12 Best Solar Companies in Charleston, IL (Jan 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Charleston

When deciding on a solar company, most homeowners or business owners care about the costs the most. The installation cost is just one important factor you should keep in mind when looking into getting solar panels. How much it'll cost and how much you can save depend on things such as:

• Choice of solar panels: The kind of solar panels you buy will affect your total cost. High-efficiency monocrystalline panels will cost more upfront but can also lead to more savings over the lifetime of your system. If you don't need to maximize efficiency, you can opt for a higher number of more affordable panels.
• Energy consumption: Installing a solar system may be too pricey an investment for families that don't need a good amount of energy per month.
• Incentives: Along with the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which lets you deduct 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. Aside from incentives, you can save an average of $16,000 over 20 years with your solar system, too.
• Average daily sunlight: Since Charleston gets a decent amount of average daily sunlight, your solar panels can generally produce enough energy to power your whole home, which impacts how much your solar panels can save you on your electricity bills.

Though a solar panel system costs a good chunk of money upfront, it can save you a considerable amount over time. The question of how much, though, depends on a number of factors, including the amount of daily direct sunlight available and incentives.

Solar Incentives in Charleston

If you're planning on switching to solar power, a number of government incentives and subsidies can dramatically lower the cost of the project and expedite the return on your investment. There are a lot of federal, state and local rebates and tax credits that can earn you anywhere from 30% to 50% of your money in return after buying solar panels. Our article on solar incentives goes over more detailed information on the incentives you can find in Charleston.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Charleston

If you're thinking of adding solar panels to your home, one of the main reasons why may be to lower your reliance on nonrenewable energy. But — how much exactly can you help the planet by making the switch to solar? No matter where you are, you can help save the planet by switching to solar energy, but homes that consume lots of energy will have a bigger impact. Since solar panels don't release carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere when creating electricity, they're a good alternative to nonrenewable energy sources. In fact, you could be looking at reducing your carbon dioxide emissions by about 100 pounds each year. Since solar power is abundant and produces electricity without a carbon footprint, installing solar panels is one easy step you can take to help protect the environment.