How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?

If you are like most home owners considering purchasing a solar panel system for your home, your main question is likely related to how much solar energy costs. The good news is that thanks to decreasing solar panel costs and improving solar technologies, the cost of a solar energy system is now more affordable than ever!

One of the common questions that we are asked about the cost of solar power goes something like this: “My home is XXXX square feet. How much does it cost to power it with solar?”

The short (and honest) answer is that it depends.

While it is correct to assume that the size of a home plays a role in how much it will cost to power it with solar, the bigger and more important factor relates to how energy efficient (or energy inefficient) the home is.

Take a few minutes to browse our residential solar install gallery and you will find that home owners install anywhere from four to forty solar panels to provide their homes with solar energy. Each solar powered home is unique in terms of overall size and level of energy efficiency, so it’s easy to see that there is no standard answer for the common question of how many panels a homeowner needs and the corresponding cost of these solar panels.

Through our Net Zero program we help home owners target energy efficiency and decrease a power bill as much as possible. Then, once we have improved efficiency and reduced a power bill, it does not take as many solar panels (or cost as much) to offset the remaining power bill.

The national average cost per watt is somewhere between $4 dollars and $7 dollars per watt for a turn-key solar panel system (all materials, labor, and installation). Generally, the cost per watt of a solar energy system decreases due to economies of scale when more solar panels in a system (and a higher overall wattage level) are purchased.

Incentives and rebates are available to bring down the cost of solar panels and a solar energy system installation. In the United States, a thirty percent federal tax credit is available on residential and commercial solar energy systems. Certain states have additional tax incentives that reduce the cost of solar panel installations even further. For example, individuals and businesses who purchase and install solar in North Carolina can recoup thirty-five percent of the total cost in addition to the thirty percent federal tax credit.

Finally, many utility providers offer rebates which cover a portion of the cost of a solar energy system. In Georgia certain utilities offer solar rebates up to $4,500 dollars! These solar rebates are often issued as credits on monthly power bills, but sometimes utilities will issue solar rebate checks (cash money) once a system has been installed and verified for safety.

Solar Energy USA is proud to be the largest residential solar company in Georgia. Going solar has never been this easy and affordable! Go SOLAR on your home for as little as $134 per month and add panels over time as your budget allows. Contact us now to schedule a FREE in-home consultation and learn how much it will cost to power your home with solar panels!