FAQ’s

What is the ideal location for solar?

Location, location, location. Solar isn’t suitable for every location and several important factors determine whether solar is right for your home or business.

If considering a rooftop installation, the roof should have a relatively clear view of the sky, optimally a southern exposure, however, an east or west-facing roof can be ideal for harvesting the sun’s free energy. Not exactly sure if your roof is a good fit for solar or considering a ground-mounted installation? Contact Us today and one of our energy specialists would be glad to assist. Our proposals are free and come with no obligation.

What about shade?

The roof should be relatively free from the shade of nearby tree’s, adjacent buildings or other objects that would cast shade onto the solar modules. Shading that affects the roof during the early morning or late afternoon may not adversely affect a solar energy system’s production. Contact Us today and one of our energy specialists would be glad to assess any potential shading issues at your home or place of business and assist you in determining if solar is right for you.

What are the requirements regarding a roof’s condition?

The roof should be in good condition and have an adequate useful life of 7-10 years prior to the installation of a solar system. We will inspect the roof prior to the installation. We will not install a system on a roof that is in poor condition and would be happy to recommend a partner roofing company to assist you in replacing the roof prior to installing a solar system.

What if I need to replace my roof?

Since a solar system has an expected useful life approaching 30 years, the removal and re-installation of solar modules for a re-roofing project may be needed in the future and add to the cost of the re-roofing project. Costs for this service will vary by system size, but $1,750 - $2,750 would cover most residential jobs. Fortunately, on-going maintenance costs are very low overall for a solar system, and the costs of a single removal and reinstallation within a system’s life will equate to less than $100 annually over the expected life of a system.

At Green Way Solar, we are aware of these concerns and in addition to our standard warranty, we offer customers an affordable full-service extended warranty plan which includes the removal and re-installation costs associated with a single re-roofing project within 20 years of installation, so you can rest easy. Questions? Contact Us today and see if solar is right for you.

• Electric Cost Savings
• Net Metering
• Annual Over-Production Payments
• Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
• Increased Property Value
• Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
• What's My Payback?

Clean Renewable Energy

Electric power derived from the sun or solar PV (photovoltaic) power is an inexhaustible clean, renewable energy source. The term photovoltaic derives from the words “photo” meaning light and “voltaic” pertaining to electricity. Solar PV modules or panels produce light directly to electricity with no moving parts and have life expectancies exceeding 25 years.

Reduce Harmful Pollutants

Producing the electricity used for your home or business with solar offsets the need to produce that same energy from coal and natural gas electric generation plants avoiding the production of harmful emissions and pollutants associated with the burning of fossil fuels. These emissions negatively impact the quality of air, water, and soil. Additionally, adverse health effects can be experienced by people sensitive to air quality issues and according to a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), these emissions contribute to the formation of smog and haze and are associated with a wide range of health problems.¹⁰

The production of electricity with a solar energy system produces no pollution and offers their owners the ability to invest in their own unlimited clean, free power production uninhibited from the negative consequences of burning fossil fuels. Did you know that solar energy is the most abundant energy resource on earth -- 173,000 terawatts of solar energy strikes the Earth continuously. That's more than 10,000 times the world's total energy use.⁹ Have questions regarding the production of electricity with a solar system? Contact Us today and we’d be glad to answer your questions.

Reduce the Impacts of Climate Change

According to the US Department of Energy, the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels for electricity generation are responsible for climate change and global warming.⁷

The federal government’s webpage on energy use, energy.gov⁸, our government specifically explains that the northeast part of the country is not immune to the effects of global warming and climate change, and warns that continued use of fossil fuels for energy generation is responsible for:

1. Increasing temperatures & heatwaves.
2. Increasing precipitation or heavy downpours.
3. Decreasing water availability.
4. Increasing sea level rise and storm surge.
5. Increasing frequency of intense hurricanes.

The article explains that the US Energy Department is working to provide technical information and assistance, and actively pursuing partnerships with states, communities and the private sector to accelerate investment in a more reliable and resilient energy system. An investment in solar can help mitigate this issue and be part of the solution. Learn more here.

The environmental benefits of solar energy are clear. Not only can you improve the health of those around you and help fight climate change, but you can save on your electric bills while making a good long-term investment. Contact Us today to see if solar is right for you. Our proposals are free and come with no obligation.

