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National Tax Day is approaching! Don't forget to claim a 30% Solar Tax Credit for your solar system. Read about Solar Tax Credit.
The majority of solar systems in the US are grid-tie. It is the most simple configuration that provides steady income. In this section of our website you can find yourself a grid tie solar system for your home or business. All the components are already sized together to make the switch to solar easier for you.
A house with a grid-tie system is still connected to power lines and you are free to use commercial electricity at any time. However, you also have solar panels which generate energy throughout the day and power your appliances. Panels by themselves produce direct current and an inverter converts it to alternating current which is suitable for most house appliances.
Not only do you pay less for commercial energy because panels produce electricity for you, you can also sell excess solar energy to your utility. This will cause your electric meter to go backwards. It’s called net metering: the exact terms of this policy may vary in different states and with different utility companies, but the idea remains the same. Net metering is the main way in which a grid tie solar panel system pays for itself. On average, a 5 kW system brings in $100-$150 a month. It can pay for itself in 5-8 years, depending on electricity rates, number of sun hours in the area and net metering policy. Since the average lifespan of PV modules exceeds 25 years, they pay for themselves several times.
The biggest disadvantage that a solar grid tie system has is its vulnerability to power outages. When a blackout happens, the system simply shuts down along with all of your appliances. That’s a safety requirement for every grid-tie inverter: workers can’t fix the grid until it’s completely free of current.
So what does a grid tie solar kit include? The essentials are solar panels and an inverter. Keep in mind that kits generally include minimum wiring because we can’t know in advance what cable length and gauge you need. You can also order addons, such as solar optimizers which decrease the impact of shading on your system.
Grid tie solar system cost is lower compared to other configurations, since you don’t get batteries for it. A lot depends on the panels that you’ll choose and the inverter. Chinese panels are the cheapest, but American-made PV modules are considered to have higher quality. String inverter is the most common choice, while microinverters are more efficient and long-lasting but more expensive as well.
At A1 SolarStore you can find a variety of grid tie solar systems for sale. Our managers will be glad to answer any questions about prices, warranties and shipping options. Here is how we operate:
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