How Much Does Solar Cost? Part I

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David Lupberger is installing solar panels on his house. In part one of this two-part series, he answers questions on cost, tax breaks and the installation process.

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David Lupberger on How Much Does Solar Cost? Part I: Hi, I'm David Lupberger with ServiceMagic.com. Capturing the power of the sun and using it as a source of clean energy is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and throughout the world. In local, state and federal jurisdictions, there are more and more homeowner incentives to put solar power to use in their homes. Today we're going to follow an installation process as it takes place on this home - my home - and we're going to answer some key questions along the way.

David Lupberger: Since the dawn of existence, humans have relied on the power of our sun for just about everything. And while it provides one of the cleanest sources of natural energy and capturing its power for consumer consumption is not exactly new - harnessing solar energy on an individual level is becoming increasingly common.

David Lupberger: Homeowners typically look at two factors when considering adding solar panels to help power their homes.

Amanda Bybee/Namaste Solar: For most homeowners, I think they look at this from a number of perspectives. Certainly, the economics of a system are important. But they're also looking at this from an environmental perspective - a "we believe this is the right thing to do" perspective.

David Lupberger: Amanda Bybee works for Namaste Solar - the company I chose to install the panels for my home. Namaste, like most solar companies, is capable of organizing the entire project - helping homeowners get information on financing and incentives - all the way to installation, taking place today, and the inspections to follow.

Amanda Bybee/Namaste Solar: I think homeowners are often times surprised that there's so much help available to do solar PV.

David Lupberger: That includes me. Long before the installation crew began tying their safety lines into my roof, I made decisions on which incentives to take advantage of and financing options. Make no mistake - solar panels are an investment.

Amanda Bybee/Namaste Solar: For a lot of folks, the real crux of the question is what's going to happen to electricity prices. As the electricity prices go up, it makes the economics of a solar pv system more favorable.

David Lupberger: In my case, a $40,000 project was offset by a $20,000 rebate from my local utility company, and a $6,000 federal tax credit. Through a program offered through the county I live in, I financed the rest of it, with the balance being spread across my property tax payments for the next 15 years. Those extra payment amounts should mostly be offset by the fact that I will likely pay very little, or nothing, depending on my electrical consumption. But to correct one misconception - the meter will NOT run backwards.

Amanda Bybee/Namaste Solar: For many utility rebate programs - the design of it is to help offset your own usage, but not necessarily go beyond that and become a power plant.

David Lupberger: Incentive programs will vary, depending on where you live. But construction techniques are mostly the same. My roof is so steep, the crew is forced to tie in their safety lines as their first order of business. As a former contractor, I have to admit I don't love seeing holes drilled into my roof. But Namaste says with their combination of sealant and flashing I won't have to worry about roof leaks.

Gary Gantzer/Namaste Solar: We'll put two lags into this. And lag it right into the truss. And then we'll flash that.

Gary Gantzer/Namaste Solar: On your roof, we have 44 roof attachments. So, there are 88 holes we've put in your roof. But what we do is use a 50-year sealant on the holes themselves and on the lag themselves. So, whenever you drive the lag down, it draws that sealant down with it.

Gary Gantzer/Namaste Solar: We've never had any kind of leak. We take extra care to make sure everything's sealed up properly.

David Lupberger: So, mid- morning of Day One ... work begins in earnest. With the 44 attachments now firmly in place and - properly sealed - Gary Gantzer and his crew begin hoisting up and attaching the rails that will support the panels. Everything is laid out according to the design work that began weeks ago and customized specifically for my home. But by late afternoon, the sun has proven itself as much an adversary as an ally. The shingles on the roof are now melting with the heat of the afternoon sun, so the crew stops working to keep from damaging them.

David Lupberger: In Part Two of this series ... the panels go up, the system goes on ... but then off.