The cost of going solar vary from one state to the other depending on several factors, including but not limited to solar incentives available, availability of solar renewable energy credits, regulatory support and the effectiveness of obtaining multiple solar quotes to assist you with getting the least solar cost available in the market.
If you are looking to go solar in Atlanta, you want to find out what solar incentives are available and that you can claim to help reduce the overall solar cost. In some states that have rebates offered by the state government, the overall cost of installing solar panels can be reduced significantly, by up to 50%. However, in Atlanta, the state of Georgia does not provide any direct solar incentives to the end-user.
In most cases, local utility companies such as GA power have developed utility supported incentives to encourage the use of solar PV in Georgia such as the $0.17/kWh Georgia power solar buyback program. In addition, electric cooperatives such as the Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (Jackson EMC) which is one of the 39 not for profit membership-owned electric cooperatives, offer its members up to $4500 cash rebates off their solar installation. It offers $450 per kW installed with a 10kW maximum ($4500).
Regulatory support for solar panels in Atlanta
Regulatory support for solar panels in Georgia is improving and the Georgia Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Act of 2001 allows, but does not require net energy metering to be adopted by utilities.
According to the law, investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, and electric cooperatives can offer bi-directional metering to their customers with eligible technologies such as solar PV systems, wind turbines, etc and up to 10 kilowatts (kW) for residential applications and PV systems of up to 100kW for commercial applications. For instance, Georgia Power does not offer a specific net energy metering tariff and any excess generation is credited to the customer’s next bill at a predetermined rate filed with Georgia Public Service Commission.
Solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) are not available in Georgia since the renewable portfolio standard is none-existent in GA. SRECs exist as a result of the renewable portfolio standard (RPS). An SREC can be worth as over $300 in certain states and a 5kW PV system can produce SRECs worth $500 to $3000 depending on the value of one SREC, which can be worth $50 to $300 per SREC.
So, what is the cost of installing solar panels in Atlanta?
Even without SRECs or RPS, the cost of installing solar panels in Atlanta can still be reduced using the 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) offered by the federal government, local utility supported solar programs such as the GA power solar buyback program and using platforms like the EnergySage.
Online solar marketplaces like the EnergySage offer an online system that screen solar installers that are qualified to install solar panels in your community.
When you submit your details you receive different quotes from different solar installers and such competition allows reducing the cost of installing solar panels in your local area. Getting multiple solar quotes is one way of reducing your overall solar cost.
In addition, you can estimate your cost of installing solar panels in Atlanta using a solar panel cost calculator available here and see what are your potential savings based on the solar incentives available in your local area and solar panels offered by your local installers. Get started today using this solar panel calculator or get more details about your specific cost of installing solar panels in your local area.