April Is National Solar Quote Month Again, Damn It!

Published on April 22, 2011 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Affordable Solar.

Solar Fred is a bit, shall we say, impatient. I’ll admit it.

The fact is, I’ve been devoting my being, sweat and beer money to spreading the word about solar power affordability for the last two or three years. And yet, still, I meet somebody new who loves, loves, loves (loves!) solar power for their home, but, but, but—

—And there’s always that “but—”

They tell me, “But, it’s too expensive.”

Solar Fred: Really? How do you know?

Person who could be you: Because…that’s what I’ve read/heard/seen on Fox news.

Solar Fred: Would you like to prove that it’s too expensive?

Person who could be you: Like, as in, facts?

Solar Fred: Like, as in getting a quote once a year to test your theory? If you’re right and it is indeed too expensive, then you’ve lost an hour or two of your time with the nice installer person coming to your home, checking out your shading, and giving you a free quote. My apologies, but at least you know the facts. But if you’re wrong, then yeah, baby! You’ve always wanted to go solar, and now you realize you can afford it! Good solar times are comin’.

Now, just to be fair, you, dear doubting solar enthusiast, may not be entirely wrong, even this year. That is, the affordability factor depends on your utility, your state, your roof, and how you finance solar.  All the more reason to hit us up for a free internet solar quote through our partners at One Block off the Grid.

Another reason why solar is more affordable today is that there are some great new 0-down solar leasing and solar power purchasing agreement (Solar PPA) programs that let you go solar for nada up front and still allow you to save 10-20% off your electric bill.

Yet another reason the home solar life is good today: Solar panel prices have come WAY down in the last two years, so installers are often passing those savings down to you.

All this is to say, give Solar Fred a break, and give yourself a break:  Once a year, say every April, get a solar quote for your home. Benchmark yourself.  If you’re not surprised and tickled that solar is affordable this year, just you wait until next April and get another free quote.

Then, one year soon—if not this year—you’re going to say, “Holy sugar shacks! Solar is affordable. …But I knew that.”

Enough said.

Solar on the White House and What it Means for You

Published on October 9, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Affordable Solar, Solar Legistlation, Solar Myths, Solar Politics.

Well,  perhaps you’ve heard that the White House will finally have solar panels on its roof again in the Spring of 2011. Hooray!  Or not….

As usual, the enemies of solar, fossil fuel companies and Fox News their lobbyists, are saying that this is a waste of tax payer dollars and that the solar panels aren’t going to do squat for the White House or for you.

Well, pardonez-moi for disagreeing with the  three horses of the Eco-apocalypse! Ahh! coal, oil, and gas company yahoos.

Here’s what solar power on the White House means for you and all Americans who care about national security, clean, renewable energy, and, you know… breathing:

• Solar on the White House means that we now have a president who’s not Bush/Dick Cheney beholden to oil, gas, and coal companies. Thus, no more sending out our military to invade the Middle East “protect our national oil company interests.”

• Solar on the White House means that you’re no longer going to be flushing your tax dollars down the can supporting policies that increase the chances that fossil fuel companies ignore environmental laws and crap poison on us when nobody’s watching have unfortunate accidents.

• Solar on White House means that you’re going to see a public website that shows you the White House energy savings.  That cost savings might make you think holy crap!!, gee, I wonder if solar can save me money too and help stop the slow boiling of polar bears and penguins.

• Most importantly, Solar on the White means that you may question what you hear from  people/bloggers/Glen Beck who know nothing about solar except what they’ve heard from other people who know nothing friends and family.  Instead, you’re actually going to get a free solar quote for yourself and find out some accurate facts.

Now, I’ve had my fun ripping on fossil fuel companies and Sara Palin oil-loving conservatives, but the truth is that these people want you to believe that the White House going solar is just a tax-payer publicity stunt. That’s not true. It’s actually an energy demonstration stunt, and that’s really what they’re afraid of.

Because if you see the White House energy savings, that might inspire you to stop wasting your money using their coal and oil from their companies. It’s against oil and coal company business plans for you to be energy independent. Plus, they don’t want their oil and coal workers getting retrained for solar, wind, and energy efficiency jobs, because then that fear mongering job-loss argument goes down the tubes too.

What’s really sick is that even though coal and oil company cheer leaders inhale air like me and you, they’d rather their own children and all of us continue to breath their polluted emissions so that they can keep making gobs of money.  How greedy and screwed up is that?!

