New Hampshire residents face among the highest electrical energy payments within the US. The Granite State noticed the very best year-over-year enhance in electricity rates in June 2023, leaping by greater than 30%. To recoup a few of these rising prices, it is value exploring whether or not putting in solar panels on your home is the proper plan of action for you.
New Hampshirites have entry to incentives on the state and federal degree that make going photo voltaic extra enticing. The federal Inflation Reduction Act bolsters key federal tax credits and rebates that decrease the upfront cost of photo voltaic set up. The residential clear power credit score offers a 30% rebate on the price of a photo voltaic panel system, come tax season.
The state’s net metering program permits residents to ship extra photo voltaic power to the grid and earn credit that they’ll use to drag power from the grid exterior of peak daylight hours. A municipality-based property tax exemption additionally tamps down costs by wiping out taxes on the worth the photo voltaic panels add to your property, although you will not be eligible for it relying on the place you reside inside the state.
Here is a breakdown of what to anticipate when you’re seeking to set up photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire, beginning with the best solar installation companies working inside the state.
Finest nationwide photo voltaic panel corporations in New Hampshire
Palmetto Photo voltaic
Finest general
Photo voltaic panels are sometimes low upkeep tools, 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 is perhaps a very good match for you. Simply keep in mind so as to add the price of Palmetto’s monitoring service in to your payback interval calculations.
SunPower Photo voltaic
Finest photo voltaic panels
When you’re on the lookout for top-of-the-line photo voltaic panels, SunPower is your most suitable option. However do not write it off when you’re on the lookout for a much less flashy set up that may get the job accomplished. This 12 months it began putting in Qcells panels, which ought to make an set up from the longest-tenured firm on our checklist obtainable to extra folks.
Freedom Endlessly
Finest for money clients
Embody Freedom Endlessly in your search if you’d like the backing of a nationwide firm that installs all kinds of the most well-liked photo voltaic tools obtainable. Freedom Endlessly additionally extends a few merchandise that take among the ache and threat out of going photo voltaic, like a manufacturing assure and an escrow possibility with money purchases. On-line opinions 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 cherished of Elon Musk’s ventures. Even Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof appears to get extra love.
If value is the factor you will not budge on, think about 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 may miss out is customer support. Dialogue on-line appears to recommend Tesla’s service is a little bit of of venture.
Native photo voltaic panel corporations in New Hampshire
Although CNET consultants have compiled the info and ranked the highest nationwide photo voltaic installers based on our proprietary methodology, its a good suggestion to take a look at native photo voltaic set up corporations as nicely. These are some New Hampshire photo voltaic installers with excessive evaluate scores. It is necessary to perform a little research of your individual earlier than utilizing native installers. We’ve not ranked these installers ourselves.
Granite State Solar, based in 2008, is a small New Hampshire enterprise that gives photo voltaic panels and solar batteries. It offers a restricted workmanship guarantee of 12 years and its panels carry a 25-year guarantee. It additionally companions with Vermont State Staff Credit score Union for financing choices.
Boasting greater than 14,000 accomplished tasks, ReVision Energy is a serious photo voltaic set up firm in New England. It additionally installs warmth pumps, photo voltaic battery backups and electrical automobile charging. ReVision Vitality provides 5 years of full protection of labor and honors producer warranties as much as 25 years. Prospects will pay for his or her dwelling photo voltaic system both with an upfront money fee or a photo voltaic mortgage.
603 Solar is a photo voltaic power service primarily based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It focuses on grid-tied and hybrid photo voltaic techniques in addition to power monitoring. 603 Photo voltaic’s on-line monitoring system permits you to observe precisely what your system is producing on any given day and can provide you with a warning if any points come up. 603 Photo voltaic provides warranties as much as 25 years and photo voltaic financing by way of the VSECU.
The right way to decide which photo voltaic firm in New Hampshire is finest for me
In response to the Solar Energy Industries Association, there are 65 photo voltaic corporations working in New Hampshire, together with 24 installers. With so many choices, it is necessary you take the time to choose the right solar panel company on your dwelling. There are a number of variables it’s best to think about earlier than locking in a contract with a photo voltaic installer.
