17 Best Solar Companies in Richmond, RI (Jan 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Richmond

For many people, the decision of which solar company to choose comes down to how much it'll cost. 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:

• The amount of sunlight your house gets: Thanks to Richmond's high amount of average daily sunlight, you should be able to save a decent amount on your energy bills.
• Incentives: The federal solar investment tax credit, which can save you some money, allows you to deduct 30% of the cost of installing your solar panel system from your taxes. In addition, not including incentives, you can save about $21,000 over 20 years on your energy bills.
• How much you spend on energy: The typical family in Richmond shells out around $880 a year on energy use alone, so you could be looking at that much in savings.
• The type and model of solar panels you want to get: More efficient panels have higher prices, so that will influence your budget for your solar project.

So is buying solar panels worth it? Whether you're trying to decrease your electric bills, carbon emissions or both, solar panels are a worthwhile investment for many Richmond homeowners.

Solar Incentives in Richmond

In an effort to increase the adoption of solar power, federal, state and local governments — and even some utility companies — offer incentives to help make switching to solar power more economically viable and accessible. Everyone can take advantage of the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which allows you to claim 30% of how much you paid for your solar installation on your tax return, reducing the amount of taxes you owe that year. Plus, there may be some state and city incentives you can benefit from too. You can learn about the incentives you can use in our article on solar incentives

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Richmond

If you're thinking of adding solar panels to your home, one of the primary reasons why may be to lower your greenhouse gas emissions. But — how much exactly can you help by making the switch to solar? The average person has a considerable carbon footprint. Between their car, which releases over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year, and electricity for their home, it can be overwhelming to think about what to do. Using solar power is a practical thing you can do to help. Because solar panels don't release CO2 emissions into the atmosphere when generating electricity, they're a good trade for nonrenewable energy sources. In fact, you could expect to reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by about 40 pounds each year. Since energy from the sun is abundant and generates electricity without releasing carbon emissions, adding solar panels to your home is one easy step you can take to help preserve the environment.