POWERHOME Solar

  POWERHOME Solar & Roofing is the leading solar energy provider in Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. With our easy 1-2-3 step system, we help homeowners switch to solar energy. POWERHOME Solar & Roofing is a proud American company using American-made solar panels. Together we are building a movement, one solar panel at a time, helping people own their power.  

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What’s Happening to the Federal Solar Tax Credit in 2020?

Do you know when the 30% Solar Investment Tax Credit expires? If you don't, you could lose out on an important incentive.

Solar power is one of the most popular renewable energy sources on the market today. That’s because there is the capacity for solar power in every state in the nation. The U.S. has a long history of grappling with the idea of making renewable energy a main source of power for homes. Various solar incentives have been offered through the years, and one of the most important is the federal solar tax credit, also known as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), available on solar panel installations.

Over the last nine years, about 33% of solar power capacity in the U.S. has been installed in December. And that trend is likely to continue, as it is expected that many homeowners will switch to solar in the last quarter.

Currently at 30% of the cost of your solar system, the ITC changes at the end of 2019. Homeowners who wait too long to switch to solar power could lose out on an important solar incentive.

What Is the Solar Investment Tax Credit?

The solar ITC is a tax incentive that allows you to claim a percentage of the cost of your solar system on your taxes.

In order to claim the solar ITC, there are two requirements. You must own your solar system. It can be purchased outright or financed through a solar loan. Leased solar power is not eligible for the solar ITC. And you must have income tax liability, since this is a tax credit, which means it is a credit toward the income taxes that you pay.

While it is tempting to lease your solar panels to save money, if you do, the solar panel company is the one who qualifies for the 30% solar ITC, not you. However, if you buy your solar panels by taking out a loan, you’ll get the tax credit and benefit from lower energy bills.

The credit does not need to be claimed in one year. If the tax credit is more than the amount of taxes you pay, you can roll over the remainder to future years for however long the tax credit is in effect. This tax credit has been a motivating factor for homeowners since 2005. The expiration date of the incentive has been extended two times by the federal government. When it was extended in 2016, a step-down was added. This step-down gradually reduces and eventually eliminates the credit for homeowners.

Solar ITC Step-Down Schedule

While 2019 is the last year the full 30% ITC will be available (unless another extension is passed), it is not disappearing right away. Here is the full ITC step-down schedule:

2019: Solar ITC at 30% until the end of the year for residential and commercial solar panel installations

2020: Solar ITC reduced to 26% for residential and commercial solar panel installations

2021: Solar ITC reduced to 22% for residential and commercial solar panel installations

2022: Solar ITC no longer available for residential solar panel installations. Commercial solar panel installations can get a 10% tax credit.

How to Get the Highest Possible Solar ITC

To claim the 30% solar ITC for 2019, your solar panels must be fully installed in 2019. This will ensure that you are eligible to claim the tax credit on your 2019 taxes.

But that doesn’t mean you should wait to get the ball rolling. December may seem like a long time from now, but it will be bearing down on you before you know it. And it’s likely that there will be an end-of-year rush of solar panel projects that could cause a backlog. Even more so, as people begin to realize the urgency of getting solar panels before the close of 2019, solar panel installers will soon be very busy.

Although solar panels can be installed fairly quickly, financial approval, permitting, utility approval, and other factors can slow down the process. To be on the safe side, begin your research and choose your solar panel installation company as early as you can. That way you’ll be sure to get all of the 30% solar ITC.

What’s the Difference between 30% and 26%?

The solar ITC is applied to your solar panel system's gross cost. An example of the difference between a 30% credit and a 26% credit for a $27,000 9 kW solar panel system.

Solar ITC difference in 2019 vs 2020 for 9 kW solar panel project

Year 2019

Gross Cost: $27,000

ITC 30%: $8,100

Net Cost: $18,900

Year 2020

Gross Cost: $27,000

ITC 26%: $7,020

Net Cost: $19,980

Waiting even a month into 2020 can cost you $1,080 compared to getting it done before the end of December 2020. Be sure to keep meticulous records and keep receipts. Here are some of the things you can claim:

Solar consulting fees

Solar panels and other equipment

Engineer and electrician fees

Hardware such as screws, wiring, nails, etc.

