Solar questions and answers
Three facts to know first.
- The Internal Revenue Service says the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after .
- The Federal Trade Commission says solar does not end your bill: you pay for fewer kilowatt-hours but still pay the utility’s fixed charges.
- And the Department of Energy says grid-connected panels are designed to switch off when the grid power cuts out, so running a home in an outage takes a properly configured inverter and a storage system.
Source: Internal Revenue Service, “Residential Clean Energy Credit” (page updated ); Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (); U.S. Department of Energy, “Solar and Resilience Basics” (updated ). Checked .
Solar basics
6 questionsWhat is My Solar Brokers, and what does it do?
My Solar Brokers is a comparison website that connects homeowners in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with installer partners. We do not install solar, and we are not a utility or a government agency. A comparison covers installer partners only, so it does not cover every installer in your area.
How does a home solar system work?
Panels turn sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity, and an inverter converts it into the alternating current (AC) that runs the appliances in your home. In a grid-connected system, the grid supplies power whenever the panels make less than your home uses. Since 2004, most solar systems in the United States have been grid-connected, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “Solar Photovoltaic Technology Basics” (updated ); U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Photovoltaics and electricity” (undated). Checked .
Do solar panels work on cloudy days?
Panels are built to work in all climates, the Department of Energy says. Direction counts too: the Department of Energy says panels typically give their strongest performance on south-facing roofs with a slope between 15 and 40 degrees.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “Homeowner’s Guide to Solar” (updated ). Checked .
Do solar panels work in a power outage?
Not on their own: the Department of Energy says grid-connected solar systems are designed to switch off if the grid power cuts out. To produce power on their own, panels need a properly configured inverter and a storage system, such as a battery, it adds. U.S. electricity customers averaged 11 hours of interruptions in 2024, nearly twice the annual average of the decade before, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports. Ask each installer whether the system would keep running without the grid, and what could be added if not.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “Solar and Resilience Basics” (updated ); U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Hurricanes in 2024 led to the most hours without power in the United States in 10 years” (). Checked .
How long do solar panels last?
The Federal Trade Commission says a residential solar system is designed to stay on a home for at least 20 years. The Department of Energy’s design guide refers to a 25-year lifetime for a panel array and expects the inverter to be replaced at least once in that time. A warranty is a separate promise, so ask what each one covers, for how long, and who honors it.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (); U.S. Department of Energy, “Solar Photovoltaic System Design Basics” (updated ). Checked .
How many solar panels does a home need?
Divide the kilowatt-hours (kWh) your home uses in a year by the kilowatt-hours that 1 kilowatt (kW) of panels makes at your address, then divide the result by the size of one panel. Made-up numbers: 6,600 kWh ÷ 1,100 kWh per kW = 6.0 kW, and 6.0 kW ÷ 0.4 kW per panel = 15 panels. Your roof sets a second limit: the Department of Energy lists its size, shape and slope as factors.
Source: Arithmetic by My Solar Brokers, with invented inputs. Method inputs: National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), PVWatts (website version 8.7.4); U.S. Department of Energy, “Homeowner’s Guide to Solar” (updated ). Checked .
Money and credits
6 questionsIs there still a federal tax credit for home solar?
The Internal Revenue Service says the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after . The credit equaled 30% of the costs of new, eligible clean energy property installed for a home from 2022 through that date. If a quote assumes an incentive, ask which one and who claims it.
Source: Internal Revenue Service, “Residential Clean Energy Credit” (page updated ). Checked .
Is solar worth it for your home?
Your own numbers decide it, and three of them are easy to gather. They are the kilowatt-hours your home uses in a year (they are on your bills), what your utility or electricity provider credits for power you send back, and the total each quote adds up to over the same number of years. The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR, formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory) says PVWatts predictions include many assumptions and uncertainties, so ask each installer to write down theirs.
Source: NLR, PVWatts (website version 8.7.4); U.S. Department of Energy, “Energy Department Renames NREL” (). Checked .
How much does a home solar system cost?
The number to compare is the total on a written quote for your home. The Federal Trade Commission says a bid should state the full cost of installation, including any building or electrical permit fees, so ask each installer for that total and for anything it leaves out, such as roof repair or an electrical panel upgrade.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (). Checked .
What is net metering?
Net metering is a billing arrangement that lets certain customers reduce the electricity they are billed for by the electricity they send back to the grid during a billing period, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says. The credit rate and the year-end settlement depend on your market, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey each work differently, as the table below shows.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Glossary, “Net metering” (undated). Checked .
Will solar end your electric bill?
No: the Federal Trade Commission says that when you use solar power you pay for fewer kilowatt-hours but still pay the utility’s fixed charges.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (). Checked .
What is the difference between a solar loan, a lease and a PPA?
