Solar Panels, Fountains, Solar Lights, Thin Film Panels

New Jersey residents face some of the highest electric prices in the United States – currently the state ranks 12th in electric cost ($ per kwh) in the entire country. In July 2007, New Jersey’s electric prices for Residential Service averaged at $.1636 per kwh. In July 2000 electric prices for Residential Service averaged at $.1123 per kwh. This represents a 45.7% increase in electric prices over a 7 year period, or an annual increase of 6.5% on average.

The current trend (from 2005 to 2007) is even more alarming. In July 2005, electric prices in New Jersey for Residential Service averaged $.1295 per kwh. As of July 2007, electric prices for Residential Service had increased by 26.3% over this two year period – an increase of 13.5% a year.

To see at just how much of a bite these electric price increases can take out of your budget, let’s look at a couple of case studies, showcasing annual electric bills from 2000, 2007 and a hypothetical electric bill from 2010.

For the purposes of this demonstration, we will assume a household that uses the national average amount of electricity a year – 8900kwh.

If the current electric price trends continue to increase at the current rates, what was a $1400 electric bill in 2007 could become a $2100 electric bill in 2010.

Luckily, New jersey is a fantastic state for Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems, which can save you hundreds, or more, dollars every year on your electric bill – and thousands of dollars in energy costs over the 25-30 year lifetime of your system.

Grid-Tie Solar Electric System Basics!

There are two main types of Solar Panel Systems that can be used in New Jersey; Off-Grid Solar Panel Systems and Grid-Tie Solar Panel Systems.

While Off-Grid Solar Panel Systems are typically expensive because of their need for battery backups, charge controllers, and to provide 100% of your home energy needs, with accommodations made for cloudy weather and spikes in demand, Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems do not suffer from these problems, and are typically a more affordable and cost-effective investment for New Jersey homeowners.

A Grid-Tie Solar Electric System is exactly what it sounds like – a Solar Electric System that is still connected to the electric grid. There are several advantages to this connection that make Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems more attractive than Off-Grid Solar Electric Systems.

In New Jersey, a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System can:

• Cut your electric bill by 50-80% every year
• Pay for itself in only a few years
• Take advantage of today’s state and federal solar energy incentives and credits
• Help you limit your personal dependence on dirty, non-renewable fuel sources
• Promote a Cleaner, Greener, more Eco-Friendly Garden State

Grid-Tie Solar Electric System Advantages!

There are several key advantages that a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System holds over Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems – many of them financial, and they can make a significant impact in shortening the payback period and the overall return on investment of a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System.

• System Size Flexibility – with a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System, you can choose to have your Solar Panel System offset any percentage of your electrical usage that you would like, or that your budget will allow. Unlike an Off-Grid Solar Electric System, which requires you to size for 100% of your energy demand, a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System can be sized to offset 1%, 50%, 100%, or any other percentage you wish. This allows you to keep the cost of your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System within your budget.

• Take Advantage of Net-Metering Laws – one of the greatest financial benefits of Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems in New Jersey is the state’s Net-Metering Laws. Essentially, Net-Metering means that you can sell the electricity generated by your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System back to the electric company at the same retail you purchase your electricity for. In other words, if you do not use all of the energy generated by your Solar Panel System, the excess will automatically be sent back onto the electric grid, where the electric company will distribute it to their other customers. All of this excess energy will be credited to your electric bill at the end of every month, and a refund check will be mailed to you at the end of the year if you contribute more electricity than you use.

• Consistent, Uninterrupted Backup – Because you are still connected to the electric grid, you can use electricity like normal anytime you need to. If it is cloudy outside, or at night, and your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System is not producing energy, you can use electricity from the electric grid to meet your demand. This eliminates the need for expensive battery backups and backup generators (though these can also be added to a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System).

Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems – What’s in the Box!

There are several key components that make a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System work efficiently, and cost-effectively. A good Grid-Tie Solar Electric System will come with all, or most, of these key components – this saves you the time and money of scrambling from supplier to supplier looking for the right parts to get your system installed and running.

• Solar Panels – Solar Panels are the key component to any Grid-Tie Solar Electric System. Typically, Crystalline Solar Panels are used in Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems. And generally, these solar panels are larger, more powerful models – typically between 100 and 200 (or higher) watts. Your location, electrical needs, and the percentage of your electric usage you wish to offset will determine how large your solar panels will be, and how many your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System will need.

• Solar Panel Mounting Hardware – Solar Panels are an incredible investment, and with any investment, we need ensure the security and safety of our solar panels. Solar Panel Mounting Hardware Kits are perfect for securing your solar panels safely. Depending on your location, budget and desires, there are a number of different Solar Panel Mounting Hardware Kits available; Roof Flush Mounting Hardware, Ground/Roof Tilt Mounting, Side of Pole Mounting Hardware and Top of Pool Mounting Hardware. For Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems most commonly have Ground/Roof Tilt Mounting or Roof Flush Mounting, but the specific type of mounting hardware depends on the specifics of your location, your budget, and aesthetic desires.

