Residential Grid-Connected Solar Electric Power System FAQ Page
Frequently Asked Questions and Topics

Warranty:
Kyocera Solar Systems
Kyocera Solar Panels come with a 20 year warranty on the power production of their panels. Because there are no moving parts, the only wear-and-tear these systems see is from daily sun exposure, year after year. This is factored into the 20-year warranty, which states that by the end of the twelfth year, the panels should still be producing at 90% of their initial capacity, and that by the end of the 20th year, they should still be producing at 80% of their rated power. If you notice an electric bill that seems higher than it should be, check your Sunny Beam remote display to check the history of electric production for your system. If you see a noticeable jump that doesn’t seem weather related, call us. If you perceive something some other problem with your system, we will come out and check/test your system. If it turns out one or more of the solar panels is not performing to specs, we will coordinate with Kyocera to have them replace the defective panels for free. This warranty is standard for most manufacturers of silicon solar electric panels.
Kyocera Solar Panel Warranty

The SMA America ‘Sunny Boy’ inverters that are paired with our Kyocera module based systems come with a 10-year warranty.
SMA Inverter Warranty

Sharp Solar Systems:
Sharp Solar Panels come with a 25 year warranty on the power production of their panels. Because there are no moving parts, the only wear-and-tear these systems see if from the sun beating on them year after year. This is factored into the 25-year warranty, which states that by the end of the twelfth year, the panels should still be producing at 90% of their initial capacity, and that by the end of the 25th year, they should still be producing at 80% of their rated power. If you notice an electric bill that seems higher than it should be, check your Sunny Beam remote display to check the history of electric production for your system. If you see a noticeable jump that doesn’t seem weather related, call us. If it sounds like something is wrong with your system, we will come out and check/test your system. If it turns out one or more of the solar panels is not performing to specs, we will coordinate with Sharp to have them replace the defective panels for free. This warranty is standard for most manufacturers of silicon solar electric panels.
Sharp Solar Panel Warranty

The SMA America ‘Sunny Boy’ inverters that are paired with our Kyocera module based systems come with a 5-year warranty. Extended warranties of 5 years are also available for less than 10% of the cost of the inverter.
SMA Inverter Warranty

Installation Warranty:
Our work is guaranteed for two years.

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Products:
Kyocera Solar Panels
Kyocera has been producing solar panels for over 30 years, and is the world’s second largest producer of solar electric panels in the world. Their size and experience allows them to sell quality panels at the best value ($/watt). Their products have been thoroughly tested in all climates in all parts of the world. They have a distribution warehouse in north Scottsdale, which allows us to get their product quickly, and at a good price. They are tested to withstand 1” hail.
Kyocera 200GT Spec Sheet

Sharp Solar Panels
Sharp has been producing solar panels for over 40 years, and is the world’s largest producer of solar electric panels in the world. Their size and experience allows them to sell quality panels at the best value ($/watt). Their products have been thoroughly tested in all climates in all parts of the world. They are tested to withstand 1” hail.
Sharp ND200U1F Spec Sheet

SMA inverters
SMA is the world’s leading producer of solar grid-tie inverters. With more than 500,000 in the field, they have been very well tested and improved upon. German engineered, they have a 15-year average mean time between failures. Their size and experience allows them to sell rock-solid inverters at the best value.
SMA Inverter

SMA Sunny Beam wireless monitoring system
The Sunny Beam is a small device that tells you how much electricity your system has produced daily, monthly, yearly, and since it was installed. It has a graphical interface, and is capable of uploading data to a PC via USB.
SMA Sunny Beam Spec Sheet

SMA Web Box
This device allows you to view your systems current and past performance from the internet.
SMA Web Box Spec Sheet

Professional Solar Products Roof Trac Mounting System
This mounting system is engineered to withstand 120 mph wind. This product has no moving parts, and is just nuts, bolts, brackets, and rail, etc.
Professional Solar Products Roof Trac Spec Sheet

Mounting:
There are no moving parts in any of our mounting systems to ensure long system life and low cost. None of our systems track the sun, nor are they adjustable for the different seasons of the year.

Ideal pitch in most of Arizona for maximum economic benefit is 25 degrees (close to a 5/12 pitch). Changing the degree of pitch has minimal effect on electric production.

When we have to tilt the panels on a roof, it can add anywhere between $500 and $1,300 to the cost of the system, depending on the size of the system.

When we do a ground mount, it can add thousands of dollars to the cost of the system, depending on system size, trenching required, and hardness of the earth.

There are three main types of mounting that we offer:

1. Pitched Roof Mount (most economical)
2. Flat Roof Mount
3. Ground Mount (most expensive)

For east/west facing roofs, typically we mount half of the panels flush on the east facing pitch, and half on the west for maximum aesthetic. This technique sacrifices production by 20% if we tie in to the inverter correctly. OR we can tilt the panels towards the south to maintain maximum production at the sacrifice of aesthetics.

