Residential solar power in the US is big business. Industry grew by 30% in 2021 with the installation of more than 4.2 gigawatts of residential solar energy, and now there are 121 gigawatts of solar energy nationwide, from the sunny southwest to areas less known for its cloudless climate.
Although many people install solar energy, this decision can be difficult because each situation is different. The roof may be at a different angle to the neighbor’s or shaded. The utility can provide a great (or terrible) net measurement deal, making your panels even more valuable. State incentives can make it easier to buy solar panels.
However, there are enough regional similarities (such as electricity costs, solar energy costs and climate) to be worth watching from a bird’s eye view. Starting in New England and working through the rest of the US, we look at the regional factors that influence the choice of solar energy.
The cost of electricity
Here we call New England the states north and east of New York: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. To see also : San diego metropolitan credit union solar loan. (It’s not controversial, but wait until we get to the Midwest.)
According to the US Energy Information Agency, the average utility bill in New England in 2020 was $ 132.71 per month (PDF). These state averages range from $ 95.77 in Maine to $ 161.55 in Connecticut. These numbers are likely to be higher today, as electricity tariffs rose by 4.3% between 2020 and 2021, the largest increase since 2008.
Here’s the average monthly bill for each state for 2020: Connecticut $ 161.55; Reputation $ 95.77; Massachusetts $ 132.18; New Hampshire $ 120.01; Rhode Island $ 130.75; and Vermont $ 110.79.
The cost of solar panels
The price of solar panels varies from location to location for a number of reasons. Soft costs, such as labor costs, permits and permits to connect to the solar system, depend in part on location. This may interest you : How solar energy is converted into electricity ?. While the price of solar panels themselves has fallen by about 40 cents per watt per year, the soft cost of installing them has fallen by only 10 to 20 cents per watt per year.
According to consulting firm Wood Mackenzie, the national average cost of installing solar panels is $ 3.28 per watt. According to EnergySage, which collects prices from its solar market, the average cost of solar panels in New England is lower than that: Connecticut, $ 3.06 per watt; Reputation, $ 2.64 per watt; Massachusetts, $ 3.11 per watt; New Hampshire, $ 3.06 per watt; Rhode Island, $ 3.15 per watt; and Vermont, $ 2.98 per watt. (Because information on solar energy costs comes from a variety of sources, reported averages may vary. EnergySage estimates that only Washington DC exceeds the average found by Wood Mackenzie.)
In addition to supply and demand problems and the cost of living in a given location, solar energy prices are also affected by incentives such as the federal investment tax credit, which is part of the cost of solar panels you get back from your taxes. For systems installed before the end of 2022, you will receive 26% of the cost of your system, including the tax period.
Solar panels generate electricity on cold and clear days.
Some states have their own incentives, and some in New England (and the rest in the North East) are the most solar-friendly. You will see an extensive list of solar incentives in your state in the Renewable Energy and National Incentives database; Efficiency.
All New England states have mechanisms in place to compensate solar energy owners for the electricity they produce, either on a net basis, where your utility costs or pays you the difference between how much you use or produce electricity or when you buy or sell it. the whole plan where the utility sells you all the electricity you use and buys all the electricity you produce. These incentives usually have limits on the production of solar energy they accept this year. Make sure of your situation before counting this money.
The states of New England have also made temporary exemptions from paying higher property taxes if the addition of solar panels increases the value of the house. These are usually temporary, but sometimes up to 20 years. New Hampshire has only given governments the option to waive these taxes. Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont have also abolished sales taxes on renewable energy equipment, including solar panels.
Some states have tax benefits that can be taken after a federal tax credit. Massachusetts will refund you an additional 15% of the cost of your system up to $ 1,000. Vermont will give you a 6.24% discount until the end of 2022.
The Maine Lighthouse is powered by a small amount of solar energy.
One of the last factors influencing the price of solar energy in these states is the renewable energy certificates or SRECs. One SREC represents the environmental benefits of 1 megawatt of solar energy. Until November 2018, the solar panels in the program could sell SRECs (currently $ 290) to utilities trying to meet their obligations. Utilities in Massachusetts and Vermont offer solar panel owners a financial incentive for their panels, although the owner must apply and space is limited.
The solar potential of New England
Although New England is located just across the country from the US solar power plant in the south-west, it is in fact one of the largest per capita energy sources, thanks to the incentives mentioned above.
There are a few ways to measure the potential of the sun. One standard measures how much electricity a square meter of solar panel produces per day when installed directly up. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the cloudy states of New England are close to the bottom by this measure. Most of New England is between 4 kWh and 4.5 kWh per square meter per day. At the other end of the spectrum, the same square foot of solar panels is likely to produce nearly 7 kWh in New Mexico and Arizona.