• DC to AC Inverter – Solar Panels generate DC (Direct Current) Electric, but most household appliances such as TVs, refrigerators, lights and computers use AC (Alternating Current) Electric to operate. A DC to AC Inverter converts the DC Power generated by your Solar Panels to the AC Power that your home appliances use.

• You will also need some other components for your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System including a DC Combiner Box, DC Disconnect, Fuse Box, Electric Meter, Wiring, and various small electrical connectors, as well as standard electrical work hardware and tools.

• Battery Backup (Optional Component) – While Off-Grid Solar Electric Kits require battery backups to store energy as it is generated for later use, expensive, large, heavy battery backups are an optional component in a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System. By using a battery backup with your Grid-Tie Solar Electric Kit, you can limit the amount of electricity you draw from the electric grid during cloudy weather and at night. This further reduction in energy use will increase your savings, which shortens your payback period and increases your lifetime Return on Investment.

• Charge Controller (Optional Component) – If you use a battery backup on your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System, you need a Charge Controller. Batteries are a very expensive investment – and a overcharging can seriously damage your batteries. Using a Charge Controller limits the charging of your batteries – when they are full, the charge controller stops the charging process, protecting your batteries from damage.

A Look at New Jersey’s Solar Resources!

 

The Solar Resources across New Jersey do not vary much. In fact, the entire state has an annual average of 4-5 solar hours a day (though localized variances of .5-1 solar hours a day may be noticed).

What are Solar Hours? Solar Hours are a measurement of the Solar Insolation levels at a certain location. Essentially, if your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System is designed to produce a certain amount of electricity per hour, you can determine its daily, weekly, monthly, and annual output by knowing the number Solar Hours available at a give location.

Although 4-5 Solar Hours does not seem like an awful lot of charging capacity, it is actually more than enough to make a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System cost-effective for the everyday homeowner in New Jersey.

The chart below shows how much electricity can be produced annually by Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems in New Jersey, at two different locations; Newark, NJ (northern) and Atlantic City, NJ (southern).

As you can see, between Northern NJ and Southern NJ, there is only a 5% difference in the output of the same Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems. This is great news for homeowners all across New Jersey, because there is nowhere in the state where Solar Panels are not a cost-effective and viable power solution. All New Jersey Residents can take advantage of the tremendous financial benefits of a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System in New Jersey.

How to Pay for Your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System!

The nice thing is, Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems are designed to completely pay for themselves in just a few years – saving you hundreds of dollars every they are installed, and thousands and thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your Grid-Tie Solar Electric System.

There are several programs that offer assistance in offsetting the costs of a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System for New Jersey Homeowners. These include State and Federal Tax Credits, Local/State/Utility Rebates, and Net-Metering.

• Federal Solar Energy Tax Credits – the United States Federal Government recently raised, and extended, their Income Tax Credits for Solar Energy. The Federal Government now offers a credit of 30% of the total cost of installation and materials, up to a maximum of $3,000. This tax credit is currently active until December 31, 2016.

• New Jersey Clean Energy Rebate – New Jersey residents who purchase and install a Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems currently receive a rebate of $3.80 per Watt DC. In other, multiply the size of your system (watts) by $3.80 to determine the amount of your rebate.

• Net Metering Laws – New Jersey was one of the first states to adopt a Net Metering Law which requires electric companies to purchase any excess electricity generated by a customer’s Grid-Tie Solar Electric System at the same retail rate that customer purchases their electricity at. This essentially spins the electric meter backwards, allowing for shorter payback periods and higher returns on your initial investment.

There are also a number of Federally-Funded Lenders throughout the United States which offer low, or no interest home and mortgage loans to residents in New Jersey looking to improve their home’s energy efficiency through a Grid-Tie Solar Electric System.

Here is a shortlist of these lenders. Homeowners in New Jersey may contact these lenders directly to arrange financing for their Grid-Tie Solar Electric System.

• Fannie Mae Corporation
• Federal Home Mortgage Loan Corporation
• US Department of Agriculture
• US Department of Energy
• US Department of Housing and Urban Development
• US Department of Veterans Affairs
• US Environmental Protection Agency
• US Small Business Administration (for small business owners)

A Quick Recap of Incentives for Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems!

 

New Jersey Grid-Tie Solar Electric System Case Studies!

The following examples how the current electric prices in New Jersey, today’s Federal and State incentives and credits help make Grid-Tie Solar Electric Systems the most affordable and cost-effective choice for providing electricity to your home today.