La Grande solar installation and battery storage
LA GRANDE SOLAR + STORAGE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION
Reduce your
carbon footprint
Shrink your
electric bill
Go solar with
confidence
Reduce your carbon footprint
Shrink your electric bill
Go solar with confidence
With an average of 192 days of sun a year, La Grande solar panel installation makes a lot of sense. That’s because the sun provides 10,000 times more energy every day than the world consumes! With so much free energy at our disposal, it’s just a matter of harnessing that energy, which is exactly what solar panels are designed to do.
With the price of residential solar decreasing by 64% since 2010, there’s no better time to go solar. What’s more, with financial incentives provided by state organizations, the federal government and local utilities, La Grande homeowners could reduce the cost of installing solar panels by as much as half.
QUICK LINKS
La Grande solar installation
A common misconception about solar in Oregon is that it doesn’t work. The argument: too many cloudy days, and not enough sun.
However, with solar incentives provided by Oregon Trail Electrical Coop, installing solar in Oregon makes a lot of sense. Why? Because you can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, while considerable reducing the amount you pay for electricity. Here’s how.
A&R Solar
19636 SW 90th Court
Tualatin, OR 97062
(503) 420-8680
info@a-rsolar.com
Is solar worth it in La Grande?
Contrary to what you might believe, solar panels actually work more efficiently in temperate environments, which makes La Grande Oregon a perfect place for a solar energy system.
With Oregon’s relatively cool, long summer days it’s not uncommon for solar panels to produce more energy than a home uses, which means solar panels can eliminate your electricity bill altogether.
But what about the winter months when solar panels produce less energy than a home consumes?
To address this very real concern, Oregon Trail Electrical Coop offers a net metering program that credits solar homeowners for the excess energy produced in the summer.
These energy credits can be applied to future billing periods, which help reduce or even eliminate an electricity bill. So depending on the size of your roof, it’s completely possible to produce 100 percent of your home’s energy.
La Grande battery backup
Let’s face it, the electric grid is not as reliable as we’d like it to be. It’s not uncommon for blackouts to occur, and when they do, they can be at best disruptive, and at worst potentially life-threatening.
However, with energy storage – aka a battery backup – your home can safely disconnect (island) from the utility when the grid is down. In this case, your home becomes its own temporary microgrid, continuing to function even when the lights are out.
It should be noted that a solar energy system will stop working in the event of a power outage. Why? Because line workers could be electrocuted if your solar panels continue to push power to the grid, which they will if not properly shut down in the event of a power outage.
If you have solar and would like power to stay on in a power outage, then consider solar + battery storage.
Oregon solar incentives
When considering La Grande solar panel installation, homeowners will have solar incentives at the federal, state, and local levels, making the cost of solar panel installation more affordable. To maximize your return on investment, consider the following solar incentives:
- Federal solar tax credit: Congress has extended and restored the federal solar tax credit to its full, original rate. This means that homeowners and businesses who install solar and/or battery backup systems between 2022-2032 will receive a 30% tax credit. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar credit on the income tax you owe. Businesses can receive an additional 10% tax credit if they use American-made products and materials, and battery storage systems no longer need to be paired with solar to qualify for the credit.
- Energy Trust of Oregon solar incentives: The Energy Trust of Oregon offers incentives to customers of Pacific Power and Portland General Electric. Depending on the size of your system, you may be eligible to receive up to a few thousand dollars in upfront cash rebates, depending on which utility services your home. The incentive is not based on income, so everyone is eligible for the same amounts.
- Net metering: Net metering is a contract that you sign with your utility that allows you to trade your power with them at retail rates. Typically in Oregon, we produce vastly more energy than we consume during the summer and therefore build up big credits. Then during the less-sunny winter months, we use the accumulated credits to reduce electricity bills.
- Increased resale value: There is evidence that homes with solar sell faster and for more money than comparable homes without. A study out of California concluded that the premium for which solar homes sell is about the same as what the homeowner paid for the system in the first place. Zillow reported a 4.1% average lift in home appreciation on homes with solar over those without. In the meantime, you’re saving money on your bill every month.
