How to Rent a Home Solar Energy System (Part 3)

Jun 9
07:57

2008

Daniel Stouffer

Daniel Stouffer

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The economics of home solar power have changed. A new solar panel rental service is the first to give a homeowner the option to use solar energy without having to make a huge investment. Now, every American homeowner can decide to upgrade to solar if their home passes a solar suitability study.

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The American homeowner has the option to produce their own renewable energy from the sun and keep the energy savings every month. Homeowners who follow the steps and complete the requirements have a good chance of getting a residential solar energy system installed on their home on a rental basis.

To be Evaluated for a Home Power System: * Be the mortgage holder of a residential home,How to Rent a Home Solar Energy System (Part 3) Articles * collect two years of energy bills from your utility, * have a south facing roof line or good exposure to the sun, * complete a site inspection to determine location feasibility, and * have ability to wait about a year for your solar installation.

Step One - Complete Home Feasibility Study

A solar panel manufacturer is working to remove the barriers to wide-scale solar adoption in the United States. Its business model is to rent all of the equipment needed to power a residential home. There is an energy auditing process and required feasibility study to better determine suitable locations. Unfortunately, homeowners may not qualify to have a system installed. The requirements related to sun angle, energy consumption, and a few other things listed here must be met. Below is the minimum requirement that you must comply with in order to rent a solar system.

Step Two - Be the Mortgage Holder

You must be a homeowner. Unfortunately, people who rent or lease are not qualified to rent a solar electric system. Only homeowners who hold title or have a mortgage on their can have a solar rental system installed. This has to do with legal and insurance related issues. You must own your house before a system such as this can be installed. However, renters and other homeowners do have the ability to purchase their systems out right from hundreds of solar manufacturers and installers. The point of this solar article is to highlight the steps and requirements process to enable the average American homeowner to rent a solar energy system not purchase one.

Step Three - Retain Connection to Existing Utility

You must be a current residential utility customer and you must maintain your interconnection with the utility. If you fail to maintain your connection with your local electric utility, this may be grounds for default in the solar rental agreement, and your solar energy unit may be removed.

Step Four - Maintain Telephone Line

You must maintain a dedicated residential telephone line. Again, if you fail to maintain a connection with your local telephone service, this may be grounds for default. You have your solar energy unit removed. There are other options other hard, land lines such as Internet-based, WIFI phone services but it is often easiest and most cost effective to utilize a normal phone connection.

Step Five - Provide Adequate Roof Space

Your house should have a roof with enough space to accommodate the solar unit as well as have an unobstructed, south facing flat or sloped roof. This may not always be necessary. However, in order to ensure that you are eligible, this prerequisite should be researched completely.

Step Six - Live in an Area with Net Metering

This solar rental program is presently limited to U.S. states that offer grid connected alternative energy systems. The service areas and the first to have installs approved are those located in the states and local utility areas that have net-metering laws. Grid tied or grid connection is the law in dozens of states that request that utility companies give the homeowner credits for the solar energy generated from home solar energy units. Net-metering laws do vary state by state. If is best to do some further research with your state government to ensure your state offers net-metering.

Concluding Considerations & Tips

* Research service availability and net metering laws for your state before you go to the trouble of reserving a system.

* There is a substantial waiting list of interested homeowners. A homeowner can request to have a site evaluation and suitability study completed if they wish. The actual system installations may be 1 or 2 years from the time of system reservation; if the above mention prerequisites are completed.