Solar PV
Solar electricity supplements your home’s existing power from the utility company’s grid. Solar electric, or photovoltaic (PV), systems consist of two main components: (1) a number of PV panels and (2) an inverter. The panels convert radiation from the sun into direct current (DC) electricity. The inverter then transforms the DC into alternating current (AC) electricity that can be utilized in your home. A typical PV panel, or module, is about 3X6 feet in size and will generate about 200 watts of electricity under full sun, or enough power to light 10 CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs. On most homes, 12 to 18 panels will supply about one-half of the annual electricity needs -- possibly even more with basic improvements in the home’s energy efficiency. Learn more about home energy efficiency options. Our PV systems require no batteries; they use the local utility grid as their battery. When the PV array produces more energy than your home can use, your meter will actually spin backward. Any excess energy may be credited to your account from the local utility company, a process called net metering.
We are committed to a long-term partnership to help you maximize the benefits of solar electricity. We provide full-service integration, including site analysis, system design, incentive packaging, permitting and construction, and lifecycle management to ensure that your system will generate decades of clean power.
A proper site analysis is the first step to a successful system.
This is much more than simply delivering an estimated cost. Our trained integrators will visit your home, examine site conditions, measure solar access, and deliver a report at no cost, outlining the benefits to you of various technologies. For example, PV systems require full access to the south with no shading to be most productive. Because small amounts of shade have a disproportionate impact on PV production, Nexamp utilizes a highly sophisticated digital measuring device to map the annual shading of your individual site. We use that information, along with historical weather, atmospheric, and geographical data, to model a month-by-month production estimate for your system.
Our complimentary solar feasibility report includes all the information you need to make an informed decision:
- System production estimates by month
- Solar fraction, or the percentage of your home’s usage that will be offset by the PV system
- Shading reduction recommendations to improve production
- Recommended system configurations, including components and optimal size
- Local references and photos of similar projects
- Financial incentives and opportunities
- Full, turnkey price quotation
- Next steps
Sorting through the tax breaks, local rebates, and utility requirements is daunting.
We remove the headache by identifying all available financial incentives that will bring down the cost of your system. There are many financial opportunities, including tax credits, cash rebates, low-interest financing, and production certificates, available to homeowners. There has never been a better time to invest in PV. Present incentives cover 20 to 40 percent of system costs. We summarize these opportunities in a financing plan, and prepare all the applications for financial assistance for you.
Our trained and licensed integration professionals design and install your system.
In most cases, rooftop installations are the most feasible choice for homeowners. Our experienced installers place the care of your home, especially your roof, as their highest priority. We deliver quality and best-practice construction and work closely with local authorities and inspectors to ensure that our systems meet the highest levels of safety and building code compliance.
Our PV systems are designed to require little to no maintenance during their lifetimes.
In most systems there are no moving parts, and our glass panels are specially designed self-cleaning surfaces that require no extra work. Our clients often ask how snow affects production: The panel surfaces act as solar thermal absorbers, quickly melting away snow to resume solar production during the winter. Since snow build-up in a typical winter may account for only a few percent of annual production losses, this is not a substantial concern in a typical array.