South Carolina has implemented several initiatives and tax breaks to encourage homeowners to convert to renewable energy. Should you qualify, these solar incentives help save you money on your solar investment and shorten the time it takes for solar panels to pay for themselves. Some of the most popular South Carolina solar incentives are:

• Federal Solar Tax Credit: This Federal Tax Credit, also known as the Residential Clean Energy Credit, is a 30% tax write-off on the cost of your solar panels
• Solar Property Tax Exemption: Solar panels might increase the value of your home, but you won’t have to pay more on your property taxes with this SC tax credit
• South Carolina Net Metering: Net Metering policies allow homeowners to sell the excess energy from their solar panels back to the solar grid to increase their energy savings
• PACE Loans: Property Assessed Clean Energy Solar Loans give you more financing options and may cover up to 100% of your energy efficiency improvements, including solar panels
• South Carolina Energy Freedom Act: Protects your rights as a homeowner when you invest in solar panels with a Meraki Solar

If you have lived in South Carolina for more than one year, you may have noticed the powerful sun that shines so brightly on The Palmetto State. This sun brings with it the potential to power our homes now and into the future.

But how much energy will your solar array generate? The amount of energy you might expect from your solar panels depends on the size of your system, the number of panels used, the types of panels, and your family’s energy usage.

To help you understand how powerful solar panels might be, An average 400W solar panel could generate as much as 2,000 Watts per day or 2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) with 5 hours of sunlight. With a 2kWh system, you could power a refrigerator, a laptop, an air conditioner, 10 LED lights, and more. And that’s with only one panel!

To conclude, most solar systems today generate more than enough electricity to power your home during the day, even on cloudy days. What you choose to do with your excess energy is a choice with which Meraki Solar can help.

Both options allow you to use that solar power at a later time during the night time or a period of time with little sunshine. If you are curious about how much you could make from selling your excess energy back to your local solar grid, contact us today to start your solar estimate!

Although a solar panel system is a recent invention, we have been harnessing the sun’s power for many years. The ancient Egyptians used to heat water with the sun and use that heated water to heat their homes at night. And the first solar panel installation happened over 100 years ago by Charles Fritts in 1883.

But how do solar panels actually work? Understanding the magic behind the panels may help you understand why they are so incredible and an obvious choice for the future of electricity. Here is a quick summary.

1. Sunlight: The sun’s ultraviolet rays shine brightly onto the surface of your solar panels, even when it’s cloudy or raining
2. Solar Panels: Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells inside of a silicon panel that converts sunlight into direct current (DC) power
3. Inverter: This DC then goes to an inverter box, which converts the DC power into alternating current (AC) to produce electricity that you could use
4. Breaker Box: The breaker box allows this electricity to safely enter your home to power your appliances while assisting in the prevention of power surges
5. Energy Production: The electricity is then sent to a utility meter, which measures the amount of electricity produced by the solar panels and sends excess energy to the local solar grid

Unfortunately, energy bills across America have increased in recent years, leading to our shared inflation problem. The average South Carolina electricity bill has reached over $140 per month and is even higher in the summer due to air conditioning needs.

So many homeowners find this is a big reason that it’s worth it to power their homes with solar energy and reduce their electricity costs. However, if saving money on your utility bill is not your biggest priority, here are some additional benefits of solar you should consider:

• South Carolina offers excellent solar incentives to reduce the cost of your investment, including a solar investment tax credit, solar rebates, and grants which can help make going solar more affordable and provide a return on investment
• Installing a household solar system could raise the value of your house and attract more potential buyers
• Renewable energy sources like solar power are excellent for the environment and may help you lower your carbon footprint

The cost of solar panels in Columbia, South Carolina, may vary depending on a number of factors. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and the cost of your solar panels will be unique to your specific situation.

However, on average, solar power in South Carolina typically ranges between $9,000-$14,000, factoring in qualifying standard solar incentives. However, thanks to these South Carolina state and federal solar incentives, this cost may be reduced and even eliminated through options like zero-down solar, which Meraki Solar offers. To learn more about how much solar would cost for your home and what incentives you qualify for to save on installation costs, contact us today to get your customized solar quote.