New Hampshire residents face a few of the highest electrical energy payments within the US. The Granite State noticed the best year-over-year improve in electricity rates in June 2023, leaping by greater than 30%. To recoup a few of these rising prices, it is price exploring whether or not putting in solar panels on your home is the fitting plan of action for you.
New Hampshirites have entry to incentives on the state and federal degree that make going photo voltaic extra engaging. 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 vitality credit score gives 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 vitality to the grid and earn credit that they’ll use to tug vitality 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 own home, although you is probably not eligible for it relying on the place you reside inside the state.
Here is a breakdown of what to anticipate in case you’re trying 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 total
Photo voltaic panels are sometimes low upkeep tools, however they’re additionally unfamiliar. If you wish to reap the advantages of photo voltaic however may have a bit extra peace of thoughts if another person is ensuring it is working, Palmetto could be an excellent match for you. Simply bear 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
In case you’re in search of top-of-the-line photo voltaic panels, SunPower is your most suitable option. However do not write it off in case you’re in search of a much less flashy set up that can get the job performed. This yr it began putting in Qcells panels, which ought to make an set up from the longest-tenured firm on our record accessible to extra individuals.
Freedom Perpetually
Finest for money prospects
Embrace Freedom Perpetually in your search in order for you the backing of a nationwide firm that installs all kinds of the most well-liked photo voltaic tools accessible. Freedom Perpetually additionally extends a few merchandise that take a few of the ache and danger out of going photo voltaic, like a manufacturing assure and an escrow choice 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 reasonably priced
Tesla’s photo voltaic department appears to be the least beloved 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, 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 counsel Tesla’s service is a little bit of a raffle.
Native photo voltaic panel corporations in New Hampshire
Although CNET specialists have compiled the info and ranked the highest nationwide photo voltaic installers in accordance with our proprietary methodology, its a good suggestion to take a look at native photo voltaic set up corporations as effectively. These are some New Hampshire photo voltaic installers with excessive evaluation scores. It is necessary to perform a little research of your individual earlier than utilizing native installers. We have 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 gives 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 initiatives, ReVision Energy is a significant photo voltaic set up firm in New England. It additionally installs warmth pumps, photo voltaic battery backups and electrical automobile charging. ReVision Power affords 5 years of full protection of labor and honors producer warranties as much as 25 years. Prospects will pay for his or her residence photo voltaic system both with an upfront money cost or a photo voltaic mortgage.
603 Solar is a photo voltaic vitality service based mostly in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It makes a speciality of grid-tied and hybrid photo voltaic techniques in addition to vitality monitoring. 603 Photo voltaic’s on-line monitoring system lets you monitor precisely what your system is producing on any given day and can warn you if any points come up. 603 Photo voltaic affords warranties as much as 25 years and photo voltaic financing by means of the VSECU.
Easy methods to decide which photo voltaic firm in New Hampshire is greatest for me
In keeping with 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 to your residence. There are a number of variables you need 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 staff to carry out installations, however some others hire out subcontractors to do the work on your own home. Look into your chosen firm’s set up course of and what it may imply for you.
Extra importantly, be certain that the photo voltaic firm has the correct product you need (photo voltaic panels, solar batteries, and so on.), affords lengthy and honest warranties and has good customer support scores.
Earlier than selecting a photo voltaic panel installer, be certain that to seek the advice of with and get bids from no less than 4 to 5 corporations to ensure you’re getting the most effective deal you probably can.
Value of photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire
Here is a have a look at the common money worth for a typical photo voltaic panel system earlier than factoring in tax credit and incentives, in accordance with knowledge from FindEnergy.com.
Common value of photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire
| Typical system dimension (kW) | Value per watt | Complete put in value | 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 common whole money worth, value per watt and system dimension for a photo voltaic panel system in your state, in accordance with knowledge from FindEnergy.com. These costs do not signify rebates from tax credit or state incentives. Sure states haven’t any FindEnergy photo voltaic knowledge 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 possibly can reduce the monetary burden of going photo voltaic.
The Inflation Discount Act prolonged the federal residential clear vitality credit score (previously often known as the photo voltaic funding tax credit score) till 2034. This credit score lets you 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, you could be eligible for a property tax exemption once you set up photo voltaic panels. New Hampshire would not have any gross sales tax both.
