Utah residents pay a number of the lowest charges within the nation for electrical energy, at lower than 12 cents per kilowatt-hour in August 2023. However the state additionally will get numerous daylight in contrast with different states.
These two elements weigh closely on the query of whether or not photo voltaic panels make sense in Utah. The reply is dependent upon the maths to your particular dwelling and your particular power wants.
There are some incentives that may provide help to cowl the value of photo voltaic panels. The federal residential clear power credit score will reimburse you for as much as 30% of the price of putting in a photo voltaic system. The state’s internet metering coverage may also provide help to reduce in your electrical invoice — internet metering permits you to obtain credit by sending your extra generated power again to the grid.
Here is what it’s essential to know earlier than going photo voltaic in Utah, beginning with the greatest photo voltaic panel set up firms working throughout the state.
The very best nationwide photo voltaic panel set up firms in Utah
SunPower Photo voltaic
Greatest photo voltaic panels
In the event you’re searching for top-of-the-line photo voltaic panels, SunPower is your most suitable option. However do not write it off when you’re searching for a much less flashy set up that can get the job completed. This yr it began putting in Qcells panels, which ought to make an set up from the longest-tenured firm on our listing accessible to extra folks.
Freedom Endlessly
Greatest for money clients
Embrace Freedom Endlessly in your search if you need the backing of a nationwide firm that installs all kinds of the most well-liked photo voltaic gear accessible. Freedom Endlessly additionally extends a few merchandise that take a number of the ache and threat out of going photo voltaic, like a manufacturing assure and an escrow possibility with money purchases. On-line opinions say buyer satisfaction has been low of late, although the corporate says that is altering.
Tesla Photo voltaic
Most inexpensive
Tesla’s photo voltaic department appears to be the least beloved of Elon Musk’s ventures. Even Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof appears to get extra love.
If worth is the factor you will not budge on, think about Tesla. By all accounts, Tesla installs high quality panels and makes the closest factor there’s to a family title in photo voltaic storage: the Powerwall.
The place you may miss out is customer support. Dialogue on-line appears to recommend Tesla’s service is a little bit of of venture.
Native photo voltaic panel set up firms in Utah
Based in 2014, Blue Raven Photo voltaic installs residential photo voltaic panels in 17 states, together with Utah. Blue Raven Photo voltaic is a full-service photo voltaic firm that guides clients from level of sale to set up. The corporate gives a financing possibility referred to as BluePower Plus+. With Blue Raven Photo voltaic, you get a 10-year high quality of labor guarantee and a 25-year producer’s guarantee. The corporate would not at present present photo voltaic leasing or energy buy agreements choices.
Based in 2013, Ion Photo voltaic serves eight states, together with Utah. The corporate manages a whole photo voltaic mission from starting to finish and gives post-installation providers like 24/7 system monitoring and upkeep. Ion Photo voltaic presents photo voltaic financing to its clients in partnership with Daylight Monetary, Sunnova Vitality and Mosaic. You get a 10-year high quality of labor guarantee and 30-year product guarantee.
Utah-based Mynt Photo voltaic installs residential and industrial photo voltaic techniques and batteries in Utah, California and Nevada. It additionally presents repairs, upkeep and post-installation monitoring. The corporate handles the complete set up course of in-house and presents a 1-year money-back power technology assure on all of the techniques it installs. Photo voltaic panels purchased by means of Mynt Photo voltaic could have 30-year product, efficiency and labor warranties. Mynt Photo voltaic gives a photo voltaic mortgage at 2.99% for 20 years with no cash down. Nevertheless, the corporate would not provide photo voltaic leases or energy buy agreements.
Sensible Wave Photo voltaic installs photo voltaic panels and batteries. Primarily based in Bluffdale, Utah, the corporate fulfills all installations in-house as an alternative of utilizing subcontractors. Sensible Wave Photo voltaic installs elements from Silfab, Solaria and REC Photo voltaic. As a result of most photo voltaic techniques cease working throughout an influence outage, Sensible Wave Photo voltaic presents an emergency energy provide to your photo voltaic system at no extra value. Methods embody 25-year manufacturing, high quality of labor and elements warranties.
