SIZING A SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM
The average home in California will utilize a 3,000 watt (DC) solar electric system, which will produce approximately 4,400 kWhrs a year. It requires about 200 sq ft of available rooftop or open ground space with a good unobstructed exposure to the South. Other exposures between East and West work well too, but are not as effective as south. An effective way to cut down on energy usage, and in turn the size of the system needed, is to install compact fluorescent lights and replace old appliances in your home or business with modern energy efficient appliances.

CALIFORNIA REBATES
California's Million Solar Roofs program has a goal of adding 3,000 Megawatts of new solar-produced electricity to the grid by 2017. In support of this goal the California Solar Initiative provides over $2 Billion of incentives for solar installations on existing residences, and on new or existing businesses. -read more-

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
No two solar electric systems are exactly the same, and the cost will vary depending on the existing installation conditions. However, a typical 3,280 Watt DC system will cost around $30,000 before the rebate. Because Independent Energy Systems will carry the $6,600 rebate your initial cash outlay drops to approximately $23,400. In addition, the Federal Government offers a $2,000 income tax credit on the net installed costs of solar energy systems, bringing the overall coxst down to approximately $21,400.

HOW MUCH WILL IT SAVE ME IN UTILITY COSTS?
Every Kilowatt hour (Kwhr) generated by your system is a Kilowatt hour that you do not have to buy from the utility. Based on typical offset rates of $.195 per kWhr, a typical 3,280 Watt solar electric system, producing 4,500 kWhr/year will generate annual cost savings of over $860. When analyzing your investment it is important to remember that this savings is tax-free money and also that utility rates have historically risen an average of 6% annually over the last 30 years. Talk to us about a detailed financial analysis for your situation.

WHAT IS THE PAYBACK PERIOD?
Payback rates vary widely depending on your system and your energy consumption- the higher your electricity bills are, the shorter the payback period will be. Typically, systems pay for themselves in 10 years, but we see payback periods as fast as seven years. Please contact us for details.