First, look into the corporate’s set up course of. Many photo voltaic corporations use in-house workers to carry out installations, however some others hire out subcontractors to do the work on your property. Look into your chosen firm’s set up course of and what it may imply for you.
Extra importantly, make sure that the photo voltaic firm has the right product you need (photo voltaic panels, solar batteries, and so on.), provides lengthy and honest warranties and has good customer support scores.
Earlier than selecting a photo voltaic panel installer, make sure that to seek the advice of with and get bids from at the least 4 to 5 corporations to be sure you’re getting the most effective deal you presumably can.
Value of photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire
Here is a take a look at the typical money value for a typical photo voltaic panel system earlier than factoring in tax credit and incentives, based on information from FindEnergy.com.
Common price of photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire
| Typical system measurement (kW) | Value per watt | Complete put in price | Value after 30% federal tax credit score | |
| New Hampshire | 6 | $4.22 | $25,320 | $17,724 |
| Nationwide common | 8.6 | $3.67 | $31,558 | $22,091 |
The next infographic map shows the typical complete money value, price per watt and system measurement for a photo voltaic panel system in your state, based on information from FindEnergy.com. These costs do not characterize rebates from tax credit or state incentives. Sure states haven’t any FindEnergy photo voltaic information and are grayed out on the map.
New Hampshire photo voltaic panel incentives or rebates
The price of photo voltaic panels has decreased considerably over the previous decade, however they’ll nonetheless run tens of hundreds of {dollars}. With the assistance of federal tax credit and New Hampshire photo voltaic incentives and rebates, although, you may reduce the monetary burden of going photo voltaic.
The Inflation Discount Act prolonged the federal residential clear power credit score (previously often called the photo voltaic funding tax credit score) till 2034. This credit score permits you to deduct 30% of the cost of your solar system out of your federal tax.
Putting in solar energy will increase the value of your home and thus your property taxes. In sure elements of New Hampshire, chances are you’ll be eligible for a property tax exemption whenever you set up photo voltaic panels. New Hampshire would not have any gross sales tax both.
When you personal photo voltaic panels, you may also reap the benefits of net metering together with your utility firm. By promoting extra power produced by your photo voltaic panels again to the grid, you will obtain credit that may be utilized to future electrical payments.
New Hampshire photo voltaic incentives
| Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Native property tax exemption | Your own home’s worth will enhance whenever you add photo voltaic panels to it. Relying in your city or metropolis in New Hampshire, although, you will not see will increase to your property taxes out of your photo voltaic panels. This could prevent hundreds of {dollars} over the course of your photo voltaic system’s lifespan. |
| Internet metering | New Hampshire internet metering legislation states that in case your utility is Eversource, Liberty Utilities, New Hampshire Electrical Cooperative or Unitil, you may promote your extra photo voltaic power again to the ability firm in alternate for credit. These credit could be utilized to offset the price of future electrical energy payments. |
| Residential clear power credit score | The residential clear power credit score, beforehand often called a photo voltaic funding tax credit score (ITC), provides as much as 30% in tax credit to shoppers who buy photo voltaic panels — irrespective of how you financial them. |
The right way to pay for photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire
Going photo voltaic is a expensive funding, though photo voltaic panel techniques finally pay for themselves. It takes fairly a little bit of time to see that return in your funding.
“In New Hampshire, the payback period is about seven years for a photo voltaic array,” Sam Evans-Brown mentioned in a telephone name. Evans-Brown is the manager director at Clear Vitality New Hampshire, a renewable power advocacy group. “That is not quick, however these are investments that pay for themselves in time.”
Even with the assistance of incentives and rebates, it won’t be possible to pay upfront for a purchase order that’ll run you tens of hundreds of {dollars}. Whether or not you select to shell out money, take out a loan or faucet into your property’s fairness, it is value researching your choices.
Money: If it matches your price range, you may pay money upfront to cowl the price of your photo voltaic panels and set up. When you aren’t prepared to purchase simply but, you may reap the benefits of rising rates of interest by saving on your future photo voltaic system in a high-yield savings account.
