Solar energy does not present a lot of Virginia’s electrical energy — a complete of 7.1% of the state’s vitality manufacturing got here from photo voltaic panels within the second quarter of 2024 — however that determine is rising. Even when photo voltaic panels make up a small portion of the state’s total vitality combine, they’ll present 100% of your vitality wants, so long as you are keen to foot the preliminary price.
Virginia does not provide many photo voltaic incentives on high of the 30% federal tax credit score, however that does not imply photo voltaic cannot be value it. Photo voltaic panels could be a sound funding for householders seeking to displace their fossil gasoline use and cut back their excessive electrical energy payments.
The state additionally provides some incentives to assist make a distinction in your photo voltaic panel set up determination. Internet metering insurance policies let you ship extra photo voltaic vitality to the grid throughout peak manufacturing occasions after which pull from the grid at no cost when your photo voltaic panels do not produce sufficient vitality. You additionally achieve photo voltaic renewable vitality credit for photo voltaic vitality manufacturing, which you’ll be able to promote as a further income stream on the SREC market.
In the event you’re contemplating getting photo voltaic panels in Virginia, these are the perfect nationwide photo voltaic set up corporations to begin .
Greatest nationwide photo voltaic panel corporations in Virginia
It is best to interview photo voltaic corporations such as you would every other contractor. Get a number of quotes and ensure an organization clearly solutions all your questions earlier than signing a contract.
Palmetto Photo voltaic
Greatest total
Photo voltaic panels are sometimes low upkeep gear, however they’re additionally unfamiliar. If you wish to reap the advantages of photo voltaic however could have a bit extra peace of thoughts if another person is ensuring it is working, Palmetto may be a very good match for you. Simply bear in mind so as to add the price of Palmetto’s monitoring service in to your payback interval calculations.
EnergyPal
Most versatile
EnergyPal is greater than only a intermediary. It’s going to deal with your photo voltaic set up from starting to finish whereas additionally permitting you to profit from its proprietary engine and aggressive bidding course of. The corporate provides a variety of {hardware} for panels, batteries and inverters, has plentiful financing choices and provides responsive customer support assist.
Freedom Without end
Greatest for money prospects
Embrace Freedom Without end in your search if you would like the backing of a nationwide firm that installs all kinds of the most well-liked photo voltaic gear accessible. Freedom Without end additionally extends a few merchandise that take a number of the ache and threat out of going photo voltaic, like a manufacturing assure and an escrow possibility with money purchases. On-line evaluations say buyer satisfaction has been low of late, although the corporate says that is altering.
Tesla Photo voltaic
Most inexpensive
Tesla’s photo voltaic department appears to be the least liked of Elon Musk’s ventures. Even Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof appears to get extra love.
If worth is the factor you will not budge on, contemplate Tesla. By all accounts, Tesla installs high quality panels and makes the closest factor there’s to a family identify in photo voltaic storage: the Powerwall.
The place you would possibly miss out is customer support. Dialogue on-line appears to counsel Tesla’s service is a little bit of a raffle.
Native photo voltaic panel corporations in Virginia
Take into account wanting into a couple of native photo voltaic installers throughout your search. We pulled a couple of native photo voltaic installers with a number of the highest Google evaluate scores, but it surely’s nonetheless vital to do your individual analysis. If you recognize somebody who already has photo voltaic put in, ask them for a suggestion. Listed here are a couple of native installers that may be value contemplating in Virginia.
Convert Photo voltaic has one of many highest Google evaluate scores for native photo voltaic corporations in Virginia. The corporate’s in-house workforce handles each step of the method, and you will get a free photo voltaic estimate too. Your photo voltaic panels will include a 25-year product guarantee. You may even have the choice of putting in a photo voltaic battery. Convert Photo voltaic has financing choices accessible. You may not even must make a down fee.
As an area photo voltaic installer, Ipsun Photo voltaic serves Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Ipsun Photo voltaic makes use of name-brand merchandise like SolarEdge Inverters, Tesla Powerwall and Enphase. Along with the 25-year producer guarantee on photo voltaic panels and inverters, Ipsun Photo voltaic provides a 12-year quality-of-work guarantee for set up. In the event you’re curious about an extended guarantee, the corporate provides a 30-year prolonged guarantee by Photo voltaic Insure. Financing choices embrace money purchases and photo voltaic loans or leases. The corporate doesn’t provide PPAs.
