Grid-Tie System

What is a Grid-Tie system and how does it work?

Grid-tie systems generate electricity, sending this energy back to your utility company's power grid. In effect, this means the utility company will be paying you to produce energy for them, since the energy you produce counts against the energy your home or business uses.

Your solar panels will produce DC (Direct Current) electricity. This electricity will be run through an inverter to produce AC (Alternating Current) electricity. This energy is then run into your AC power panel, which feeds energy back to your utility companies power grid. If your solar power array produced enough electricity, your utility meter would begin to run backward!

The main components of an Grid-Tie system are:

What is the cost?

The cost varies, but you can estimate it with relative ease; all you need to know is what equipment you need and the labor cost.

We've gone over the basic parts you'll need for your solar power array: the solar panels, a GFCI, a solar array breaker, an inverter, a grid disconnect, and an optional rail system. If you don't want to fuss with purchasing each of these components individually, you might be interested in purchasing a Solar Grid-Tie Kit.

Grid-Tie Kits:

Affordable Solar also offers pre-assembled Grid-Tie kits. Our popular system's have been installed by several of our customers with a great deal of success. This kit comes with all of the equipment you'd need, including product/installation manuals, mounting rails, and clamps for your panels.

Labor:

Most solar power systems are assembled by the people who buy them. If you're uncomfortable installing a system, Affordable Solar can suggest a PV installer who can help with building a solar power system.
Another consideration for labor costs: even if you're comfortable assembling your solar power system, we highly recommend consulting or hiring an electrician to connect your system to your AC system.

What's the bottom line?

The GTS 3600 Watt system above sells for approximately $26,000.
Shipping is approximately $600 to any location in the continental US.
If you don't have a pitched roof (or would like to mount panels on the ground), UniRac titlt legs cost an additional $1,100.
For a 3,600 watt system, you could expect an installation fee of $5,700 - $6,500.
(Installation, if you choose to go that route, can generally be estimated at about $1.75/watt.)
So for this system you could reasonably estimate the equipment and installation at about $32,500.

What's my incentive to invest in a solar power system?

Most people associate solar energy with remote installations and off-grid implementations. In those cases the choice may be an easy one, but in towns and cities there are still reasons to turn to solar energy as a supplement and alternative to electrical utility grids.

The best reason is the reduction in utility bills. Once your system is working, it requires no monthly fees and little or no maintenance (and most parts are warranted). While it runs, it also reduces your electrical bills. Eventually it will pay for itself and keep saving you money. Large systems may even make you money by giving you perpetual credit with your local utility company.

Not only is your investment going to save you money and pay for itself, but solar installations frequently raise property value in both industrial and residential settings. Adding a solar energy system to your home or business will also supplement the investment you've made in your property.

Another great incentive--many states (and now the Federal government) offer rebates and incentives for implementing solar power systems. Our rebates section will help you find all the rebates for which you may qualify!

Finally, solar energy is a clean source of renewable energy. It reduces dependence on fossil fuels in a practical and effective way, and helps keep our environment clean.

But where do I begin?

Getting started might seem like a daunting task, but it's not as complicated as it first seems. With only an electrical bill, you can determine the minimum system size you'll need. Once you've determined that, you can determine how many solar panels you'll need, and find compatible components from there.

To begin, you'll need the average monthly electrical use--which you should be able to find on your utility bill. This number will be in kWH (kilowatt-hours).

Follow these steps to determine your minimum system size:

Grid-Tie Resources

For other grid-tie questions please email: grid-tie@affordable-solar.com