A solar loan, a lease and a power purchase agreement (PPA) are three different contracts.
- Loan
- You finance buying the system.
- Lease
- A company installs the system on your house, and you sign a contract to use it.
- PPA
- You sign a contract to buy the power the system produces.
For a lease or PPA, the Federal Trade Commission advises asking who gets the tax credits and renewable energy certificates. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that solar loan rates often leave out fees added to the loan principal.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “Issue Spotlight: Solar Financing” (). Checked .
Installers and contracts
6 questionsHow many solar quotes should you compare?
Several: the Federal Trade Commission advises getting detailed bids from several companies and comparing them. Enter each quote in one blank table, a column per quote; the table in the quote guide has three columns, and you can add more. On My Solar Brokers, a comparison covers installer partners only, so add a column for any other installer who quotes you.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (). Checked .
The printable checklist and blank table How comparing solar quotes works
What should a solar quote list?
Look for seven lines on every quote. They are the system size in kilowatts and the make and model of the panels and inverter; the first-year output it expects, with the roof direction and shade it assumes; the total price and what it leaves out; how you pay; the incentives it assumes; each warranty and who honors it; and the dates. A line you cannot find is a question for the installer, and the answer belongs in writing.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (), which says a bid should state in writing the system’s size and expected power, the full cost of installation and the warranties; the seven-line list is this website’s checklist. Checked .
How to compare solar quotes, line by line The seven lines as a blank table
How do you check a solar installer?
Look the installer up with your state before you sign, then match its name and number to your quote and contract. Pennsylvania’s Attorney General runs a home improvement contractor registration lookup. A match shows a credential, not the quality of the work.
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Home Improvement Contractor Registration (undated). Checked .
Which solar sales warning signs does the Federal Trade Commission list?
The Federal Trade Commission’s consumer alert of lists the signs, starting with an unexpected phone call, message or visit. Others are a claim to be from your utility or the government, promises of huge rebates, tax credits or utility incentives, and pressure to sign or pay at once. The alert adds that legitimate businesses do not tell you to pay with cash, gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps or cryptocurrency.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Alert, “How to avoid getting burned by solar or clean energy scams” (). Checked .
Which lines of a solar contract matter most?
Find the payment schedule and whether payments rise, any fee for ending early, who owns the system and the credits it earns, what happens if you sell the home, and who honors each warranty. The Federal Trade Commission says a lease contract might let monthly payments increase over time, and advises asking about early termination fees and whether you are allowed to transfer the contract to a buyer.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Solar Power for Your Home” (). Checked .
Roofs and equipment
4 questionsShould you replace your roof before installing solar panels?
Start with the roof. Panels stay bolted to it until someone takes them off, so its condition sets the order of the work. If a roofer calls the roof sound, solar can go first. If it shows wear, have it looked at before you sign. If it needs repair or replacement, do the roof first or plan both jobs as one project, which avoids having the panels reinstalled later, the Department of Energy wrote in 2021.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “Replacing Your Roof? It’s a Great Time to Add Solar” (); Penn State Extension, “Solar PV Electric Systems: Is There a Good Fit for Me?” (updated ), which says a specialist must assess the roof’s remaining life and that any shortcomings must be corrected before a roof-mounted system goes on; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Building America Solution Center, “Roof Anchor System for Solar Panels” (undated). Checked .
Do solar panels damage a roof?
The bolt holes are the part to watch. The Building America Solution Center says panels sit on rails bolted into the rafters, that sealant alone often broke down in sun and wind, and that the International Residential Code now requires roof penetrations for rooftop panels to be flashed and sealed. Ask who flashes and seals every mount, and which warranty covers it.
Source: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Building America Solution Center, “Roof Anchor System for Solar Panels” (undated). Checked .
Does solar void a roof warranty?
Ask the roofer and the installer, in writing, how the panels affect each warranty. The Building America Solution Center says solar installers need to coordinate with roofers beforehand so warranty issues are addressed, and that setting the mounts before a new roof covering goes on lets the roofer work the flashing in around them, which helps keep the roof warranty intact.
Source: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Building America Solution Center, “Roof Anchor System for Solar Panels” (undated). Checked .
What does an inverter do, and do you need a battery?
An inverter converts the direct current (DC) electricity your panels make into the alternating current (AC) your home uses. A system has either one inverter for all the panels or a microinverter on each, the Department of Energy says. Adding a battery is a choice: the department’s homeowner guide says storage, most often a battery, lets you use solar power later, such as at night or when the power goes out. Ask what a battery would run in an outage and for how long.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “Solar Photovoltaic System Design Basics” (updated ) and “Homeowner’s Guide to Solar” (updated ). Checked .
