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How Solar Power is Taking Over in Illinois

For everyone not willing to live the old-fashioned life of candlelight and hand-pumped water, electricity is a necessary evil. You have to have it, but to have it, you have to pay for it.

In the past, short of generating your own power through wind mills or other cumbersome techniques, the only way to receive the electricity necessary to power your home was to attach your house to a utility company’s generator. This made power companies have control similar to a monopoly in their county, governed only by the policies set in place by the state keeping them regulated.

Today, though, home and business owners in Illinois have a choice in how they power their homes. With the innovation of solar technology, clean energy powered by the sun is now affordable and easy to implement regardless of where in the state you live.

In fact, solar energy is not only accessible, it is encouraged by the United States and the government of Illinois. State legislation has solar power on deck for providing hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year in the near future. Millions of dollars have been invested to increase the solar industry by job creation and incentives to go solar.

And the Future Energy Jobs Act of 2017 means that solar energy is not going away any time soon. Instead, it has created a positive ripple effect felt all over the state that will also be felt around the world in future generations.

So what exactly is going on in Illinois that makes solar power such a hot topic? Let’s look at a quick rundown of how solar power became so popular in the U.S. first.

The United States is Going Green

Over the last fifty years or so, the U.S. has turned more and more to power generated by renewable resources such as solar energy, wind power, hydroelectricity, and biofuels.

You might find this hard to believe, but even the big city of Las Vegas, Nevada powers all of their municipal buildings and facilities with renewable energy. This includes streetlights, fire stations, service yards, city parks, and anything owned and run by the city. Considering how big Vegas is, this step in getting the city going green saved an exponential amount of money and fossil fuels annually, and the effect will continue for generations to come.

Partnered with energy companies and legislators like these, it’s no wonder that the U.S. is now one of the foremost leaders in renewable energy in the world. The U.S. is determined to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and thereby diminish the greenhouse gas emissions it produces.

But without affordable options to deliver this technology to its users, solar energy was a bust on its initial rollout decades ago. Because it was so cumbersome to produce the technology required to harness solar power and use it in homes, only the wealthiest in the nation were able to afford solar panels.

However, new technology has made solar power not only affordable, but more efficient, streamlined, and aesthetically pleasing. With those excuses out of the way, the United States began a new, more powerful push for everyone to turn to clean energy to power their homes and businesses, and a new era of solar power began.

You are part of this era, which means there has never been a better time to get on board the solar power train. Solar electricity has generated over 50 billion kilowatt hours of clean energy annually, and it’s set to continue to rise.

What Does Solar Power Look Like in Illinois?

The state of Illinois initiated the Future Jobs Energy Act (FJEA) in 2017, considered to be “one of the most significant pieces of energy legislation ever to pass the Illinois General Assembly.” This act is set to create thousands of jobs in the solar industry, train future generations in the importance of clean energy, increase the growth of solar and wind energy in the state, and give hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue to fund low-income programs to get more homeowners access to solar energy.

If you live in Illinois, you have probably heard of the FJEA, or you will soon. It’s becoming a household term. Part of its intent is to reduce electricity waste, therefore decreasing the overall state’s power bills by billions of dollars by 2030. That’s a big promise they want to make good on, and it’s got people talking.

With the amendments to the current Illinois renewable energy laws, this act opens the door for billions of dollars in new investments and programs to create, develop, and produce wind and solar powered programs. It also has created community solar programs, where entire neighborhoods can reap the benefits of solar energy whether or not they have a solar system in their home.

In addition to this groundbreaking piece of legislation, Illinois also has created other policies and laws determined to accelerate solar powered use throughout the state.

Illinois has incorporated a Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS), which in essence requires all utility companies in the state to be sourcing at least 25% of their energy from renewable resources by 2025. There’s also a little caveat in there – called a solar carve out – that stipulates that at least 6% of the 25% has to come from solar power. If they don’t comply with this figure, they face paying a hefty fee to the government as a penalty.

Rather than pay that fee, utility companies have created programs in which they convert your power to renewable energy used by them. In return, you receive compensation for your excess energy.

