FAQ
How does solar power work?
The solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity throughout the day. A discreetly placed inverter converts the DC electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity that is generally what your business utilizes. In some cases some of your equipment may utilize DC electricity. When this is the case we can bypass the inverter to utilize the DC electricity directly.
How can solar help make my utility (overhead) costs more predictable?
E8 Solar, can help not only reduce or virtually eliminate your electricity costs, but also provides certainty moving forward. With solar offsetting a majority of your electricity bill, you can plan to have your utility overhead under control in the foreseeable future.
How can switching to solar increase my company’s bottom line?
By helping to reduce your overhead costs associated with your utility expense, installing renewable generation provides increased cash flow to your business, freeing up capital to increase your business’s bottom line and give you an edge in an ever-competitive environment.
What are the Federal and State Incentives for solar and can my organization take advantage of them?
There are two major incentives that make solar attractive for a business. The first is a limited time 30% federal tax credit – effectively providing a 30% discount of the cost of a solar power system in the first year. The second incentive is accelerated depreciation (commonly referred to as MACRS), which provides the ability to depreciate solar over 5 years with the depreciation front loaded at the beginning of the depreciation period.
How will solar benefit my organization?
Not only will installing solar help save your organization money and improve your cash flow, but it will also prove your company’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases and to the environment.
Is a solar installation affordable?
With generous tax incentives, simple payback for solar projects ranges between 5-7 years for most for-profit businesses looking to buy systems outright. For companies looking to have no up-front cost, there are multiple financing options that still save you money every month while making solar affordable.
Do I have to pay for the entire system upfront?
No. Our team is trained to help choose the best option that fits your needs. By answering a few questions, we can provide a financing option that fits your goals – helping you stay cash flow positive for the life of the financing.
What is a PPA
A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is essentially replacing your existing utility with a solar power system on your property and/or facility. With a PPA you pay only for the power generated from the system and a third party owns and maintains the facility. They take the tax credits and depreciation and pass the savings along to you in the form of lower utility rates. Terms can vary from 15-25 years.
How long does a solar PV system last?
Solar power systems, with periodic maintenance and replacement of components that make up a small percentage of the overall cost, can last 30+ years.
What is the warranty on the system?
Typically installation warranties are 10 years, module warranties 25 years, and inverter warranties can be anywhere from 10-20 years. Those three items make up the majority of what goes into a solar power system, and also what could fail over the life of the system.
Do the systems require maintenance?
Yes and no. Systems in a dusty or dirty environment may require periodic scheduled cleaning. In most areas, rain a couple times a year may be sufficient to clean arrays. Other than module cleaning, we recommend a periodic checkup of the system to ensure the systems are performing optimally.
What size system does my facility need?
System size depends upon your historic energy consumption and on your facilities capacity to support a solar array. With a copy of your last 12 months of electric bills that is usually enough for us to determine a system size.
Will solar improve my organization’s image?
Definitely! Switching to solar demonstrates to your community of employees, customers and neighbors yourcommitment to reducing greenhouse gases and protecting the environment. Solar energy is a sustainable improvement to your building that serves as a competitive differentiator to customers, shareholders and potential employees.
Does my building remain connected to the utility grid?
Yes, it is essential that a grid connection is maintained to provide power when the sun is not shining or the solar radiance is not sufficient to provide all your power demand. The solar system is integrated with the grid system with switching between the two is automatic and seamless.
What happens if the utility has an outage?
In this case, the solar system will disconnect from the grid so as not to back-feed in the event that workers are servicing the local utility lines.
Is it possible to supply all of my electricity needs with solar?
It is possible to offset the majority, all, or even future consumption. We will help you optimize the system size to meet your financial and business goals.
Do I need batteries?
No. Our solar power systems can operate independently of batteries. However, if batteries are something you’re interested in, we offer storage solutions for demand management.