Permitting service costs and fees

The difference between 30% and 26% may not seem like much until you do the math. Once you have your solar panel system installed and are ready to claim your tax credit, consult your tax preparer to make sure everything is in order.

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What to Consider When Designing a Solar Power System?

What does it take to design a solar power system? Here’s an in-depth look at how solar power experts design solar power systems.

When you head down the path of switching to solar power, one of the first things you may wonder about is how solar installers design a solar panel system. Designing a solar panel system is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Solar experts take into consideration many factors and data points when determining the right size system for your home. Here’s an in-depth look at how solar power experts design solar power systems.

Factors to Consider when Designing a Solar System

When designing a solar power system, solar power experts consider many factors, but these two are the most important. First, they will need to know the amount of roof space available for the installation of solar panels, and then they will need to know how much electricity you use each year. Other factors to consider include how much shade your property gets, and the efficiency of the solar panels and inverters being used.

How Roof Space Affects Solar Power System Design

Most homeowners install rooftop solar panels, so one of the most important things to consider is how much usable roof space is available. This will ultimately determine the number of solar panels that can be installed. The sizes of solar panels can vary, but most are 16 square feet and rectangular in shape. The panels are attached to a racking system that's installed on your roof.

Although most solar panel systems are laid out in rows, there may be other items competing for roof space, such as chimneys, dormers and vents. This will make a difference in the layout and how many panels can be installed on your roof. Your solar panel installer will let you know which of these features are insurmountable.

How Electricity Use Affects Solar Power System Design

The goal of most homeowners is to offset 100% of their annual power bill with solar power, so solar power experts usually ask for 12 months of electric bills to determine that number. This gives them a complete picture of your energy use and helps them determine the amount of energy your solar system will need to generate to fit your needs. The optimal size of your solar panel system will vary depending on where you live and your roof profile.

If you live in a place that gets a lot of sunlight, your solar panels will be able to generate more power. This doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of solar energy if you live in a cloudy climate. Even in Alaska, where the sun rarely makes an appearance during the winter, solar power works better than you might think.

How Shading Affects Solar Power System Design

Most rooftops have some shading, whether from neighboring trees, nearby buildings or large chimneys. In order to maximize the performance of solar systems, solar panel experts may decide not to install panels in these shaded areas. They will factor in whether the shady area gets enough peak sunlight. For example, if you have a south-facing roof, your solar panels will create more energy than solar panels on a north-facing roof, or a roof that is heavily shaded. The roof orientation is critical to the design of a solar panel system, because figuring how much sun your roof gets is a big part of the solar system’s design.

When a solar expert visits your home to collect critical information needed to develop an optimal system design, they will assess the structural strength of your home’s roof, the condition of the electrical system, and how the shading will affect your system’s efficiency. These factors play a role in estimating your solar system’s performance, so a solar expert will factor them all in when designing a solar power system for your home.

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Successful Solar | Homeowners Leading the Revolution

With major companies such as Apple, Facebook and Target going solar, it should come as no surprise that the U.S. has added more solar power than any other source of electricity in 2018. In fact, solar accounted for 55% of all new electricity generation in the first quarter of 2018.

This shows that the popularity of solar power is growing and that it's becoming the common-sense option for much of the U.S. But it is not only big corporations that are leading the solar revolution. Many homeowners have chosen to go solar.

Miami homeowner prepares for hurricanes with solar power

A champion of green living and solar energy, Philip Stoddard took his solar panel system on a trial run to see how it would perform during a long-term power outage. Stoddard wanted to see if his solar panels and battery storage would last during the power outages experienced during the hurricanes that regularly hit South Florida.

In addition to testing the system for a real-life scenario, Stoddard, mayor of South Miami, wanted to demonstrate to skeptics that the technology works. And as a Florida International University professor of biological sciences, he wanted to know if his solar panels and battery storage system could pass the sustainability test.