For over 15 years, Nova Photo voltaic has offered photo voltaic providers to residents of Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland. The corporate handles the method from design to set up with its licensed in-house workforce. Nova Photo voltaic installs REC Alpha photo voltaic panels with an prolonged guarantee lasting a complete of 25 years. The corporate provides different set up choices like Q Cells photo voltaic panels, Enphase microinverters and SolarEdge inverters and energy optimizers. Nova Photo voltaic features a 20-year high quality of labor guarantee along with producer warranties on put in merchandise.
How one can decide which photo voltaic firm in Virginia is greatest for me
Since each home is a bit completely different, each photo voltaic set up will likely be completely different as effectively. What actually issues is discovering an installer with expertise working with the kind of roof you’ve got, and the kind of system you need put in.Â
Ben Delman, a communications director with Photo voltaic United Neighbors, a clear vitality nonprofit, says householders ought to search for photo voltaic installers which can be licensed by NABCEP and have the correct licensing to do their work. To get a greater understanding of an organization’s status, learn up on on-line evaluations from as many sources as you may. Google and Yelp evaluations are a very good place to begin. Search for photo voltaic corporations with a minimum of 20 to 30 evaluations. If you recognize somebody who already has photo voltaic on their roof, ask them for suggestions too.Â
Benjamin Hoyne, the Virginia program director with Photo voltaic United Neighbors, recommends householders get a minimum of three photo voltaic estimates earlier than selecting an installer — and to be careful for aggressive gross sales ways.Â
“The excellent news is there’s by no means a rush to go photo voltaic. To not say you should not make the most of going photo voltaic, however what I imply is, if some salesperson is being pushy and telling you that you could signal a contract as we speak or a suggestion expires, that is not true,” Hoyne mentioned.
Be sure to perceive how the federal photo voltaic tax credit score works and that your installer explains it to you accurately. The federal tax credit score is a tax credit score, not a refund. Not everybody could also be eligible; it isn’t assured to everybody.Â
In accordance with Delman and Hoyne, a very good photo voltaic installer ought to be capable of:Â
- Give good word-of-mouth references.
- Clearly clarify the undertaking and work deadlines.
- Outline technical phrases in an easy-to-understand method.
- Precisely clarify how the federal photo voltaic tax credit score works.
- Be clear about pricing and the way financing works.
- Have information concerning the native allow necessities and the method for system interconnection together with your native utility firm.
- Perceive householders affiliation restrictions and help you in navigating that course of.
- Reply any query, even the troublesome ones.
Do not hesitate to ask for clarification on any undertaking and pricing particulars. Photo voltaic is an costly and complicated course of. Your installer ought to assist you to really feel knowledgeable throughout each step of the journey.Â
Learn extra: Simply in search of an emergency backup? Try transportable photo voltaic panels and photo voltaic mills.
Value of photo voltaic panels in Virginia
Electrical energy charges are on the rise across the nation. Rising electrical charges make photo voltaic panels extra engaging, though excessive mortgage rates of interest make buying a system with a mortgage much less so. For many individuals, even with excessive rates of interest, going photo voltaic can lock in long-term vitality financial savings, though every set up has a barely completely different calculation.Â
This is a have a look at the typical money worth for a typical photo voltaic panel system in Virginia earlier than factoring in tax credit and incentives, in accordance with knowledge from FindEnergy.com. Your system would possibly grow to be dearer should you select to put in a photo voltaic battery.
Common price of photo voltaic panels in Virginia
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| Typical system measurement (kW) | Worth per watt | Complete put in price | Value after 30% federal tax credit score | |
| Virginia | 9 | $3.67 | $33,020 | $23,121 |
| Nationwide common | 5 | $3.56 | $17,823 | $12,476 |
The next map is a visible illustration of the typical whole worth, price per watt and system measurement for photo voltaic panel programs in several states, in accordance with knowledge from FindEnergy.com. The costs proven don’t think about fluctuations from tax credit or state photo voltaic incentives. If FindEnergy does not have photo voltaic knowledge for a selected state, it seems grayed out on the map.
