Yuma Solar- Costs and Companies to Use
How Much do Solar Panels Cost in Yuma?
Currently solar panels in Yuma are going to fall below the national average, going for something between $2.35 and $2.55 per watt. The majority of commercial solar panels come in 250 watt sizes, so an array of solar panels big enough to run a house is going to be between $11,750 and $17,850, which comes in several thousand dollars cheaper than in many other parts of the U.S. Couple that with the fact that the state of Arizona desperately wants you to go solar, as we’ll see from the rebates and incentives they offer, and you’ll see that this is basically a can’t-miss proposition.
What are the benefits of going solar?
So the state of Arizona has some of the best incentives for going solar of any state I’ve seen. The state itself very much wants to encourage people to invest in solar power and it shows. Here are just some of the bigger incentives available to those buying solar panels:
- State Net Metering Laws- Arizona’s net metering laws are some of the best in the United States. This is a huge plus for anybody considering going solar, because net metering is what allows you to measure the energy output of your system and “sell” your unused energy back into the grid. This is what will ultimately help your solar panels “pay” for themselves.
- Arizona State Tax Credit- All U.S. citizens are eligible to claim 25% of their entire solar installation as a state tax credit
- Arizona sales tax exemption- Arizona state sales taxes do not apply to any solar installation or purchase! On a purchase of thousands of dollars, this can save you a ton of money.
- State Portfolio standards- The state of Arizona is attempting to get to 15% of their total energy production coming from green energy sources. The solar carve out for this is 2.5% so utility companies have a big incentive to encourage customers go to solar.
- Arizona electric rates- Arizona’s electricity rates are in the top half of the nation, meaning every penny you can save is a big bonus for solar energy customers.
- Arizona property tax exemption- Your property taxes cannot go up due to the addition of solar panels, as per state law.
- Federal Tax Credit- In addition to your state tax credit, Arizona residents can also claim up to 26% of the cost of their solar installation as a deduction to your federal tax liability.
What will solar panels do for my home’s value?
Solar panels are only worth what a buyer thinks they are worth. That’s the long and short of it. There are a lot of websites that will tell you that they can increase your home value by this percentage or this amount, but the truth is that if a buyer is excited to buy a house with solar panels, they’ll pay for them. If they’re not, they won’t. All that being said, it is reasonable to expect no less than a $10-20,000 increase in home value based on the installation of a solar power system.
What is net metering?
Net metering is the way your utility company measures the output of your power system and calculates how much energy goes unused and you are feeding back into the grid. Good net metering makes it easier to tell how much money or how many credits your utility company owes you based on the energy you are “selling” to them, and the state of Arizona has good net metering laws.
How many solar panels do I need?
This depends on a number of factors, not the least of which is whether or not you’re trying to be completely energy self-sufficient. If you are, you’re going to need between 6 and 8 kilowatts of solar panels (or 20-28 panels). Just exactly how many you need will depend on things like how big your home is, how much energy you use in an average month, how many people live in your home, etc. Every home is different and the amount of power you use fluctuates over the course of the year. Whatever company you choose to go with for solar installation should be able to help you decide how many panels you need.
How long will solar panels take to pay for themselves in Yuma?
The “payback” period for solar panels is the length of time it takes for them to pay for themselves, usually calculated heavily based on the price of electricity and savings on electric bills. Current estimates put the payback period for solar panels in Yuma at between 10 and 12 years, which is about average for the United States. The great thing about this is that you can expect your solar panels to keep working for around 25 years. This means that as soon as you cross that threshold, your solar panels are actually earning you money, in the sense that you are now getting free electricity for the remainder of their lifetime.
Grants & Loans
There are a number of grants and loans available to Arizona residents looking to install solar panels. Here are just a few of them:
Arizona Geo Smart financing program: http://www.energy-grants.net/az-aps-geosmart-financing-program/
Renewable Energy Business Tax Incentives:
AZ – Renewable Energy Business Tax Incentives
Non-Residential Solar Tax Credits:
AZ – Non Residential Solar and Wind Corporate Tax Credit
Arizona Public Service Renewable Incentive Program:
AZ – APS – Renewable Incentive Program
Things to look for in a solar company:
So what do you need to look for when trying to decide on a solar company? Here’s a few pointers:
Time in industry: How long a company has been in the solar industry is usually a good indicator of not only their level of experience but also how good a job they do. Companies that don’t do good work won’t stay in business very long in an industry like this.
Types of panels: There are lots of different kinds of solar panels out there, and you need to know if the company you’re looking into offers the kind of panels you want to use. An easy way to break it down is that there are three major kinds of panels- Amorphous (the cheapest, least efficient), polycrystalline (the mid range panels, also the biggest), and monocrystalline (smallest panels, most efficient, and most expensive).