That’s why, one Saturday morning in March, Stoddard turned off the main power switch and, for the next seven days, ran his home entirely on solar power. All appliances, central air conditioning, lights, TV, and computers were fully functional without a hiccup. The family even charged their electric car without running out of power.

The only thing Stoddard did differently was he kept “monitoring the power situation a little more obsessively.” Rather than use the power surplus he gets from the net-metering program from his power company, Stoddard relied on his system to make it through. The main challenge of the week was laundry day, which occurred on a cloudy day. But, Stoddard's system was more than up to the task, and passed with flying colors.

Thanks to his rooftop solar panels, Stoddard’s average electric bill is $9.56 a month. He took advantage of the 30% federal tax credit to reduce the cost and began saving on his energy bill.

Solar power works for Michigan homeowners

Looking to save money and invest in their home, the Weeks family, homeowners in Michigan, decided that solar power was the way to go. Ed Weeks, a volunteer fireman and GM employee, and his wife Wendy, a hairdresser who runs a salon out of their home, were enticed by the fact that they could own the power they produced. And that, once their solar panel system was paid off, they’d basically be getting free energy.

After Ed Weeks’ brush with cancer, the couple puts a premium on things with enduring value. Cancer treatment kept Ed out of work for a month, and although he is currently cancer-free, he is now in a high-risk category for recurrence. Switching to solar power gives the Weeks family the opportunity to own all the power they generate, instead of paying the power company for that energy.

Many consumers in Michigan think that solar is a no-go in a state that gets an average of 4.1 hours of peak sunlight. These are just a few of the solar myths in Michigan. But the Weekses know that 4.1 hours of peak sunlight is enough to power their home, and that their solar panels still produce power even on cloudy days, and even in winter. 

Another common concern is the look of rooftop solar panels. Since the placement of solar panels is important, many people wonder how their home will look if they need to put solar panels on the front where they are easily visible. For the Weeks family to achieve the southern exposure needed to get the most out of their solar panels, they had to be installed on the front and a side that faces west.

The Weekses are pleased with their new sleek, black solar panels that “don’t stick out.” And that “there is no maintenance.” The high price of power in the state of Michigan makes solar power increasingly attractive. To understand the benefit of solar panels is to understand the benefit of paying yourself.

Saving money and helping the environment are two of the main reasons homeowners are turning to solar power. While governments have lofty and admirable goals for creating a renewable energy future, it is homeowners like the Stoddards and the Weekses who are on the leading edge of the solar revolution.

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Is It Possible to Power an Entire House with Solar Energy?

Installing rooftop solar panels is a great investment. But can you power your entire house with solar? Find out what it takes.

Whether you want to go green or just want to lower your energy bill, installing rooftop solar panels is a great investment. But if you are one of those people who wants to take it a step further, you may be wondering if it is possible to power an entire house with solar energy. The short answer is yes, it is possible. The longer answer is that going completely solar requires precise calculations and careful planning to ensure you take the right steps.

Calculate your power usage

You need this step regardless of whether you are planning to go completely solar or just hoping to save on your energy bill. You need to figure out how much energy you are using. The average U.S. home uses approximately 10,399 kWh of electricity a year. But this number can vary depending on factors such as how much air conditioning or heating you use, whether you leave electronics on all day, if your appliances are energy efficient, and if you're powering “big ticket items” such as an electric car. You can calculate how much energy you use from your electric bills.

Once you know how much energy you use on a regular basis, you can figure out how many solar panels you need to supply enough energy to power your home for a year.

For example, a small house in a relatively mild climate might use approximately 500 kWh a month, which is about 6,000 kWh a year. A larger home in a location with warmer weather where the air conditioner is used more often could use up to 2,000 kWH a month, approximately 24,000 kWH a year.

Save the sunshine for later

However, generating solar power is not the only issue. With solar panels on your roof, you are constantly generating solar power for your house to use. In fact, your panels are usually creating more energy than your house can use on any given day. It is storage that is the issue.