Virginia photo voltaic panel incentives and rebates
Whereas the state of Virginia does not provide any state-level photo voltaic incentives, householders can nonetheless make the most of internet metering and the photo voltaic renewable vitality credit score market in Virginia.Â
Internet metering permits you to promote your extra photo voltaic vitality to the facility grid.Â
“They’re credited at a one-to-one price. Type of the identical price they’d be once they buy electrical energy from the grid on a wet day or within the night,” Hoyne mentioned.
Equally, you can even promote credit you achieve for producing photo voltaic vitality, within the type of photo voltaic renewable vitality credit. Sure states require energy corporations to provide a specific amount of their electrical energy from renewable sources. Energy corporations will purchase and commerce SRECs to fulfill these necessities.
“SRECs can be found in Virginia. You’ll be able to commerce your credit available on the market quarterly and even month-to-month,” Hoyne mentioned. “The worth won’t ever exceed $75 per SREC, so usually they commerce within the $50 to $60 vary per SREC.”
You’ll be able to take part in internet metering and commerce SRECs on the similar time, however probably the most notable photo voltaic incentive is the federal photo voltaic tax credit score. This 30% photo voltaic tax credit score applies to photo voltaic panel programs purchased from the start of 2022 by 2032.
Virginia photo voltaic incentives
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| Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Internet metering | Power corporations give credit in alternate for extra vitality generated by your photo voltaic system. Examine together with your native utility for particular particulars. |
| SRECs | Householders can promote and commerce the credit they earn from producing photo voltaic vitality on the SREC market. |
| Property tax exemption | State legislation exempts householders from property taxes on photo voltaic panel programs or different photo voltaic gear (as much as 25 kW). |
| Residential clear vitality credit score | Often known as the federal photo voltaic tax credit score, this tax incentive permits householders to assert a 30% tax credit score for programs put in earlier than 2032. |
How solar-friendly is your state?
CNET not too long ago ranked states primarily based on their residential photo voltaic insurance policies: the legal guidelines and laws affecting consumer-level photo voltaic panel set up and adoption. These insurance policies play a serious position in figuring out how accessible and inexpensive a photo voltaic panel system is to the typical resident.Â
Every state was evaluated by a strategy and scored primarily based on eight classes. The ultimate rating was transformed to a letter grade.Â
This is how your state scored on CNET’s photo voltaic coverage check.
Virginia
Grade: D
Incentives accessible:
- Retail price internet metering
- Photo voltaic panel programs totally exempt from property taxes
- Statewide group photo voltaic packages
Strongest scoring classes:
Virginia’s retail price internet metering will support residents in shortening their photo voltaic payback durations. Photo voltaic panel programs are additionally totally exempt from property taxes, however not state gross sales taxes.
Classes to enhance:
There isn’t any state photo voltaic tax credit score to talk of in Virginia, and no low-income packages outdoors of group photo voltaic.
How one can pay for photo voltaic panels in Virginia
A number of fee choices can be found for Virginians curious about photo voltaic panels. Listed here are a number of the most typical methods to pay in your panels.
Money: Paying in money is not solely interest-free but additionally permits you to make the most of photo voltaic incentives. In the event you pay in money, be prepared for substantial upfront prices. In the event you’re excited about going photo voltaic sooner or later, contemplate saving up with a high-yield financial savings account.
Photo voltaic mortgage: Your photo voltaic installer will almost certainly give you a financing possibility referred to as a photo voltaic mortgage. Mortgage phrases and charges can fluctuate, so store round for low-interest charges and get a number of quotes earlier than signing on the dotted line.Â
Different mortgage choices: You are not restricted to simply financing choices out of your installer. Getting a private mortgage out of your financial institution or opening a house fairness line of credit score are different choices. Remember the fact that going the HELOC route may imply dropping your private home if you cannot pay again what you owe.
Photo voltaic leases: Began in July 2024, third-party photo voltaic leases are authorized within the state of Virginia. Whenever you lease photo voltaic panels from an installer, you do not personal the rooftop system. As an alternative, you pay a set price to make use of the gear. This selection may also help with upfront prices and could also be worthwhile if you do not have a purpose to make the most of the tax incentives related to rooftop photo voltaic set up.
Energy buy agreements:Â Energy buy agreements are just like photo voltaic leases, in that the installer owns the photo voltaic panel setup on your private home. As an alternative of paying a set price for the gear, you are paying a set payment for the vitality generated by the photo voltaic panels. The phrases of each photo voltaic leases and PPAs — particularly any price escalators — are crucial to the return on funding. Energy buy agreements are sophisticated contracts with completely different professionals and cons, so you could be sure you perceive what you are entering into earlier than signing any paperwork.
