Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content
Home
    • Contact Panasonic
    • Save Page
    • Home
    • Green Living
    • Financial & Incentives
    • Home solar panels can get you a break on your power bill. Here’s how to reap the benefits.
    Back to Resource Center

    Home solar panels can get you a break on your power bill. Here’s how to reap the benefits.

    • Contact us
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Linkedin
      • Email
    installer - green living

    Home solar panels can get you a break on your power bill. Here’s how to reap the benefits.

    Marcia Heroux Pounds

    From net metering and working with your utility, to choosing the right solar panel manufacturer, this practical article explains how Florida homeowners are capitalizing on the abundant sunshine.

    Maybe you’ve seen the solar company ads: “No electric bill!”

    Well, that’s not quite true. But Florida Power & Light Co. customers who install solar panels on their homes can get rid of most of their monthly electric bill with the right system on their roof. And some 17,000 FPL customers have done so.

    Mark Lavallee, 50, was so happy with the solar panel system he added to his home in 2018 that he also installed solar panels on his office last year. He wanted to do what he could toward a “healthier” planet.

    “I am so filled with joy with my decision. I feel very responsible as a citizen, ” Lavallee said. He’s also happy with his $10 a month electric bill.

    But interested consumers should be aware that solar is a long-term and costly investment, upward of $20,000 for an average-sized house, experts say.

    Here are some considerations for the homeowner who wants to install solar:

    Is my house a good candidate for solar?

    A place to start your research on solar power is with the PVWatts Calculator at pvwatts.nrel.gov from the U.S. Department of Energy. After inputting your address, the calculator will show how much energy solar panels should produce. Then you can compare that with the kilowatts you use, which you can find on your FPL bill.

    Kaz Melians is the manager of FPL’s “net metering” program, which allows customers to connect their solar system to the grid.

    Working on the monthly budget

    FPL installs a special meter on the property that captures the energy going to and from the grid. Excess energy can be sold back to FPL and is credited on future electric bills, lowering the customer’s overall for electricity.

    “Whatever excess you have, we bank it for the next month. It’s like rollover minutes in cellular world,” Melians said.

    The average-size solar system for a home is 8 kilowatts, or 8,000 watts of electricity, according to FPL. For this “Tier One” system, homeowners only need to obtain a city or county permit, enroll in FPL’s net metering program and sign an interconnection agreement with the utility to participate.

    Larger homes do require a bigger solar panel system. A so-called Tier Two system has a $400 application fee, and homeowners must carry a $1 million general liability insurance policy, according to FPL.

    FPL customers in the net-metering program pay the basic service charge of $8.28 a month, as well as 9 cents to 11 cents a kilowatt for any power they use from the grid. If your solar system provides 100 percent of power uses by your home, you’ll only pay the service charge.

    FPL customers can apply for the net metering program at fpl.com/netmetering.

    Why do I need FPL to go solar?

    South Florida homeowners need FPL’s net-metering program to buy and sell power to the grid. Florida law doesn’t allow consumers to buy energy from a third party.

    FPL says its net-metering program requires the solar system be inspected and permitted by the city or county to ensure it meets electrical and wind codes.

    Sherri Shields, spokeswoman for the Florida Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida, said consumers should do their homework before buying a system. “You need to know how much energy you use so you know how big of system you need so a salesman doesn’t sell you a system that’s exorbitant.”

    Gated community houses with palms, South Florida

    “Unless you have a lot of roof space, you’re not going to be producing as much energy as you consume,” she said. But "the goal is not to overproduce energy, because then you’re just giving it to the power company.”

    Consumers can find more tips on the Florida Solar Energy Center site, energyresearch.ucf.edu.

    Ed Strobel is an electrical engineer whose Sunshine Solar Services has completed more than 200 solar installations in Broward County alone. He recommends buying brand-name solar panels, such as Panasonic, Hyundai or Hanwha’s Q-Cell -- companies that are likely to be in business for the decades to come.

    How much power can I expect my solar panels to generate?

    FPL’s net-metering customers generate power by day with their solar systems and draw power by night from the grid. Peak months for generating solar power are March through June, experts say. During the summer, many homeowners are using more air conditioning and consume more power.

    Power generation also depends on the direction your solar panels are facing, trees and other shade near your home, and the weather.

    FPL’s Melians said in Florida, solar panels on a roof facing south are best. "If your roof faces north, you get almost no benefit,” he said. Shields said that east-and-west facing roofs also can be used, but will produce less energy. Most experts agree that north-facing roofs should not be used.

    Shade is the enemy. Melians reminds homeowners to keep trees trimmed near their roof to maximize solar production.

    “You might want to change out your roof before you install solar,” Melians said. Solar panels are generally warrantied for 25 years, but check the fine print on leaks and repairs.

    Stroebel said when installing solar panels, it’s best to stay about 2 feet to 4 feet away from the roof’s edges to keep solar panels protected in hurricane winds. He said the solar panels need a racking system that meet the county’s wind codes, which can be up to 180 mph in South Florida.

    Smiling couple analyzing their financial reports on a meeting with insurance agent.

