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Solar Rebates: Are They Worth It?
The most important thing you need to take away from this lesson is…
If you do your homework you can find government and utility grants, solar rebates, interest-free loans, and a ton of rebates if you want to explore this avenue. With the info in your hands, many will pay for the entire cost of the system.
But here's the rub...until you've implemented all the energy conservation and energy efficiency measures outlined in this course setting up a solar system at this point is unrealistic. Why?
Because the current energy paradigm is designed so what you use as much energy as possible. Which means you're paying way more for energy than you have to. If you buy a solar system at your present level of energy consumption, you'll pay 2-3 times more than necessary.
* New section added 5-29-2016
Here's what WILL help you at this point:
Go here:
When I click on my state, and scroll through the list, I see this:
Notice the last 4 items.
Homecheck Energy Assessment Bonus (applicable if three or more upgrades are made after energy assessment): $200
Insulation: 75% of cost
Foundation Insulation: 85% of cost
Home Sealing: 70% of cost
I can get my utility company to pay 75%-85% of the costs associated with the upgrades coming in the next 3 lessons. So not only am I going to save money on utilities, the utility company is going to pay for the materials.
They'll even give $200 for my trouble once I complete the next 3 lessons...not bad.
So what if you want to skip the preliminaries and go straight to solar panels because they look cool?
Solar Rebates: Are They Worth It?
Energy Secret # 1.
You’re being lied to by the utilities and solar industry.
If today you go and search for a solar or wind generating system you’re going to say “What??!!! Are you kidding me??” The prices are still incredibly high. Why? Because they want you to buy energy system based on your PRESENT level of energy consumption. We use an unrealistic level of energy in the USA. From ‘phantom loads’ to appliances that never turn off. Unrealistic is unrealistic. Which means it leads to an unrealistic level of solar energy system needed.
We need to be more realistic. But it takes looking at the energy we take for granted in an entirely different way. There is no reason you have to sacrifice comfort. You’ll need to look at energy in a different way, and change a few habits. That’s all.
Energy secret # 2.
The state and federal US government (and many others as well) as well as many states offer grants, rebates, credits, and many other things to help you get on your way. Right now, these are not well known. But they will pay you to install these systems thereby taking the onus of producing energy from them.
I’m going to give you a list of “grants” and zero interest loans right here, from every state in the US. This is FREE money.
Don’t worry. The link above is also available in the .pdf download attached to this course.
Don’t underestimate the power of these programs. Some are paying up to $50,000 for you to relieve the state and federal government of the responsibility.
A quick check of my own state revealed a $5000 personal tax credit, and up to $20,000 for a commercial system. That would be more than enough to a very sizable home system.
Win/win/win
Another quick check in California revealed well over a 100 grants offered by the state and the utilities.
Well that’s San Francisco you say. True enough. What about other places less solar enlightened?
How about Illinois? Here’s a rebate offering up to $450,000 and 100% of the cost of your system.
The truth is, there are state, federal, and utility grants available in every state and city. They all have their own quirks, regulations and restrictions. It’s up to you to find them and use them.
Where these will help you the most is in reducing your energy consumption, buying energy star appliances, as well as hiring contractors and electricians for mounting your solar panels on the roof as well as hooking them up to a home power system.