Payment options: Unless you just have $20,000 lying around, you’re probably going to want some sort of financing option with your solar panels. Most companies recognize this and have some kind of options available for customers, but each company has a different set up, so make sure you ask about things like payment amounts and interest rates.
Warranties: Make sure your choice of solar company offers a warranty, because you will need routine maintenance and service calls. Beware of any company that charges for routine callouts! Many companies will do these for free.
Reviews: Maybe the most important thing to look for when evaluating a company, reviews often point out all sorts of hidden aspects that you may not have considered. Make sure to look for any and all reviews you can find on the companies you are considering.
How do I get solar panels installed in Yuma?
So the good news is that the state of Arizona has a ton of good solar companies. The bad news is that Yuma doesn’t. As of this writing I only count 6 that appear to be currently operating in Yuma proper. Don’t let that discourage you though, because there’s several in nearby Phoenix, and solar companies are well known for their willingness to travel to a job site.
Company: Yuma Solar
Address: 1161 E 21st St Ste C, Yuma, AZ 85365
Years in Business: 32
Website: http://www.yuma-solar.com/
Reviews: 4.2 / 5 Solarreviews (5 reviews), 4.4 / 5 Birdseye (14 reviews), 5 / 5 Facebook (5 reviews), 3.5 / 5 Yelp (3 reviews)
Business Quote: “CHANGING THE WORLD ONE ROOF AT A TIME.”
The Good: Really good web presence, lot of reviews out there.
The Bad: One or two bad reviews out there
Summary: Looks like a great company, hard to find anything negative to say about them. Nice website, no complaints with the BBB and mostly solid reviews out there. Hard to find any negatives with this one other than a couple of bad reviews out there that could be misunderstandings.
Company: Titan Solar
Address: 987 E 21st St Ste B, Yuma, AZ 85365
Years in Business: 32
Website: https://titansolarpower.com/
Reviews: 5 / 5 Facebook (5 reviews), 2.64 / 5 BBB (88 reviews), 4.2 / 5 Birdseye (691 reviews?), 2.5 / 5 Yelp (98 reviews)
Business Quote: As the Nation’s leading Rooftop Solar Contractor*, Titan Solar Power partners with like-minded Solar Sales Companies and Dealers to deliver world-class installations with industry-leading customer experience.
The Good: Coolest logo I’ve seen; Great website
The Bad: Bad reviews, ton of complaints
Summary: This is a tough one because it’s a national brand. They didn’t get to be a national brand by doing bad work or having poor business practices (probably), but they have some really poor reviews out there, plus maybe the most complaints I’ve ever seen against one company with the BBB (116). Not sure which way to steer you here, so like always I’m just going to give you the facts and let you make the call. As always, DO YOUR RESEARCH.
Company: Renewable Power AZ
Address: 3860 W 24th St, Yuma, AZ 85364
Years in Business: Unclear
Website: https://www.renewablepoweraz.com/
Reviews: 5 / 5 Facebook (5 Reviews)
Business Quote: “Brightness of Tomorrow- Renewable Power”
The Good: According to their own website and facebook, they’re great
The Bad: Can’t find any trace of their existence outside of their own facebook and website.
Summary: This is another one of those companies that seems great- everything they have to say on their website and about themselves on their facebook is positive, as you would expect, but outside of that I just can’t find any web presence. They’re barely even listed on the Better Business Bureau site, and it doesn’t even list a start date for the business. So they may be a completely good and legitimate business, but the most I can tell you is that they apparently exist.
The Best of the Rest:
Company: Senergy Power of Solar Power Yuma
Address:281 W 24th St STE #126B, Yuma, AZ 85364
Website: https://www.senergypower.com/our-story
Notes: Founded in 2015; Pretty website with bright colors; Good reviews
Company: 48Solar
Address:340 W 32nd St suite 657, Yuma, AZ 85364
Website:https://www.48solar.com/
Notes: 5 years in business, 5 / 5 stars with 11 reviews on the BBB website
Company: SunRate Solar
Address:780 E 39th Pl #215, Yuma, AZ 85365
Website: https://sunrateenergy.com/
Notes: 3.8 / 5 in 39 reviews on Yelp
Company: Solar Masters Yuma
Address: 1426 S 5th Ave STE 10, Yuma, AZ 85364
Website: https://yumasolarmasters.com/
Notes: Anybody who calls themselves a solar master must know what they’re doing, right?
Final Word:
So Yuma, you have my two cents on the matter. There are a handful of good companies in your fair city, and a few more that I honestly can’t tell you much about. But the state of Arizona loves solar power and fervently wants you to think about adopting it. They offer as many or more incentives than almost any other state, so it’s a great idea to think about investing in solar panels in the Grand Canyon state.