I beg you. Find out the facts about solar for you and your home. Get a free quote. If solar’s not right for you now, fine. Maybe next year. But at least you did your homework and know for sure.

Solar Fred’s Most Useful Solar Economic Posts on SolarPowerRocks.com

Published on May 2, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Affordable Solar, Low Up Front Costs, Municipal Financing, Solar Financing, Solar Lease, feed-in tariff.

Photo : Flickr/Patrick Hosely

For the last 3 years, SolarPowerRocks is and has been a very useful resource for solar consumers. We’ve got tons of information about technology and solar economics–some of which needs a bit of updating because solar rebates change so often in so many states. Forgive us.

However, there are some evergreen solar posts that remain useful for anyone wishing to go solar in 2010 and beyond. These are in no particular order, but they are skewed toward understanding solar economics. The reader comments and our responses are also pretty informative as well.

Ye Old FAQ & More.

Some of these are also mentioned below, but as I said, we’re slanting on economics here.

What’s “Net Metering.”

Net Metering is perhaps the most important solar policy in the U.S. right now. Think of net metering as a virtual battery storage device that sometimes pays you money back at the end of the year.

What’s the Diff? Solar Lease vs. Solar PPA

Solar Leases and Solar Power Purchase Agreements are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. because they have low up front costs. The down side is that you generally don’t save (or earn) as much money as buying. Be sure to read reader comments for more discussion about this.

San Francisco Picks up the Solar PACE

PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) is another way to go solar with low to no upfront costs. The concept is generally the same in every city, although there can be different qualifications in every state. With PACE, you finance your solar and/or energy efficiency improvements through a special tax assessment on your property. Should you move before 20 years, no problem. Unlike a loan, the new home owner takes over the payments (and the solar savings.)

How to Calculate the 30% Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)

Until 2016, Americans can receive an uncapped 30% tax credit that helps bring down the cost of solar. However, it doesn’t always come off the top. Here’s a simple guide to calculate the tax credit, but we always recommend confirming everything we say with a tax geek. We’re just solar geeks.

Another post about New Jersey Solar and SRECs in general (and TRECs)

Dave gives a great overview of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). Right now, this incentive is hot in New Jersey and a few other states, but as solar markets grow throughout the U.S., SRECs are going to be a great extra cash benefit to going solar.

Solar Fred Info: What’s a Feed in Tariff?

Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs) are another way to incentivize solar and is widely credited with the solar boom in Germany, Spain, and other countries. Instead of rebates and net metering, you finance your solar system through a bank loan. However, the Utility pays you a huge cash premium for every watt that your system produces. In theory, you quickly pay back your loan and keep making money throughout the 20 year contract. FiTs are only in some states and/or cities, but there is a chance that there will one day be a national FiT.

Naturally, no matter how you finance your solar, we just want you to go solar. If you’re not sure if solar is right for you, forget guessing. Just get a free quote. What can you lose? It’s free, and free is almost as good as free energy from the sun.

Thanks for reading.

How to find out about current solar rebates in your state

Published on April 23, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Buying Solar, Los Angeles Solar, solar incentives.

Photo: Flckr/BradleyOlin

Solar is becoming a lot more popular in a lot of states. Unfortunately, our crack staff of solar geeks analysts are overwhelmed by all of the new rebate news that comes out every week. We just can’t update the state  pages fast enough.

So, we’re going to give you all a place where you can go to always check out what’s new in your city, state, or utility, and then plug in the numbers of the examples that we give.

Of course,  the fastest way is to check out your solar costs is through our solar group purchasing partner, One Block off the Grid’s (1bog’s) solar online estimate tool.  It’s accurate and easy to use. The problem is that 1bog isn’t in every city and state–yet.  So, now you’re looking for guidance about what rebates and incentives apply to you in a non 1bog city.

First of all, know that everyone is entitled to the 30% Federal Tax Credit, no matter what city or state you live in.  Read more about how to calculate that 30% tax credit here.  It’s a little confusing, but we tried our best to explain it all.

Now, in addition to the 30% tax credit, you also may receive a state rebate, a city rebate, and or a utility rebate. Usually, it’s just one of those three, but sometimes you can get a utility rebate and the state rebate.

