As the price of carbon based fuels continue to rise, many concerned people are burying their heads in the sand. Some homeowners however are turning to the installation of the solar panels that will allow them to make use of the energy of the sun to provide energy for their houses.
When energy prices were low, it was unnecessary to justify the upfront outlay of money required to install photovoltaic equipment, solar water heaters and similar equipment. The reason was simple to understand – it would simply take too long to recoup the cost of the equipment in the form of lower energy bills.
But prices are now higher than many of us ever expected. As energy prices continue to go up, the amount of time required to recoup the upfront cost goes down. In addition, a number of state and local tax incentives make it even easier for homeowners to go solar and save money right away.
The dynamics of this economy have now changed though. The costs of installing solar panels is still high, with a typical two kilowatt installation of solar panels from OVR Solar costing about £10,000 / ($20, 000) in most cases, but special tax incentives and long term energy savings can help homeowners recoup those upfront costs faster than ever before.
For example, the Federal government provides homeowners with a tax savings of up to 30% of the cost of a solar unit. This tax savings can help eligible homeowners recoup some of the costs of installing solar panels and solar water heating systems up front, in addition to the energy savings they will enjoy down the road.
Some states will offer homeowners who install qualifying solar panel or water heating systems to write off a portion of the cost against tax liability, while others will provide a standard tax credit based on kilowatt usage. Still others provide tax relief in the form of property tax reductions or elimination, and many states provide businesses, government agencies and commercial enterprises with special tax breaks as well.
Try running some estimates once you have some figures to see how long it might take for you to break even at today’s fuels prices. However, as the prices for heating oil, gas and other forms of traditional energy continue to soar, so too will the desire for energy freedom.
Take the first step to energy self sufficiency with OVR Solar.
