16 Best Solar Companies in Harrisburg, IL (Mar 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Harrisburg

Solar panels are powered by a free energy source — the sun — but before you can take advantage of this you must first pay to install your panels. The cost of solar and the savings it generates vary depending on a few key factors such as:

• Your income and budget: This affects what type of solar panels you can get.
• The amount of sunlight your roof gets: If your roof doesn't see much direct sunlight, your solar system won't be able to produce as much energy, which will leave you with lower savings on power bills than a roof that gets plenty of sunlight.
• 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 $16,000 over the first 20 years with your solar panels, too.
• Your home's power bills: With fairly high monthly electricity bills in Harrisburg, you could save about $1,000 a year with solar.

Even though a solar panel system costs a decent chunk of money upfront, it can save you a considerable amount in the long term. The question of how much, though, depends on several factors, such as the size of your house and incentives.

Solar Incentives in Harrisburg

To increase the adoption of solar power, federal, state and local governments — and even some utility companies — offer incentives to help make solar more financially viable and accessible. When you install solar panels, you become eligible to claim the federal tax credit, or ITC. This credit currently lets you lower your tax bill by 30% of the cost of your solar panels. In addition, there may often be some local incentives that you can benefit from to further save. In our article on solar incentives, you can read about the incentives you qualify for in Harrisburg.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Harrisburg

Swapping traditional energy for solar is a good way to do what you can for a more sustainable future. You may be curious — how much does making the switch do for the planet anyway? The more power your household uses, the the more the environment will benefit if you switch to solar since you won't have to burn as many fossil fuels. In Harrisburg, the average household can reduce their carbon footprint by 100 pounds a year once they go solar. For homeowners who care about the environment, the upfront cost of solar is a small price to pay for the offset carbon emissions.