At Palmetto, we start each project with a solar savings forecast.

• If your roof is highly shaded, or you live in an area with low electricity rates, your forecasted saving may be low (or even negative), in which case we don’t recommend solar installation.

• If, however, your home shows a positive savings forecast, you may have multiple options to choose from based on your location and financial goals.

To find the option that best aligns with your short- and long-term goals, we’ll start with a short series of questions.

To gauge your potential savings, we might ask:

• Where do you live?

• How much do you spend on electricity now?

• Do you foresee any big changes in your energy consumption?

• How much money would you like to invest?

• What’s your credit score?

To better understand your priorities, we might ask:

• How long do you plan to live in this home?

• If you’re considering a loan, how quickly do you intend to pay it off?

• Are you interested in solar lease and PPA buyout options?

• Are you more focused on monthly savings or long-term savings?

• Are you looking to increase your equity or home value?

We can then map your monthly and 25-year savings by system size and solar purchase, lease, or PPA options. Note: Solar options vary by state.

As a general rule, homeowners with high electricity rates have a greater opportunity to save money with solar. This is because every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity that is produced by your panels and used in your home offsets your grid electricity consumption by the same amount. The higher the cost per kWh, the more you’re positioned to save.

In areas with time-of-use rates, the cost of electricity is structured to increase during peak usage hours and decrease during low usage or off-peak hours. In this case, your savings potential will depend on when you consume electricity relative to both daylight hours (when your solar panels produce energy) and peak rate hours (when rates are the highest).

What about the electricity that is produced by your panels and not used in your home? This electricity flows back to the grid and may earn you credit toward your electricity bill.

In areas with net metering or net billing programs, homeowners earn credits for the excess electricity produced. The rate and means by which homeowners are credited varies by utility provider and state.

Connect with a Palmetto Solar Advisor to learn more about solar rate programs in your area.

The performance of any solar energy system is dependent on your roof and location. Weather, temperature, daily sunlight, roof pitch, roof orientation, shading, and a host of other factors impact solar performance.

At Palmetto, we use proprietary data and mapping software to calculate the solar potential of every square meter of your roof across every hour of the year. We know precisely where to place each panel and how much energy each panel can produce.

But how many panels do you need? To maximize your savings, we’ll look at your electricity consumption and rates relative to your solar costs and potential. In many cases, the system size best suited to maximize your savings will vary across solar lease and purchase offerings. Our solar advisors can help you weigh the options to determine which is right for you.

Whether you buy or lease your panels, Palmetto has options available to simplify a transfer should you choose to sell your home.

• For homeowners who purchase their system: Solar-powered homes have been shown to stand out, sell faster, and earn more on the national real estate market. While you may have the option to transfer your solar loan to a new homeowner, it’s often easier to include the solar panels in the price of your home and apply any proceeds from the sale towards the remaining balance on your loan.

• For homeowners who enter a solar lease or PPA: Palmetto makes it easy to transfer your contract to a new homeowner. After five years, you’ll also have the option to buy out your solar energy system and roll some or all of the purchase costs into the sale price of your home.

Learn more about Selling a House with Solar Panels (Guide).