We make solar easy! After you contact one of our solar experts, we go to work immediately to determine if solar electricity is right for you. Here are the steps we’ll walk you through:
- Feasibility and Cost/Benefit Analysis
- Site Evaluation
- Design & Engineering
- Comprehensive Proposal
- Contract Signing, Procurement, and Installation Scheduling
- Installation of your Solar System
- City and Utility Inspection
- Customer Care
Feasibility and Cost/Benefit Analysis
First, we’ll discuss options with you on the phone, answer any initial questions about solar you may have, and ask you to provide us with:
- Electrical usage in kWh for at least 12 billing periods (it’s easy—we’ll help you contact your utility)
- A description of any roof shading, roofing material, condition and age
- A description of your current electrical service
- Your desire to be 100% energy independent or what fraction thereof
Next, our technician will provide you with a preliminary price quote for a solar power system customized to your energy needs. If the cost and electric bill savings meet your expectations, we will schedule a site visit.
Site Evaluation
Many of the characteristics of successful solar installations are site specific. We perform a thorough site survey of your prospective system location with the proper instrumentation to assess all required parameters, including:
- site elevation & latitude, average available hours of sunlight
- availability of suitable mounting location, tilt angle & direction of mounting location
- type of roof or mounting surface, roof live load calculations
- seasonal shading using the latest high-tech shade measurement device available
- weather patterns & average temperatures
- current & projected system loads
- length & location of wire runs
- component placement
- local zoning & electrical codes
Design & Engineering
The first step to a successful solar energy installation is to assure that your system is properly designed. There are many details to attend to during a system design, and we use the specific information gathered from your site visit. Using high quality, efficient installation methods and hardware, Real Goods Solar installs durable, wind resistant and watertight systems with the best possible aesthetics.
- Form & Function — Architectural features such as garages, trellises, pergolas, utility sheds, awnings, and wall-mounted shading structures can be used to harness the sun's energy, where desirable roof-space for solar is not available.
- Custom Solutions--Some roofs or other residential architectural features occasionally require more specialized design and installation solutions. With over 10 NABCEP certified installers and a dedicated team of in house engineers, we can customize for almost any situation.
- We provide you with a custom line drawing, including inverter placement, so you can see exactly how the system will function and appear on your property.
Comprehensive Proposal
After we analyze your roof, electrical bills and your current goals, we provide a comprehensive recommendation of which size solar system is right for your situation.
- Results of our site analysis
- Recommended installation method
- Proposed system to meet your needs and your location
- A price quotation that includes all equipment, building permit fees, installation, building inspections and amount of state and federal incentives available.
- A financial analysis of return on investment for your system, including any tax credits or incentives available to you.
Contract Signing, Procurement, and Installation Scheduling
When you have made a decision to proceed with a solar installation on your home, the next steps are:
- Sign our installation contract and provide us with a $1000 deposit.
- Our solar experts will submit your rebate application to the appropriate state agency, qualifying you for the maximum rebate.
- Our project managers will procure a building permit. You will have nine months to complete your installation before the rebate runs out. We generally get your system installed within 60–90 days from the time you sign the contract.
- If you are building a new home, additional information will be needed by our solar technician. We will apply for a CEC rebate after your building permit is approved.
- Next we will schedule your installation at a time convenient to your schedule.
Installation of your Solar System
Once your solar system had been properly designed, the next steps is to assure that it’s installed safely and in accordance with applicable building and electrical codes. With Real Goods Solar, you can be sure that your system will be installed with the highest quality and care.
- Our professional installers will typically install your complete system in 2–4 days.
- Our well-trained installation crews install your system in the most aesthetically pleasing manner possible including clean conduit routing, etc.
- Our installation crew members take great pride in their work and delight our customers.
- Our crews bring a high level of quality, experience, and confidence to the job that is your assurance that your system will give many years of reliable, trouble-free performance.
- We provide all necessary paperwork to your utility to assure a smooth interconnection of your system.
- We provide you with a copy of your final interconnection “permission to operate” letter following the interconnection by your utility.
City and Utility Inspection
When your installation is finished, we will schedule an inspection with your local building department. This is required by each city to confirm local regulations have been adhered to. Most likely you do not need to be present at this inspection, as a Real Goods Solar representative will accompany the city inspector during review.
Lastly, a utility company representative will carry out the final inspection to certify that your solar power system is approved for interconnection to the grid. This inspection can take 30 – 45 days from the time your installation is complete. Sometimes the utility company will notify you directly that your system has passed inspection—please let us know and we’ll be right over to commission the system.
It’s an exciting day when your system is commissioned and ready for use! Many people find it fascinating to watch the meter spin backwards. You are now operating under clean, renewable energy for years to come. Congratulations!
Customer Care
We assure that you are taken care of from the time of your sale through installation and interconnection with your utility.
- We provide you with a detailed operating manual with information specific to your installation following completion of the installation.
- We provide you with a pvWatch monitoring log in (for SMA inverters only at this time)
- We provide a 10-year workmanship warranty to new purchasers of its PV solar systems. This warranty covers the full cost of repair or replacement of any defective parts or components and labor.
- The PV panels we use in our systems come with a 25 year limited warranty from their manufacturer and the inverters come with a 10 year warranty from their manufacturer.
- We are a phone call away for any questions or concerns you may have—contact your local office or Solar Power Consultant for the fastest service.
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