It is vital to notice that individuals with photo voltaic leases or PPAs sometimes save lower than those that personal the panels outright and sometimes aren’t eligible for tax rebates and sure different photo voltaic incentives.
Group photo voltaic in Virginia
Shared photo voltaic, generally generally known as group photo voltaic, permits householders to energy their houses with photo voltaic by shopping for electrical energy generated by third-party photo voltaic gear. Some shared photo voltaic packages provide cheaper electrical energy than what you’ll usually pay at your utility’s retail price. The state has launched its personal group photo voltaic program, referred to as the Shared Photo voltaic Program, to prospects served by the utility Dominion Power.Â
This specific program additionally comes with a little bit of a downside for sure households: a minimal invoice requirement. Households subscribed to the Shared Photo voltaic Program might want to pay a minimal of $55.10 a month to take part. Low-income households are exempt from the minimal invoice requirement, making photo voltaic extra accessible to low-income households.Â
“The typical minimal invoice for a non low-income house owner or family goes to be about $55 per thirty days, which is the very best shared photo voltaic minimal invoice within the nation,” Hoyne mentioned.Â
This system is at the moment below a waitlist and capability is awarded on a first-come foundation.
“There at the moment are not any shared photo voltaic initiatives which can be really up and working but,” Hoyne mentioned. “We’ve heard that there is a handful of initiatives that must be coming on-line this fall.”
Set up elements to bear in mind
Are photo voltaic panels proper in your house? Take into account the next 5 elements about photo voltaic set up earlier than making a remaining determination.
Photo voltaic set up elements
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| Householders insurance coverage | Examine together with your insurance coverage firm to see in case your coverage covers a photo voltaic panel system. |
|---|---|
| Location | Photo voltaic panels work greatest in direct daylight. Obstructions like neighboring buildings or timber will hamper manufacturing. |
| Roof situation | Licensed installers ought to present roof upkeep suggestions previous to set up. Embrace potential roof repairs in your price range. |
| Personal or hire | Householders obtain extra advantages from tax credit and incentives. Renters curious about photo voltaic can look into group photo voltaic packages. |
How we discovered the perfect photo voltaic corporationsÂ
The businesses we listed above as “the perfect” are curated from CNET’s greatest photo voltaic corporations listing. Firms making the perfect listing are scored on the gear, warranties and customer support they provide. Then, we be certain these suggestions can be found in your state. You’ll be able to learn a full breakdown of how we evaluate photo voltaic corporations right here.
Firms listed below the native installers have been chosen in a much less rigorous means. We selected them as a result of they provided one thing distinctive or notable to prospects within the state, they appeared well-regarded by web reviewers or as a result of they have been one of many few installers we may discover data on within the state.
Whether or not we have accomplished a full evaluate on an organization or not, it is at all times a good suggestion to get a number of quotes from completely different installers earlier than selecting an organization.
Virginia photo voltaic FAQs
Are all photo voltaic panels the identical?
Are photo voltaic panels in Virginia value it?
Photo voltaic panels are sometimes a worthwhile funding for Virginians seeking to decrease their vitality payments and energy their houses with clear vitality. Virginia additionally receives extra sunshine than many different states. Virginia does not provide many photo voltaic incentives, and different photo voltaic choices, like group photo voltaic, have solely not too long ago been launched.Â
In the event you’re curious about going photo voltaic, search for a good installer that you simply belief. Dependable photo voltaic installers ought to offer you an actual worth quote and a possible return on funding. Getting a minimum of 4 or 5 quotes from numerous photo voltaic corporations can make sure you get the perfect worth in your house.
How a lot do photo voltaic panels price in Virginia?
The typical upfront money worth of photo voltaic panels in Virginia is about $12,845 for a 5 kW system after the federal tax credit score, in accordance with Discover Power. Photo voltaic panels in Virginia price are a bit pricer than in different states. Take into account all financing choices to find out what’s greatest in your price range.
Are photo voltaic panels good for the atmosphere?
Sure. Although photo voltaic panel manufacturing has an influence on the atmosphere, it’s a extra sustainable supply than fossil fuels like coal and fuel. Fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide, which is a major contributor to local weather change.