Cost of solar panel installation in La Grande?
The cost of solar panel installation in La Grande depends on factors that are unique to each homeowner. Designing a system that meets your energy needs and your budget requires asking a few questions. Why are you interested in installing solar? Do you want to eliminate your electricity bill, save money, reduce your carbon footprint, or maybe increase the value of your home?
The cost of solar panel installation in La Grande includes three main factors: construction characteristics of your house (roof material, height, steepness), solar equipment choices (economy, premium, or extra features), and where you live (permitting costs and available incentives).
When considering if installing solar in La Grande is right for you, it helps to hear from homeowners who’ve already installed solar on their homes. Here’s what some of our customers have to say…
If you’d like to speak with a homeowner directly, please feel free to ask for references. We are happy to connect you with one of our customers in the La Grande area!
Learn more about solar financing
The cost of solar panel installation may seem pricey, but it’s actually more affordable than you think. With solar financing options provided by A&R Solar’s financial partners, most homeowners can expect low-interest solar financing options that generally offer zero-down with no fees. The only collateral on the loan is the solar equipment.
Why choose A&R Solar as your local La Grande solar company
Besides being a Certified B Corporation, we’re also a Social Purpose Corporation. What does that mean? It’s a unique responsibility that emphasizes the commitment to putting the good of people and the environment ahead of short-term profits for shareholders. It means adhering to practices that minimize the ethical and environmental impacts of our day-to-day operations, while also maximizing our social impact within our business and our industry.
When choosing A&R Solar to install solar panels on your home, you’re choosing a Portland solar installation company that invests richly in their employees, communities, and the industry which we serve.
The A&R difference
INDUSTRY-LEADING GUARANTEE
You will receive our “Perfect 10 Guarantee.” A&R provides 10-year warranties on your residential system’s performance, workmanship, and labor. This is on top of manufacturers’ warranties, which are typically 25-30 years.
WE’LL BE AROUND
We’re one of the Northwest’s oldest and most trusted solar installers. A&R Solar is employee-owned and operated, and our executive team and staff live and work in our communities. With no company debt, we are here for the long haul.
MAXIMIZED INCENTIVES
Your system will be designed to take advantage of current financial incentives with an eye on the future to make sure that adding new technology (like battery storage) will be as seamless as possible.
TIME-TESTED EQUIPMENT
Your solar array will have the highest quality modules, inverters, and racking materials that have been vetted by our Research & Development team, which is comprised of every department within our company.
TEAM OF EXPERTS
Your team consists of highly-trained professionals who are our full-time employees (not subcontractors or working out of remote call centers). In fact, we have more NABCEP-certified employees than any company in the Northwest.
HIGH QUALITY INSTALLATION
We never cut corners. We go above and beyond the competition to ensure the highest quality solar PV system installation. We take quality and your family’s safety seriously.
Researching different companies? Make sure to read up on solar scams and high-pressure sales tactics to protect yourself.
How much solar energy does a solar panel produce?
Each solar panel is rated to produce a maximum amount of power under certain temperature and lighting conditions. To determine how much energy a solar photovoltaic (or “PV”) system can generate, you need to know the quantity and rated output of the solar panels in the system. Home solar panels usually range from 350-400 watts in rated output.
Let’s say you have a solar panel (aka “PV module”) that is rated at 400 watts and you have 30 modules installed on your roof. You would have a 12,000 watt, or 12 kilowatt (kW) PV system. This would be the maximum amount of energy that your system could produce under optimal lighting and temperature conditions, and systems typically operate around 80% of their rated capacity.
The Northwest is unique because of our long, cool summer days and short, gray winters. Because of this, your system is going to produce roughly 60% of your annual production during the summer months. Working within your budget, we’ll create a system that will overproduce in the summer and then allow you to use those net metering credits during the winter months when your system isn’t producing as much energy. For homes with large enough roofs and/or low enough energy consumption, it’s possible to produce all the energy you need from the sun on an annual basis and achieve “net zero” status.