So, while your panels may be generating plenty of power during the day, they are not generating power at night. This is why most home rooftop solar panel systems are connected to the grid. The excess solar power generated by your panels will be fed back into the grid, and you take energy from the grid during the evening to power your home.

This is where battery storage comes in. With the right amount of battery storage, you can generate enough energy during peak hours and save it for use later when the sun has set.

Why do people choose to go completely solar?

There are two main reasons people choose to power their entire house with solar energy. If you live in a remote area and your home is not near the power grid, a stand-alone solar panel system may be a necessity. It can be more cost effective than running a power line over a long distance. Alternatively, you may wish to show your energy independence or demonstrate your environmental values by going completely solar. No matter the reason, most homeowners who choose this route combine energy-saving technology and lifestyle choices with a stand-alone system.

For those of us who don't choose a stand-alone system, installing solar panels and feeding your excess solar power back into the grid for credit is the way to go.

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How to Qualify for Solar Panels

With more and more homeowners making the switch to solar energy, it's common to feel a little envious. So, you've probably started looking into the different ways you can get solar panels for your home as well.

If you've seen any of the websites out there, you've probably seen the words "see if your home qualifies" a lot. Wouldn't yours qualify if you have the money to pay up front for the solar energy system? Well, it's much more complicated than that, and your home has to qualify for solar panels before you can move on with the process.

Starting with: What's Considered?

Believe it or not, many elements come into play when you want to get solar panels. The first one? Your finances. Unless you're planning to pay for your solar energy system up front, you most likely will have to apply for a solar loan, one that's very similar to a car loan. If you don't qualify for the solar loan, then you'll have to look at different alternatives to pay for the system.

Also, you need to check for anything that can prohibit you from going solar. For example, to get a solar loan, you must prove homeownership. In some communities, the homeowners association prohibits solar panel installations, or limits where they can be placed. If you live in a condo, you might not be the right candidate for solar panels either. All of these questions can be answered over the phone when you talk to a solar adviser.

Secondly: Details about Your Home

Beyond your initial considerations, what truly qualifies you for solar panels are your home's details. The shape of the roof, the amount of shading your home receives from any trees nearby, and so on. Below are some of the questions a solar expert will probably ask about your home.

Which Way Does Your Roof Slant?

Ideally, you want your panels to be south-facing to benefit the most from solar. If not, you want to place panels on west- or east-facing roof surfaces for the next-best levels of productivity. However, if you want panels on a north-facing part of your roof, know that you'd be disappointed in the amount of solar production. Solar will not work well on north-facing parts of your roof.

Is Your Roof Shaded?

In a perfect world, the sun hits your panels for at least five hours a day. If you have trees or other buildings blocking the sunlight, that's a problem. You'll want to see how you can get around these issues.

How Big Is Your Roof?

You need at least 100 square feet of area per kilowatt of solar system. However, your solar system size will depend on your energy needs, so make sure to be clear about them before proceeding with the installation process.

What Type of Roofing Do You Have?

The best roofs for solar systems are the ones with shingles or corrugated metal. The solar company you consult with will have more information about which roof surfaces they can work on.

How Old Is Your Roof?

Solar systems have a lifespan of at least 25 to 30 years. That means ideally, your roof should have as many years as your solar system when you install it. Otherwise, you'll have to remove the system when you replace it. It might be a good idea to replace your roof at the same time you plan to install your solar panels.

These are just some of the questions that help solar experts qualify homeowners for a brand new solar system. However, you should contact a company that takes a more personalized approach, as this will help take the guesswork out of qualifying.

Finally: Find Answers from Solar Experts

In the end, the best and only way to determine if your home qualifies for solar panels is by scheduling an on-site solar consultation. During this time, a solar expert will look at every aspect of your home, your family's energy needs, your financial records, and everything they need to qualify you and your home for a brand new solar system.

Don't worry if your home doesn't seem like the ideal house for solar panels based on what you read elsewhere. There are many ways to benefit from solar panels. Maybe your roof is not the best option for a solar array, but you can still benefit from having a ground-mounted solar array in your backyard.