Unlike tax credits, the good thing about rebates is that they automatically reduce your upfront costs, which means you have to take out a smaller home equity loan. There’s also the matter of Renewable Energy Credits or “RECs” or “S-RECS.” These puppies are worth a lot in states like New Jersey, but their value is different in every state.

Now, as to finding out exactly what rebates and other incentives you’re entitled to, you need to know not only your state, but sometimes your utility. Then go to this  government sponsored website where you can look up the current rebates offered in every state and utility. They have a huge staff, so they’re almost always up to date.

Unfortunately, this database of incentives cannot tell you about the value of your state’s REC program. These can change from month to month, depending on your state, although sometimes the value is fixed for a certain time.

However, knowing the incentives offered is only half the battle. For example, you might discover that Los Angeles is offering a $3/watt rebate right now, but how much does that mean for you? Well, if your installer estimates that you need a 4000 watt system to cover all your electric needs, that’s $12,000 off your cost.

Seems simple, but the problem is that you have to know how many solar panels you need in order to determine your actual rebate. Besides your electric usage, there are also certain local policies, such as time of use, tiered rates, and net metering that can also reduce the number of solar panels that you need.

We won’t get into system sizing here.  The point here is that if you want the latest information about rebates and incentives in your area, you can always check out the above site, or …. just get a free quote from an installer, who keeps up with the latest subsidies in your area. It’s free, so the only thing you have to lose is a bit of time. Worst case, you’ll learn a lot from a pro be able to benchmark your solar costs for a future quote.

Solar PV Addict Gives Tips for Checking out Qualified Solar Installers

Published on April 20, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Solar Installation Stuff, solar sales.

The following post is from Heather Andrews Bias, a Nevada solar installer, solar installation instructor, and self-professed “PV addict.” In short, Heather loves solar as much as Solar Fred, perhaps even more. As a solar instructor and member in good standing with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (local #357, Las Vegas), she knows solar right from solar wrong, and she knows what to look for in a quality solar installer. Heather recently told me about an experience with a friend, and so I asked her to repeat that story and give her personal inside tips for checking out a qualified solar installer.  Heather writes:

Recently, I met with Nick, a potential consumer looking to go green by having a PV array installed on his roof. I wasn’t looking for a sale; rather, Nick’s a friend who asked that I help him decipher the bids he was given so that he could make the right choice. I looked over each bid intently, questioned a few things, and did some extensive research.

• Of seven bids, three of the contractors were not properly licensed to connect his array to the utility grid, meaning that Nick would be required to hire an electrician at additional cost to do so in order to pass inspection. This was not disclosed to him.
• Another contractor was not approved by the utility to apply for state rebates (also not disclosed), while yet another told Nick that if the utility lost power, he would still have power to his house if the sun was up, even without a battery backup. In reality, grid-tied solar without a back-up will not protect you from a black out. The reason is to protect utility workers fixing the electrical lines.
• Of the final three bids, the prices differed wildly by over $15,000, and only one contractor performed a solar site survey after meeting with Nick. A proper site survey is needed to determine shading, the condition of your home’s electrical system, and other important issues for designing a safe and efficient solar installation.
• On behalf of Nick, I called these contractors and asked if their installers held the Nevada OSHA photovoltaic installer’s license, a requirement for anyone performing an installation in Nevada. Three of the seven contractors were under the impression that only the lead installer was required to have this license, though Nevada’s Revised Statutes clearly dictate otherwise.

Unfortunately, Nick’s experience is not unique. With solar quickly becoming en vogue and many home contractors looking to cash in, I’m finding that many small installers have little or no electrical background, zero hands-on training before their first professional installation, and in some cases, less than 10 hours of instruction before they’re sent out to put together a rooftop power generating system.

I strongly feel that solar should be installed by licensed electricians. A solar array (whether residential or commercial) is a major investment, and such things should be taken seriously. 600 volts coming out of a typical solar array is no joke, and it takes both knowledge and skill to work with it safely.

Solar installers and contractors have an obligation to be ethical in their business practices, and that includes proper licensing, extensive training, and honest consumer education.

Dirt-Cheap Things You Can Do to Reduce Your Solar Costs through Energy Efficiency.

Published on April 14, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Affordable Solar, Buying Solar, energy efficiency.

