How to Save Money When Buying all black solar panels

17 Mar.,2025

 

The Guide To Finding Cheap Solar Panels - Quicken Loans

There are some advantages of buying solar panels, including reducing your electric bills (and your carbon footprint), improving home value and energy independence from the grid. However, solar panels can be expensive, and it's natural to consider how you might be able to purchase cheap solar panels.

For more information, please visit 潞安.

Let's walk through how you can enjoy the benefits of this source of renewable energy while reducing your costs by using the following tips.

Find A Mortgage Today and Lock In Your Rate!

Get matched with a lender that will work for your financial situation.

How To Get Affordable Solar Panels

What's the average cost of installing solar panels? They typically cost $16,000 on average, or between $3,500 ' $35,000, depending on the model and type. The factors that will affect your final bill include the materials used in your solar panels, installation costs, solar panel company, the tax credit you receive, location and more.

Use the following recommendations to help them find the most affordable solar panel option.

Research Multiple Types Of Panels And Manufacturers

The first step involves researching common types of photovoltaic residential solar panels, including polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin-film solar panels.

  • Polycrystalline: Polycrystalline solar panels have blue-colored cells that consist of multiple silicon crystals melded together. They are a bit less efficient compared to other types of solar panels but affordable. They cost $0.91 ' $1 per wattage for average installation. They typically have an energy-efficiency rating of 15% ' 17%.
  • Monocrystalline: Monocrystalline modules, made of pure silicon, contain a single silicon crystal made into cylindrical ingots. They typically cost $1 ' $1.50 per watt on average to install. They typically have the highest energy efficiency compared to other types of panels.
  • Thin-film: This type of flexible panel is usually used for off-grid applications and has a thin film of solar photovoltaic (PV) material on a substrate. The thin-film solar cells, which are thinner than human hair, fall into three types: amorphous silicon (A-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). They typically cost $1 ' $1.50 per watt on average to install. This technology is less efficient than the crystalline solar panel systems.

Different solar companies use a wide variety of pricing strategies. Compare multiple types of panels and several different manufacturers to help find affordable solar panels that best fits your budget, including pricing the inverter. An inverter converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (DC).

Collect Quotes From Several Installers

Next, collect installation quotes from a few installation companies. Certain factors could make certain installers less expensive than others, such as their overhead costs, the system's design, quality of equipment used, warranties and other factors.

Compare Features And Benefits

Getting a low price is important but it's a good idea to consider other factors when shopping for solar panels. Check the following before purchasing, including:

  • Energy-efficiency: Energy efficiency refers to how well the efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) cell converts energy shining on a PV device gets converted into usable electricity. The more efficient the solar panels, the more energy output and more savings you'll incur as a homeowner.
  • Wattage: Wattage refers to the amount of solar power a panel creates. The higher the wattage rating, the more power your solar installation will produce. You can expect a typical output of 250 ' 400 watts, but it depends on panel size.
  • Warranty: Most solar panel manufacturers offer some kind of warranty, including a 25- to 30-year linear performance warranty and a product warranty that lasts for 15 ' 25 years. Consider finding an option with at least a 25-year warranty. You want a long warranty because solar loans may have a lifespan of more than 25 years.
  • Quality: Cheaper home solar panels will most likely have lower quality and less efficiency, which means you may have to replace 'cheaper' panels more frequently.

Buy In Bulk Quantities

Some manufacturers or retailers may offer special discounts for homeowners who order a large number of solar panels. Consider teaming up with neighbors or family members to purchase enough panels for a discounted price.

Consider Leasing Instead Of Buying

You can either lease or buy solar panels. Leasing a home solar system lease means that you don't own the panels on your roof, pay a monthly fee to use the panels. You exchange the electric bill from your utility company for a lowered bill from a solar leasing company. Leased panels allow the reader to pay directly for the solar energy created by their system. Leased periods usually have a 20-year duration and you may be able to buy the solar system at a discounted rate at the end of the lease.

