15 Best Solar Companies in Northlake, IL (Feb 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Northlake

Solar panels run off a free energy source — the sun — but to take advantage of this you will need to pay to install your system. A few important factors that affect how much it will cost to install solar panels on your home and how much money you could save over time include:

• System size and type: Some models are more costly than others, so the one you get can raise or lower your upfront cost. Plus, the more solar panels you need, the more it'll cost.
• Incentives: Something that can reduce the cost of your solar project is the solar investment tax credit (ITC), which is a tax credit that lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the project cost. You can also save money on your energy bills, which can give you an average of $13,000 of savings over 20 years.
• Your home's orientation toward the sun: This, plus your roof configuration, affects affect how much energy your solar panels can make.
• How much energy your home consumes: Households that use a lot of energy each month may call for more solar panels and, consequently, be more costly, but will also enjoy more savings over time.

So is a solar panel system worth it? Whether you're trying to decrease your electricity costs, carbon emissions or both, solar panels are a solid investment for many Northlake homeowners.

Solar Incentives in Northlake

If you're planning on switching to solar power, a variety of government incentives and tax credits can drastically lower the cost of the project and speed up the return on your investment. You can qualify for the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) for the tax year you turn on your a solar system. You can also potentially pair the ITC with other state and city incentives. For detailed information about local incentives, see our our article on solar incentives.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Northlake

One reason so many are considering switching to solar power is to help bring down their environmental impact. A question many might be asking themselves is how much can they really help protect the environment by switching to solar power anyway? Your energy usage is an important factor to think about. The more power your household consumes, the larger your impact when you make the switch to solar power. In fact, if you adopt solar power, you could look forward to lowering your carbon dioxide emissions by about 90 pounds each year. If you care about the environment, you'll likely recognize that there are many good things about adopting solar energy other than just saving money on electricity. You can also help protect the environment, which some would argue is worth more.