Is Solar Power Right for You?

One Simple Tool

That brings us to a great place to start exploring solar, the website FindSolar.com, which is hosted by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). Their handy solar calculator is a remarkably quick and easy way to get a lot of information about how solar-electric panels would work in your location. All you have to type in is your ZIP code, the name of your utility, and your average monthly electricity bill and it will give you a rough estimate on how much a solar-electric system may cost you.

Here are a few other things this solar calculator will tell you:

• How large a system do you need? (You can adjust the calculator so it shows what it would take to provide all of your electricity, or only a percentage of it.)
• What federal, state and local tax incentives would you be eligible for?
• How to contact solar installers and retailers in your area.
• Estimates on payback period and ROI (return on investment), information you need to figure out how well solar panels work for you as a long-term investment.

Of course, this is just a starting place. Getting a free site evaluation from a local installer will give you the most accurate assessment, because an installer will take into account factors such as shading from trees and the direction your roof faces. It’s important to base your decision on real world numbers and keep in mind that a professional estimate may end up being less expensive than what shows up in the solar calculator. Nevertheless, the web is a great place to do some initial research.

Other Helpful Websites

Here are some other helpful online tools and references:

• For a general introduction to solar concepts and terminology, check out the Department of Energy’s EERE (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy) website. In particular, they have a great FAQ page where you can learn more about photovoltaics.
• For more about how solar works, you can read the Real Goods 700+ page Solar Living Sourcebook for free online.
• The Energy Star website has a very helpful page on federal tax credits for renewable energy and energy efficiency. They also have detailed information about ways to make your home more energy efficient.
• The Database for State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency is the go-to source for information about local and state tax incentives.
• For more information on the costs and savings of solar panels check out this Mother Earth News article, You Can Afford Solar Power.
• For a fun and useful solar calculator check out RoofRay.  You can find out what size of PV system you need, and even draw a solar array on your own roof using Google maps.
• To find out more about how much electricity a solar-electric system in your area would produce, check out the PV Watts site. Just follow the links to get to their calculators. (Version 1 is easier to use than Version 2. And as a nice bonus, this site includes solar data for cities around the world.)