Illinois is also one of the states that allows net metering. Through this process, your utility company tracks your renewable energy generation and use every month, then carries over your surplus as a credit that goes towards any future utility bills you may incur if your consumption of energy goes over your solar system’s production.

A little side note, though: Those credits are only good for one annual period. You can choose whether your annual period ends in April or October, but if you don’t use them, you lose them. This works in the utility company’s favor and makes them more amenable to net metering use, but if you get the right sized solar system for your home, it’s pretty much a non-issue.

Not every state makes net metering simple, though. To be part of this process, you have to interconnect your solar panels to the grid. This is not a basic matter of hooking up a few cables. You have to comply with dozens of policies and procedures, and some states make this very complicated.

Illinois, with its focus on increasing solar powered homes throughout the state, has made their process for net metering relatively simple and straightforward. As long as you use certified equipment, which reputable installers like us at Nationwide Solar Pro use, you can quickly and easily get on the grid and start reaping the benefits of net metering.

One more thing that Illinois offers that not all states do is Solar Power Performance Payments. To qualify for this, you simply have to generate solar power to the grid. Then you get reimbursed in credits or cash.

When you are generating this power, you receive Solar Renewable Energy Credits, or SRECs, as your proof of generation. Utility companies can purchase these from you if they fall short of their 25% criterion to avoid paying those large fees to the state.

Finally, since solar panels add a decent amount to your home’s property value, it’s important to know that your taxes are going to go up. It was a double-edged sword until the legislature of Illinois stepped in and created a property tax incentive to eliminate this issue. Any registered solar systems are given a value of a conventional energy system, so your property taxes don’t feel that huge hike, but your property value still rises. This lets you sell your home for up to 17% more than fossil-fueled homes!

You Can Reap the Benefits of the Future Energy Jobs Act

This act is causing huge changes across the state of Florida as enough solar energy to power over 450,000 homes is being added over the upcoming years. The state wants energy growth, and they want it today. Rules and regulations are still being discussed, amended, and adjusted again, but each change simply makes it an easier and cleaner process to get to the ultimate goal of 100% clean energy power across the state.

You can see the changes visibly as you drive across the state and watch solar farms cropping up left and right. Solar gardens are in process, and rooftop solar installations are already increasing. The Illinois Commerce Commission has already approved an update that allows utility companies to buy renewable energy credits, so people all over the state are ready to start making this passive income.

You can be a part of it this new generation of clean, efficient solar energy, too. You don’t have to purchase dozens of acres and create a solar farm, but you can contact your local solar installers like us at Nationwide Solar Pros to turn your home away from fossil fuels and towards complete solar powered energy.

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Everything You Need to Know About Solar in Arizona

How Solar Power is Taking Over in Illinois

Why Washington is Heating Up with Solar Power Right Now

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Everything You Need to Know About Solar in Arizona

Arizona is known as the solar industry’s pioneer state and with good reason. Considering that the sun shines 85% of the year, Arizona and solar are like two peas in a pod. It’s no wonder, then, that the state is one of the top in the country in solar energy generation.

Solar use in Arizona goes back a long way. The history is colorful and surrounded by influential people and technology that made solar power the clean, efficient energy generator that it is today.

Now, innovations in solar technology have allowed regular homeowners in Arizona and around the globe access to this money-saving, carbon footprint reducing way to produce power in their homes. This economic change has catapulted solar energy to the highest levels it has ever been worldwide.

For residents of Arizona, it has major implications, too.

A Quick Timeline of Solar Power

Solar power has been harnessed for millennia when people used the strategic placement of openings in their homes to keep them warm, light up the interior, and even cook or start fires. We’ve come a long way since then, but the idea is the same – we want to use solar energy to completely power our homes.

In the 1800s, solar technology began being developed. In 1839 the idea that voltage can be created when a material is exposed to light, or the photovoltaic effect, was discovered. This laid the foundation for the first solar cell, at 1% efficiency, to be created. Fast forward to the 1950s and that little, inefficient solar cell was the catalyst for the birth of photovoltaics by David Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson of Bell Labs. They were able to create a machine that was 4% efficient and later increased the efficiency to 11%.

