Question 1

What are the benefits of installing solar panels in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Two words - SUNSHINE STATE. If you live in Florida you hold a great privilege. Your roof is being hit by a great amount of sunlight nearly every single day of the year. Since we are forced to keep the AC on all day we might as well power it with the very same sun that warms up our homes! Going solar is a good idea, period. For the planet, for the wallet or for resilience (and the government will support you with a federal tax credit!) no matter where you are. Living in sunny FL just makes the whole thing extra convenient.

Question 2

Can I go completely off the grid?

Accepted Answer

You definitely can! We don’t really recommend it since it would mean you’d need to invest in a big battery system for your home in order to serve all your energy needs day and night.  It’s better to invest in solar, stay connected to the electric grid, and take advantage of regulations like net metering that allow you to store your energy even without a battery for nighttime use.

Question 3

Does a solar system need maintenance?

Accepted Answer

Little to no maintenance is required for a solar system. This is thanks to the fact that a solar system doesn’t have any moving part that naturally are more prone to failure. Any maintenance will be an extra care, but nothing is really needed to guarantee a good performance of your equipment. Extra care can include - 1. providing shade to any equipment installed outside (most of these equipments are already built to be able to endure exposure to whether conditions), 2. Rinsing the panels with a hose to remove any dirt or leaves (if you live in a place with enough rain and wind, this will be taken care of by nature).

Question 4

What happens during power outages?

Accepted Answer

As a safety mechanism, solar panels shut down during power outages. Otherwise utility field technicians fixing the lines would have no way to be sure when wires are live or dead. If you wish to use solar energy during an outage you simply ask us to add batteries to your system and your home will continue to operate even when the grid is down.

Question 5

What are my savings in South Florida?

Accepted Answer

This is the best time to go solar in South Florida. On top of the savings on your electric bills, you will also generate savings through tax credit and net metering.
- Investment Tax Credit: whether you pay cash or finance your solar system, you are eligible for the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This means that 30% of your solar investment will be deducted off your federal taxes. 
- Net Metering: if you produce more energy than you consume during a particular month, FPL will credit the difference to your account for the next billing cycle. Any remaining credits you have at the end of the year, FPL will credit to you at wholesale energy rates.

Question 6

What is the difference between kW and kWh?

Accepted Answer

Watts (or KW if more than 1000 watts) measure instantaneous power capacity, while watt-hour (or KWH if more than 1000 wh) measures the amount of energy produced in a given time. Power capacity is only one of the factors that affects the amount of energy produced - here's an example: your brain has a certain power or capacity, but the amount of work it is capable of doing in a given time depends on how much sleep you got the night before, what you ate in the last hour, whether you feel hot or cold, etc...and all these factors vary constantly. In the same way the solar system has a theoretical power (watts or kW) but the amount of energy (watt-hour or kWh) depends on many other factors - it is so complex to calculate the kWh that there are specialized softwares doing this analysis. We calculate the annual generation with a software called Aurora.

Question 7

How do you predict a solar system's production?

Accepted Answer

We use a dedicated software called Aurora. The software helps us 3D model your home and design the most appropriate solar configuration tailored to your home. It allows us to choose specific equipment to allow for accurate simulation. The simulation calculates an estimate for the annual production, taking into account all possible factors that affect the production of a solar system throughout the year (the characteristics of the selected equipment, its natural degradation as well as weather related factors).

Question 8

How is a panel's efficiency to produce affected once installed?

Accepted Answer

Once installed, a panel's efficiency to produce can only be affected by the weather. It is commonly known that production decreases whenever days are cloudy, however a less known factor is that production is also affected by high temperatures (>100F). The higher temperature goes, the lower the efficiency. Panels are always rated based on their ability to sustain efficiency at high temperatures.

Question 9

What is net metering?

Accepted Answer

Once you go solar, FPL will come out to change your utility meter to a bi-directional meter (net meter).  With a net meter in place, you’ll get a dollar-for-dollar credit for all the solar energy you send back into the grid. During the day, the solar panels will produce enough energy to power your house and send some energy back to the grid, to generate a credit with FPL. At nighttime, you’ll use energy from the grid, offsetting the cost with the credit you built, leaving your net balance with FPL as low as the fixed base charge. For instance, if during the day you produce 50kWh of energy yet consume only 25kWh in that time, the extra 25kWh are automatically sent into the grid and FPL will generate a creadit to be discounted off your energy bill for free. Florida is one of the last states to maintain a dollar-for-dollar credit, it’s likely they’ll make changes to the net metering agreements in the next 2-3 years, but any home with an existing net metering agreement is expected to be grandfathered in.

Question 10

What are the Tier 2 (>10kW) requirements for FPL net-metering?

