Get the Facts About Rooftop Solar
Looking to go solar? Dominion Energy is using its vast solar expertise to bring sustainable energy solutions to homes and businesses throughout Virginia. If you’re considering switching to solar, we can help. We’ve recently rolled out a solar program for homeowners who are looking to save energy, get off the grid and help the environment.
During a recent interview with Peggy Fox, Host Producer of Actions Speak Louder*, Katie Taylor, Energy Solutions Program Manager explained the benefits of the new Solar Program for customers at Dominion Energy.
Listen to the video below and learn if your home would be a good fit for solar, how the panels work, estimated costs and energy savings. There’s no high pressure sales just facts from our solar experts. If you’re considering going solar consider BrightSuite, we strive to be the one-stop-shop for residential solar in Virginia from initial conversations to final installation.
*Actions Speak Louder program was recorded at the non-profit Fairfax Public Access Channel and airs three times per week on FPA’s Channel 10.
Customers Are Requesting Solar Options
BrightSuite by Dominion Energy is helping customers navigate through the rooftop solar process. We’ve always helped our customers with renewable energy programs but this is different. We are helping customer with the process of installing solar panels on their roof.
We’ve heard from our customers that it’s something that they want. Customers are looking for ways to save energy and help the environment and solar can be a great solution. Additionally, Dominion Energy has made commitment within the Commonwealth regarding renewables and rooftop solar is an important way for us to meet those commitments.
When is Solar a Good Investment?
In some cases, people will be interested in solar because of their concern about the environment. But in most cases, people are interested the costs associated and we do our best to provide a cost analysis of how much they can save over the long term. We’ll also do an environmental study and let you know how much carbon you are saving. Plus, placing solar on your roof will increase the value of your home.
Can You Save Money with Solar?
Absolutely, placing rooftop solar on your home will save you money on your utility bill. The energy that you’re producing everyday powers your home which will lower the amount of energy you are using from the grid, thus lowering your bill.
If you decide to work with us, we’ll take you to through the entire process and start with a shade analysis to find out if solar if a good fit for your roof. Plus, we find out more about your home and family’s energy needs and put together a solar study which will determine how many panels to place on your roof. Based on the number of panels, we can determine how much money you can ultimately save.
What Makes Your Roof a Good Candidate for Solar?
Generally speaking, a rooftop facing south is the ideal situation. So if you have a large wooded lot with shade, your roof will probably not be a good candidate for solar. We also recommend a newer roof that is ten years or less. That’s because the solar panels will be on your home for at least 25 – 30 years.
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?
Understanding that every home is different, can you provide an estimate of how much solar panels would cost? It’s on a case-by-case basis because of the size of the roof and the amount of energy the system needs to produce, systems range from $15,000 to over $60,000 depending on these factors. The good news is that there is a 30% tax credit that is available through 2032. BrightSuite offers solar loans to help customers pay for their solar investment.
How do people know if their system is working? And how many credits that you can receive?
Customers will either be set-up with a mobile app or web portal so they can monitor their system’s entire system production or the production of individual panels. We use the Enphase app which is the invertor technology that we use for our solar systems. The BrightSuite App also provides insight into your home’s solar production.
As far as net meter credits, you will see the excess credits on your Dominion Energy or utility bill for what your solar panels produced but you did not consume. However, you will not see the entire amount of energy your solar system produced, only what you sent to the grid and what you pulled off the grid.
Do people have their choice of solar to place on their roofs?
The customer always has a choice. First of all, we only recommend high quality, tier one panels. If you receive a solar proposal from anyone, you’ll need to ask what type of panels are proposed because there are different ratings for them.
BrightSuite uses tier one panels because of the warranty, quality and amount of solar energy for the cost. Lower quality panels will produce may come at a lower cost but will produce less solar energy which may not offset your usage.
Do HOA’s have different rules for adding solar panels?
Even though certain HOA’s may have restrictions and rules, they can’t prevent you from going solar unless it was part of the original bylaws of the HOA. Most HOA’s have figured out the process for obtaining approvals and BrightSuite will help you navigate through the process.
How long to solar panels last?
The solar panels that BrightSuite installs come with a 25 year manufacturer warranty. The solar panels can last for more than 30 years. After 30 years, you’ll probably want to swap out with the panels newer technology and make a new investment.
What should you know about high pressure solar sales?
It’s important that we are informing and educating customers with the facts about solar and whether or not it would be a good fit for you. As a long standing energy provider, Dominion Energy felt that it was important to enter into the solar space and provide our customers with honest and reliable facts to our customers.
If you’re considering solar, we encourage people to reach out to us for our opinion. At Dominion Energy, we will never use door to door sales tactics but serve as a resource for our customers and the community. If you ever receive any scam or high pressure solar calls, we encourage you to call Dominion Energy’s Helpline at 1-866-DOM-HELP.
What should people look for in a solar proposal?
It’s difficult to compare “apples to apples” because companies use different values for the utility rate escalation. Some installers inflate figures but we use the most conservative case included in the Dominion Energy IRP, this is because we want to ensure that the savings we show you will truly show up. If rates increase more than the conservative case, you will only have upside to your savings.
BrightSuite for Solar
Save money, energy, and peace of mind. BrightSuite is Virginia’s one-stop shop for residential solar from initial conversations to final installation. If you’re considering solar, contact BrightSuite for the facts. BrightSuite is a full-service solar provider and wholly-owned subsidiary of Dominion Energy Company. The best way to ask for assistance and learn more about solar panels is to visit www.BrightSuite.com or call 833-793-0882.