Because of the inefficiency in these solar cells and the expense that was required to create them, the idea of solar power was intriguing, but the process of rolling it out for public use was not feasible. However, wealthy businesses and homeowners were purchasing solar systems for use, allowing developers and researchers to continue to study this clean energy resource and tweak it for continued improvements.

By 2015, Australia, who had much earlier let the world know that they were going to be a world leader in solar power, had improved the technology to the point that it was now cheaper to use solar energy than fossil fuels. Solar technology was now commonly found in airplanes, luxury vehicles, homes, and businesses, and the effect began to spread across the globe.

Solar Power’s Influence Rushes into Arizona

The government of Arizona quickly took notice. If Australia could harness the power of solar energy on such magnitude, why couldn’t they? The mountains of Arizona are a naturally absorbent material of the sun, and there is a constant supply of this renewable resource, so why not figure out how to make the best of it?

This journey became more economically viable back in 2006 when the Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff was enacted. This piece of legislation regulated utility companies and required them to utilize renewable sources to generate a minimum of 15% of their power by 2025. They also had to generate at least 30% of their power from renewable distributed sources such as solar panels. The race was on to find ways to make this happen, and it quickly became apparent that without the help of the millions of Arizona residents, it wouldn’t be possible.

For this reason, utility companies began coming up with rebates and other incentives to offer homeowners and businesses as a carrot to switch to solar power. Between these financial offerings and the impressive state and federal tax credits, solar energy use in Arizona skyrocketed, sending it to its current spot now as the top third state in the nation for solar power generation.

In fact, Arizona currently has over 3,300 megawatts of solar capability in use. This may not sound like much, but it’s enough to power over 500,000 homes just by using the sun’s rays that come every day without any side effects or labor to make it happen. And Arizona is ready to increase that solar capability annually.

With the price of solar almost 55% cheaper than it was five years ago, the state is going to need that extra capacity to account for all of the new installations on the agenda and the rest to come as more people learn about the incredible benefits of turning to solar energy for their homes and businesses.  

The solar industry has boomed, creating over 7,000 jobs just in Arizona alone – the 7th highest in the nation, and still climbing. A recent clean energy overhaul proposal by Arizona Corporation Commission member Andrew Tobin, if passed, would lead the state to surpass all others in renewable energy and grid modernization. This proposal takes the old 25% target and increases it to 80% by 2050.

With some of the top sunniest cities in the country right in Arizona, like Yuma, Phoenix, and Tucson, this figure is not even intimidating. Arizona could easily generate enough energy to power millions of homes, more than double its current usage.

The Effects are More Than Financial

Solar power absolutely puts money in your pocket, and with all of the incentives, rebates, tax credits, and other financial perks that come with installing a solar system, it becomes the smartest investment you can make in terms of renovating your home. But there are benefits far beyond your wallet that lead many people to choose to make the switch to solar.

Solar energy is renewable and abundant. Instead of drilling for fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, the use of solar energy requires no work once the initial equipment is installed. Because of the ease of using it, solar power is much less expensive. There are no harmful impacts on the environment, and there’s no danger of it running out.

In fact, there’s so much solar energy available that one hour of all of the sun’s rays would be enough to provide everyone in the world with enough power to last them over a year. And unlike other clean energy fuels like wind, solar power is consistent and predictable.

Solar energy reduces the dependence on fossil fuels for power. Electricity generated by fossil fuels creates a massive abundance of greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide. These gases are produced during the burning process of turning fossil fuels into energy. Concerns of increasing temperatures across the globe and climate change have been attributed to the build-up of these gases.

Every home that goes solar reduces the demand for fossil fuels – a non-renewable resource that is disappearing quickly – and, at the same time, diminishes greenhouse gas emissions. You can shrink your carbon footprint while you save money. In fact, statistics show that the average American home can save approximately 150 trees each year simply by moving to solar (not to mention the significant reduction on your energy bill)!

Using solar energy can improve your health. No, we are not just talking about the decreased stress level you’ll feel knowing you don’t have to pay those hefty utility bills every month. Your physical health can improve, too.

Solar energy emits a miniscule amount of pollutants into the air. By adopting solar power on a widespread level, like the one that is already in effect in Las Vegas, Nevada, the reduction in dangerous gases and pollutants could significantly reduce the amount of chronic health problems Americans currently suffer from.

