Are Solar Panels Right for You?
Installing solar panels can reduce your impact on the environment and potentially your electricity cost. There's a lot to think about when determining if solar panels are a good option for you.
Before you make a decision, consider some of the facts and read our helpful guide.
Energy Independence
Typically, solar panels supplement your electric service and cannot operate independently of the electric grid unless it's specifically designed to provide back-up power.
For safety, most solar panels shut-off during an outage, so they may not power your home during a service disruption.
Also, you'll need to connect to the electricity grid to be compensated for the excess energy your panels produce.
Lease or Buy
When you lease a solar panel system, you can use the power it produces, but a third party owns it.
You then pay that company to lease the equipment.
When you purchase a system, you pay up front to install and own the panels, or finance the purchase and pay the costs of the equipment plus interest over time (typically 7-20 years).
You're also responsible for maintenance and repairs.
Whether you decide to lease or buy, it's important to review your contract and ask questions before agreeing to either option.
Helpful Guide for Homeowners
If you’ve been thinking about installing solar panels on your home, check out our guide.
Download our guide
How to Apply For Interconnection Service
Before you install your solar panels, wind turbines or other distributed energy resources, and before you connect to our grid,
you'll need to submit an interconnection service application.
Once approved, you can install the system, and following a successful inspection of your equipment, you'll submit a signed agreement with us that governs the arrangement.
Check out our Quick-Start Guide for an overview of our application process and what to expect once your equipment is connected to our system.
You’ll also find excellent resources for technical information as well as updated and relevant regulatory announcements on our Installing Generating Equipment page.
Apply for interconnection