Why Southern Georgia Businesses Should Consider Commercial Solar Panel Installations

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Solar panels are being installed everyday in the Peach State, and for good reason.  In addition to cutting down on local carbon emissions, many home and business owners are actually saving money on their electricity costs by installing solar panels.  The trend has become so popular that Georgia Energy Data has created this fun, interactive solar map for you to track or add solar installations all across the state Why Southern Georgia Businesses Should Consider Commercial Solar Panel Installations Will all of the new solar installations, this causes many people to wonder, are solar panels worth it? In this article, we will focus on the return on investment a business owner can expect when choosing to install solar panels. How to Calculate The Return on Investment (ROI) of Solar Panels for Business Most solar panels have performance warranties for 20 or 25 years and will continue to work in some capacity for many years afterwards.  With such long lifespans and relatively high startup costs, it’s important to know the return on investment of solar panels for your business.  For commercial applications, most solar panel systems have an ROI of 45% or higher and a full payback period in as little as 5 to 6 years. Below, we will outline the factors that should be considered when calculating the ROI of your commercial solar panel system. Consider the Existing (and Rising) Costs of your Electricity Depending on the type of business you run, electricity costs may be extremely high.  If you are considering installing solar panels, you will be replacing some of this expense.  Take a look at your electricity bills and fully understand the amount of kilowatt hours you are using and when you are using the most. Businesses that operate during daylight hours will benefit the most from self-consuming the energy they produce with their solar panels.  If a lot of energy is used in the evening or early morning, businesses may want to consider adding a battery to their system to use the energy produced during the day. Check for your Net Metering Eligibility As the state of Georgia does not require net metering, it is important to check with your local electricity provider to see the rate in which they buy back excess electricity produced by a commercial solar panel system.  If your business produces more energy than it uses during the utility’s specified time frame, you will be able to reduce your electricity costs by selling the energy back to the grid. Factor in Accelerated Depreciation Whenever you install a solar power plant on your property, as a business, you are eligible for writing off taxes in the form of accelerated depreciation.  As you are entitled to significant tax breaks in the first several years of operation, accelerated depreciation can lead to amounts as high as 34% of the total cost of the system. Cash in on the Available Solar Tax Credits and Incentives in Georgia Although Georgia does not have any statewide tax credits for incentives for installing solar panels.  There are a few available benefits at the utility and national level. If your electricity provider is Central Georgia EMC, you may be eligible for a rebate of up to $450 per kilowatt installed.  After 2022, your eligibility for a federal tax credit is going to depend on whether it is a residential or a commercial solar panel installation. Residential For residential solar customers in Georgia, those with panels installed by the end of 2020 are eligible for a 26% federal tax incentive towards the cost of their system.  This will drop down to 22% for 2021 and will no longer be available for residential customers in 2022. Commercial As illustrated in the image above, the federal tax incentive will follow the same degradation for commercial solar installations with one important distinction.  Commercial solar customers will be allowed to claim 10% of their system cost permanently, beginning on January 1st, 2022. Conclusion Installing a solar energy system on the roof of your business is a great way to produce your own clean, renewable electricity and save a lot of money on utility expenses.  If you own a business in Southern Georgia or Northern Florida and would like to speak to an expert about installing solar panels on your business, please reach out to the Georgia Solar Pros.

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Solar Power for Emergencies: The Importance of Battery Backup Systems