Your market: Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Who sets the credit for the power you send back, and where you look up an installer, change from one market to the next.
| Market | Who sets the credit for power you send back | Where to look up an installer |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania’s rule: a utility that supplies your power credits your system’s output at the full retail rate, up to your use in the billing period (52 Pa. Code 75.13(d)). | The Attorney General’s home improvement contractor lookup. |
| New Jersey | The Board of Public Utilities’ rules: a full retail credit up to annual use, with any remainder paid at the avoided cost of wholesale power (Board notice, Docket QO24090723). | See the New Jersey page |
Source: Each cell links its source. Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin (current through 56 Pa.B. 5370, ); New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, notice for the public meeting of . Checked .
Pennsylvania
What happens to unused solar credits at year end in Pennsylvania?
Credit carries forward through the year, then your default service provider pays for what remains at its price to compare, the rule says (52 Pa. Code 75.13(e)). The default service provider is typically your utility, and the price to compare is the per-kilowatt-hour price shoppers use to compare suppliers. PPL’s tariff uses the same words, with a year that ends 31 May.
Source: 52 Pa. Code 75.13 (current through ); PAPowerSwitch, glossary (undated); PPL Electric Utilities, tariff, p. 21B (effective ); PECO Energy, Electric Service Tariff, Rate RS-2, p. 55 (Supplement 24, effective ). Checked .
How do you check a solar installer in Pennsylvania?
Ask the installer for its Attorney General registration number, then search the number or business name in the Attorney General’s lookup, or call 1-888-520-6680. Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act covers solar energy systems at a private residence when the total cash price is more than $500, and requires the registration number on contracts and estimates. A match shows registration only: the Attorney General’s office says registration is not an endorsement, recommendation or approval.
Source: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Home Improvement Contractor Registration, lookup and FAQ (undated), and Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. 517.2 and 517.6 (amended ). Checked .
Is there a Pennsylvania state rebate for home solar?
The Department of Environmental Protection’s residential solar page names no state rebate or grant. It lists two incentives for Pennsylvania homeowners who install solar: renewable energy credits under the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, and net metering. If your system is eligible for net metering, you own the alternative energy credits it earns unless a contract expressly assigns them to someone else, so look for that line in any contract.
Source: Department of Environmental Protection, Solar Energy Resources for Residents (undated); 52 Pa. Code 75.13(i) (current through ). Checked .
New Jersey
What state incentive does New Jersey have for home solar?
The Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI) program, part of the Successor Solar Incentive program, covers net-metered residential projects, New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program says. Ask any installer whether its quote assumes the incentive and who claims it.
Source: New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI) Program (undated); New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Order, Agenda Item 8C, Dockets QO20020184 and QO26030096 (). Checked .
Ask a question or report an error
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Sources
Every source was checked on . Pages with no date show “undated”.
- Internal Revenue Service, Residential Clean Energy Credit (page updated ).
- Federal Trade Commission, Solar Power for Your Home ().
- Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Alert, How to avoid getting burned by solar or clean energy scams ().
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Issue Spotlight: Solar Financing ().
- U.S. Department of Energy, Solar Photovoltaic Technology Basics (page updated ).
- U.S. Department of Energy, Solar Photovoltaic System Design Basics (page updated ).
- U.S. Department of Energy, Homeowner’s Guide to Solar (page updated ).
- U.S. Department of Energy, Solar and Resilience Basics (page updated ).
- U.S. Department of Energy, Replacing Your Roof? It’s a Great Time to Add Solar ().
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Department Renames NREL “National Lab of the Rockies” ().
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Photovoltaics and electricity (undated).
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Glossary, “Net metering” (undated).
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Today in Energy, Hurricanes in 2024 led to the most hours without power in the United States in 10 years ().
- National Laboratory of the Rockies, PVWatts Calculator (website version 8.7.4).
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Building America Solution Center, Roof Anchor System for Solar Panels (undated).
- Penn State Extension, Solar PV Electric Systems: Is There a Good Fit for Me? (updated ).
- Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin, 52 Pa. Code 75.13 (current through 56 Pa.B. 5370, ).
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Home Improvement Contractor Registration, lookup and FAQ (all undated), and Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. 517.2 to 517.7 (amended ).
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Solar Energy Resources for Residents (undated).
- PAPowerSwitch, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Glossary (undated).
- PPL Electric Utilities, Tariff, Supplement 2 to Electric Pa. P.U.C. No. 202 (effective ), First Revised Page 21B.
- PECO Energy Company, Electric Service Tariff, Supplement 24 (effective ), Rate RS-2, p. 55.
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Notice in Docket QO24090723, net metering (public meeting of ).
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Order on the Administratively Determined Incentive Program, Dockets QO20020184 and QO26030096, Agenda Item 8C ().
- New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI) Program and Selecting a Contractor (both undated).
The answers explain how the pieces fit together, with sources you can open. Your own quote, contract and utility documents decide what applies to your home.