These pollutants are known to cause respiratory and cardiovascular health conditions such as chronic bronchitis. The implications of these illnesses go beyond the physical, too. Costs for treating these conditions can run into millions of dollars each year and the individuals suffering from them can lose thousands of dollars annually in missed work or lose their jobs completely if they become permanently disabled from their condition.

By turning to solar power, you are reducing your carbon footprint, saving money, and helping to improve the overall health of the world for generations to come.

Unlike many other benefits to the environment, solar power does not come at a great financial expense. With this type of clean energy, you get all of the benefits of helping the environment at the same time as you reap all of the financial perks that come with having a solar system installed in Arizona.

Keep Up with the Changing Times

While modern society has always been dependent on fossil-fueled power, the times they are a-changing. Fossil fuel is becoming an increasingly expensive and inefficient use of resources. With the buildup of greenhouse gases destroying our environment and the abundance of clean energy sources, it simply makes no sense any longer to keep using this outdated form of electricity in our homes.

Residents of Arizona are blessed with living in a state where solar energy is abundant. It’s only logical, then, to utilize this resource to its optimal extent. You can join in with the millions of others who know that harnessing the power of solar energy is the way of the future by calling the experts at Nationwide Solar Pros.

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Everything You Need to Know About Solar in Arizona

How Solar Power is Taking Over in Illinois

Why Washington is Heating Up with Solar Power Right Now

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Why Washington is Heating Up with Solar Power Right Now

However, Washington and some of the other darker states, like New York and New Jersey, have implemented rules and policies that encourage home and businessowners to turn away from fossil-fueled, environmentally unfriendly electricity and turn towards the clean energy that is solar power. In the race to see which state can top the charts for the most solar powered homes and businesses, Washington is determined to take the lead. To do this, the government and private companies are offering incredible incentives, updated solar-led policies, and multiple strategies to entice people to make the switch to clean, efficient solar energy.

Washington has a bad reputation for being too cloudy for solar panels to work well, but that is a badly held myth disproved over years and years of solar studies. Solar maps of the Pacific Northwest region show that the upper areas of the United States receive more than enough sunlight to effectively power both homes and businesses throughout the year, even factoring in cloud cover and dreary days!

So, to combat rumors and falsely held beliefs, Washington legislators have had to work extra hard to spread the word that solar power works. They have done a great job with this, throwing in extra incentives and policies that reward home and businessowners to go solar – and they even pay you for your electricity!

What Kinds of Rules Does Washington Have About Solar?

Not every state pushes the solar power agenda, although there are numerous widespread benefits to this type of clean energy. When there are favorable policies and rules set in place by the state’s government, more people are apt to turn to solar panels to power their home. Just because your state has a lot of daily sunlight does not necessarily mean the government is helping to make it affordable for you to use solar power. It doesn’t make sense, but there it is.

However, Washington and some of the other darker states, like New York and New Jersey, have implemented rules and policies that encourage home and businessowners to turn away from fossil-fueled, environmentally unfriendly electricity and turn towards the clean energy that is solar power.

Some of the policies that Washington has enacted that help with this agenda include the following:

Passing a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which mandates that at least 15% of the production of electricity from all utility companies be generated from clean, renewable resources by 2020. Even though 15% is a low target to be aiming for, the fact that it exists at all is a great step in the right direction, and Washington is one of only a handful of states that has an RPS policy.

This policy helps homeowners because it, in effect, tells utility companies that unless they reach that goal, they have to pay the state mega fees. These companies don’t want to do that, but they don’t want to pay you for your electricity, either. However, creating solar incentives to work with homeowners is a better option for them than the potential fees they face if they don’t, so on top of lower electric bills, you also can

make money off of your extra power.

Washington offers “performance payments” for you to use solar power. Currently, the minimum payment is $0.15/kWh, which means that for every kilowatt-hour that you generate with your solar system, you get money back, at least through June 2020.

Net metering is not available in all states, but Washington encourages this policy. This simply means that you get a credit for all of the energy generated by your solar panels.