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In the midst of a global health pandemic, more and more individuals throughout Southern Georgia and Northern Florida are taking action to prepare for grid failure and be ready when disaster strikes.  In this article, we are going to outline the benefits of owning an off grid or battery backed solar energy system in a disaster scenario. The Critical Uses for Solar Electricity If you own an off grid solar energy system, then you will be able to continuously generate and store electricity to use in your home, no matter what is going on in the outside world.  For the purpose of survival, solar energy can be used to store food, pump water and power electronic devices. Food Storage In most off grid cabins or remote solar setups, users will utilize a small fridge in order to keep food from spoiling.  The best way to minimize the amount of energy lost to power your storage device, is to choose a “chest” style fridge or freezer that opens from the top, rather than the side.  When the grid goes down, you will be extremely happy to have an electric fridge or freezer, rather than relying on trips to the store for dry foods and ice. Water Pumping In the event of a grid failure, many of the pumps, valves, and timers that moderate city and rural water supplies may fail as well.  If you have a well pump, having an off grid or battery backed solar energy system allows you to continue pumping fresh water for your household.  If you do not have a well pump, an electric stove can be used to purify water collected on your property. Electronics There are many electronics we take for granted on a daily basis that are going to be necessary during hurricanes, tornadoes, wars, or pandemics.  For starters, having a backup source of electricity can power phones and computers to communicate with friends and family. Secondly, health saving devices such as CPAP machines that require electricity will need a continuous source of power as well.  Although it may seem like a luxury in a disaster scenario, electricity is extremely important in making it out alive. The Best Solar Equipment for Emergencies or Disasters In order to help our customers be prepared for any disaster scenario, the Georgia Solar Pros have carefully selected and sourced the best equipment for solar energy storage and use.  For the most amount of energy independence possible, we primarily utilize Sol-Ark battery and inverter systems to power our customers’ homes. Sol-Ark systems are designed for prolonged off-grid use for continuous, efficient solar energy production and storage.  Sol-Ark’s products are protected against EMPs, cyberattacks, and Solar Flares in order to protect both the inhabitants and homes of solar energy system owners. If you are interested in learning more about possibly adding an off grid or battery backed solar energy system to your home, you can contact the Georgia Solar Pros.  We can answer all of your questions and help you prepare for any disaster by achieving energy independence.

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A Guide to Battery Types and Sizes for Off Grid and Grid Tie Solar Energy Storage

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The Best Type of Batteries for Solar Energy: Lithium Iron Lithium Iron Phosphate (also known as LifeP04) batteries are the best overall option for storing electricity.  The technology behind Lithium iron batteries is relatively new when compared to traditional lead acid batteries, but is quickly gaining popularity as an incredible solution for electricity storage.  In fact, in 2019, the Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to a group of scientists for their development related to lithium batteries. Off Grid Solar Storage with Lithium Iron Batteries Lithium iron batteries work well for both off grid solar and grid tie systems with battery storage.  In the case of off grid batteries, lithium iron batteries are the best choice because they have the longest and cheapest overall battery cycle life. Additionally, lithium batteries require no maintenance and are able to be drained and recharged to capacity daily.  If your home or cabin runs solely on your solar power, then you will want to have a large LiFePO4 battery for the best performance and least amount of headaches. Lithium Ion Battery Backup for Grid Tie Solar with Load Shifting Load shifting is a way to cut down on the cost of your electricity bills by lowering your dependence on utility provided energy.  Generally, this means that homeowners with solar panels will try to use the necessary high power appliances only during sunlight hours.  If you install a battery on your grid tie solar energy system, then that means you will have additional solar electricity to use at night, rather than drawing from the grid. Solar Batteries for Emergency Backup Power If you are lucky enough to live in an area with favorable net metering rates, then there may be no need to use load shifting.  This is because the excess electricity you produce is credited from your monthly or annual usage.  However, if your system is tied to the grid, that means that it will stop functioning if the power grid goes down.  For this reason, it is a good idea to consider a battery backup for emergency power. If you want to install a battery for emergency backup, then you may not want to spend a lot of money if you are only going to use it a few times a year.  If this is the case, we recommend an AGM or traditional lead acid battery for more cost effective solar storage. Lithium Iron vs. AGM Batteries for Solar The bottom line when considering between a lithium iron and an AGM battery for your solar storage is going to come down to purchase price.  AGM and lead acid batteries are a tried and true electricity storage method that comes at a fraction of the cost of lithium.  However, this is because lithium iron batteries typically last longer, have more usable amp hours (AGM batteries can only use about 50% of battery capacity), and are more efficient, safer, and lighter then AGM batteries. Thanks to the longer lifespan, frequently used lithium batteries will also result in a cheaper cost per cycle then most AGM batteries.  Some of the top of the line lithium batteries have warranties as long as 10 years or 6000 cycles. Solar Battery Sizes The size of your battery directly relates to the amount of solar energy you can store and use throughout the night or cloudy day.  Below, you can see some of the most common solar battery sizes we install and what they can be used to power. Conclusion We hope that this article helped explain some of the different technologies and applications of electricity storage in modern solar energy systems.  If you are in Central Georgia, Southern Georgia, or Northern Florida and have any additional questions about your solar energy storage, feel free to give us a call today or contact us through our website at www.georgiasolarpros.com.

