Solar panels aren’t free, but the electricity they’ll keep producing for decades after they’ve paid for themselves is. Sage Builders LLC utilizes a design/build philosophy that incorporates green technology like solar energy from the drawing board up.

You’ve probably noticed more solar panels on residential rooftops in recent years. There’s a good reason for this growth. Every hour of every day, more solar energy strikes the face of the earth than humans can consume in a year. Solar photovoltaic panels convert that sunlight to electricity to power your home cleanly, without producing greenhouse gases or combustion by-products. Since nobody can put a meter on the sun, that power is and always will be free.

A typical solar installation works like this:

• Solar panels containing silicon cells naturally convert sunlight striking the panel to direct current (DC) voltage. Connected in series, the total output of all panels in a solar array multiplies to a wattage sufficient to power home requirements.
• An inverter installed indoors at the electrical panel converts the solar DC electricity to alternating current (AC) required by home lights and appliances.
• Most residential installations are grid-tied and remain connected to the local electric utility to ensure day and night power. At night, electricity comes from the grid. During daylight hours, solar panels supply the electrical needs of the home and, very often, more than is required. The surplus wattage can be routed back into the power grid, causing your electric meter to slow or even run backward to reflect the power returned to the utility. This can result in a credit on your electricity bill, substantially reducing the monthly amount due.

The up-front cost of purchasing a solar system can be a deal-breaker for some homeowners. However, solar leasing options allow you to adopt a system with zero initial investment. The costs of installation, maintenance and upgrades are assumed by the leasing company, which retains ownership of the equipment. Even including the lease fee, your monthly electricity expenses will be substantially lower. The main drawbacks to solar leasing are the loss of the 30 percent federal tax credit available to homeowners who buy their systems as well as ineligibility for other state or local solar incentives.

For homeowners in the west Boston area, Sage Builders LLC is the source of energy-efficient residential renovations. Ask us about more benefits of adding solar power at the time you choose to remodel.