Before you go ahead and auto-disqualify your home for solar panels, take a second and call an expert. They should be the ones to analyze the requirements and ideal environments for solar panels. In most cases, your home will qualify.

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What is the Amount of Energy Stored in Solar Panels?

Power output or wattage is one of the most important factors to consider when looking at different solar panel options. Most solar panels in the market today produce between 250 to 400 watts. However, many things come into play, from the materials used to build the solar panel to the actual size of the solar panel itself.

How Much Energy Can Solar Panels Produce?

Solar panel wattage represents the panel’s power production under ideal sunlight and weather conditions. To calculate wattage, you must multiply volts times amps, where volts represent the amount of force of the electricity and amps refer to the flow of the current used.

This solar technology has come a long way since the first solar cells produced in 1954 had an efficiency of 6 percent. Move ahead to 2015, and solar panels were able to operate at an 18% efficiency rate. The top panels in 2019 have an efficiency of over 22%. With rising efficiency, solar panels can produce more wattage than ever before with the same amount of space used as before, and even in the 20% efficiency range, that is plenty enough efficient to power your home.

As you can see, solar panels have reached an efficiency peak, though limits are being pushed. As of 2017, a group of U.S. scientists developed a prototype for a solar cell capable of achieving 44.5% efficiency. This all points to a brighter future with solar energy.

Can Solar Panels Store Energy?

In essence, they can’t. The photovoltaic cells that compose most of a solar panel are not designed to store energy. They are, however, intended to capture solar energy and convert it to DC energy or usable energy through the solar panel inverter. Since solar panels themselves can’t store solar energy, manufacturers have designed solar batteries to help users save excess energy.

The typical solar system includes solar panels, an inverter, and equipment to mount the panels. However, the home is still connected to the grid, and the excess energy produced by your solar panels is sent back to the grid, which is why you have an energy credit on your electric bill at the end of the month. Those who don’t want to stay on the grid or count on net metering to receive credit for their excess energy can opt for solar batteries to store their solar energy production.

Solar batteries can store the excess energy instead of sending it back to the grid. The excess power your solar panels produce goes to the battery so you can tap into it later, when your panels are not producing any energy – at night, for example. Solar batteries also work as a short-term backup power option if there’s a power outage in your area.

The Future of Solar Panels and Battery Storage

Battery storage for solar energy has come a long way since its modest beginnings. Many believe that at one point, solar systems will have battery storage incorporated. In the meantime, the combination of highly-efficient solar panels and outstanding solar battery storage solutions seem to be the future of this exciting way of producing clean energy.

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POWERHOME Solar to develop PV project at Carolina Panthers’ NFL stadium

Carolinas-based energy provider POWERHOME Solar is set to install PV panels at Bank of America Stadium, the home of the Carolina Panthers of the Natio

Our NFL Partnership being featured.

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Power Home is a residential and commercial solar energy company that consistently innovates in designing, operating, financing, and installing solar systems.

POWERHOME Solar & Roofing is an American company headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina. As the leading solar provider in Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, POWERHOME Solar continues to build the solar energy revolution by providing its customers with solar energy solutions at affordable prices. 

Also, POWERHOME Solar proudly uses only American-made solar panels, providing an investment in our beautiful country. The company's mission is to help homeowners switch to owning their power by using renewable, clean and affordable solar energy that not only helps them save money on utility bills, but helps preserve the environment for future generations. Learn more about POWERHOME Solar by reading the company's About Us page.

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Residential solar panel systems designed to offset your utility costs. POWERHOME handles all of the installation and let's you start generating your own power today!

Are you considering switching to solar energy? 

POWERHOME Solar & Roofing is the leading residential company in Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. 

Following a simple 1-2-3 system, you can see if you and your home qualify for solar panels installation. Learn how solar energy works and how you can start saving on electricity with our $0 down and 100% financing plans. 

With advanced technology, and solar panels featuring unrivaled performance and superior aesthetics, residential solar panels are one step closer to reality at your home thanks to POWERHOME Solar. Learn more about the residential solar energy program today.