NOT Energy Efficient (Photo: Flickr/egodfrey13)

Solar Fred loves solar and women and beer but he’s also not one to waste beer a nickel on his utility bill, even for important things like keeping his beer vegetables chilled in the fridge.

So I’m naturally prone to being very cheap energy efficient, and if you’re thinking about going solar, you should be equally concerned about the cost of chilling your veggies and such. The fact is that the more energy efficient your home is, the cheaper it is for you to go solar.

This isn’t a new concept that I made up in drunken stupor. In fact, if you’re going to take advantage of San Francisco’s new PACE program, you’re required to get an energy audit and improve your energy efficiency first before going solar. Our solar partner 1bog.org makes this process cheap and easy so very simple with a generous 15% group discount.

But even without getting an official energy audit, there are plenty of dirt-cheap things you can do to reduce your dirty, coal-fired 19th century, polluting utility bill and at the same time reduce your solar cost by reducing your need to a smaller size solar system.

Allow me to list some dirt-cheap ways that you can be more energy efficient.

Shut off the lights. I know this sounds so easy, but there’s a reason your father was always yelling at you to turn off those lights when you’re not in the room. You have a lot of light bulbs. Keeping them on when no one’s using them is wasting tons of power and money that you could be spending on more beer important things.

Change those lights to CFLs. Tommy Edison’s 19^th century incandescent light bulbs waste 6 times as much power as CFLs and even more compared to LED bulbs. Count how many incandescent bulbs you have in your house, especially those outdoor flood lights that are on all night. Now think about 6 times. Six times the money you’re wasting lighting up the bushes. At least use CFL flood lights. Over the course of the year, it’s just nuts to waste that much in alcohol and date money household expenses.

Your old refrigerator sucks power. Refrigerators serve an important role in keeping your vegetables and vodka and frozen pizza other nutritious substances chilled and preserved. But they suck power like Solar Fred downs martinis water on a hot summer day. Buy a new Energy Star refrigerator. Many states have rebate programs to encourage you to get a new fridge. Use them.

Other Fridge Power Saving Tips. Your fridge works hard to keep your frozen dinners food chilled, but every time you open the door and think about what to reheat for dinner, you’re making it work harder and thus use more power to keep the fridge cold. So don’t stare. Get what you need and shut the door. Also, if possible, move the fridge away from anything that emits heat, like your stove, dryer, or dishwasher. Use a vacuum cleaner for once every 6 months to clear off the dust from the coils in the back of your fridge and under your unused exercise machines. Do the same for the lint in the back of your dryer. All of these things make those machines draw more power to do what they have to do.

Retire your dryer. That’s right. If you want to save tons of cash, especially if you have an electric dryer, start air -drying your clothes on a clothes line. Your clothes will last longer also, and of course, you’ll have some fresh air once a month week.

Put your electronics on a power strip. You charge your cell phone, your blue tooth, and all of these other devices at night. Fine. But before you leave during the day, pull those plugs or put them all on a power strip and shut that puppy off. Because those things are still bleeding cash out of your utility bill while you’re at work. Same for your television, your Wii, your desktop computer, and whatever other battery charged naughtiness feel-good exercise equipment you have charging under the bed.

Bottom line: Save more money for beer and drinking responsibly with energy efficiency and then go solar. Wonder how much it might cost to go solar? Benchmark yourself and get a quote.

Is Solar Finally Affordable in 2010? In Many States, Yes.

Published on April 7, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: 1bog, Los Angeles Solar, New Jersey, Solar Financing, Solar Lease, colorado, san francisco.

Photo: Flickr/Jurveston

Is solar finally affordable in 2010? In many states, I think the answer is yes, and it’s not just for the rich eco-minded elites either. That may have been the case before 2009, but many factors have finally made solar affordable for middle class budgets across the U.S.

