(This was an article I wrote after completing my solar installation a few years ago. I wrote it because it was very difficult to find objective information to help decide if it was the right decision for my family, or whether or not it was the right time to take the plunge. Things have evolved since I wrote this, and I will add some new information soon. Most important, as some states begin to role back government incentives to install solar, some interesting projects are happening on a global level to help bridge the gap, and continue to push the Global Energy Transition. Most notably, the #SolarCoinFoundation #SolarCoin #SLR is helping to create a significant incentive for solar development. For now, you can learn more about SolarCoin at www.solarcoin.org, and I can help anyone with the registration process if you go to my affiliate site, www.solarincentiveus.com).
The prospect of making the leap to solar electricity can seem daunting. For many years I imagined what it would be like to flip on a switch knowing I was producing the power to light a room, or better yet, to cool my home. For a long time it seemed that interest in solar was mainly about social consciousness; people invested an enormous amount of money in order to do something positive for the environment. The financial reality of a solar installation always seemed to make the idea impractical. Well, it turns out the leap isn’t really that big of a deal. In fact, as many people have come to refer to it, solar is a financial no-brainer. There are a lot of factors that will ultimately determine the return on investment for switching to solar, but to provide a basic idea, I installed a 9 Kilowatt system that should save me approximately $60,000 over the next 15 years. That factors zeroing out my electric bill which was about $1500 per year, and adding the energy credits I will earn of about $1500 per year. After the federal rebate of 30% (see below), my investment of about $20,000 will yield a nice return.
I offer this article to anyone who is even faintly considering the leap to solar. It’s the teacher in me, but I figure if I have gone through a process, and one with at least a few minor bumps, I may as well offer that experience up to anyone else who might benefit from it. I make no claims whatsoever of being an authority on the subject, but I have learned a few things; after one particular intense weekend, I felt like I read more about solar than I read during two years of graduate school. (That’s an exaggeration.)
Most of the information I provide here is specific to doing solar in New Jersey. Each state has different rules regarding solar, so make sure you take what you read here with a grain of salt. One big aspect of solar in New Jersey is that homeowners are only permitted to install a system that produces 100% of what was consumed in the 12 months prior to the application. This may sound very strange at first, but is explained in detail below in Net Metering, SRECs and the Economics of the Solar Market.
[The material in this blog is for information purposes only. There are many variables involved in making the switch to solar, and you should consult with an expert before making any final decisions. The author expressly disclaims responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the information provided in this blog.]
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Since different people will likely want different types of information, I will organize this page so the basic facts are easy to find, but the longer rationale and explanations of technical issues
and considerations are still included.
Table of Contents:
Basic Overview and Physical Considerations
The Online Calculator; a logical place to start
Federal Rebate (and State Rebate); the primary reason it is not cost-prohibitive
Net Metering, SRECs and the Economics of the Solar Market; how you generate income
Property Value, Taxes and Insurance
Maintenance and Warranties
Finding Contractors and Aggregators (what’s an aggregator?)
Getting Bids and Comparing Them
The Social, Political, and Environmental Issues; its not about Al Gore anymore.
Time Line
Glossary
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Overview
A solar, or Photovoltaic (PV) System, takes direct sunlight and converts it to electrical current that can be used to power your home. At this time, it seems the most practical implementation of this technology involves 1) harnessing the sun’s energy, 2) feeding that energy directly into the local grid, 3) through net metering either significantly decreasing or zero-ing out one’s electric bill, and 4) earning energy credits that are sold on an open market. You can also lease a system, which means you pay a monthly fee that basically allows you decrease your bill, but prevents you from earning energy credits. You can also store your own energy in batteries. This last option is the only way to literally be “off the grid” and only use the actual energy your system produces. It also has the added benefit of still providing electric when there is a disruption with the local electrical service. Leasing is the cheapest alternative, and owning the complete system including storage is the most expensive. I went with the middle option, buying the system outright and having it tied into the grid.