    How much does a solar system cost?

    Solar systems are custom built, so the cost depends on the quality of the solar panels, how many are needed, and the racking systems used to hold them down.

    John Smirnow, general counsel and vice president of market strategy for Solar Energy Industries Association in Washington, D.C, said prices for solar panels have been dropping so more consumers are buying the systems, rather than leasing. He said a good estimate for consumers shopping around is $2.80 to $3 a watt, or unit of power, according to the national association’s market research. A 7,000-watt system, for example, might cost about $21,000.

    Homeowner Lavallee said he paid more than $20,000 for his system. He used to have an FPL bill of about $250 in the summer and $100 in the winter for his 2,500-square-foot home under air conditioning.

    With solar, his bill is about $120 a year, and he expects his system to pay for itself from what he’s saving, in about seven years.

    Solar system purchasers can still deduct 26 percent of the cost of their system in 2020 off their federal taxes. That’s down from 30 percent a year ago, but the tax credit drops to 22 percent and ends in 2021.

    For consumers who don’t have thousands of dollars to invest in buying a system, there are a growing number of lease options in Florida.

    But before signing a 20-to-25-year lease, check for consumer complaints against any solar contractor or leasing company with the Better Business Bureau and other consumer protection agencies. Consumer complaints against solar lease companies now operating in Florida show national complaints of high-pressure sales pitches, slow activation of the solar system after it was installed, and poor technical support.

    Another caution on leasing or buying, depending on whether you finance the system: before you sell your house, you will have to pay off a lease or loan. While some potential buyers may see the solar panels as an asset, others may not.

    ___

    (c)2020 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

    Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com

    Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

     

    This article is written by Marcia Heroux Pounds from Sun Sentinel and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

    Related Posts

    Businesswomen discussing by table in office
    Financial & Incentives

    How to accelerate solar adoption for the underserved

    As solar panels have become more affordable, there's no reason home solar has to be exclusive to upper income households.
    Learn more
    Caucasian family sitting in a teepee, reading stories with the flashlight in dark room with toys and pillows. Caucasian models. Home comfort, family, love, Christmas holidays, storytelling time.
    Homeowner Insights

    How Homeowners Can Prepare For Rolling Blackouts

    Common questions and answers about rolling blackouts and solar-powered homes.
    Learn more
    Older female farmer with granddaughter
    Sustainability & Environment

    Mayors unveil $60B plan to support Midwest energy transition

    As fossil fuel use continues to decline, Midwest officials want to build on the green movement foundation.
    Learn more
    Buildings & Roof Tops Of Bisbee, Arizona
    Trends & Technology

    A $100 million investment will fund the largest ‘virtual power plant’ in the U.S.

    Combining innovative thinking and technology, companies are redefining how energy can be saved, re-distributed and consumed more efficiently.
    Learn more
    Brush Fire Threatening Homes
    Trends & Technology

    Why are Home Batteries Becoming so Popular?

    More homeowners are choosing to install battery storage. Here are the reasons behind the growth.
    Learn more
    Happy mother talking to her baby while working at home. unpublished
    Financial & Incentives

    Financing Renewable Energy: It's Easier Than You Think

    As demand for home batteries surges, new financing options provide greater flexibility for homeowners.
    Learn more
    Foreman shows house design plans
    Homeowner Insights

    What to Expect During Your Solar Panel Installation

    Expert installers: Here's how we prepare your home for a successful solar installation.
    Learn more
    electric meter resize
    Homeowner Insights

    The Sun Is Shining and Your Meter Is Running Backwards

    When your solar panels generate more power than you consume, the utility company pays you for the surplus.
    Learn more
    woman at home using computer
    Homeowner Insights

    Home batteries keep you powered-up when the power goes out

    With more people working from home, maintaining an uninterrupted power supply is important for both work and play.
    Learn more
    A father and his children having their breakfast at home
    Financial & Incentives

    Here’s how much it would cost to move every home in the U.S. to zero-carbon energy

    Is it feasible to power every American household with emissions-free renewable energy?
    Learn more
    hand out to the sky
    Homeowner Insights

    Misconceptions About Solar Power

    Breaking down the fact and fiction of investing in a home solar system.
    Learn more
    Group of friends sitting in backyard on sunny summer evening
    Financial & Incentives

    Home Solar Incentives To Take Advantage of in 2020

    Thanks to generous federal and state tax credits, you can reduce your carbon footprint and your utility bill at the same time
    Learn more
    Back to Trends
     

    Thank you for your submission. A Panasonic representative will contact you.

    • About Us
    • News
    • Careers
    • Investor Relations
    • Social Impact
    • Contact Us
    • Do Not Sell My Data

    Get the Latest on Panasonic Trends

    Thanks for signing up!

    Connect with us

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Linkedin
    • Instagram Link
    • Youtube

    Select Country/Language

    • United States - English
    • Canada - English
    • Canada - Français
    © 2020 Panasonic Corporation of North America. All Rights Reserved.
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms
    • Panasonic Global
    • Consumer
    • Industrial
    Reviewed by Accessible 360
    Reviewed by Accessible 360