First, before we get into the nitty-gritty numbers,  let me just make a few observations of what has changed in the last two years to make solar affordable in many states:

• The Federal 30% Tax Credit. Previous to 2009, that tax credit was capped for residents at $2000. Not any more. Now you get the full 30% off the installed cost of your solar system, calculated after any state or utility rebates.
• Solar panel prices have plummeted. There’s nothing like a recession to make demand lower and force panel companies to compete by reducing prices. In just a year, panel prices have dropped 50% and are still inching lower. Labor, however, hasn’t dropped, so there is a floor.
• The growth of innovative financing options. Let’s be clear here: Buying is always more cost effective than leasing in the long term, but buying means getting a home loan to pay for it up front. HOWEVER, residential solar leases and solar PPA’s do allow you to go solar for very little up front money, so you will save some money—just not as much money as buying through a home equity loan or PACE program (see below). So, get a quote for buying and leasing if you want and compare. Either way, you’ll see it’s affordable.
• PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy). These programs did not exist until just recently. They’re growing in cities everywhere now. Here’s an example of the San Francisco program. Bottom line, a great way to finance your system, and if you move before 20 years, by law, the new home owner takes over the payments, so you can move free and clear of any residual loan value, and the new buyer can benefit from the solar and pay the remaining loan.
• The growth of SRECs. New Jersey is the poster child of why solar is now affordable, and a large part is due to the Solar Renewable Energy Credit market there. Read about a New Jersey example here. These markets are growing in every state.
• The expansion of net metering. Many—but not all—states now have net metering. With this system, if your solar panels produce extra solar power during the day, the utility is required to credit you back that power at night. In some areas, they’ll even pay you for the extra power if your panels produced more “net” energy at the end of the year.

Okay, so that’s the broad strokes of why solar is affordable in 2010. What about the numbers? Numbers are really difficult to apply to everyone, and I’ve written why before. Read this post, and realize that what you pay is going to be more or less than your neighbor or a person in another state. Wish there were one policy and one price for solar, but that’s just not the case.

With that mind, let’s go through some example prices and payback time for a $100 average monthly electric bill and a net price of around $12,000 or less. Keep in mind that these are pre-negotiated, no-haggle, group purchasing prices through our partners at 1bog.org.

As I said, pretty much affordable when you take into consideration all of the incentives. Now, you will pay more money up front, that’s true, but it does pay off fairly quickly, and I didn’t even mention the increase in home value and other income tax benefits. Plus, solar systems last for 25 years, or longer, so free electricity after only 3.4 years in the case of Northern New Jersey.

Curious about the numbers for your home? Do what I did and use 1bog’s free estimation calculator. If the numbers don’t pencil out this year, then write down the numbers to benchmark yourself and try again next year.

5 Reasons to Get a Solar Installer Quote Once a Year

Published on March 24, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Buying Solar, Solar Pricing, solar incentives.

Note to Self… Find a Solar Installer….

If you’re visiting at Solar Power Rocks, you’re probably here because you’re curious about getting solar installed for your home or business.

And yet, we know that a lot of people who visit our site meander away without ever checking to get a free solar quote, even though it’s, you know…free. Well, here are 5 pretty damn good reasons why you should get a solar quote once a year, starting with, you know, now:

1) Solar panels are getting commoditized.

Like oil and orange juice, solar panels are now becoming a commodity. Due to an oversupply in the world, solar panel prices have come down 40% to 60% in the last year alone. We’re talking a price drop in parts, not labor, but that parts discount might have made solar finally within your reach. But you won’t know that unless you get a quote.

2) Solar rebates and solar incentives change every year, sometimes several times a year.

States, utilities, and cities can all offer rebates and tax incentives. Sometimes these rebates run quickly out of funding. Other times, they’re brand new rebates that nobody had last year. Also, there are states like California where rebates are reduced incrementally as more people go solar. How these incentives affect your solar budget cannot be predicted without getting an individual quote for your home’s energy needs.

3) Energy prices and utility rates are rising.

As sure as death, taxes, and sunrises, electric rates are going to go up. You will never see them go down. Never. With solar, however, once you buy the system through a home equity loan or PACE program, that’s it. That monthly payment is locked in. So every time electric rates go up, no worries. In fact, that’s money in your pocket that you can invest or use to buy something else, like beer, or a Mini Cooper. Please drink and drive responsibly….separately, I mean.

4) Net metering laws change. So do solar policies.

If you don’t know what net metering is, well, fine. Learn about it here. I’ll wait….Now that we’re on the same page, just know that this law is not set in stone. For example, California almost lost its net metering a few months back, and that would have made solar a lot more expensive and killed a growing green industry. A solar installer giving you a quote could warn you about net metering changes, or new financing programs like PACE. But you don’t know unless you ask.

5) It’s good to benchmark your solar costs once a year.

