18 Best Solar Companies in Columbia, OH (Sep 2022 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Columbia

Solar panels run off a free energy source — the sun — but to take advantage of this you will first need to pay to install your system. Some key factors that influence the cost of installing solar panels on your home and how much it could save you over time are:

• How much you spend on energy: If your local electricity rates are quite high, there's a good chance you'll have a higher return on your investment in a solar panel system. In Columbia, you can save an average of $96 a month on your electricity bills.
• Your location: This affects how much sunlight your roof gets, which helps determine how many panels you need.
• System size and type: Some models are more costly than others, so the one you choose can raise or lower your initial investment. Plus, the more solar panels you need to get, the more it'll cost.
• Incentives: Along with the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which lets you receive a tax credit curretnly worth 30% of your overall installation cost, your 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 20 years with your solar system, too.

Solar is a valuable investment for most homeowners. You can produce your own electricity instead of paying for it from the grid and take advantage of solar incentives and rebates, all while helping protect the environment.

Solar Incentives in Columbia

One of the good things about installing a solar panel system is earning incentives from the government. You can qualify for the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) for the tax year you turn on your solar panels. You can also potentially stack the ITC with other state and city incentives. Take a look at the table below to see what incentives you can take advantage of.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Columbia

There are lots of reasons to make the switch to solar energy, like saving on electricity bills and helping to lower your carbon footprint. But how much can switching to solar actually affect the environment? If your home uses a lot of energy, you can help the environment even more by switching 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. Since solar power is abundant and makes electricity without a carbon footprint, installing solar panels is one easy step you can take to help protect the planet.