Accepted Answer

Net-metering is the program that will allow you to build an energy credit with FPL once your system is up and running. When applying for any solar systems bigger than 10kW , FPL has 2 special requirements - paying a one-time $400 application fee and showing proof of a $1 million general home liability.

Question 11

How long does installation take?

Accepted Answer

Depends on what your question is referring to. From the moment you sign a contract with us until having your solar sytem installed and operational, it will usually take around 4-5 months. This includes engineering, permitting, installation, inspections and interconnection to the grid. While the installation of the solar system specifically depends on the size of your home but on average it will takea between 2 and 4 days, plus any additional installation inspection required by your city.

Question 12

How do you determine the amount of panels I need?

Accepted Answer

There is no size-fits-all. The first thing to do is look at your energy consumption. If your home consumes 1000 per year we need to design a system that is able to produce 1000 per year. Second important factor is the orientation of your roof - for example, a panel facing south will produce more than the same panel facing north. We use a software called aurora to run this analysis so we are sure to make very exact calculations and customize every design we create. It’s important to keep in mind that panels can have different power sizes. So don’t be worried if you receive quotes showing different amounts of panels. For example, if your home needs a 10kW (10,000W) system to cover for your monthly consumption, you may use 25 panels if they are 500W each or 20 panels if they are 400W each. (500*25=10,000 and 400*20=10,000).

Question 13

How many batteries do I need?

Accepted Answer

Batteries will typicaly only be used for nighttime conusmption, because during the day the solar system will provide energy for your home while also recharging the batteries. So that at night the cycle can begin again. So when choosing the size of your battery system you should simply try to match the energy that your home consumes on average at night, or just a bit over it for extra comfort. In the event of a power outage, it's always recommended to switch off any non-essential loads so to extend the autonomy of the batteries in case during the daytime the sun doesn't shine as much.

Question 14

How can I monitor my solar output?

Accepted Answer

All of our systems include 24/7 online monitoring so you can keep track of your real time energy production and consumption from any of your devices. You can download the app or login through your browser. Our monitoring systems have built-in alerts that will let both you and us know if there is something that needs our attention.

Question 15

Does adding a battery make sense for me?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your needs. If having energy independence and reliability is your priority then you should definitley consider adding batteries to your system. However, if you're going solar to just lower your energy monthly costs, investing in a battery will not seem attractive to you as they are still a bit cost-prohibitive. The convenient thing about going solar is that you can add batteries any time afterwards and the additional costs of doing so are minimal. We continue to expect battery prices to drop significantly during the next 3 years.

Question 16

How do I calculate the increase in consumption if I'm planning on buying an electric vehicle and charging it at home?

Accepted Answer

The number of vehicles is less important than the number of miles driven per year (total). When running the calculations, keep in mind that a good estimate is 1 kwh of charge consumed every 3 miles.

Question 17

Which roof face produces more power, east/west, south or north?

Accepted Answer

South facing roofs are the top producers as they are exposed to the sun the longest throughout the day and the year. East and west will produce roughly the same (90% of what South produces) and North will produce around 75% of what South produces. Production generally decreases in the winter time regardelss of the roof face, due to the sun being lower latitudinally, however the decrease in production is most noiticeable for the Northern roof faces.

Question 18

What are the next steps after signing the contract?

Accepted Answer

After signing the contract, the next steps in the solar installation process typically involve the following:
- Engineering and Design: we will prepare the necessary engineering and design documents as required by the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to commence construction in compliance with all applicable codes.
- Permitting: We will submit the engineering and design documents to the AHJ for permitting. This process involves obtaining the necessary approvals and permits to proceed with the installation.
- Construction: Once the permits are obtained, we can start the installation of the solar system. This includes mounting the panels, wiring, and connecting the system to the electrical grid.
- Inspections: As a last step we will call for inspections as required by the AHJ. These inspections ensure that the installation meets all safety and code requirements.

It's important to note that the specific timeline for these steps can vary depending on factors such as the size of the project and local regulations. Your solar advisor will guide you through each step and keep you informed of the progress.

Preguntas frecuentes

¡Haciendo que la energía solar sea accesible para todos!

Contáctenos

Correo electrónico: solar@sprightful.com

Teléfono: +1 (352) 888 - 6042

WeWork Brickell City Center
78 SW 7th St, Miami, FL 33130

www.sprightful.com

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¡Haciendo que la energía solar sea accesible para todos!

Contáctenos

Correo electrónico: solar@sprightful.com

Teléfono: +1 (352) 888 - 6042

WeWork Brickell City Center 78 SW 7th St, Miami, FL 33130

www.sprightful.com

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WeWork Brickell City Center
78 SW 7th St, Miami, FL 33130