In case you personal photo voltaic panels, you can even make the most of net metering together with your utility firm. By promoting extra vitality 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 improve once 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 regulation states that in case your utility is Eversource, Liberty Utilities, New Hampshire Electrical Cooperative or Unitil, you possibly can promote your extra photo voltaic vitality again to the ability firm in alternate for credit. These credit might be utilized to offset the price of future electrical energy payments. |
| Residential clear vitality credit score | The residential clear vitality credit score, beforehand often known as a photo voltaic funding tax credit score (ITC), affords as much as 30% in tax credit to shoppers who buy photo voltaic panels — regardless of how you fiscal them. |
Easy methods to pay for photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire
Going photo voltaic is a expensive funding, regardless that photo voltaic panel techniques ultimately 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 chief director at Clear Power New Hampshire, a renewable vitality 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 may not 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 own home’s fairness, it is price researching your choices.
Money: If it matches your price range, you possibly can pay money upfront to cowl the price of your photo voltaic panels and set up. In case you aren’t prepared to purchase simply but, you possibly can make the most of rising rates of interest by saving to 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 associate 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 own home’s current fairness with a home equity loan or a HELOC. Typically used for residence enhancements, residence fairness loans and HELOCs mean you can finance such enhancements with out disturbing the speed in your major mortgage. Nonetheless, defaulting on a house fairness mortgage or HELOC may result in shedding your home.
Lease or energy buy settlement: You’ll be able to enter right into a lease or energy buy settlement with a photo voltaic supplier. In these circumstances, 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 components to contemplate
Photo voltaic panels have many advantages. Nonetheless, they may not be the most effective match to your residence. Here is what to contemplate.
Your roof’s situation and pitch: Earlier than putting in photo voltaic panels in your roof, be certain that it is in good situation. A good firm will examine your roof’s situation and pitch previous to set up. Bear in mind, 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 keeping with 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: In case you dwell in a neighborhood with a home-owner’s affiliation, it is all the time a good suggestion to verify for any guidelines or covenants concerning photo voltaic panels, as some HOAs require prior permission to set up. Solar access laws in New Hampshire permit neighbors to barter photo voltaic easements with a view to obtain optimum solar publicity for his or her arrays. New Hampshire HOAs are allowed to bar or limit photo voltaic panel installations.
Insurance coverage protection: It is a good suggestion to incorporate your photo voltaic panels in your homeowner’s insurance policy. Examine 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 might 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 beneath the nationwide common of 205 days of solar per yr.
Value: Selecting to go photo voltaic is a giant monetary choice. Contemplate how lengthy you propose to dwell in your home earlier than committing to a photo voltaic mortgage, lease or energy buy settlement. Contemplate financing choices to make sure you’re making the monetary transfer that matches your price range and priorities.
Simply in search of an emergency backup? Take a look at 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 record. Corporations making the most effective record are scored on the tools, warranties and customer support they provide. Then, we be certain that these suggestions can be found in your state. You’ll be able to learn a full breakdown of how we review solar companies here.
Corporations listed beneath the native installers had been chosen in a much less rigorous approach. We selected them as a result of they supplied one thing distinctive or notable to prospects within the state, they appeared well-regarded by web reviewers or as a result of they had been one of many few installers we may discover data on within the state.
Whether or not we have accomplished a full evaluation on an organization or not, it is all the time a good suggestion to get a number of quotes from totally different installers earlier than selecting an organization.
New Hampshire solar energy FAQs
How a lot do photo voltaic panels in New Hampshire value?
Earlier than tax credit and rebates, the common value of a residential photo voltaic system in New Hampshire is $25,020 — based mostly on a system dimension of 6 kW. Your value will range relying on the scale, pitch and orientation of your roof, in addition to your month-to-month vitality consumption and the installer you select.
What number of days of solar does New Hampshire get a yr?
On common, New Hampshire will get 198 days of solar per yr — barely beneath the nationwide common of 205 days of solar per yr.
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 rely on the panels’ high quality, your local weather, ongoing upkeep and different set up components.