Your roof and/or property are the keys to whether or not it makes financial sense to install a PV system. I have a rectangular roof at about a 35 degree pitch that faces due south, with no obstructing trees or buildings; a near perfect scenario for producing 100% of my electric requirement. I am actually only using about 50% of my total roof surface, and if I needed to could have placed panels on the north-facing slope. My roof has no complicated pattern or dormers. It is a flat (sloped) canvas. If you have a fancy roof with lots of varied surfaces and angles, it might not be at all practical to install solar. Likewise, if the southern-most section of roof is totally shaded by trees it probably isn’t going to work. However, if you have enough sunny yard space that you are willing to part with, you can set up an array on the ground, or on the roof of a garage or large covered patio space.
If you are unsure about your roof or yard space, get a tape measure, and check out the online calculator . . .
- The Online Calculator
One of simplest things you can do to begin assessing whether or not solar is right for you is to use an online calculator. A calculator takes you step by step through the basic details, like your current consumption and rate, to what percentage of your consumption you want to produce. Each state has different regulations that govern residential solar so it’s probably best to find a calculator that is based in your state. I used this one for New Jersey: http://www.solar-estimate.org. In New Jersey you can only install a photovoltaic (PV) system that produces up to the amount of electricity you have been consuming on average for the previous year. (Photovoltaic system refers to everything required to produce electricity with solar panels.) if you start looking at installer websites you will see PV as a product they install, along with other products like solar hot water (SDHP). The above calculator will only allow you to enter up to 100% of your current usage. The calculation you get will include the amount of roof space in square feet that you will need to achieve your production goal. That square footage assumes the roof is facing southerly and is not shaded by trees or other objects. It also assumes a simple roof structure that will allow for a simple array of panels. Complicated roof designs will require additional hardware and be more expensive to install. For example, the best scenario is a simple roof, at an average pitch, facing due south, so that all of the panels in the array are touching each other. Breaks in the array need to be connected and those connections increase cost.
- Federal Rebate (and State Rebate)
Your calculator may or may not include the current federal rebate, which as of August 2013 is 30% of the total cost of the project. You must pay for your project upfront according to the terms of your contract with the installer, and file for the rebate with your federal tax return. You will save a few bucks in interest if you plan to install during the fall, so that you get your rebate a few months later. The rebate could change or go away any time, so be sure to check the current tax code before committing to an installation. The State of New Jersey does not currently offer a rebate, but other states, like Pennsylvania, do. If you are in Pennsylvania, make sure you find out the current situation with the state rebate. A good friend of mine recently installed a PV system and his installer did NOT know there was a short window of opportunity to apply for the rebate.
- Net Metering, SRECs and the Economics of the Solar Market
Click here for the New Jersey Clean Energy website. It includes all the official information about SRECs.
http://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/home/home
The way that a residential PV system earns revenue for the homeowner is the most complicated aspect of the entire situation. Again, each state creates its own legislation to govern how revenue is earned, usually with the basic goal of serving the state’s own goals for overall development of renewable energy. For example, New Jersey has established itself as one of the most progressive state in the country for solar development, and has accomplished this through legislation, and an ongoing assessment and adjustment of that legislation. New Jersey is currently 3rd behind California and Arizona in solar production (http://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-industry-data).
It is helpful to begin to understand the overall picture by knowing that New Jersey has one primary goal in regard to solar, which is to have as many roofs in the state generating electricity as possible. The goal is ambitious if not optimistic. From this basis, the economics are built on how to get homeowners to take the leap. This is a multifaceted challenge that squarely involves public perception as well as hard core financials. As a result, New Jersey has developed a system that makes the concept of turning to solar, including how we get paid for it, as simple as possible.
Here’s the breakdown:
There are two things being measured when you have a net metered PV system, meaning that you are tied into the grid, and the utility keeps track of how much energy you produce and use. The first measure is simply what your system produces and that will be measured on the digital readout of your inverter, and on the digital meter installed between your array and the inverter. The second measurement is done through the new net meter that will be installed by your utility, and it basically tracks the difference between your production and consumption. You will actually use your own power during daylight hours when your array is producing, as it is tied into your house via your main electrical box. Any excess power not used by you is fed into the grid (basically the energy is simply passing right through your box and into the grid and you are tapping into that as needed, like scooping water out of a river with a bucket. At the end of each year, the utility will determine your net production, and either bill you or pay you a credit for the difference.
That is net metering in a nutshell. You do not make much, if any money in New Jersey this way. Now, onto SRECs, and how you do make money.
