12 Best Solar Companies in Salem, OH (Feb 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Salem

For most homeowners, whether or not to invest in solar panels depends the most on the cost. The installation cost is just one important factor you should take into account when looking into getting solar panels. How much it'll cost and how much you can save depend on things including:

• Incentives: Tax-paying citizens who buy and install a solar system this year can save 30% of their total solar spend by taking advantage of the federal solar investment tax credit. You can also save about $13,000 on your energy bills over 20 years excluding incentives.
• How much energy your home consumes: Homes that need a lot of energy each month may require more solar panels and, therefore, be more expensive, but will also save more on their energy bills over time.
• The kind of solar panel system you can purchase: This hinges on how much you're willing to invest upfront.
• Average daily sunlight: Since Salem doesn't get a lot of average daily sunlight, your solar system may not be able to generate enough energy to power your whole home, which affects how much you can save on your energy bills.

So is a solar system worth it? Whether you want to decrease your energy bills, greenhouse gas emissions or both, solar panels are a great investment for many Salem homeowners.

Solar Incentives in Salem

In order to increase the number of homes and businesses that use solar power, federal and local governments — and even some utility companies — offer incentives to help make solar more economical and accessible. These incentives usually include cash rebates, tax benefits and/or performance-based incentives. They can reduce the cost you pay for installing solar panels by 30%, upwards of 50% depending on where you live. In our article on solar incentives, you can find out about the incentives you qualify for in your area.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Salem

There are a few key reasons why homeowners are interested in solar energy: to help their wallet and the environment. A question many might be thinking about is how much can they really help preserve the environment by going solar anyway? If your household consumes lots of energy, you can impact the environment even more by switching to solar energy. Because solar panels don't release carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere when generating electricity, they're a good substitute for nonrenewable energy sources. In fact, you could expect to reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by about 80 pounds each year. For people who are worried about the environment, the upfront cost of solar is a small price to pay for offsetting your carbon emissions.