If you haven't invested in solar energy yet, you could be missing out on some big savings now and in the future.
Drive through most any neighborhood in town and you're likely to see at least one roof with solar panels. Solar energy is becoming more and more mainstream these days so as valley residents start trying to keep up with the Jones's you can be sure there's a deal waiting to be had.
But Solar City regional vice president says if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
"You also want to make sure that if you're going to have a long term warranty on your solar system, if you are buying cash, or you're doing it on a lease, you want to make sure they're going to be there in 10 or 20 years to be able to service it and warranty it," says Dennis Cox.
But once you settle on a deal Cox says you can begin saving anywhere from 5 to 20-percent. It just depends on how much energy you consume.
Says Cox, "people often associate the size of the house with how much solar they need, and it's actually your usage habits and how many people are in the house. The more people you have in the house, the more showers, more clothes are washing, more dishes are being washed, turning on and off tv's, opening and closing doors. That has a big contributing factor as to what people use."
And the savings could be even greater now with the passage of AB 327. It basically rectifies the outdated rate restrictions that were put in place during the energy crisis. And those put the Central Valley at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the state.
"It makes it more fair. That's exactly what it does. So, if you're a solar customer in Carmel you're not paying the same price for energy that I'm paying in Fresno. With or without solar, you're still not paying much," says state assemblyman Henry T. Perea.
But those restrictions are no more and now when you make the switch to solar, it could mean even more extra cash in your wallet. But can you get it for free? Cox says the installation is free, you're just paying for the energy you consume.
"We put the system up on the roof for you at no cost out of your pocket up front and you purchase the electricity over a long period of time," says Cox.
And Cox says the way it works is similar to a utility. At the end of your solar lease, you can buy it out, or continue to lease it.
"When they retire nuclear power plants you don't own any of those means or any of the new ones."
So you can save money by making the switch now but Cox says with several solar technological developments in the works customers could be saving up to 40% on energy in the next decade.
Drive through most any neighborhood in town and you're likely to see at least one roof with solar panels. Solar energy is becoming more and more mainstream these days so as valley residents start trying to keep up with the Jones's you can be sure there's a deal waiting to be had.
But Solar City regional vice president says if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
"You also want to make sure that if you're going to have a long term warranty on your solar system, if you are buying cash, or you're doing it on a lease, you want to make sure they're going to be there in 10 or 20 years to be able to service it and warranty it," says Dennis Cox.
But once you settle on a deal Cox says you can begin saving anywhere from 5 to 20-percent. It just depends on how much energy you consume.
Says Cox, "people often associate the size of the house with how much solar they need, and it's actually your usage habits and how many people are in the house. The more people you have in the house, the more showers, more clothes are washing, more dishes are being washed, turning on and off tv's, opening and closing doors. That has a big contributing factor as to what people use."
And the savings could be even greater now with the passage of AB 327. It basically rectifies the outdated rate restrictions that were put in place during the energy crisis. And those put the Central Valley at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the state.
"It makes it more fair. That's exactly what it does. So, if you're a solar customer in Carmel you're not paying the same price for energy that I'm paying in Fresno. With or without solar, you're still not paying much," says state assemblyman Henry T. Perea.
But those restrictions are no more and now when you make the switch to solar, it could mean even more extra cash in your wallet. But can you get it for free? Cox says the installation is free, you're just paying for the energy you consume.
"We put the system up on the roof for you at no cost out of your pocket up front and you purchase the electricity over a long period of time," says Cox.
And Cox says the way it works is similar to a utility. At the end of your solar lease, you can buy it out, or continue to lease it.
"When they retire nuclear power plants you don't own any of those means or any of the new ones."
So you can save money by making the switch now but Cox says with several solar technological developments in the works customers could be saving up to 40% on energy in the next decade.