Solar Panels In Riverside
Solar panel installation in Riverside County, CA.
Riverside solar companies have come and gone throughout the last few years. They are drawn by an endless sea of rooftops and high air conditioning bills, only to fail by not understanding the community. Riverside is not like anywhere else, it is not an extension of the nearby big cities. And neither are its people.
People come to Riverside to get away. They don’t want to be bothered by solar companies calling or knocking on their door, and aren’t easily talked into a sale. In fact, Riverside is one of the most difficult areas of Southern California for solar panel installers to sell renewable energy systems. Unless you know how. Riverside homeowners are receptive to solar companies who are polite, respectful, and show up with their lowest price. Don’t reach out to them, they’ll let you know when they are ready. From the solar power installer’s point of view, you better be ready to get to the bottom line and explain not only what the solar power system will do for them, but why they should choose you over everyone else.
Baker Electric Home Energy has been a Riverside solar power company since opening its doors on the Solar Store in Murrieta (40165 Murrieta Hot Springs Road Murrieta, CA 92065) many years ago. The store was opened in response to Riverside homeowners wanting a brick-and-mortar location where they could meet the people behind the company and see some of the solar pv (photovoltaics) components on display that make up a solar power plant. They could also see some of the peripheral solar technologies such as roof mounts and solar inverters. This, along with up-front pricing, has been a success for both Baker and Riverside residents as proven by the number of happy customers and volume of solar installations Baker has completed in the area. Overall, Baker has installed over 9,000 solar power systems throughout Southern California.
We install solar in Riverside and the Inland Empire
The rules of Riverside solar power have changed dramatically in the last few years. Net metering, feed-in tariffs, time-of-use… solar installers have a new energy environment to design solar projects around. Public utilities across California have been enacting changes to make both rooftop residential solar, and utility-scale solar, play better with their own fossil fuel power plants. Essentially, the public utilities want renewable energy owners to get paid less for the electricity they produce depending on the hour of the day. Thankfully solar technologies exist that allow homeowners to go solar and still see excellent cost savings, regardless of the new rules.
Riverside County is overflowing with solar power companies all claiming to be the best solar company in the area. The truth of the matter is many of them have only been in business for several years with only a handful of installations under their belt. Baker Electric Home Energy is different. We have over 9,000 installations throughout Southern California. California has been home to our parent company, Baker Electric since 1938 and today we are proud to be the real leading solar installer in the Inland Empire and Riverside County.
A solar installation in San Bernardino with Baker Electric Home Energy takes only four easy steps -- consultation, design and engineering, installation, and operation. As the best solar company in San Bernardino with over 9,000 satisfied customers throughout SoCal, you can trust your installation is in good hands. Our solar energy consultants will meet with you to discuss your family’s current and future energy needs, the cost of a solar panel installation, our financing options as well as answer any questions you might have about going solar.
We know you have a lot of choices when it comes to solar companies in Riverside and thanks for considering us for your solar installation.
Solar Riverside County Solar Installation Options
Ground Mount
For homeowners with plenty of property but limited roof space or poor roof orientation, a ground-mounted solar energy system may be the best choice. Our ground mounts are just like our roof mounted solar projects except of course they're on the ground not on a roof! Because ground mount are not reliant on the preexisting orientation of a roof, systems are designed so that your solar panel installation is at a perfect pitch to capture maximum sunlight. Trenching for the conduit running from the system's inverter(s) to the electrical panel is typically required. Ground mounts are more common than you might think, you don’t see them because they can be hidden from view very effectively.
Roof Mount
Roof-mounted solar power systems are the more traditional mounting of solar systems, especially when it comes to installing solar panels in suburban areas where yard space can be pretty limited. The solar panels will be aligned south-facing as much as possible to capture maximum sunlight. When possible, the conduit will run through the attic to your electrical panel. Beware of solar companies willing to install racking systems that lift portions of the panel or entire systems off the roof in order to tilt it towards the sun as there are usually better options. For example, it might be less expensive, and less of an eyesore, so simply add another panel to make up for your roof not being ideal.
When considering a solar system, it’s always best to keep an open mind and work with your consultant to explore all possibilities. Don’t make a decision ahead of time between a roof mount vs ground mount as they both have benefits depending on your unique situation. Many solar installation companies in Riverside do not offer ground mounted systems; if you think a ground mount might be a possibility for you, make sure to contact an installer that offers both.
Solar Rebates & Incentive Programs in Riverside County
The Solar Investment Tax Credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in federal income tax for anyone who purchases solar panels for their home or business. The amount credited is equal to 30% of the purchase price of your solar system. The ITC was set to expire at the end of 2016, but as of December 2015, it’s been extended for five years. It will retain the 30% rate until 2019.
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Getting City Approval for Solar in Riverside County
After you’ve gone through the steps of having your solar installation designed, it’s time for approvals. If you're a Baker customer, our staff takes care of the approval process so you don’t have to. Once you as the homeowner have approved your solar installation plans, we will submit said plans and the necessary permits to the Authority Having Jurisdiction or AHJ for short. Every city has different requirements for receiving approval for a solar panel installation. Some cities require complicated structural engineering reports, while some require a stamped letter of approval from your HOA before they begin the permitting process. Depending on where you live, this step can take two to three weeks.
Getting Utility Approval for Solar in Riverside County
The first step in getting permission to operate your solar power system is filling out a long Net Energy Metering application. During this process, utilities like SCE ask for a lot of detailed information, which is another reason going solar with Baker is helpful because we know how to speak the utility’s language and how to answer all of their highly technical questions. We take care of this process so you don’t have to worry about the headache. After your solar panel installation has been inspected by the city and your utility and is approved, you will then be issued permission to operate from your utility and you can begin using your solar system to generate power for your home.