From Signing to Savings: 5 Steps to Switch to Solar
So, you’ve made the decision to switch to solar. Congratulations! You are just five steps away from soaking in all of the benefits that solar power can bring. As your installer, Synergy Power will be coordinating and taking care of the majority of the project. But understanding the process yourself will give you a good grasp on what to expect along the way. Step 1: Site Evaluation Before you sign your installation contract, your home will be assessed for solar panels. The initial assessment will determine your daily electrical usage, the best location for your solar array, and the [...]
Solar Panels for Every Type of Roof
Lots of solar companies won’t install solar panels on special roofs. Why? The sad answer is sheer laziness! Contrary to popular belief, solar panels can be installed on a wide variety of roofs. But lots of solar companies turn away business from customers with anything but composite roofs. That's because special roofs, such as Torch Down, S-Tile, and Metal Tile, need a different type of racking system than the standard composition shingles. The work might take a bit more planning, effort, and time to install solar panels on a unique roof, and it does require alternative materials than a standard [...]
Should You Buy or Lease Your Solar Panels?
One of the most important decisions to make when switching to solar energy is whether you should buy or lease your solar panels. There are clear benefits to both, but understanding their differences is crucial to determining which choice is right for you. Buying Solar Panels in Northern California The long-term value of a solar energy system largely depends on how it’s financed. Buying your system outright or acquiring a solar loan will yield the most savings. Typically, a solar system will cost between $15,000--$30,000. You can purchase it outright, or with a $0 down solar loan, pay for it [...]
Moving On: Transferring Ownership of Your Monitoring System
If you're buying or selling a solar-powered property, you need to transfer ownership of the monitoring system. Don't worry: transferring ownership of a monitoring system is simple when you have the know-how. Synergy Power can help you check this item off your to-do list. Each monitoring platform has a different approach to transferring ownership. Enphase, for instance, requires you to work directly with them, charging a $199 transfer fee and an additional $50 for an inspection report. SolarEdge, on the other hand, does not charge the homeowner a transfer fee. For Synergy Power customers, transferring ownership can be done directly [...]
Free Solar Panels in Northern California … Too Good To Be True?
For homeowners in Northern California, rising costs have been the only consistent thing about their energy bill. Electric bills have skyrocketed, rising nearly 8% in 2020. As a result, solar companies have become more attractive to residents in Livermore and beyond. Many are saying just the thing homeowners want to hear: FREE. Free solar panels. Free energy. But is it really free? The Cost of Free Solar Panels The plain truth is nothing in business is truly free. Solar companies are a business and, like all businesses, they need to make money. While free energy is the end result of [...]
The Truth about Free Solar
You’ve probably been told a hundred times that nothing in life is free. How can going solar be any different? Not only is it an exception to this rule—you really can get solar for free—but you can save money now and eliminate your entire electricity bill in the future! (That makes us happy, too.) This is what it means when you go solar: Pay no additional out-of-pocket costs for energy (and potentially lower what you’re currently paying) Free yourself from rising electricity costs Protect yourself from PG&E power shut-offs Own your solar system within 5-8 years Does this sound too [...]
DIY Guide to Reconnecting Your Monitoring System
The days are getting longer and your solar panels are soaking up those rays. If you're like us, you probably enjoy watching how much energy your panels are producing (and how much money you're saving). But what should you do if you notice your Enphase monitoring system is no longer connected? Don’t worry! Even though you may not be able to see the energy production, your solar panels are likely still working. If you recently got a new router for your home, changed internet providers, or even simply updated your WiFi password, you’ll need to reconnect your monitoring system to [...]
The COVID Effect—How Much Did You Spend on Electricity?
It’s been a full year since the pandemic started, and you’ve probably spent more time at home than ever before. Some perks you may have enjoyed are trying new recipes, commuting from the bedroom to your home office, finally having time to binge watch your Netflix shows, and most importantly, spending quality time with your family. But all of these directly impact your electricity usage. How so? We compared the electricity usage of two families in our area—and it's surprising to see how much this year has affected our community. If your electricity bill has increased, we'd love to show [...]
What Is Solar Energy? How Do Solar Panels Work?
Each year, more and more rooftops are sporting shiny black solar panels that soak up the sun’s rays and convert them into usable electricity. How exactly do solar panels do this? And why is solar energy becoming so popular? How Solar Panels Work The sun is the most powerful source of energy available to us. Nuclear fusion reactions in the sun’s core are far more powerful than anything we could create here on earth. These reactions launch electromagnetic particles called photons into our atmosphere. We can see and feel evidence of these photons in the form of light and heat. [...]
Alert! NEM-2 Savings Are Ending
There are major changes on the horizon that will impact how much you can save by going solar. The current net metering program, NEM-2, will be replaced by NEM-3 this year, and PG&E and the other big utility companies are pushing to reduce the cost-saving benefits solar customers enjoy. While we don’t want to be the bearer of bad news (who does?), it’s important to understand how NEM-3 could negatively affect you if you wait to go solar. Your ROI will decrease. The big utility companies suggested that “bill savings eventually cover the cost of the investment over the life [...]
So, you’ve made the decision to switch to solar. Congratulations! You are just five steps away from soaking in all of the benefits that solar power can bring. As your [...]
Lots of solar companies won’t install solar panels on special roofs. Why? The sad answer is sheer laziness! Contrary to popular belief, solar panels can be installed on a wide [...]
One of the most important decisions to make when switching to solar energy is whether you should buy or lease your solar panels. There are clear benefits to both, but [...]
If you're buying or selling a solar-powered property, you need to transfer ownership of the monitoring system. Don't worry: transferring ownership of a monitoring system is simple when you have [...]
For homeowners in Northern California, rising costs have been the only consistent thing about their energy bill. Electric bills have skyrocketed, rising nearly 8% in 2020. As a result, solar [...]
You’ve probably been told a hundred times that nothing in life is free. How can going solar be any different? Not only is it an exception to this rule—you really [...]
The days are getting longer and your solar panels are soaking up those rays. If you're like us, you probably enjoy watching how much energy your panels are producing (and [...]
It’s been a full year since the pandemic started, and you’ve probably spent more time at home than ever before. Some perks you may have enjoyed are trying new recipes, [...]
Each year, more and more rooftops are sporting shiny black solar panels that soak up the sun’s rays and convert them into usable electricity. How exactly do solar panels do [...]
There are major changes on the horizon that will impact how much you can save by going solar. The current net metering program, NEM-2, will be replaced by NEM-3 this [...]
