Solar Panels in Florida
Solar panels in the state of Florida are some of the cheapest in the United States. Estimates range between about $2.28 to $2.48 per watt, and the national average is something like $3.00. Most solar panels are sold in 250 watt sizes, which means each panel will run you between $570 and $620, and you will need between 20 and 30 panels to be completely self-sufficient from the electrical grid. So a low estimate of how much youâll spend just on solar panels themselves is around $11,400, while a higher estimate looks more like $18,600. While this is a lot of money, keep in mind that especially in Florida there are a ton of incentives, rebates and credits you can take advantage of to defray that cost, not to mention the fact that your solar panels in Florida will pay for themselves a lot faster than they would in other places.
The state of Florida has got a lot of incentives in place for citizens who want to go solar, much more than in some other states. Couple that with the fact that Florida has some of the cheapest panels in the union and you can see that solar power in Florida has a lot going for it. Here are just a few of the incentives and credits available for solar customers in Florida:
The average American home is going to require somewhere between 6 and 8 kw of solar panels to operate completely independent of the grid. This is going to workout to something between 20 and 30 solar panels total. Your solar installer will be able to give you a better idea of how many solar panels youâll need by looking over your past electric bills, so leave this one to the experts.
How Much do Solar Panels Cost in Florida?
Most solar panels come with a 20-25 year warranty, meaning the manufacturer will replace or pay for the repair of your panels if they should fail due to a manufacturing error within that time period. Most solar installers offer a similar warranty, usually guaranteeing their own work for 20-25 years, meaning they will fix basically anything that goes wrong with your solar panels due to an installers error within that time period as well. Therefore, it is a pretty safe bet that you can expect your solar panels to last about 20-25 years, roughly.
Your solar panels will eventually pay for themselves, everybody knows that. Through rebates, incentives, tax breaks, etc. This figure depends heavily on your own personal situation- size of your home, temperature preferences, how many people live in your home, etc. Current estimates suggest that in the state of Florida your solar panels will likely pay for themselves in 12-14 years, and while this may seem like a lot, keep in mind that your panels are going to last for at least 20 years, probably more, which means that once theyâve âpaidâ for themselves, youâll still have them for many years, producing âfreeâ electricity for the rest of their life.
So solar panels are obviously the devices that actually capture sunlight, but what are inverters? Inverters are the devices that actually convert captured sunlight into usable electricity, and obviously any solar energy system requires inverters to work. So letâs take a look at what kinds are available.
What are the benefits of going solar?
First off, solar panels- There are two basic kinds that are usually used in home installations: Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are the smaller kind- They tend to be more expensive and work with less direct sunlight, and they last longer than polycrystalline panels. The downside here is that monocrystalline panels are more expensive, so thereâs a good chance that a lot of homeowners are going to go for the cheaper kind. Polycrystalline panels on the other hand are bigger, less efficient and donât last as long as monocrystalline panels, but of course, theyâre cheaper.
As far as inverters go, there are three basic types- String inverters, Micro-Inverters and Power Optimizers. The thing with inverters is that the kind of inverters you use is going to be largely dictated by the kind of panels youâre using and theyâre placement. So you have less choice here, but just know that these inverters are the kinds youâre more than likely going to be dealing with in a home installation scenario.
Obviously sunlight = good for solar panels. But thereâs a lot more to consider in terms of weather. Hereâs a few things you may want to think about before making a decision on solar panels in Florida:
How much solar power do I need to power my home?
So youâre not an expert in solar energy, and thatâs ok. But if youâre looking for a solar company, you need to know a little bit about what youâre looking at, so hereâs just a few things to keep in mind-
Time in industry: Obviously new companies are hard to tell much about. If they havenât done much work, then you wonât be able to find much out there about them. And that doesnât mean you shouldnât trust newer companies; But, when evaluating your choices for a solar company, especially if youâre in a non-standard situation, you might want to consider going with a more experienced company, one that has been around long enough that they have probably seen any kind of strange situation you can throw at them.
Types of panels: As we covered above, thereâs more than one kind of solar panel, and not all companies are completely comfortable with working with every kind of panel and inverter. So if you have a preference for solar panels- IE, you donât want them on your roof, or your only want them on your roof, etc- You need to make that clear up front so the company youâre dealing with can communicate clearly with you whether or not they can or will do that.
How long do solar panels last?
Payment options: So your solar panels are going to cost you between $11,000 and $18,000. Then the company is going to charge you for labor and materials- So assume youâre going to tack on a solid $5,000-$8,000 on any solar installation. Ok, cool, so youâre just gonna write a check for $20-25,000 right? Because you have that money just laying around, right? No? Neither do I. So youâre going to need to confirm with your installation company that they have some sort of payment options available- And if they donât, youâre going to need to secure your own loan. Either way, make sure you know what is going to be expected of you payment-wise before making a commitment.
Warranties: Almost every solar installation company will offer some sort of warranty- But what exactly does that mean? Most of the time, a âwarrantyâ only covers an installerâs error- Meaning if they, the installation company, make a mistake in the installation, theyâll come back and fix it (usually for free, though not always). Furthermore, most solar installersâ âwarrantiesâ do not cover manufacturerâs errors (IE, the solar panel itself breaks), nor do warranties cover any incidental damage that might come up with your panels (meteor strikes, squirrel attacks, etc). So make sure you understand your warranty before making a decision! Some installers offer better warranties than others.
Reviews: Probably the best tool we have for evaluating the work any company does is reviews on the internet. Because if itâs on the internet, it has to be true, right? Actually though, people are very likely to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth on the internet if theyâre dissatisfied with the work of a solar installer. So do your research and find any reviews you can for the company youâre considering- They may not all be good, but the main thing to be on alert for is if they have a *lot* of bad reviews. Almost every company is going to have a few, but not everybody is going to have a ton of them. So do your research, and remember that just because a company has a few bad reviews it doesnât mean theyâre not good- but itâs something to be aware of.
What is the âPaybackâ period for Solar Panels in Florida?
So hereâs the conclusion- Florida is as solar-ready if not more so than any other state in the U.S. The state itself is taking lots of steps to offer incentives to residents who choose to go solar, and Florida is literally known for its sunshine. There are a TON of solar installers available all around the state, and even if thereâs not one you like in your area, thereâs a very good chance youâll be able to find more than a few who are willing to travel to your area to get your business. So what it boils down to is this- If youâre considering solar panels in Florida, stop considering and do it. End of story.