Learn how to decide which photo voltaic firm in Utah is greatest
Going photo voltaic is a giant deal. Deal with it that means. It is a buy that can possible value greater than $10,000 and will likely be a significant a part of your house for many years. Select an installer fastidiously.
Begin by in search of out firms with good reputations. Ask folks who’ve gotten photo voltaic panels and see what their expertise was like with the installer they selected. Then have every firm in your listing come to your house and provide you with an estimate. Make sure that the estimate takes under consideration the actual nature of your own home and your power wants. Consider each not simply on worth, however on the corporate’s service choices, gear and repute.
Price of photo voltaic panels in Utah
Here is a take a look at the typical money worth for a typical photo voltaic panel system in Utah earlier than factoring in tax credit and incentives, in accordance with information from FindEnergy.com. Remember that your system may change into dearer when you select to incorporate photo voltaic batteries or extra gear in your buy.
Common value of photo voltaic panels in Utah
| Typical system dimension (kW) | Value per watt | Whole put in value | Price after 30% federal tax credit score | |
| Utah | 6 | $3.29 | $19,740 | $13,818 |
| Nationwide common | 8.6 | $3.67 | $31,558 | $22,091 |
The map beneath exhibits the typical whole money worth, value per watt and system dimension for a typical photo voltaic panel system in your state, in accordance with information from FindEnergy.com. This information would not consider tax credit or state incentives. Sure states haven’t any FindEnergy photo voltaic information and are grayed out on the map.
Utah photo voltaic panel incentives or rebates
You’ve a number of incentives that will help you decrease the full value of photo voltaic in Utah. The federal residential clear power credit score is essentially the most important cost-saving incentive for brand spanking new photo voltaic homeowners. You may deduct 30% of your photo voltaic system’s value out of your federal earnings taxes, with no restrict on system dimension. With the extension of this tax credit score by Congress in 2022, all photo voltaic techniques put in between 2022 and 2032 will qualify for this profit.
Utah photo voltaic incentives
| Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Renewable power system tax credit score | Utah presents a tax credit score restricted to $400 or 25% of your photo voltaic gear’s set up prices. The credit score expires in 2023 |
| Internet metering | Internet metering permits you to promote your extra energy to the grid for credit in your energy invoice. Utah would not mandate internet metering however some voluntarily provide this system. Verify along with your native utility for particulars. |
| Photo voltaic easement and entry legal guidelines | Utah’s photo voltaic easement and entry legal guidelines are just like easement legal guidelines in different states. If you wish to go photo voltaic, you’ll be able to voluntarily enter an easement contract along with your neighbors to take away any obstacles to your photo voltaic panels accessing daylight. Utah’s photo voltaic rights regulation stops owners and different neighborhood associations from imposing bans and unreasonable restrictions on photo voltaic panel techniques. |
Photo voltaic financing choices in Utah
The upfront value of photo voltaic panels will be excessive for many Individuals. However there are a number of choices to pay for photo voltaic panels in Utah. You should purchase photo voltaic panels outright or finance them with loans. These choices help you absolutely personal the panels and recoup your prices in a number of years. On common, the photo voltaic payback time, the interval it takes to your power financial savings to surpass the price of investing in photo voltaic, is six to 12 years after you purchase your photo voltaic panels. If you cannot afford to purchase or get a mortgage to finance photo voltaic panels, signing a lease or a energy buy settlement are different alternate options. Listed here are the choices you could have for financing your photo voltaic panel system.
Money: Paying for the photo voltaic panel system upfront will drastically shorten your photo voltaic payback interval, however most individuals haven’t got the five-figure sum readily available that you will want for this buy. In the event you’re capable of put down the money, although, this could be the most suitable choice for you.
Private loans/photo voltaic loans: There are particular photo voltaic loans that monetary establishments may provide close to you. This often occurs when a financial institution or credit score union is partnered with a photo voltaic installer, so this could be a very good financing possibility. If you cannot lock down a photo voltaic mortgage, there are at all times private loans as an alternative. Remember that unsecured private loans are likely to have extra favorable charges they usually aren’t collateral-backed loans.
Photo voltaic lease: For a set month-to-month price, you are capable of lease your photo voltaic panels from a photo voltaic installer. This gives the slashed power charges related to photo voltaic power, however you are not capable of benefit from tax credit or different monetary incentives related to photo voltaic panel techniques. This might be essentially the most favorable financing possibility for retirees or different individuals who haven’t got a excessive taxable earnings.