Photo voltaic mortgage: Photo voltaic loans can be found from a wide range of sources. Some photo voltaic suppliers accomplice with a credit score union to supply them. Whereas these loans are straightforward to use for, they might have increased charges or charges than choices from a financial institution or credit score union.
Residence fairness mortgage or line of credit score: Another choice is to faucet into your property’s present fairness with a home equity loan or a HELOC. Usually used for dwelling enhancements, dwelling fairness loans and HELOCs let you finance such enhancements with out disturbing the speed in your main mortgage. Nonetheless, defaulting on a house fairness mortgage or HELOC may result in shedding your home.
Lease or energy buy settlement: You may enter right into a lease or energy buy settlement with a photo voltaic supplier. In these instances, the photo voltaic supplier owns the panels and also you pay for the tools (through lease) or the ability your system generates (through PPA).
Set up elements to contemplate
Photo voltaic panels have many advantages. Nonetheless, they may not be the most effective match on your dwelling. Here is what to contemplate.
Your roof’s situation and pitch: Earlier than putting in photo voltaic panels in your roof, make sure that it is in good situation. A good firm will examine your roof’s situation and pitch previous to set up. Remember, the pitch of your roof will impact the productivity of your solar panels in addition to the price of set up. The steeper your roof, the extra doubtless you will see some upcharges. In response to the Department of Energy, your photo voltaic array will work most efficiently at an angle of 15 and 40 levels.
Owners Associations and neighborhood guidelines: When you reside in a group with a home-owner’s affiliation, it is at all times a good suggestion to test for any guidelines or covenants relating to photo voltaic panels, as some HOAs require prior permission to set up. Solar access laws in New Hampshire enable neighbors to barter photo voltaic easements so as to obtain optimum solar publicity for his or her arrays. New Hampshire HOAs are allowed to bar or prohibit photo voltaic panel installations.
Insurance coverage protection: It is a good suggestion to incorporate your photo voltaic panels in your homeowner’s insurance policy. Verify together with your insurance coverage supplier to see in the event that they cowl rooftop photo voltaic panels.
Geographic location: Whereas New Hampshire is understood for its snowy winters, photo voltaic panels could be much more efficient in chilly temperatures. Your photo voltaic panels will convert daylight photons into electrical energy so long as daylight reaches the floor of the panels. New Hampshire averages 198 days of sun per year — barely under the nationwide common of 205 days of solar per 12 months.
Value: Selecting to go photo voltaic is a giant monetary resolution. Take into account how lengthy you propose to reside in your home earlier than committing to a photo voltaic mortgage, lease or energy buy settlement. Take into account financing choices to make sure you’re making the monetary transfer that matches your price range and priorities.
Simply on the lookout for an emergency backup? Try portable solar panels and solar generators.
How we discovered the most effective photo voltaic corporations
The businesses we listed above as “the most effective” are curated from CNET’s best solar companies checklist. Firms making the most effective checklist are scored on the tools, warranties and customer support they provide. Then, we make sure that these suggestions can be found in your state. You may learn a full breakdown of how we review solar companies here.
Firms listed beneath the native installers have been chosen in a much less rigorous means. We selected them as a result of they supplied one thing distinctive or notable to clients 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 info 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.
New Hampshire solar energy FAQs
How a lot do photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire price?
Earlier than tax credit and rebates, the typical price of a residential photo voltaic system in New Hampshire is $25,020 — primarily based on a system measurement of 6 kW. Your price will range relying on the scale, pitch and orientation of your roof, in addition to your month-to-month power consumption and the installer you select.
What number of days of solar does New Hampshire get a 12 months?
On common, New Hampshire will get 198 days of solar per 12 months — barely under the nationwide common of 205 days of solar per 12 months.
How lengthy do photo voltaic panels final?
The typical lifespan of a photo voltaic panel is between 15 to 30 years. Your panels will not stop on you as soon as they flip 30. Nonetheless, the system’s efficiency could lower because it will get older. Your photo voltaic array’s longevity will depend upon the panels’ high quality, your local weather, ongoing upkeep and different set up elements.