For every 1000 kilowatt hours you produce you earn one Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC). The certificates are literally issued to you in paper and you then sell them on an open market. You can sell your certificates on your own, but the general consensus is that it is simplest to use a broker who will sell them for you in batches for the best price they can get. The market price is determined by supply and demand. Supply is influenced by how many solar panels in the state are producing electricity. Demand is artificially managed through legislation that requires power companies to either produce renewable energy or purchase renewable energy credits. If they do not produce enough to meet the state’s requirement then they are required to purchase SRECs to make up the balance. The SREC market can become flooded with a surplus of SRECs, causing the price to drop. At this time, the price is lower than it had been for many years. SRECs topped out at about $700 in 2010 with an average weighted price ($/MWh) of about $600, and are currently at a weighted average price of $150. Go to this website for current and historical prices on New Jersey SRECs: http://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/project-activity-reports/srec-pricing/srec-pricing. In New Jersey, a homeowner can only earn SRECs for 15 years. In Pennsylvania, they are earned for the lifetime of the system. This may sound like a big sticking point for doing solar in New Jersey, but it’s where the economics get interesting, and it’s a helpful way of understanding the bigger picture. Because of the legislation in NJ, a homeowner in New Jersey stands to make almost as much as one in Pennsylvania. The SREC market is less controlled by the Pennsylvania government, so the market can get more flooded, keeping the value of an SREC lower and less predictable. My sense is that New Jersey is not so much concerned with how much we earn as it is with keeping the market predictable. The theory that drives the legislation in New Jersey is that more people will install solar if they can predict a) how long it will take to recoup the cost, and b) how much revenue they will earn long term. So far the theory has proven sound, which is why NJ is leading the nation in solar electric production.
The understandable question that should arise at a time like this is: Should a New Jersey homeowner wait until the SREC price increases before installing, since the value is currently on the low end and we can only earn credits for 15 years? The answer is that the market is stable enough that you should probably just go ahead and do the installation when you have the cash to do it. Over the next 15 years the market value will rise and fall and balance out. One way to look at it is that Jersey is like an IRA and Pennsylvania is like stocks. There is potential to make more money buying stocks, and the timing of your sales and purchases can make a big difference. With an IRA, the return is lower, more predictable (safe) and you basically should just start paying into one as soon as you can. The 15-year rule is honestly what caused me to stop and seriously consider if taking the leap made sense. Somehow I missed it in all the information I had studied for the first couple of weeks before contacting installers. There I was, having realized the financial aspects of solar were a no-brainer, and that my roof was ideal for zeroing out my electric bill, and imagining earning revenue for the next 30 years, when ——-. My bubble was burst. However, that detail was what led to my deepest research and how I learned about the economics of solar, at least in Jersey. There is still something that feels odd about only earning the SRECs for fifteen years, but the numbers have convinced me its more or less irrelevant. But I’m sure this has received much debate in the state legislature, as it effects perception of the value of owning a photovoltaic system. Another detail of the legislation that directly effects the SREC market is the length you can sit on the certificates you earn. It used to be indefinite, but this caused problems. Currently you can only hold onto an SREC for three years (I am having trouble verifying this, but as of this writing I am fairly certain it is three years). The goal of this rule goes back to what I previously explained — making the whole process as predictable as possible. I see this as one of the many reasons to go with a broker.
- Property Values, Taxes and Insurance
In general, you can expect the total cost of a PV system to add directly to the top of your home’s market value. The reason for this is simple. Compared to an addition on your home, which only gets a small percentage return on your investment, a PV system means a buyer will not have to pay for electric for a long time (or will have a significantly reduced bill). The materials in the system are valuable, just like the materials in your addition or remodeled bathroom, but the real value is in the cost savings over time.
A New Jersey law prohibits local municipalities from increasing a homeowner’s tax bill as a result of owning a PV system. See the following page for detailed information on this exemption.
http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NJ25F
It appears that most states have their own exemptions in place, but clearly this is a critical detail to confirm before moving forward with a project.
I am sure it depends on your homeowners insurance policy and how coverage is applied, but I have $36,000 in coverage for “additional structures” that covers the PV system and my back deck. On the policy it reads that the $36k is included in the premium, but my memory is that I had to pay a few dollars more (like $5 or $6) to raise the amount. This is not something that I considered in all my research and preparation, and I don’t recall it being discussed in anything I read, but it’s probably a very good idea to call your insurance company before committing to a project.
