18 Best Solar Companies in Riverbank, CA (Mar 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Riverbank

Solar panels are powered by a free energy source — the sun — but to take advantage of this you first need to pay to set up your panels. Some important things that impact how much it will cost and how much you could save include:

• How much energy you use: If your family uses a lot of energy, you'll benefit more from installing solar panels.
• Incentives: Along with the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a tax credit currently worth 30% of your total installation cost, your state or local government may offer additional tax exemptions, credits or rebates that can help you save even more. Not including incentives, you can save an average of $33,000 over 20 years with your system, too.
• Your location: This influences how much sunlight your roof receives, which helps determine how many panels you need.
• System size and type: Some models are more costly than others, so the one you decide on can raise or lower your initial investment. Plus, the more solar panels you need, the more it'll cost.

So is a solar panel system worth it? Whether you'd like to decrease your electric bills, carbon emissions or both, solar panels are a good investment for many Riverbank homeowners.

Solar Incentives in Riverbank

Although installing solar panels is typically a large investment, it can save you a considerable amount of money over several years because of reduced power bills and government incentives. On top of the federal tax credit incentive, there are also some state- and city-level benefits, which in the majority of cases, stack with the federal incentive, so you can save even more. For detailed information about local incentives, check out our our article on solar incentives.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Riverbank

Going solar can have a beneficial impact on the environment. A question many homeowners might have in mind is how much can they really help preserve the environment by going solar anyway? The average person has a substantial carbon footprint. Between their car, which produces over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year, and powering their home, it can be overwhelming to think about what to do. Installing solar panels is one of the easiest things you can do to help. In fact, if you adopt solar power, you could look forward to lowering your carbon dioxide emissions by about 50 pounds each year. For homeowners who are concerned about the environment, the upfront cost of solar is a small price to pay for reducing your carbon footprint.