Solar Site Analysis Services

MREA Certified PV and Solar Hot Water Site Assessor

Get the facts on your solar resource!

Get the facts on your solar resource! A solar electric (PV) system or solar hot water system can be a big investment. A PV site analysis generally costs between $150 and $400 you may be eligible for funding up to 50%, to reduce the cost of your assessment, through your electric or natural gas utility. You will receive a thorough report in a timely manner. This report will take the guess work out of your decision making process and supply you with the information you need to make informed decisions. Your site analysis report will be the critical first step in your process of becoming energy independent.

If you are planning to install a PV system to generate electricity or a solar hot water system for your home, cabin, or new construction, your first step would be to have a through site analysis. Dave will come to your site for a discussion of your specific goals and needs, such as:

• Do you plan to be off-grid? (batteries would supply all your electric needs)
• Do you plan to be grid tied? (plug into your local electric utility, no batteries)
• Do you intend to have hybrid system? (grid tied, plus enough battery storage for critical loads i.e. lighting, refrigeration, well pump)
• If you are grid tied, how much of your electricity would you like your PV system to generate i.e. 25 percent of your total load, 50 percent, 100 percent?
• What are your domestic hot water needs?

You solar site analysis would include:

• Performing a comprehensive load analysis on your home to determine your electrical usage. An estimate would be used for new construction.
• Make energy saving recommendations. This is very important for every dollar you save on your electric loads you will save $3.00 to $5.00 on the cost of your PV system.
• Use the load analysis to determine your production requirements
• Use a solar path finder to determine your solar window and best PV array placement
• Determine best placement of balance of system i.e. inverter, batteries, subpanel, ect. This is usually near the homes load center (breaker box) generally the basement or utility room
• Determine system size and estimate cost

You will receive a through and detailed report in a timely manner. This report will be a critical first step in your process of becoming energy independent!

Contact us to schedule your Site Assessment!

Free Money!

30% cash back from the Federal government for solar electric (PV), solar hot water, and solar space heating, with no cap on the amount of cash back or system size. Example: $10,000 system, $3,000 cash back.

Cash back from Wisconsin Focus on Energy

Cash back rewards from Wisconsin Focus on Energy are determined by the amount of fossil fuel displaced by the system (electricity and natural gas). Cash back for solar hot water is $20.00 per therm up to $2500.00 up to 25% of total system cost. For solar electric systems (PV) cash back is a $1.50 per kwh/year up to $35,000 up to 25% total system cost. On a $10,000 system that can mean up to an additional $2500.00 cash back from Wisconsin Focus on Energy for your solar hot water or PV system.

Solar electric (PV) and solar hot water systems save you money and increase the value of your home without adding to your property tax burden. These systems are not taxable under Wisconsin law.

Everyone is eligible for the 30% Federal tax credit. Wisconsin Focus on Energy funds are only available if your utility participates in the Focus program. Call your electric provider and find out if they participate in the Focus on Energy program. If your utility does not participate in Wisconsin Focus on Energy find out why and lobby them to join. For more information on Wisconsin Focus on Energy click on our link page then click the Focus on Energy link.

Financial Payback Analysis

The most frequently asked question about PV and thermal hot water systems is “what’s the payback”? I ask “what’s the payback on your gas or electric water heater”? Sure the up-front costs are low but you have that monthly bill forever and it only goes up! There is no return on investment with gas or electric water heaters they only cost you more and more money every year. The return on investment for solar hot water is generally between 6% to 25%. When is the last time you saw those returns on your 401K? The real question should be “how does a solar hot water system affect my cash flow”? The below financial (cash flow) analysis is for a typically sized solar water heating system for a family of 4 in Northern Wisconsin. Assuming an 8% fuel cost escalation rate and 3% inflation. This system saves over $94,000 over its 40 year life, it’s all about cash flow!