- Maintenance and Warranties
As with all home products and appliances, different manufacturers offer different warranties. I have installed 250W Axitec panels that come with a 25 year warranty. As with most warranties, there is fine print. My panels come with a 12-year manufacturer’s warranty, and are guaranteed to produce 90% of their original output in 15 years, and 85% in 25 years. The other equipment in the system comes with various warranties. In general, word on the street is the equipment is built to last. As with any home renovation or installation, make sure you have a list of all equipment brands and warranties to be installed in writing before signing a contract and before installation begins.
Installers also have warranties on their work. My installation has a 10-year labor workmanship warranty. This seems to be the industry standard. This is stated in the contract.
- Finding Contractors and Aggregators
An aggregator is a company that basically makes the entire conversion to solar, including the sale of SRECs, a turn-key operation. I went with Solar Works NJ located in Turnersville. As I was doing my initial research and using some online calculators I came across a review of Solar Works and I remember what jumped out at me was a comment about Maria being a wonderful person to work with. It turns out, Maria is a wonderful person to work with! Considering that deciding to part with thousands of dollars up front for a 15-year investment is a little scary to someone like me, from the very first conversation we had, Maria made me feel very comfortable that I was working with someone who wanted me to be happy with my ultimate decision.
So, this may sound like a pitch for Solar Works NJ, but it is also perhaps my most enthusiastic recommendation — find someone who will answer your questions and truly help you understand every detail of the project without trying to push you, rush you, or sell to you. My sense is that Maria’s approach comes from a lot of experience. Good facts and information sell themselves and she knows that. Also, having completed a major renovation of the entire second floor of our home, I am very familiar with what it means to work with contractors. I played the subcontractor for our renovation, and if I wasn’t slinging a hammer I was negotiating, arguing or pleading with one contractor or another. The hardest thing about dealing with contractors is actually just getting them to respond to a request for a bid, and second would be getting them to discuss a bid over the phone. This is perhaps the biggest reason I recommend checking out an aggregator.
An aggregator will help you determine exactly what potential you have to produce electricity. They will use the same type of calculator you can access online, but with the added benefit of experience in the real world, and with knowledge of how different types of arrays can be arranged for maximum efficiency, etc. The aggregator will also link you to a trusted installer, and handle all of the permits and applications for you. Like anything else, you can figure out on your own how to apply with your state to earn energy credits, and contact your utility for approval, etc, but to me it just made more sense to trust someone who knows the process like the back of her hand. To provide one example of why you might want help, if I tried to handle all of the technical details myself I probably would not have known there was a small window between when you submit your initial meter report and when you apply to the state for SREC credits. If you miss the deadline, you have to wait an entire year before you can apply again, which would delay your payback period on the investment by a year.
Going back to Maria, what struck me first about her was her willingness to talk on the phone for over a half hour when she was only responding to my first email for information. She seemed as if she had nothing else to do that day. Now, as a communication professor, I know enough about communication to be aware that I am not always a good communicator, but I am fairly good at analyzing my interactions with people, and I have a decent B.S. meter. After two or three of these conversations where I was able to ask questions, think out loud, shoot the breeze, I really started to trust Maria. But I am cynical and have a chip on my shoulder when it comes to people in the home services industry, so I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. It never did.
Even if you start with or eventually go with an aggregator, you should also get bids from a couple of other sources, and it makes sense to get one or two directly from a contractor. I contacted a guy who came highly recommended by a friend who completed a PV system installation a few years ago. I sent an email to the company email listed on his website, and he wrote back about a week later with some basic questions about my house. I replied immediately and a week after that he replied with a 20-page report that included an estimate. It was awesome. I read through the entire report and learned a lot. I then emailed him to thank him for the info and asked when he might be able to talk on the phone. I never heard back from him again.
- Getting and Comparing Bids
So that leads me to getting and comparing bids, but I do not have much to write about the process, since I connected with SolarWorks NJ fairly early in the process. I had the above interaction with one contractor, and another contractor, one that I read about in my local paper, never responded at all. A good friend of mine was researching solar for his home in Pennsylvania at the same time I was, and he tried a half dozen installers that never responded. When people who advertise that they install solar fail to return requests for bids, it makes getting bids, let alone comparing them, rather frustrating.