How does a Solar PV module operate?

A solar PV (photovoltaic) solar module converts the light that strikes it directly to direct current (DC). The term photovoltaic derives from the word’s “photo” meaning light and “voltaic” pertaining to electricity. Solar PV modules or panels produce light directly to electricity with no moving parts and have life expectancies exceeding 25 years. In a solar system, modules are connected in series called “strings”. The combined DC power that these strings of modules produce is routed to an inverter. The inverter converts the incoming DC current to alternating current (AC) at a voltage that matches your current electric service. At this point, the power produced by the modules is either consumed by the home or business or routed onto the grid. Learn more here.

What happens to the excess power that I return the grid?

Any excess power that is produced by the solar system flows back onto the grid and the meter turns backward. This excess power is then “banked” as credit by the customer and drawn on as needed during the evening and during low-solar production days. Please see our section on Net Metering  & Annual Over-Production Payments for more information.

What happens when the sun does not shine?

While it is possible for a solar system to make limited power on cloudy days, it will not produce power during the evening. In a grid-tied system with net metering, excess power that was “banked” as credit by the customer on sunny days is drawn from the grid as needed during the evening and during low-solar production days.

Will my solar system provide me with power in the event of a power outage?

In most grid-tied systems, the inverter senses the loss of grid power and powers down the solar system and does not provide power to the home or business. This is a safety precaution to protect utility workers while working on the grid to repair the power outage. Some solar systems can be designed to provide both power to a home or business during a power outage and protect the utility workers working on the grid. Contact Us today and we’d be glad to answer your questions and offer custom solutions.

Will I still receive an electric bill if I go solar?

In a grid-tied system, you will receive a dramatically reduced electric bill as most Green Way Solar designs strive to off-set a minimum of 100% of your historical power use with solar. In these cases, you will be billed for the minimum customer connection charges assuming you have built up previous solar energy production with net metering. Please see the sections on Net Metering  & Electric Cost Savings for more information. We are permitted by law to design your system to a maximum of 2x your historical power use providing you with a potential annual revenue stream for overproduction. Please see the section on Annual Over-Production Payments for more information. Contact Us today and we’d be glad to answer your questions regarding electric billing with a solar system.

Home Equity/Home Improvement/Personal Loans

A solar system is a good way to invest in your home and one of the wisest home improvement projects. Since your home’s value will increase significantly after a solar system is installed, a home equity loan may be right for you. Please see the section on Increased Property Value for more information. Additionally, as the system owner, you will be entitled to take advantage of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and the Solar Renewal Energy Credits (SRECs) the system will generate. Alternatively, home improvement and personal loans are offered by some lenders. Contact Us today and we’d be glad to answer your questions regarding financing your solar system.

What’s my payback?

When owning your solar system, whether you buy your system outright or decide to take a loan, it pays to go solar. With a system designed to offset 100% of your power bill, you can nearly eliminate your power bill on day 1 and put those savings to work immediately on paying down the system costs. Considering the immediate Increased Property Value  & the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) associated with the system installation, those funds can also put to work to accelerate the payback schedule. Additional annual revenue you’ll collect from Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) & Annual Over-Production Payments will also combine to reduce system pay-back periods to typically under 5 years. Contact Us today to see if solar is right for you. We would be happy to discuss your estimated payback with you and assist you in your journey to go solar. Our proposals are free and come with no obligation.

What about a Lease or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)?

If you enter into a lease or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for a solar system, you are either “renting” the equipment at pre-determined monthly lease payments, or in the case of a PPA, you purchase only the power that the solar system produces monthly over a particular term, typically 20 years. Solar lease and PPA monthly rates increase at predetermined amounts of between 1-3% annually. Leases and PPA’s have the advantage of low-down payments and you generate your power from solar. On the downside, when leasing or entering into a PPA, you don’t own your own system and cannot benefit from the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) or the Solar Renewal Energy Credits (SRECs) the system will generate. Selling your home with a solar lease or PPA can require that you buy-out the solar lease or PPA or transfer to the new owners. Please see the section on the Financial Benefits of solar for more information. Contact Us today to answer your questions and see if solar is right for you. Our proposals are free and come with no obligation.