Solar electricity is not only ecologically beneficial but practical and economical today. In times of volatile energy markets and the ever-increasing production costs and continued pollution produced by traditional power plants, installations of residential and commercial photovoltaic systems (PV) are advancing at double-digit rates every year. With the current reduction on module prices, the Federal Government offering a full 30% IRS investment tax credit and the Florida Public Services Commission mandating “net metering” the picture is clear. PV is the wisest and most intelligent choice ecologically and economically, both for now, and for the future.

Photovoltaic systems capture the sun’s energy from “photons” produced by the sun. Photovoltaic material, usually semi-conductor grade silicon that is manufactured into a panel converts sunlight directly into electricity. Sunlight strikes the array (a group of panels numbered proportionally to the overall system) and electrons are dislodged creating an electrical current that is harnessed for use in your home or business or transferred to your utility company if there is insufficient “load” to utilize the electricity created by your system. Don’t worry, the utility company must return to you any power supplied by a privately owned system, dollar for dollar, at no charge. This is called being “grid tied” with your utility company and the exchange of power is referred to as “net metering”. Your utility company will cooperate with this arrangement as it is the law in Florida and it is required in order to receive the state financial incentives. This is a good thing as you will be helping to reduce the “load” on the overall utility system thus reducing the need to build additional power plants and reducing pollution from existing power plants as they will need to run less. Further, the utility grid has become your “battery bank” storing your excess energy for you and returning it to you when you need it, all at no cost to you, a good deal for everyone. It’s like owing your own micro-power plant!

Energy for life!

Once installed photovoltaic systems are virtually maintenance free and last a very long time. In fact most photovoltaic panel manufactures warrant their panels’ performance for twenty to twenty-five years and the expected practical life of a photovoltaic system is forty years. Most systems are solid state and have no moving parts to fail. These systems meet code requirements for hurricanes in our area and will take large hailstones or a baseball thrown very hard. These panels are tough and rugged and long lasting. They can withstand severe weather, including extreme heat.

Value that only increases over time!

The added value of these systems to your home’s equity is the value of the offset in energy expense they displace, over time, divided by a capitalization rate, less depreciation, as the cost of the system is fixed for the life of the system. As an example, for every dollars worth of electricity your system generates the added value to your home or business will increase by a factor of twelve to twenty dollars according to the prevailing utility rates in your service area. The cost of the energy displaced by your photovoltaic system will inflate every year. Therefore, when utility rates double the value of the energy displaced by your photovoltaic system doubles and the return on your investment in your photovoltaic system doubles, less depreciation. The value your system adds to the value of your home or business also doubles less depreciation. Photovoltaic systems, over the warranty period and the life of the system, currently have the largest after tax dollar return on investment of all solar appliances or any other investment known to us, for that matter.

Solar energy is tax free!

Remember, you pay your electric bill in after tax dollars, so you must pay your income taxes before you can pay your utility bill. Energy from the sun is tax-free. There are no sales taxes on solar products and the value the system adds to your home cannot be included in the property tax appraisal in calculating your property taxes.

State and Federal financial incentives make photovoltaic more affordable than ever!

The combination of severe reductions in module cost and the IRS investment tax credit of 30% has reduced the out of pocket cost of a Photovoltaic system to it’s lowest cost ever. This is the result of changes in Federal Tax law, which removed the maximum allowable credit while the Florida State Rebate has exceeded its benefit. In our opinion this financial picture will change when the current Florida State legislation ends this state fiscal year.

We have the environment for solar energy production!

The motto of the State of Florida says it all; we are truly “The Sunshine State”. There are only a very few areas in the Southwestern United States that get more usable sunlight per day than south Florida. Every photovoltaic system is dependent on its environment. Florida receives about 15% to 20% more energy from the sun than say the midwest or northeast United States. Further, do not be concerned by deed restrictions or community covenants as these restrictions cannot, by Florida Statute, be used to restrict the implementation of renewable energy sources.

Hurricane preparedness!

An Additional benefit for a photovoltaic system is that, with an optional battery bank, it can be used as an emergence power source in the event of a power outage such as a hurricane. While it is unlikely that you will be able to live in your home as you do when the utility power is operational, you will be able to do almost all daily functions and without a loud, smelly, undependable, gas burning generator that you operate intermittently. Under the worst of circumstances, you may do without any power whatsoever for days, maybe weeks. What happens if the gas stations can’t pump gas, or gas is unavailable for whatever reason? With a proper battery backup system and good management of your household electrical loads, you would be able to live comfortably.