Washington also has solid interconnection policies. These rules determine how easy it is for you to utilize net metering. While the two are similar, some states allow net metering but don’t make it easy for homeowners to actually utilize the procedures. Washington’s interconnection policies are simple and understandable, allowing any solar system, regardless of size, to connect to the power grid and send power to the attached utility company.

These policies show the country, and the citizens of Washington, that the legislators are serious about increasing solar power generation in their state and they will do what is necessary to make it happen.

Washington Proves They are Serious About Solar

Sure, it’s easy to adopt a bunch of policies and expect others to enforce them – anyone can do that. But Washington takes on their own aspect of the financial burden by adding solar incentives and rebates to help ease the startup costs.

Like any home renovation, there is an up-front cost that has to be dealt with when you make the switch to solar. Unlike other home improvements, though, this cost quickly pays for itself, even without incentives, net metering, and rebates. But Washington wants to help homeowners early on in the process, so you have multiple avenues of financial assistance.

Of course, everyone gets the Federal Solar Tax Credit, regardless of where they live in the United States. This credit gives you 30% of your solar system costs back on your income taxes the following year and it can be deferred in case you really just didn’t need to save 30% quite yet.

Additionally, some counties in Washington offer solar rebates. These work like any other rebate – you pay for the cost up front and you receive a check in the mail if you qualify. Some companies take you out of the picture as the middle man, reducing your cost right away and waiting for the rebate check themselves.

Rebates are a great way to entice homeowners to invest in solar power, which then creates new jobs in the solar sector, which then enhances the economy overall. It’s a smart move, and the government encourages this.

Not only do certain counties offer rebates, but if you work with your solar installation company, they may be able to help you determine if you can qualify for other rebates from private businesses and other entities. Nationwide Solar Pros stays up-to-date with the most current offers and discounts available to you.

Paying Your Way to Solar Freedom

Yes, there is always an upfront cost to any home improvements, but how many of your home’s renovations can you say have the ability to make you money, too?

Solar power does just that.

The return on investment for solar power is considered to be one of the highest that you can get with your home. Not only will you qualify for tax credits, rebates, and net metering money, but solar power also puts money back in your pocket and gives you other benefits in the following ways:

Your monthly electric bills are reduced or eliminated completely. By working with your solar installation company and evaluating your past year of electric bills, you can determine the solar system size that fits your family’s or business’s consumption needs best. If you get the right size and have an average month’s usage, you won’t see an electric bill at all, and any surplus power will go to the utility company if you are signed up for net metering.

This means that if you ever do get a bill (within the stipulated time period) it will be reduced based on how much surplus power you generated, or you will be paid for that excess power if that’s how your utility company’s net metering policy works.

Your home’s value will increase. No matter where you live, solar panels increase your home’s property value significantly. This amount varies by state and county, but you can expect to be able to receive thousands of dollars more – at a minimum – when you sell your house after you own the system. The average home with a solar system sells for $15,000 more than its non-solar powered counterpart.

Additionally, homes with solar panels sell much faster – up to 20% quicker – than fossil-fuel powered homes.

The upkeep is minimal. As long as you get regular roof maintenance and inspections, keeping up with your solar panels is not a costly project.

The environmental benefits are incredible. Like the butterfly effect, your choice to make the switch to clean energy will have far-reaching consequences beyond any that you can foresee. Fossil fuel reserves are depleting, and the use is causing global warming on an unprecedented scale.

Every person who turns to solar or renewable energy to replace their dependence on fossil fuels is making a significant impact. In fact, the incentive of simply reducing their carbon footprint is enough to make millions of people turn to solar power. The financial perks are simply a bonus.

Simply put, it pays in enormous ways to turn to solar – but staying with fossil-fueled electricity means that future generations will pay the cost for our decision.

There’s Never Been a Better Time to Go Solar  

Washington’s policy of ensuring at least 15% of the state’s electricity is generated from clean energy is coming to a head. That means that companies who haven’t met their quota yet are going to be scrambling to come up with new ways to entice users to turn to solar. That’s a great thing for you – there’s never been a better time for you to get on board!

Call Nationwide Solar Pros to see how we can help you start reaping the benefits of solar today!

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Everything You Need to Know About Solar in Arizona

How Solar Power is Taking Over in Illinois

Why Washington is Heating Up with Solar Power Right Now