Energy buy settlement: Just like photo voltaic leases, you do not personal your photo voltaic panels once you enter right into a PPA. As an alternative, you get a free photo voltaic panel set up after which pay the photo voltaic set up firm for the power produced. Energy buy agreements have many execs and cons, so it is best to learn up on them earlier than locking in one in every of these contracts.
HELOCs/Dwelling fairness loans: These are each loans that will help you finance your photo voltaic panel system, however it’s greatest to remember the fact that failing to repay some of these loans can lead the monetary establishment to say your house as collateral.
Learn extra: Need one thing smaller than a whole-home photo voltaic system? See our picks for the very best transportable photo voltaic panels and photo voltaic mills.
Set up elements to think about
Quite a few elements may help you establish whether or not it is sensible to go photo voltaic. Your specific dwelling might have one thing particular that would make photo voltaic a foul funding. It is good to seek the advice of an expert and licensed photo voltaic panel installer to debate these and obtain quotes from at the least three firms earlier than choosing one.
Insurance coverage in your photo voltaic panels: Many owners insurance coverage firms cowl photo voltaic panels of their insurance policies. Earlier than investing in photo voltaic panels, discover out in case your insurance coverage firm can shield them. In the event that they do, keep in mind so as to add them to your coverage after set up.
Shading round your property: Your photo voltaic panels can generate electrical energy with some tree shading, however heavy shading could make photo voltaic panels a foul match. Knowledgeable photo voltaic installer may help you perceive your state of affairs
Renting or proudly owning your house: Renters sometimes have problem putting in photo voltaic panels as a result of they do not personal their houses. Landlords will decide whether or not they need photo voltaic panels on rental models. A technique for renters to get inexperienced power is to enroll in a neighborhood photo voltaic program.
Roof: Figuring out your roof’s age and situation is vital earlier than putting in photo voltaic panels. In case your roof is greater than 20 years outdated or in poor form, it’s possible you’ll need to change your roof prior to installing photo voltaic panels to keep away from a a lot costlier alternative after set up.
How we discovered the very best photo voltaic panel firms
The businesses we listed above as “the very best” are curated from CNET’s greatest photo voltaic firms listing. Firms making the very best listing are scored on the gear, warranties and customer support they provide. Then, we be sure that these suggestions can be found in your state. You may learn a full breakdown of how we evaluation photo voltaic firms right here.
Firms listed underneath the native installers have been chosen in a much less rigorous means. We selected them as a result of they provided one thing distinctive or notable to clients within the state, they appeared well-regarded by web reviewers or as a result of they have been one of many few installers we may discover data on within the state.
Whether or not we have accomplished a full evaluation on an organization or not, it is at all times a good suggestion to get a number of quotes from totally different installers earlier than selecting an organization.
Utah solar energy FAQs
Are all photo voltaic panels the identical?
No, not all photo voltaic panels are the identical. Photo voltaic panels can differ from each other in effectivity, dimension, wattage and extra.
How do I do know if photo voltaic is the best match for me?
There isn’t any uniform reply to this query since each dwelling and household has distinctive wants and conditions. Your electrical energy charges, consumption habits, native incentives, set up prices and the form and dimension of your roof are some elements that decide whether or not photo voltaic is sensible for you. The easiest way to search out a solution to this query is to seek the advice of a licensed and skilled photo voltaic installer.
What number of photo voltaic panels does my home want?
The variety of photo voltaic panels you want will rely upon a number of elements, together with your present electrical energy utilization, the quantity of power you need from photo voltaic technology, your house’s dimension, shading round your property and the photo voltaic panel output. Knowledgeable photo voltaic installer may help you establish the quantity and capability of photo voltaic panels.
Do photo voltaic panels function throughout an influence outage?
Grid-tied photo voltaic panel techniques shut off throughout an influence outage to forestall utility staff fixing transmission traces and substations from being harmed by electrical energy despatched to the grid. However firms like Enphase and SMA promote inverters that disconnect from the grid throughout a blackout and ship electrical energy to your house out of your photo voltaic panels. Utilizing such inverters with photo voltaic batteries is the easiest way to make sure a steady electrical energy provide.
