How Much Does Solar Cost

Going solar is an investment with both immediate and long-term benefits for your home. You can take control of your electricity bills and increase the value of your property by powering your home directly from your roof using free, abundant energy from the sun. Learn more about the factors and cost components of solar.

The factors that make up how much it costs to install a solar panel system fall into two general categories of hardware costs and soft costs. Hardware costs include the actual equipment that make up a solar panel system: panels, solar inverters, mounting hardware, wiring and potentially, home batteries. Soft costs are made up of sales, marketing, admin, labor and permitting costs. The true cost of solar ultimately varies depending on the installer and their soft costs, how they price equipment and any financing costs.

System Design
The approach to designing a solar panel system can differ dramatically by installer, which can lead to significant differences in cost. The best way to compare costs across companies is to look at how much you will be paying per watt ($/W). Learn more about the factors across installers that may affect your system design.

Shading: Shading has a large impact on how much energy your system produces, and the balance of value versus cost of placing panels on certain sections of your roof. Shading can include clouds and seasonal weather conditions along with pre-existing structures such as trees, buildings, chimneys and more. Installers differ on how shading is assessed and incorporated into your design.
Layout: The overall cost of your system is connected to where your solar panels are installed on your home. The layout of your system will vary based on where your roof can get direct sunlight. Make sure to check with your installer so you can optimize your system layout for efficiency and energy production to reduce your overall costs.
Modeling: The margin of error in how much a solar panel system will produce from your home can also differ depending on whether an installer uses third-party software or does this in-house. We uses site visits to design your solar panel system. Our designers will place the solar modules for highest production and arrange them for best aesthetics.

Equipment

A solar panel system consists of solar panels, mounting hardware, inverters, conduit and other components such as electrical panels and monitoring equipment. When paired with a home battery, a solar panel system can better protect against grid outages, shield you from peak utility rates and enable you to power your home and electric vehicles off of sunlight. There are price and quality variations in all components of a solar panel system.

Solar Panels: The cost of solar panels can vary based on manufacturer and country of origin.

The top brand name products often carry a price premium due to the manufacturer’s financial performance and health, and proven reliability over time. Financially healthy companies are more likely to have credibility in the industry and be able to support performance and product warranties. Solar panels produced in the U.S. have a higher price due to proven reliability over time, greater operating costs in the U.S. and transparency around supply chain and raw materials.

Greenvoltra sources high-quality, premium solar panels from Sinotec solar manufacturers which is made in us.

Solar Inverters: Solar inverters are an essential part of all solar systems and are placed between solar panels and the rest of your home. They convert the direct current (DC) produced by solar panels into alternating current (AC) used by your home. Like solar panels, solar inverters can vary in price based on manufacturer, efficiency and warranty.

Greenvoltra has partnered with major solar inverter suppliers such as Goodwe, Deye, and Sol-ark to provide the highest quality products and commissioning services.

Installation

The amount of installation labor you need for your solar panel system is largely a function of the number of panels you need installed. Professional installers mount solar equipment to your roof, wire the system into your home and ensure that all the components are functioning properly.

Solar Panels: Advanced panels have a higher wattage, meaning fewer panels are required for the same system production, resulting in less labor cost.
Mounting Hardware: Standard mounting hardware includes rails, brackets and more to securely install the panels onto the roof. Installers often install with off-the-shelf mounting hardware that isn’t designed around ease of installation. During most installations, mounting rails are secured to the roof planes and solar panels are attached to those rails.
Home Batteries: Home batteries allow you to store energy your solar panels produce for later use. If you’re installing solar with a home battery, the final home battery cost will include the cost of the battery itself along with the electrical work and installation cost for the battery. When installing with solar, rechargeable home battery systems we offered can qualify for federal incentives for homeowners.

Service and Warranty
Your installer will often provide solar panel system warranties that cover workmanship-related product issues and hardware-specific performance:

Product Warranty: Product warranty covers defects in design and material of the solar panels.
Performance Warranty: Product performance warranty is offered for a longer time period and will provide coverage for the solar panel production effectiveness over the warranty period. Just like the equipment itself, you will want to make sure the installer and manufacturer provides a reliable warranty for your solar panel system.

Review your solar warranties, as warranties often differ by installer. Some installers may cover the equipment and product but not the cost of labor associated with the work that needs to be performed. For example, depending on the warranty, the labor cost associated with replacing or repairing a defective panel may not be covered.

Greenvoltra’s installation team is based in California and can handle any issues that may arise. The solar panel system you purchase comes with a 25-year performance warranty.

Approvals, Permitting and Additional Financing Costs
Installing a solar panel system requires electrical and construction work, and most areas require a permit, inspection and utility approval to install and turn on your solar panel system. Requirements vary by location and in some areas you may need an electrical permit along with a building permit and dedicated solar permit. The cost of permits depends on your solar panel system cost.

Additionally, installers may have hidden fees, such as dealer fees, that can increase your total solar cost. Learn more about understanding your solar estimate.

Greenvoltra handles the permitting and utility approval process for you.