Pros of a solar lease:

  • Lower initial expense: You may be able to put panels on your home for little to no money down. Payments can decrease if your panels don't produce as anticipated.
  • No need to shop for installer and financing: You don't need to separately shop for an installer and financing.
  • Rising energy cost insulation: A solar lease can insulate you from rising energy costs because you'll save on your electric bill from a utility company.
  • Beneficial if it's not your forever home: If you're not living in your 'forever home,' you won't make the full purchase investment and will only pay on a lease up until you move or break the lease.
  • No maintenance: You don't have to maintain or monitor any equipment.

Cons of a solar lease:

  • No incentives: Since you don't own the panels, take advantage of federal or state incentives like tax credits or rebates.
  • No increase in home value: Solar panels don't increase your home's value because you lease them instead of owning them.
  • Breaking the lease can be challenging: If you decide to sell your home, you might have trouble buying out the lease early.
  • Can cost more: Compared to purchasing solar panels, leasing solar panels usually costs more in the long run.
  • No choice in components: The leasing company chooses the brands you'll receive ' you don't have any choice in the quality of the components in the system.
  • Long-term contracts: Leases often initiate very long-term contracts, which means you'll make a monthly payment to a provider for 15 ' 25 years.
  • Escalator clause: An escalator clause means that payments will increase and further reduce your savings.

Check Out Solar Panel Incentive Programs

Several state and federal government agencies offer solar panel incentive programs to homeowners, including:

  • Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
  • Renewable Energy Grants
  • Residential Energy Credits
  • Investment Tax Credits
  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs)

See What You Qualify For

Home Purchase

Home Refinance

Tap Into Equity

Where To Find Cheap Or Discounted Solar Panels

You can find discounted or secondhand panels from solar panel installers, traffic sign rental companies, online marketplaces and friends and family.

Solar Panel Installers

You can contact a solar installer about free or discounted panels. Some installers collect old panels from customers and you may be able to get them for a low price. In many cases, to get completely free panels you must sign a lease. However, if you help an installer remove the panels, they may give you a discount.

Traffic Sign Rental Companies

You can also check with local traffic sign rental companies for free or discounted panels. Look for those blinking highway signs and call the number on the sign. However, it's important to note that these panels may be damaged by rock chips or cracks.

Online Marketplaces

Some homeowners may sell old solar panels online through a marketplace or resale site. Check your local classified ads for solar panel listings. Look on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.

Friends And Family

You may also find solar panels by word of mouth. Ask friends, family members and neighbors if they have any solar panels they want to dispose of. You'll likely get an accurate history of the solar panels because you know the person who owned them before you.

Are you interested in learning more about all black solar panels? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

'Cheap' Solar Panel FAQs

Learn more about affordable solar panels by reading the answers to the following frequently asked questions.

Which solar panels are the cheapest?

Take a look at the least expensive solar panels available to homeowners based on price per panel, power rating, efficiency rating and warranty length.

Can I buy and install solar panels myself?

You may also want to consider purchasing a DIY solar panel kit. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of installing solar panels yourself

Pros:

  • A DIY install can power small things like RVs and boats.
  • You may save on installation costs.

Cons:

  • DIY panels may be illegal where you live due to certain zoning laws.
  • It may be difficult to install solar panels for an entire home ' it can be labor intensive and time consuming.

Are 'cheap' solar panels worth it?

Cost-effective solar panels are typically less efficient than expensive solar panels because they have fewer solar cells and produce less energy. Higher-performing solar panels could save you more money over time by more effectively lowering your electricity bill.

The Bottom Line

It is possible to find affordable solar panels, such as through solar panel installers, traffic sign rental companies, online marketplaces and from friends and families. Don't forget to consider other factors when pricing discount solar panels, such as efficiency, power output and quality, when you shop.

Find A Mortgage Today and Lock In Your Rate!

Get matched with a lender that will work for your financial situation.

Melissa Brock

Melissa Brock is a freelance writer and editor who writes about higher education, trading, investing, personal finance, cryptocurrency, mortgages and insurance. Melissa also writes SEO-driven blog copy for independent educational consultants and runs her website, College Money Tips, to help families navigate the college journey. She spent 12 years in the admission office at her alma mater.