As we’ve seen, solar panel prices have dropped, rebates rise and fall, and energy prices will rise every year. Therefore, if you know what solar cost you last year, you’ll be able to show yourself and your family that the price has really come down, and now’s the time to go solar. Finally. Or not.

But either way, by getting a quote once a year, you can have the solar facts, and not just guess.

Going solar in San Diego? Should I get a small, medium, or large solar system?

Published on March 13, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: Affordable Solar, SREC, Solar Pricing, california, solar questions.

San Diego Blooming

I was talking to Peter, a friend of mine who lives in San Diego, who was finally considering solar now that the economy seems to be back on track.

His roof is in good shape with plenty of golden San Diego sunlight shining upon it, faces South West, and his electric bill averages around $1440 a year or $120 a month.

Pete got a quote back from our new solar group purchasing partners at One Block Off the Grid (1bog). Those are the same guys who negotiated a hugely discounted deal for everyone in San Diego who signs up through their program. I’ve written about the type of savings here for their San Antonio, Texas program. New Jersey savings? Forget about it.

Anyway, the numbers looked good, but Pete wasn’t sure whether to go with a small, medium, or large solar system. That is, when 1bog gives its solar estimates through its solar calculator, it gives consumers three choices for estimates:

Small Savings ——– Medium Savings ———- Largest, Long Term Savings

For Peter in San Diego with a $120/month averaged electric bill, his choices were:

So, on first glance, Pete was thinking let’s go for the smallest size, because this is the lowest upfront cost. I could see how that was attractive, but there are several factors that Pete was missing:

1) The small system only offsets 61% of Pete’s electric costs. So, almost 40% is still subject to utility rate hikes, which everyone knows is going to go up over the life of his 25 years or more of solar. (Yes, solar lasts 25 years, often longer.)

2) Based on a 6% annual utility rate increase per year, the small system pays for itself in 7.2 years. But in just another year—or year and half for the largest system—Peter can still get paid back for his solar investment and have up to 97% of electricity costs covered. That leaves a measly 3% left to the whims for San Diego Gas & Electric rate increases.

3) Regarding the initial up front costs: If you’re talking about a home equity loan paid over 30 years at 8% interest, Pete’s monthly loan payment is going to be about $60/month for the small solar system. For the medium, around $95/month. For the largest, it’s going to be about $130/month.

Now, Pete was saying that $130/month is more than his current electric bill, but then I reminded him about the payback time period:  In around 9 years, his electricity is going to be 97% free and 97% rate increase-free, for the next 17 years, except for the inverter replacement cost in 12 to 15 years.

Of course, the inverter replacement costs are chump change compared to the long term savings: Over 25 years, according to the 1bog quote, Pete’s going to save about $70,000 with the largest system, and around $45,000 with the smallest. Big difference. And we didn’t even go into the expected home value increase thanks to the solar, or other bonus incentives, like SRECs.

The point here is that as Americans, we have to think more long term. I know it’s always tempting to go for the lower upfront costs, and any solar is better than no solar, especially for the environment. But if you look at all the numbers when you get a quote from 1bog or anyone else, you’ll see that a little more upfront costs pays you back a huge dividend in the long run.

If you want to see your very own, free, nobody-will-call-unless-you-ask-for-it, solar quote from 1bog in San Diego or your city, try their solar calculator. As for Pete, I think he’s going for the medium package. 79% free electricity ain’t bad either.

IRS forms for your 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit

Published on March 5, 2010 by Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred".
Categories: tax credits.

Carl writes to us that his tax preparer doesn’t know how to apply for the 30% Federal Tax Credit.

We’ve answered part of this question before about how to calculate the 30% Federal Tax credit, but we’re going to go the extra mile and actually give all our beautiful solar people the IRS forms.  Send them over to your tax preparer and tell them to give you a discount. No need to thank us. Just buy us a beer next time you’re in the neighborhood, or let us sleep on your couch when we’re in your neighborhood.

For products “placed in service” in 2009, you need to file the 2009 IRS Form 5695 and submit it with your 2009 taxes (by April 15, 2010). On the 2009 1040 form, the residential energy tax credit (from Form 5695) is claimed on line 52.

“Placed in service” means the year your solar system was up and working on your roof. It doesn’t mean when you put down your deposit.  Similarly, for products “placed in service” this year in 2010, you’ll take the tax credit on your 2010 income taxes.

Thanks for the question, Carl! You rock for going solar!