Multiple factors impact how much electricity your PV system will produce and will determine whether solar makes sense for you. Not all solar panels are manufactured the same way and different vendors use different panels. Higher-quality solar panels are often more efficient and more costly. There are also multiple environmental factors that influence the efficiency of your solar panels. The largest factors are shade, the pitch of your roof, the angle of installation, and the general climate. Solar panels should be placed in a location that optimizes their efficiency. The vendor’s installation expert should identify the best location to install your PV system and estimate how much electricity it will produce. You can consult them to address any aesthetic concerns and tradeoffs.
Just like buying a car, there are multiple ways to finance a PV system. Outright ownership usually has the highest return on investment, but it involves paying for your system upfront. Solar Loans have the same basic structure, terms, and conditions as other home improvement loans and are an option if you want to own the system but need to finance the upfront cost. These financing options qualify homeowners for financial incentives like the federal investment tax credit (ITC). Some vendors may offer 3rd party financing structures such as a Solar Lease or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), but these options are usually more costly. It is important to understand all available options and their tradeoffs before deciding.
Residential solar systems have four key features: solar panels, an inverter, a metering system, and the utility grid.
Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panels convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity and can be installed on either rooftops or the ground. An inverter converts the DC electricity into useable alternating current (AC) electricity to power your home. Our metering system will record the amount of kWh(energy) you consume from Cimarron Electric and the amount of kWh you produce that is pushed onto the Cimarron Electric grid. The Utility Grid provides power to the inverter and power to the home not produced by the solar panel.
Keep in mind that solar panels will not be able to provide your home with electricity during a power outage unless you have a battery.
Please note, this contact form is not a way to report your outage. Click here to explore the different ways that you can report your outage.
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