12 Best Solar Companies in Alexandria, VA (Mar 2023 Review)

The Cost and Benefits of Solar in Alexandria

Solar panels run off a free energy source — the sun — but before you can take advantage of this you must first pay to set up your system. The installation cost is just one important factor you should consider when looking into installing solar panels. How much it'll cost and how much you can save depend on things including:

• Choice of solar panels: The kind of solar panels you are interested in getting will affect your total cost. High-efficiency monocrystalline panels are more expensive upfront but can also save you more money over the lifetime of your system. If you don't need to maximize efficiency, you can go with a higher number of more affordable panels.
• How much sunlight your roof gets: If your roof doesn't see much direct sunlight, your solar system won't be able to make as much energy, which will leave you with lower savings on electric 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. Aside from incentives, you can save an average of $17,000 over 20 years with your solar system, too.
• The cost of energy for you: If your local electricity rates are especially high, there's a good chance you'll have a higher return on your investment in a solar system. In Alexandria, you can save an average of $121 a month on your electricity bills.

Solar is a profitable investment for most homeowners. You can produce your own energy instead of paying for it from the grid and make use of solar incentives and rebates, all while helping preserve the planet.

Solar Incentives in Alexandria

Adopting solar power has lots of great benefits. Not only can it help protect the Earth, but you can also save some money on your installation with various government incentives. When you install a solar panel system, you can take advatage of the federal tax credit, or ITC. This credit currently lowers your tax bill by 30% of the cost of your solar panels. Additionally, there are often some state and city incentives that you can benefit from to further save. For detailed information about incentives for homeowners in Alexandria, visit our our article on solar incentives.

Environmental Impact of Switching to Solar in Alexandria

Installing solar panels can have a meaningful effect on the environment. You may be trying to figure out — how much does going solar do for the planet anyway? If your home consumes lots of energy, you can have an even greater impact on the planet by switching to solar power. Because solar panels don't release greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere when creating electricity, they're a good trade for nonrenewable energy sources. In fact, you could lower your carbon dioxide emissions by about 60 pounds each year. For those who are concerned about the environment, the upfront cost of solar is a small price to pay for the offset carbon emissions.