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A Solar Panel Cost & Solar Energy System Payback Guide for Georgia and Florida

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As a solar company based in Cairo, GA, one of the most common questions we hear from our neighbors in Southern Georgia and Northern Florida is, “How much do solar panels for my home cost?”  Once the initial sticker shock is out of the way, most people will usually follow up wondering how long it takes for the system to “pay for itself” against normal utility bills.   Unfortunately, the answers to these questions are not that simple.  Every installation we have ever done is completely customized to fit the needs of the end user.  No two homes have the exact same amount of solar potential and energy habits.  In this article, we will outline some of the averages for solar cost & system ROI for grid tie, off grid, and hybrid solar energy systems. Grid Tie Solar Systems Grid tie solar systems are designed to lower the cost of a home or business’s electricity by producing energy onsite and using it or sending it back to the grid.  In grid tie solar systems, the utility is essentially used as a backup so that energy can be drawn during hours without sunlight.   The Average System Size for Grid Tie Solar In general, we install grid tie solar systems that are between 3kW to 12kW.  Depending on the availability of roof (or yard) space & net metering, systems are designed to lower the amount of electricity purchased from the utility grid.   The Average Price for A Grid Tie Solar System (Before Incentives) For most grid-tie systems, the average upfront cost is between $12,000 and $28,000.  Although this may seem high, this price is the rate before any federal or local incentives are applied.  In 2020, there is a 26% federal tax rate (of total system cost) available after the purchase of a solar energy system.    ROI for Grid-tie Solar Energy Systems Of course, the real value when installing solar panels is measured in system return on investment.  Despite the upfront cost, the moment your solar power system is producing energy and sending it to the grid, you begin to save money on your electricity bills.  In the case of net metering, you may also be compensated for the excess energy you produce.   The overall ROI is generally measured at the “break-even point” in which the amount of the initial investment equals the would-be cost of electricity without solar.  All of the electricity generated after that can essentially be seen as “free,” as the system continues to produce power.   Variables that Affect ROI for Solar: Best Case Payback = 4-8 years In the absolute best case scenario, a grid tie solar system can pay for itself in between 4 and 8 years.  In general, here are the factors that create the best case scenario: Average Solar Payback = 9-14 years Most of the time, not everything aligns in a homeowners favor.  Whereas an outright cash purchase will save you money on anything, sometimes that is not a reality for those looking to save money on their utilities.  In other cases, net metering may not be available, or a roof or property only receives limited sunlight.  For every individual, the ROI solar purchase may be slightly hindered if: Bad Payback= 17yrs+  In some cases, now might not be the right time to go solar.  If you do not live in an area where net metering is available, your property or roof does not receive enough sunlight, or your bad credit will increase finance charges, then a solar system may take more than 15 years to pay back.  Solar panels are generally warrantied for 25-30 and continue to produce electricity beyond that, however 17 years may be too long to justify your purchase.   Off Grid Solar Systems  Solar systems that are completely off grid rely on a battery to store the energy for later use.  Batteries can be very expensive, however in an off-grid situation, a battery-backed solar system may be the most cost effective solution for electricity.  When compared to a gas generator, solar energy systems do not require any additional fuel costs throughout their lifetime of clean, emission (and noise) free electricity production.    The Cost of Small Off Grid Solar Systems Off grid solar can be as cheap as $2,000 to $5,000 for a system that does not directly interface with a home’s electricity. Systems between 300W and 1200W (1.2kW) of solar can be used to run small appliances like sump pumps or lights.  Although the warranties will not be as long as larger, premium choices, a small 1kWh – 10kWh AGM or flooded battery bank can provide enough basic functionality to run a small, closed system.  Off Grid Systems for Cabins and Homes For a small off grid cabin, a battery backed solar system will generally cost between $10,000 and $20,000. Of course, this is for retreats with small appliances and limited HVAC use.  If you are looking to take an ordinary home completely off grid, the price will likely fall between $25,00 and $75,000.  The increase in price can be attributed to a larger battery as well as a larger inverter to run larger home appliances.  If your home is large, or very energy efficient, the total cost of your off grid solar system may be more than $75,000. Hybrid (Grid tie + Storage) Solar Systems Grid tie solar systems with battery backups are considered “hybrid” systems, because they utilize elements of grid tie and off grid systems.  Adding a battery to a grid tie solar system allows users to use stored electricity if grid power goes out.  It also can potentially increase the ROI of a system by lessening grid power use with self-consumption and “load shifting.”   The Cost of Hybrid Solar Systems To find the cost of a hybrid solar system, the total is simply the cost of a grid-tie solar system plus the battery (and specialized inverter).  If you just plan on using a battery as an emergency backup for small appliances then you can expect to

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