I have a theory, partly formulated with the friend I mentioned above. One way to convert to solar is to lease a system. You do not need any cash up front to do so, but you also will never own your system. The benefit is that you can zero out your own electric bill, but the drawback is you will never be able to earn energy credits to create revenue. My theory is that most installers are only interested in doing leased systems. I am guessing the margin is too low on the installation alone, so owning dozens of systems and collecting the credits they generate is much more profitable. I have no idea if this is really what is going on in the local industry, but as a single homeowner who had trouble actually speaking with installers, I have to wonder.
If you are able to secure a few bids (most people recommend getting three for any major home project) there are some basic things to consider. First, do not just go with the lowest bid because it appears to be the best deal. It may be the worst deal, especially if the installer has no idea what he or she is doing. You have to do your own homework. In New Jersey, and I imagine most states, it is very easy to look up a running list of installers who have applied for permits, so you can check to see how much experience one has. If you go to the following link and then scroll down to “Solar Installation Summary” at the bottom of the page, you can view a complete spreadsheet of every solar installation since 2001. If you sort the installer name column you can quickly see how many jobs a given installer has completed.
Obviously there are a lot of variables that you can consider when choosing a contractor, and I will not get into the full lot here, but my biggest recommendations are to be smart and also trust your gut. I would never hire someone without a good initial phone conversation followed by a face-to-face conversation. If a contractor does not understand that its a big deal to you, and is either too busy (or whatever) to pay you a visit at your home, then I would scratch him off the list. All you have to do is fast forward to a day in the future when you have a legitimate question, and ask yourself if you really believe the person will respond appropriately. Whether it is during the installation or after, you want to work with someone who has a strong sense for customer service. I would rather hire someone who is just making an honest transition into a new area of construction, and is willing to have a real conversation with me, than someone with tons of experience who is too busy for me.
Finally, even though I already mentioned low bids, here is something to consider. Very low bids can come from people who are just trying to get started and are desperate for work (and don’t understand the human perception process as it relates to marketing). Very high bids do not necessarily come from people with experience. I once heard of a guy who painted houses for a living but barely worked. He gave people ridiculously high bids knowing some people think the highest bid means the best work. As a result he took advantage of the small fraction of people who would hire him. It probably wasn’t the smartest way to grow his business, but I am guessing that wasn’t the goal. Installers know there are fairly accurate calculators available online, so it seems that any bids you get will likely be within a fairly small range.
- The Social, Political, and Environmental Issues
First of all, from a purely selfish, self-serving, self-preserving perspective, going solar is simply a financial no-brainer. If you plan to live in your house for more than 10 years it is practically irresponsible to throw any more money away on electric bills. If you think you like your house enough to stay put for 20 or more years I would remove the hedge completely from the above statement — you are wasting your own hard earned dough.
This first point pretty much negates the political and environmental stigmas of alternative energy sources. I understand a staunch Republican bristles at the thought of investing in alternative energy sources, or worse, saving the environment, but I’ve never met one that doesn’t like to hold onto more of his money (or cash in on tax rebates, even though he may publicly disdain them!) When I told one friend about our plans he said he wasn’t really into the whole renewable resource thing, but the economics of solar piqued his interest. So it’s not about being a liberal environmentalist anymore. If you bristle at words like those, get over it and start thinking about your long term financial stability.
Only 40% of Americans believe global warming will effect them in their lifetimes, compared to 80% of climate scientists. I don’t even bother to use the popular “climate change” anymore because everything I read is making it clearer and clearer that we are headed in a very scary direction. You may agree or disagree. We are all entitled to our own opinions. Personally, I think we should err on the side of caution, especially when it means doing something that is not only good for our survival, but also makes such financial sense.
If you do think our survival is at stake, and that is at least part of what has led you to research making the switch to solar, then you are probably also aware of, or concerned with, the social aspect of public opinion and policy change. What is completely unknown at this point in human history is whether or not a critical mass of people will emerge in time to influence a significant, global shift in how we behave as individuals, and whether or not such a shift comes soon enough to make a difference. Aside from the money I am now saving every month, I am really stoked to have my roof covered in solar panels for a couple of other reasons. First, my two young children will be able to say, for the rest of their lives, that they grew up in the first house in their neighborhood that had solar electricity. I am glad my kids will grow up with that influence on their attitude toward the environment. Second, I am actually very glad that the front of my house faces south, and my solar array is very obvious to anyone passing by our house. We live on a fairly quiet suburban street, but many people use it as a cut through during rush hour. Our house is now one tiny influence on the global shift toward sustainability, and one that also pushes the concept that solar panels don’t ruin the look of your house. I am sure some might still feel that way, but my family thinks they look cool.
