planet. There is another reason to consider solar, backup power during a power outage. A few years ago, we were without power for 5 days due to hurricane damage to the grid. We did not want to go through that again so we looked at backup generators and solar with battery backup. With the 30% tax credit we decided on the solar route and purchased (not leased) a Tesla system. Installation was flawless and we have not had any issues with the system.

How much did that cost, total? It would be nice to have during a power outage, but in the four years I’ve lived here, my power has been out for only a couple hours, and my electrical bill (including recharging the car) costs me about $1,200 a year. I love solar electricity, but I really don’t think it makes sense for me. I’m sure your system costs you much more per year than that.

Hard to even consider the idea when the residential solar industry is rated right up there with used car salesmen and failed politicians.

Cost
 

System cost varies greatly depending on house size and what you want your system to do. Our house is about 2000 square feet and after taxes the total cost was around $20K. I realize that I will not recoup the investment in my lifetime, maybe our kids will enjoy the low cost power.

why? plenty of questions..before you do..

break even/never best reply

Is there an ARC approved Tesla roof in TV now. It seems to be a very impressive product.

And WHY would you put holes in a perfectly good roof?! Leak central…especially with bad storms, hurricanes and hail! As a science teacher, I once used these and “replacement” windows to teach the economic futility (yes, cross-disciplines) of both.

We used Sun PPM out of Gainesvilles and were fairly pleased with their professionalism, estimates and execution. For us, we had a new roof and a sizeable tax bill for 2021 so the tax credit was crucial to making this a worthwhile endeavor although we did like the idea of the environmental concerns as well.

As many have stated, and I don’t entirely disagree - it’s certainly a toss up for long term cost savings - we paid cash for the tax credit portion and financed the rest which is basically close to the amount we would have paid for our monthly bill already. Most months we have small or no bill from Oct-May or so.

Biggest factors to consider - a) size of system vs. what you need and can export back to grid to make this financially feasible, b) age of roof for us was a factor, c) do you have a tax liability the credit will help with…. And are you paying cash or financing?

Not sure if this help - Respectfully, DB

I’ve planted many trees in my life and never stayed long enough in any of my four houses to see the trees mature to the point where they provided usable shade. Yet, I can visit places with magnificent trees that were planted by people who also didn’t see them mature.

People have built cathedrals that took generations to complete. They never got a payback for their efforts.

Nobody looks past the next quarter when running a company, anymore. It’s always short-term thinking and we are suffering for it.

We often benefit from investments like museums and parks that were made by those who proceeded us. Is that ending with the What’s in it for Me generation?

Most of these “payback” considerations fail to take into account the value that a solar panel system adds to the home. In Florida, it generally is considered to add 4% to the total value of the home. This may vary based on the age of the system and size of the home but most systems have a 25 year warranty. Since Florida only has net metering, you can only break even at the end of the year so it makes sense to size your system as close to your needs as possible. On a larger, fully electric house it can easily pay for itself in under 10 years, If you are thinking of selling in under 5 years, it probably does not make sense. It also does not make sense if you will need to replace your roof in under 10 years so it is best to install on a newer roof. You will also make the most power if you have a south facing exposure for the panels. Some quick math based on a 20kw system and a $600,000 home assuming you sell the house in 10 years.

Cost of the system: $50,000 (this includes battery back-up)
Tax Credit: $15,000
Net Cost: $35,000
Annual Power Generation: $3,500
Power Generation over 10 years $35,000 (break-even with no value add to the home)
Value add to a $600,000 home at 4%: $24,000

So if you are keeping the house for 10 years it will definitely pay for it self. If you factor the 4% value add into the equation, it can pay for itself in under 5 years. Obviously your mileage may vary but those are real numbers. Hope that helps.

Get out a existing home that has panels with a EMF meter, electro magnetic frequencies.
If the power goes out in the neighborhood, consider if the power generated by the panels goes back to the grid first or to your home.
Does the panels have 100% production quality.
What is the time for the return on your investment.
Research Nikola Teslas wireless electric power plant in Long Island (WARDENCLYFFE TOWER AND LABORATORY) that was destroyed by GE, JP Morgan and the crew

I don't agree that solar panels will increase the value of your house. I think the opposite is true. Many buyers, including me, will not even buy a house with a solar system. In all of the threads on this topic, I have never seen a real estate agent provide an opinion on this. Also, I have never seen a real estate ad promoting a house that has a solar system. There is a house on my street that has a complete solar system, but it took almost 2 years to sell. Do you have any data to back up your second sentence, because I don't think many real estate agents who actually sell houses would agree with you, especially in The Villages?

A quick Google search will show you several but here are a couple of links:

Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value in Florida? [Your Questions Answered] | Current Home.

Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value? (2024 Guide).

Based on the MarketWatch data and my numbers, the value add would be much greater. While some buyers may shy away, consider that when buying a house with an existing system, by definition the system MUST be paid off, so the question in looking at 2 houses, one with solar and one without: “would you rather have a house that has a ZERO (0) energy bill or one with an energy bill.” We may disagree on the actual value add, but it is definitely more than zero.

A few points:

1. You did not include the time value of money. The $35,000 initial cost, invested at 5 percent for 10 years would generate $17,500 in income.
2. Many people in The Villages spend less than $3,500 on electricity per year. My electricity cost is only about $1,200 per year.
3. No small contractor can possibly service a 25-year warranty. It is unrealistic. They probably won't even be in business in 25 years.
4. I don't agree that the value of the house will be increased, especially after 10 years, when the roof will soon need to be replaced, and which will require a solar contractor to remove and re-install the solar panels at a cost of about $4,000-$5,000. I don't think a homebuyer will pay an extra $24,000 for a 10-year old solar system. Most people don't want one at all.

A zero electricity bill will usually get the attention of a buyer.

We can agree to disagree. Some people like pools, some don’t so they add value for some and detract for others. My main point is they add value at some level, i.e. on an annual basis the home will have little or no energy bill. I agree you must be careful in choosing a vendor which is why we went with Tesla.

Solar Bear, out of Tampa, did my install back in 2019. I recommend them and love my panels.

Those installations are typically happening in locations where regulators are mandating a specific portion of their energy production portfolio comes from energy sources labeled as green or sustainable. Ratepayers in those locations are also typically paying a premium for their electricity.

My parents put in a system 5 years ago from a reputable company. Bottom like, it’ll be 15 years to recoup their investment and the company is out of business. Home insurance is requiring a new roof as the home is in pinellas and is 10 years old. Electricity is ridiculously cheap here so solar is a tough sell. On the other hand, if the power goes out they’ll be fine and they love the air of superiority when arguing with the greens about energy.

Joe

Agree, the price of gas and electric are very reasonable compared to our home At Annapolis.

Good investment if you live in a state with high kwh energy charges. For that reason, not so good in FL.

The reason those states have a high kWh charge is because the ratepayers are subsidizing the solar.

I suspect before solar panels are paid off a better and more efficient way of generating electricity will be available

Tesla always provide a great quote. They are thousands cheaper than these scumbag solar companies.. I’d use them to get a good idea of what you should be paying and don’t do this lease junk they have come up with. As far as I’m concerned I’ll wait it’s a major scam at the moment.

Who is your power company? If it is SECO, then you will probably have a minimum power bill of $420 per year. There is a daily connect charge.

Based on cost of electricity in our all electric home think it would take many many years to even break even with solar. Not a wise investment.