RESOURCES
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about solar power? Here are the answers to the most common questions we get asked by our customers.
Solar Basics
With no moving parts and high quality manufacturing standards, solar PV systems are in a class of their own when it comes to durability. Our come with a 25-year performance warranty, and generally last much longer than that. The inverters, which convert energy from the Direct Current (DC) produced by the modules to the Alternating Current used on you property, generally have to be replaced after 20 years.
The first step towards installing solar is doing some research and getting a custom quote that takes into account your actual property location and features. The information we will need from you is:
1. Your annual usage in kWh or your monthly billing amount
2. The location that you’d like to install the solar PV array
3. If you’re interested in a roof mount, it also helps that we know the type of roofing (asphalt shingles, metal, etc), the year it was installed and the pitch (e.g. 4/12)
The more information we have, the more accurate our quote will be.
And most importantly, make sure to get solid answers on all your questions – solar PV is a long-term decision that will generally pay you back 3-4 times what you invested over a 25+ year period, but does require an up front investment. It’s important that you feel that you have been listened to and the company you work with will install a quality product designed to stand the test of time.
Trick question – there are no batteries for standard grid-tied solar PV installations. During the day, any excess electricity is sold back to the grid for credits. At night and in the winter months, you can use those credits to purchase electricity back from the grid. Batteries can of course be added to a system for those looking to have power backup in the case of emergencies.
There are actually 3 different warranties that provide reassurance you’ll be producing power for years to come:
1) Product Warranty – We offer panels with a minimum 10-year Product Warranty on materials and workmanship.
2) Performance Warranty – We only choose solar panels that guarantee they’ll produce a minimum 90% of the rated power after 10 years and 82% after 25 years.
3) Service Warranty If there are any labor-related defects from the installation process, we will repair them free of charge for 3 years after the date of installation.
Making an investment in solar is a personal decision, so only you can answer that. Some questions that you may want to ask yourself include:
- Am I concerned about rising power prices?
- Would I prefer to continue paying my power bills for the next 30 years, or own my own power production?
- Do I want to invest in my property and raise its market value?
- Am I concerned about carbon taxes? Do I want to lower my carbon footprint?
If the answer to a few of those questions is yes, then solar might be right for you. Of course, we here at EVOLVsolar will work hard to get you all the information you need to make the right decision.
System Production
After the first year, the solar modules lose about 0.5% of their efficiency every year because of contraction and expansion from changes in temperature, which we build into our projections. Given that the cost of electricity is projected to rise by 3% or more annually, you’ll still continue to save more money each year as the inflation will be higher than the production losses. To further protect your investment, we choose panel manufacturers who warranty that the modules will produce at least 83% of their rated power after 25 years.
Other factors at play include the rate you get paid for your power, whether there are financial incentives to go solar, and personal factors such as the environmental impact on your community.
As you would expect, shading a solar PV array for parts of the day will lower it’s expected production. During our quoting process, we take this into account by building a 3D model of your property in our custom software that allows us to model these losses and test different technologies out that might mitigate this impact. For instance, in cases with significant shading we recommend micro-inverters, which provide module-by-module optimization of production which can significantly cut down these losses.
1. Your annual usage in kWh or your monthly billing amount
2. The location that you’d like to install the solar PV array
3. If you’re interested in a roof mount, it also helps that we know the type of roofing (asphalt shingles, metal, etc), the year it was installed and the pitch (e.g. 4/12)
The more information we have, the more accurate our quote will be.
And most importantly, make sure to get solid answers on all your questions – solar PV is a long-term decision that will generally pay you back 3-4 times what you invested over a 25+ year period, but does require an up front investment. It’s important that you feel that you have been listened to and the company you work with will install a quality product designed to stand the test of time.
When you install solar at your property, your utility will install what’s known as a bi-directional meter. This meter measures energy going both ways – first, the energy coming from the grid to power your home, and second, the excess energy being produced by solar going onto the grid which will show up on your bill as credits.
While the “perfect” angle for solar is between 25 and 45 degrees facing South, as you can see in the chart below, you will still get great production at other angles, meaning solar still makes sense for many applications.
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