For north facing roofs, we always tilt the panels toward the south as to not sacrifice production of the system.

2. For flat roofs we typically mount the panels at 10 or 15 degrees, and sometimes as high as 25 or 30 degrees.

We mount the panels at 10 degrees if a lower profile is desired, or if space is an issue, as this also allows us to put the rows of panels closer together because they create a smaller shadow when at a lower profile. The Kyocera panels are 16” tall at the top this way.

We mount the panels at 25 degrees for maximum production if possible Kyocera panels are 25” tall at the top this way.

3. For ground mounts we use concrete and upright poles for mounting. Typically the array is in a single plane that is tilted 15 or 25 degrees. We also typically have to trench and run conduit to the electrical box and meter, which is usually billed per foot.

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Space required:
Pitched Roof:
Kyocera panels can produce 12.5 watts / sq. ft.
Simply take your available sq. ft. and multiply by the number above to find out approximately how many watts of panels you can fit.

Flat roofs require 50% more space than pitched roofs.

Ground mounts require 50% more space than pitched roofs.

Appropriate mounting location:
You need space that is UNSHADED ALL DAY DURING THE PEAK SUNLIGHT HOURS OF THE DAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR for maximum production/economic benefit/environmental benefit. Solar electric panels are VERY sensitive to shade, but do perform with limited efficiency in cloudy weather.

Roof features to take into consideration as potentially shading a solar array include: vents, chimneys, skylights, other roof surfaces, air conditioners, swamp coolers, antennas, satellite dishes, etc.

Other things to consider, trees, even trees in your neighbor’s yard, utility poles, mountains, large buildings, etc.

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Rebates/Incentives:
Currently there are 4 layers of incentives for residential systems in Arizona:
1. Utility rebate
2. Federal tax credit
3. State tax credit
4. State and county sales tax exemption

1. Each utility offers a different rebate amount that is paid after the system is installed and commissioned (turned on). Fortunately, American Solar Electric, Inc. (ASE) covers the rebate amount upfront, so YOU NEVER HAVE TO PAY THE FULL SYSTEM COST. You are only responsible for paying up to the rebate amount as the utility rebate will be accepted as the final payment when the customer assigns the payment to ASE. Utility rebate amounts can be found on our incentives page.

2. The federal tax credit is for $2,000. This can be carried forward up to 20 years, if your liability is low enough. For example, if you only owe $500 / year, you would owe the Federal government $0 for the next four years—until you’ve reached a total of $2,000 taken off what you owe in taxes.

3. The state tax credit is for $1,000. This can be carried forward for up to 5 years, if your liability is low enough. For example, if you only owe $500 / year, you would owe the state government $0 for the next two years—until you’ve reached a total of $1,000 taken off what you owe in taxes.

4. The state and county sales tax exemption saves over 4% off each system.

Economics:
We know how much electricity these systems will produce during their warrantied life, and it works out to being 33-55% LOWER than what you are CURRENTLY paying for electricity (as of July2007), let alone what you will be paying 5 or 10 years from now.

How much will electricity cost 5 or 10 years from now? No one knows, but we all know it will be much more than you are currently paying. The good news is, the higher electric prices are, the more money you save. You are not reducing your fixed costs; you are reducing your increasing costs.

How will a solar electric system affect the resale value of your home? From a practical standpoint, if you have the choice to buy one of two comparable homes, and one of them will have an electric bill that is 50%-90% lower than the other, would you be willing to pay more for it?

According to the Appraisal Institute, solar increases the value of your home. A recent study demonstrated that the selling price of homes increased by $20.73 for every $1 decrease in annual utility bills (Appraisal Journal, October 1999). Using this example, assume you purchase a moderately-sized solar system for $13,000 after all purchase incentives; the value of your home would increase by more than $18,000. Talk about return on investment!

As an example, check out Kyocera's PV Calculator to estimate your savings.

These systems have a long system life: 25-year warranty on the panels, with an expected lifespan of 30-40 years. You are literally buying DECADES of electricity up-front when you buy one of these systems. We are talking long-term.

Most home improvement items don’t add much value to a home 10 years after it was installed, such as new carpeting or a new kitchen. But a solar electric system will still have 15 years left on its warranty.

As the rebates and incentives decline in coming years, the cost of these systems will be higher in the future. Paying more for a home that already has a system will be more economical than buying a brand new system.

The solar industry is changing rapidly. Prices for product change, and incentives from the utilities, state, and federal government are constantly in flux. Because of rapid change, we are not posting more specific information on our site, as it would require significant maintenance. Call us for the most up-to-date economic analysis and information.