How Do Solar Panels Help Save You Money?

Solar energy is the new thing in conscious energy these days, and with so many trendy investment opportunities, it's hard to know if investing in something is really going to 'save you tons of money.' So, do solar panels save money? Is solar worth it? How much do solar panels for the home cost?

Saving money by reducing your electricity bill by cutting down the amount of energy you use is no fluke. Solar panels give you the ability to save money by creating a natural source of energy that has the ability to power your home and heat your pool. If you're looking to save a ton of money, it really depends on a few key factors:

  • Direct hours of sunlight
  • Local electricity rates
  • Size of your pool

How Much Do Solar Panels Save?

If you're interested in understanding how much money solar panels save on your electric bills, you first need to calculate how much you're spending on electricity every year. For example, the average annual electricity usage in a U.S. household is 11,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh). If you were to multiply that by the national average electricity rate ($0.). You would get how much you're spending on electricity every year. The typical American household spends around $1,430 dollars a year on electricity alone.

Solar panel savings estimates by state table State Average Price
(6 kW Solar System) Average Electricity Rate
Per State ($/kWh) 20-Year Savings This is a solar panel savings table found on EnergySage.com Arizona $11,214 0. $16,866 California $13,566 0. $49,424 Colorado $13,314 0. $14,216 Florida $10,584 0. $17,976 Massachusetts $13,818 0. $30,523 Maryland $11,550 0. $19,026 New Jersey $13,188 0. $19,655 New York $14,154 0. $26,637 Texas $12,390 0. $13,720 Washington $11,802 0. $10,483

How Does Solar Energy Save Money?

If your average monthly electricity bill is high, and you're living in an area with high energy rates then it's worthwhile installing solar panels in your home while the 26 percent tax break is in place. It is not only amazing for your wallet but also good for the environment. Here are a couple of reasons why you should invest in solar panels:

  • The price of energy is not dropping
  • The cost of installing solar panels has improved and prices have fallen
  • Installing solar panels provides a long-term subsidy benefits
  • Save money on your pension by reducing energy costs on your monthly electricity bill
  • Solar panels are long-lasting and require little upkeep

How Much Does It Cost to Install Solar Panels?

How much does solar cost to install? On average, it costs around $13,142 to install a solar system. How much it costs to install solar panels depends on how many solar panels you need to generate energy for your home. The good news is, how much solar panels cost upfront is offset by the savings and return on investment they earn.

The average cost of solar panels and their upfront cost can be offset by the federal tax credit, which currently sits at 26 percent. After , the tax credit will step down to 22 percent. So the sooner you take advantage of the full credit, the better. The federal tax credit was created to encourage investment in solar systems and renewable energy, and claiming it is a matter of filling out the right IRS Form.

Besides the federal tax credit, solar panels increase property values while lowering utility bills. Compared to gas or electric heating systems, solar panels save you much more in the long-run. Your solar panel system can pay for itself in three years!

Are Solar Panels Efficient?

Some solar panels convert 22 percent of their available energy into electrical power. This is an actually amazing number if you consider the fact that we are paying a lot of our electricity bills every month. The solar panels are made of solar cells. A cell is a small disk of a semiconductor like silicon. They are attached by wire to a circuit. As light strikes the semiconductor, light is converted into electricity that flows through the circuit. As soon as the light is removed, the solar cell stops producing power.

A solar pool heating system uses the sun's radiant energy to heat your water. The water is directed to the collectors, rising from the bottom to the top. As it gradually rises, it's heated by the natural energy and then returned to your pool. This cycle continues until your pool water reaches the desired temperature. You can enjoy an added 10-13° to your water without any extra costs or air pollution!

Conclusion

Solar panels and solar panel systems will save you money and bring a return on your investment in no time. Rising property values, lowered utility costs and the federal tax credit all ease the upfront costs of installing solar panels. Since the price of energy isn't dropping, investing in solar energy is the smart move to save money, with the added bonus of shrinking your carbon footprint!

For more information, please visit Topcon mono solar panel.

Ready to Go Solar?