Solar panels for homes and businesses are becoming increasingly popular in Clark County, but potential buyers should carefully consider their circumstances and options before signing a contract with a contractor.
"Solar installation can be a very smart and good investment, but it's important that customers research their solar system with Clark Public Utilities before signing on with an installer," says Ashley King, energy services program coordinator at Clark Public Utilities. "We're here to help our clients make smart investments in renewable energy."
Home solar, also known as distributed power solar in the industry, is a significant investment in a highly specialized product. Sometimes it can be difficult for the average person to feel like they have an open mind about the potential of their property when they first meet a seller. Clark Public Utilities recommends a relatively simple three-step process to determine if solar is right for you and how to select the right contractor.
Phase One: Exploration is the self-taught's favorite pastime. Several industry-specific tools provide clear and useful information about a person's home solar power potential. Google offers the Project Sunroof website, which uses information from Google Earth to analyze your roof and determine how many "hours of sunshine" it receives on average per year. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory also offers an online tool called the PVWatts Calculator that estimates how much electricity your theoretical solar panel can generate.
Since Clark County is high above the earth, the sun is on the southern horizon most of the year. This means solar panels should only be installed on the south side of a roof or building. West facing panels are the next best design option and east or north facing panels are not recommended. Blocking trees south of the roofline can negatively impact solar power generation.
“Despite our relatively high latitude, Clark County is a good place for solar power, an increasingly popular renewable source,” said Matt Babbits, Energy Resources Program Manager. "By the end of 2022, Clark County will have approximately 17.5 megawatts of solar generation capacity."
Step two: make an offer. Clark Public Utilities recommends that all customers obtain at least three offers from solar panel installers listed in the Clark Public Utilities contractor network. A budget solar system should cost between $2.50 and $4 per watt.
But don't let price dictate your choice; Reputation matters too. Search online for customer reviews and even complaints to the Better Business Bureau or regulators. Clark Public Utilities does not sell solar power systems; Any installers posing as public utilities should be asked to leave your home. Please report these contractors to Clark Public Utilities at 360-992-3000.
Step Three: Once you've received a quote from a contractor, use the Solar Payback Calculator in the My Account section of clarkpublicutilities.com or the Solar Page on the main website to estimate your annual solar production and potential investment in payback.
Clark Public Utilities offers clean metering for solar customers. This benefit offers a credit for every kilowatt-hour produced, whether the energy is consumed at the customer's home or fed into the public grid.
On average, and with a good south orientation, each kilowatt of installed capacity of solar modules will produce about 1,150 kilowatt-hours per year.
Energy Advisor is written by Clark Public Utilities. Please direct inquiries to ecod@clarkpud.com or Energy Advisor, c/o Clark Public Utilities, PO Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