Financing Program:
American Solar Electric is pleased to offer customer financing through 1st National Bank of Arizona and Opyne Finance Office. Opyne Finance Office works directly with 1st National Bank of Arizona and a variety of other lenders to find the right rates, options, and loans for your specific financing needs. By financing your solar electric system you can deduct the interest you pay off of your taxes, take advantage of valuable tax credits and rebates, and increase your purchasing power through monthly payments*. It's easy to get started, just fill out the secure online finance application. A loan representative will contact you within one business day with the terms of your approval or request more information. Once the conditions of the approval are met (e.g. proof of home owners insurance, verification of income, etc) Opyne Finance Office will meet with you at your convenience to close your loan. There is a three day waiting period after you close your loan after which the lender will send you the money for the funding of your solar electric system. Contact Mike Hermann at (602) 721-3027 or mike@opyne.com for additional information. *please contact your tax professional

Batteries:
Batteries are not necessary for grid-tie systems, but are for off-grid systems. Batteries are necessary for storing electricity. Otherwise, any electricity not used by the home as it is produced is sold to the utility company at the same rate they charge you. In effect, when they give you a credit for what you produce, they are financially storing it for you.

Batteries are expensive, and need to be replaced every 7-10 years, whether you use them or not.

Grid-tie systems with battery backup are the most complicated, expensive systems we offer, and are only recommended if frequent power-outages are a problem, and you don't want to use a generator. Battery backup systems can be added to regular grid-tie systems at a later date, without affecting the cost significantly.

Selling Electricity to the Utility:
Do not expect monthly checks from the utility company. You can, however, expect to reduce your bills by a high percentage. Money saved is tax free money earned.

As of July 1, 2007, APS, SRP, TEP, and UniSource all offer "net metering" to their residential customers. Since solar electric systems don't have any form of storage, if there is any excess power the home is not using (for example, when you're not home during the day), it gets sold back to the utility company at the same rate they charge you. Your meter literally runs backwards, and they simply bill you the net diifference at the end of the month. If your meter reads a net negative for the month (you produced more than you used), each utility company will handle this net excess generation differently.

APS, TEP, and UniSource have "rollover," and you can save up for high summer usage, for example. SRP, however, buys the net excess generation at about half price. An example of this follows. Say you produce 1,000 kWh, and use 800 kWh, with SRP you wouldn't owe anything for your electrical usage, as they have bought the first 800 kWh at retail prices, but for the last 200 kWh you sold in excess, they will buy for about half price.

Residential APS electricity buyback rider (.pdf from July, 2007)
Residential SRP electricity buyback rider (.pdf from June 2004)

Maintenance:
Our Residential Grid-Connected Solar Electric Power Systems are virtually maintenance free. It is suggested to spray down the panels with a garden hose (ideally in the early morning, late afternoon or evening) perhaps once every few months or when a heavy coating of dust (of note, light dusting of the panels is calculated into there stated efficiencies) has accumulated.

Environment:
Solar panels are the most environmentally friendly way of generating electricity. Using solar electricity avoids the burning of fuel that would normally take place in order to produce the energy you use.

For every kWh your system produces in Arizona, you are avoiding the release of just over 1 lb. of CO2 emissions (US Climate Technology Cooperation Gateway). For every kW of solar equipment installed, CO2 emissions are reduced by 1,800 lbs every year!

According to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory study, a rooftop solar electric system will avoid conventional electric plant emissions of more than half a ton of sulfur dioxide, one-third of a ton of nitrogen oxides, and 100 tons of carbon dioxide. In using the sustainable energy of solar, you will be reducing wastes, pollution, conserving fossil fuels, and employing higher efficiency usage of electricity.

Solar Panels reduce environmental damage in the following ways:
1. Climate Change
2. Pollution
3. Mining & Drilling
  a. Destroys land and life
  b. Dangerous work
  c. Fuel must be transported across the globe
4. Nuclear Waste
5. Water use

Solar panels take energy to make, but this energy is, “paid back,” within the first three years of use.

Mounting solar electric panels on your roof is friendly, because instead of taking land away from plants, animals, and humans, you are adding an extra layer of insulation to your home.

New Technology:
Often, people ask us about new, high efficiency solar panels, and hydrogen fuel cells, etc. No one has even a prototype of a cheap, efficient solar panel yet. So by the time they have something that's been tested, proven, with a good warranty, a large manufacturing plant, and an efficient supply chain setup, the system that you buy today will have already paid for itself. Twenty years ago, you heard that the future was solar power, and now it’s here. Now we are hearing about hydrogen fuel cells. In ten years, the hydrogen fuel cells may indeed be a viable technology for the residential customer.

HOAs
Never have any of our clients been denied solar by a Home Owners' Association or any CC&R regulation. This is because state law protects your rights to implement solar energy on your property. Below you will find the statute itself.

Even though no one can "effectively prohibit" you from utilizing solar energy, it is still desirable to work within the Home Owners' Associations' application process. After you've decided to get a solar electric system, simply supply us with the application and contact person, and we will take care of the rest.