- Time Line
This timeline probably has a mistake or two. It is incredible what all has to happen to eventually complete the entire process (part of why it helps to have an aggregator). But this list should provide a fairly clear idea of what you are looking at over a 5-6 month period.
Homeowner contacts aggregator.
Provide roof specs to aggregator and aggregator provides estimate of potential system, cost, payback period.
Aggregator provides detailed checklist of project, including all applications and paperwork. (This is actually something that, in hind sight, I would ask for.)
Site visit scheduled by installer.
Installer takes final roof measurements and designs actual array.
Complete system details provided to homeowner with contract, including brands, specs and warranty information for all components to be installed. Contract includes payment schedule.
Homeowner returns contract with 15% down payment.
Aggregator files construction permits with township (8-10 weeks until installation).
Aggregator begins application process with utility and state (PSE&Gand NJCEP (New Jersey Clean Energy Program)).
45% payment is made and installer orders equipment.
Installation.
Installer provides homeowner with all manuals for equipment,and software for inverter.
Inspections by township and utility.
Work order filed for net meter installation (1-3 weeks).
Net meter installed.
Utility grants permission for system to be turned on
(approximately 10 weeks after installation).As Built form signed by homeowner and sent to State (NJCEP).
Homeowner receives certification number from state (NJCEP).
Homeowner sets up brokerage account for SREC sales.
Homeowner collects SRECs and sells on open market.
At anniversary date utility calculates net production and bills or
provides homeowner with credit.Glossary
Photovoltaic (PV) System
A photovoltaic (PV) system refers to all of the physical equipment required to produce solar electricity and either store it or feed it into the grid. The basic equipment includes a) the solar panel array (the actual glass panels that receive direct sunlight), b) the wiring that connects the individual panels into strings, and then feeds the strings into the c) combiner box, which simply takes the multiple strings and combines them into one line from the array to the d) digital productions meter (a new meter that keeps track of the actual kilowatts produced by the array. The production meter is then connected to the e) inverter (see below), which is then connected to the original electrical box inside the house. From the electrical box the line then connects to the f) net meter (see below). The net meter is connected to the original power line to the house.
Grid
Grid refers to the vast system of power lines that feed electricity from production facilities to homes and businesses. To live “off the grid” means being completely disconnected from utility companies, and requires a homeowner to store energy in batteries. In contrast, the more practical installation for most homeowners is being tied into the grid, meaning that by having a PV system one is actually an energy producer — when your system is producing energy but your are not using all of it, the excess is being fed into the grid to be used by others. Pretty cool.
Energy Credit
An energy credit refers to whatever concrete method is used to provide solar producers with revenue. In New Jersey, the state distributes Solar/Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) via the New Jersey Clean Energy Program. Here is a good general description of SRECs on a national level: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_renewable_energy_certificate. In New Jersey we collect 1 SREC for every 1000 kilowatt hours we produce. The SRECs are sold on an open market and therefore range in value based on the usual dynamics of supply and demand. SRECs can be sold by individuals or through a broker. My aggregator has recommended Flett Exchange. I offer their link here simply for helpful information, not to sell their service.
Net Metered PV System
The idea of a net-metered PV system is that your system is tied into the local grid and a net meter keeps track of both your solar production and personal consumption. The meter is digital, but it basically runs back and forth. If you produce more than you consume, the utility will send you a credit at the end of the year.
Inverter
The inverter is a complicated piece of equipment that takes the variable direct current (DC) output from the solar array and converts it to variable alternating current (AC) that can be fed into the grid. The inverter has many different features that maintain safe operation of the PV system. It should also include computer software that allows the homeowner to track production on a home computer.
Aggregator
An aggregator is person or company that takes the entire process of installing, setting up and registering a PV system. It is a complicated process, and a good aggregator will make it pain free and assure that it is a smooth process, from the initial estimates of production and cost, to setting up an SREC broker. Think “turn-key operation.”