Net metering is a billing system that allows people with solar panels to receive credit for the electricity their solar panels generate. These are called net metering credits. When your panels generate more electricity than you use, the excess power is sent to the local grid, and your electric meters “runs backwards” to credit you for that contribution. When you need more electricity than your system is generating, your meter “runs forward” as you draw energy from the grid. At the end of the billing period, your electric bill reflects the difference between the electricity you used and what your panels produced so you only pay for your net energy use.

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) represent the environmental benefits of producing electricity from renewable energy like wind or solar. For every unit of renewable electricity generated (usually one megawatt hour) a REC is created. These certificates can be sold or traded, allowing individuals, businesses, and utilities to claim the use of renewable energy even if the actual electricity they use comes from the grid. Buying RECs helps support clean energy production and proves that renewable power was added to the electric grid on your behalf. Through our green powered program and green municipal aggregation program, we supply RECs on behalf of individuals or municipalities.

Yes, solar panels can be recycled! There are a handful of solar panel components that can be recycled such as the glass, aluminum frame, copper wire, and plastic junction box (Solar Panel Recycling, EPA). Please note that solar recycling is currently a small but growing market. We recommend Solar Recycle as a great resource to find a way to recycle your solar system at the end of its lifespan.

Both Community Solar and Green Powered are opportunities for consumers to use renewable, clean energy. Community solar relies on energy generated by solar panels while Green Powered adds renewable energy to the power grid on the consumer’s behalf. Both are subscription models: community solar subscriptions are often to save money on one’s electric bill through energy generation, but the Green Powered subscription adds an additional cost to your electric bill to add additional renewable energy to the grid. Check out our community solar and green powered program  pages to learn more.

If you are a renter and/or unable to install solar panels at the property you reside in for whatever reason, participating in a community solar program may be the option for you. Check out our community solar page for more information.

Solar panels usually have a lifespan of about 25-35 years, so it is often recommended to install solar on a new or young roof. This is so that the panels do not have to be taken down prematurely to fix the roof. In the event that the solar does need to be removed, some installers will factor in a panel takedown as a part of the system’s warranty, but for the most part, it is advisable to do any and all necessary repairs or renovations to the roof prior to installing solar. If your roof is in good condition and younger than 10 years, you would be a viable candidate to have panels installed on your property.

If you are interested in learning more about the different incentives available for purchasing a solar system, check out our incentives & rebates page for more information.

A solar array’s average lifespan has been 20 years in the past, as it naturally degrades over time, but with recent advancements, it is probably closer to 25-30 years (End-of-Life Management for Solar Photovoltaics, DOE). Solar systems usually come with a warranty that guarantees it will continue to produce no less than 80% of the first year’s energy production in its 25th year.

A solar array’s average lifespan has been 20 years in the past, as it naturally degrades over time, but with recent advancements, it is probably closer to 25-30 years (End-of-Life Management for Solar Photovoltaics, DOE). Solar systems usually come with a warranty that guarantees it will continue to produce no less than 80% of the first year’s energy production in its 25th year.

Yes, but thankfully, solar systems should require little maintenance over the course of their lifetime. Most installers will have a monitoring system installed along with the panels themselves that will detect if there is anything wrong with the performance of the system. A drop in production could be a solar inverter issue, and that is usually what would require maintenance. Depending on the type, an inverter may need to be replaced around the 10-year mark. Aside from that, the panels themselves might need occasional cleaning to make sure leaves or debris aren’t obstructing the sun’s rays from penetrating the panels.