17 Best Solar Companies in Fresno, CA (Feb 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Fresno

Solar panels are powered by a free energy source — the sun — but before you can take advantage of this you first need to pay to set up your system. There are a few factors you should take into consideration when determining the overall cost and how much you can save, including:

• Your city: This affects how much sunlight your roof receives, which helps determine how many panels you need.
• How much energy costs for you: The average family in Fresno spends around $1,100 a year on energy use alone, so you could gain that much in savings.
• Choice of solar panels: The kind of solar panels you need will affect your total cost. High-efficiency monocrystalline panels will cost more upfront but can also save you more money over the lifetime of your system. If you don't need to maximize efficiency, you can go with a higher number of more affordable panels.
• Incentives: The federal solar investment tax credit currently allows you to reduce your taxes by 30% of the project cost. Your state and even local utility companies may also have incentives and rebates that you can use. Additionally, you can save about $34,000 over 20 years on your utility bills, before factoring in incentives.

So are solar panels worth it? Whether you're trying to lower your energy bills, carbon emissions or both, solar panels are a worthwhile investment for many Fresno homeowners.

Solar Incentives in Fresno

If you're thinking about switching to solar energy, various government incentives and solar rebates can dramatically bring down the cost of the project and speed up the return on your investment. State and city solar incentive programs depend on the location and, sometimes, utility company. A lot of states offer rebates for home solar power systems, in addition to the federal solar tax credit. In our article on solar incentives, you can read about the incentives you qualify for near you.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Fresno

Many want to do what they can to help the planet, which often is the main reason for installing a solar system. Something many homeowners might be asking themselves is how much can they really help preserve the environment by going solar anyway? One thing you should keep in mind is your overall carbon footprint. For example, if you spend a lot of time on the road and have an electric vehicle, you can install solar panels on your home to power your EV and therefore help offset your carbon emissions. After you go solar, your carbon footprint can be reduced by about 50 pounds a year. The benefits of solar power are plentiful — just like solar power is! That's why so many people have been happy with making the switch to solar.