But you don’t have to generate a lot of electricity if you don’t use a lot of electricity. When comparing the amount of electricity that the average roof-panel solar cell can produce with the average household’s electricity consumption, New England is at the top of the rankings. According to the same NREL report, in Rhode Island, solar energy on the roof can cover an average of 80-90% of a house’s energy consumption. In Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, the average rooftop solar cell can cover 90 to 100% of an average house’s energy consumption. In Massachusetts, it’s over 100%. One reason for this may be that New Englanders use much less energy in air conditioners than the rest of the country.
Although the northeast gets less sun than the rest of the country, solar energy still has great potential to pay for itself – as in most parts of the United States.
However, this information paints broad lines. To find out how solar energy works on your roof, you need to look at the specifics of your property (shading from trees or nearby buildings), the roof (direction and angle) and the solar panel (price, timing, financing). It is worth getting several quotes, including from local installers.
What state would be the best location for solar panels?
California! Also known as “Sunny California,” this solar state is among the best in the state of solar energy.
Where would be the best place for solar energy? Solar panels are usually installed on the roof of your house in a certain way and should face south, which receives the most sunlight. Solar panels produce more electricity when they receive the most sunlight from the south.
Which state would have the best potential for solar energy?
| Place | state | The index of the sun |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 1.19 |
| 2 | Arizona | 1.18 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 1.16 |
| 4 | California | 1.00 |
What is the best place for solar energy?
- Honolulu manages solar energy per capita in the United States, followed by San Diego, San Jose and Burlington, Vermont. …
- One third of the 57 cities surveyed in all six editions of this report more than quadrupled their installed solar capacity between 2013 and 2018.
What states does solar make sense?
Level of Sunshine in the State Solar energy relies on sunshine, so it makes sense for the states with the sunniest days to be the optimal places to start or expand a solar energy business. Not surprisingly, Arizona, California and Nevada are ranked high in many areas of solar energy.
Which states are best for solar farms? The 5 best solar energy states in 2021
- 1. California. In terms of solar energy, California is the highest state. …
- Texas. The state of Texas, known for its power grid, is next on the list of the best solar states. …
- North Carolina. …
- Florida. …
- Arizona.
Which US state has the highest potential for solar energy?
California is conveniently ahead of its rivals as the undisputed leader in solar energy in the United States, with almost 23 GW of installed solar energy. Nearly 17 percent of California’s electricity comes from solar energy, which employs more than 86,000 people.
Where in us does solar make sense?
With more than 21,000 megawatts of installed solar power, California easily conducts solar power generation in all fifty U.S. states – enough to power 5.4 million homes! In fact, with 4,300 megawatts of solar power, the next state on the list isn’t even close (486,339 homes in North Carolina are enough).
What are the pros and cons of solar energy?
| The benefits of solar energy | Disadvantages of solar energy |
|---|---|
| Reduces electricity bills | Weather dependent |
| Different applications | Storing solar energy is expensive |
| Low maintenance costs | Uses a lot of space |
| The development of technology | Related to pollution |
What defines solar energy?
Solar energy is solar radiation that is able to produce heat, cause chemical reactions or produce electricity. The total amount of solar energy available on earth is much higher than the world’s current and projected energy needs.
What is solar and how does it work?
Solar technologies convert sunlight into electricity either through photovoltaic (PV) panels or mirrors that concentrate solar radiation. This energy can be used to generate electricity or be stored in batteries or heat storage.
Where in the US is solar energy most abundant?
California is conveniently ahead of its rivals as the undisputed leader in solar energy in the United States, with almost 23 GW of installed solar energy. Nearly 17 percent of California’s electricity comes from solar energy, which employs more than 86,000 people.
What are the pros and cons of solar energy?
What defines solar energy?
Solar energy is solar radiation that is able to produce heat, cause chemical reactions or produce electricity. The total amount of solar energy available on earth is much higher than the world’s current and projected energy needs.
What is the definition of solar energy for kids?
Solar energy is energy released by solar radiation. Plants use sunlight to produce their food in a process called photosynthesis. By using solar radiation, plants turn water and carbon dioxide (which we exhale) into fuel to grow and in the process they exhale oxygen.
How would you define solar energy?
Solar energy is solar energy that is converted into heat or electricity. Solar energy is the cleanest and richest renewable energy source available, and the United States has one of the richest solar resources in the world.
What is solar and how does it work?
Solar technologies convert sunlight into electricity either through photovoltaic (PV) panels or mirrors that concentrate solar radiation. This energy can be used to generate electricity or be stored in batteries or heat storage.
What is solar in simple words?
The answer is simple: solar energy. Solar energy is simply light and heat from the sun. People can use solar energy in many different ways: photovoltaic cells, which convert sunlight into electricity.
How does solar energy work examples?
Here is an example of how a home solar installation works. First, sunlight hits the solar panel on the roof. The panels convert the energy into direct current that flows into the inverter. The inverter converts electricity from direct current to alternating current, which you can then use to power your home.