Solar Panel Installation in Orange County
Solar power is becoming one of the more viable—and popular—alternate power sources, and California is at the forefront of this trend. This is not surprising, since the Golden State is one of the most eligible candidates for solar power in the nation. The state’s utility bills are among the highest in the country and it receives sunshine for most of the year.
As a result, solar power has taken off in a big way in California, with the state government offering incentives for residences and businesses that adopt its use. Orange County is one of the California regions that has the most to gain from solar energy, so keep reading to see why solar panel installation in Orange County is a good idea.
The Viability of Orange County for Solar Installation
Orange County is the home to many famous attractions like Laguna Beach and Disneyland, so—not surprisingly—it is a very popular tourist destination. Aside from the various attractions, one of the reasons that Orange County is so popular is that it receives an average of 278 sunny days per year and its average temperature is 64.55°F.
This is perfect for visitors fleeing colder climates, but it is also the perfect environment for solar panels. The high temperatures mean that many Orange County residents have their HVAC system on all the time, which results in higher utility bills. The sunny days mean that solar panels will receive enough solar energy to make them a good alternative to electricity provided by the grid.
The Amount of Power Used in Orange County
The average residential electricity rate in Orange County is 15.98 cents per kWh (kilowatt hour), which is higher than America’s average residential electricity rate, which is 11.88 cents per kilowatt hour. Those high prices mean that the majority of Orange County residents could benefit from the energy savings provided by a solar installation.
Despite the high energy bills, Orange Countians actually use less energy than most of America, 573 kWh per month compared to the national average of 903 kWh per month. This means that residents of Orange County do not need a particularly large or expensive solar installation to recoup their energy usage.
The Cost of Solar Panels In Orange County
The cost of solar installations has been steadily falling so it is easier than ever for homeowners to adopt this technology. There are also federal and state incentive programs to make the purchase of solar panels more affordable. The government offers a 30% rebate on the purchase of a solar installation, and Los Angeles has the net metering incentive. This incentive gives homeowners credit for any excess energy produced by their solar installation.
The LAWDP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power) also has an incentive program that offsets the cost of the purchasing or leasing of a solar panel installation at 25 cents per watt of power generated by the system. All these incentives mean that a solar panel installation is a reasonable prospect for most homeowners. Even if the initial installation cost seems daunting, a solar panel system will usually pay for itself within five years of its installation.
Residential Solar Panel Installation in Orange County
The average solar panel lasts for about twenty five years, during this period, the owner will end up saving thousands of dollars on their utility bill. Aside from these savings, a solar panel installation adds thousands of dollars to the value of a home, after all, who wouldn’t want to have a home that can reduce the monthly utility bill?
All these reasons mean that Orange County is one of the best places in Los Angeles, in California, and indeed, all of America, to get a solar panel system installed. There are several benefits, lots of incentives, and no drawbacks to the purchase of a solar installation. Since neither the Sun nor high energy bills are going away anytime soon, it would be a wise decision to use the former to help with the latter.
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