Best 5 Solar Companies in Irvington, NJ

With Irvington's clear skies and below-average rainfall, it's a great area for families and businesses seeking to harness the extra sunlight by purchasing panels from one of the best solar companies. 1,268 homes in the area already use a solar PV or water heating system. Skilled installers will therefore have the precise experience you need to join the solar trend with confidence. In this article, we'll highlight Irvington's best solar providers and offer advice for your company choice, so you can find the perfect one for your home.

Ranking Methodology

Our team focuses on the following criteria to assess the best Irvington solar companies.

• Professional licensure and experience: Each contractor on our list complies with state and city licensing requirements and keeps current with industry best practices. Many of them have been a part of the Irvington community for more than a decade.
• Educational approach: Solar technicians must be knowledgeable. They should utilize their years of experience answer your questions on how to maintain your system and optimize its performance.
• Customer feedback and reviews: Most Irvington solar providers have both favorable and unfavorable reviews. However, a good review ratio indicates a company's dependability and responsiveness to issues.
• Panel brands and quality: The premier solar companies keep up with new technology, offering equipment from cutting-edge and trustworthy manufacturers.
• Service offerings and warranties: Solar contractors should stand behind their systems and services with warranties. We evaluated how each provider responds to issues and warranty claims, focusing on promptness and customer satisfaction.

Benefits of Solar Energy

Solar energy offers multiple perks. Let's look at a few of them.

• Better energy independence: Adding a battery storage system lets you have trustworthy energy during storms and grid outages.
• Lowered energy bills: With solar energy systems, you create power without paying the tacked-on costs of grid-connected power. Going off-grid can eliminate your bills completely. Plus, a significant amount of states offer net metering, which permit you to earn money by selling your unused energy back to the grid.
• Reduced carbon footprint: Adopting solar is a surefire way to decrease your carbon footprint and home fossil fuel dependency.

What Solar Incentives Are Available to Irvington Homeowners?

New Jersey agencies and electric companies offer multiple solar incentives to help minimize your solar system costs. Here's a breakdown of available solar programs where you live.

How To Choose the Best Solar Company in Irvington

The more informed your company research is, the better your solar system will ultimately perform. Consider all of these elements in your business search.

Licensing and Training

Licensing requirements mean that your New Jersey solar installation team may have a variety of different professionals, including a master plumber for piping work and an electrician for wiring work. The most senior professionals on the team will also handle permit work for the job. You should also visit a company's website to learn about its private accreditations. Two of the most prestigious are the PV Installation Professional and Solar Heating Installer certificates, backed by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Some companies don't publish this information online, so you should also ask your estimator about them.

Cost of Solar Panels in Irvington

The style of solar panels you choose decides how much power you can generate. Monocrystalline panels and high-quality and give you the best performance but cost more upfront. Polycrystalline panels work with a tried-and-true mechanism and cost less, but produce less power. Thin-film panels aren't recommended for large residential installations, but they are ideal for small projects like converting RVs and sheds.

Additional components, such as battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) chargers, will raise your overall installation costs. However, they might make your solar system more efficient and convenient to use. Not every solar contractor includes these optional components, so look for a company that installs them if it's essential for you.

If you're a resident of Irvington and want a five-kilowatt solar energy system, you could expect to pay about $17,650 for materials and labor. See more information on specific component and solar panel costs in the table.

Financing Solar Energy in Irvington

There are numerous ways to pay for new solar panels, and the right one will lower your costs. A few of the most common options include loans, cash payments, leases, and power purchase agreements (PPAs). We recommend making a cash payment or securing a solar loan for the best return on investment (ROI). Cash payments require a hefty sum up-front, but you’ll pay the least long-term by avoiding interest. You’ll also own your system and can apply for solar panel incentives to reduce your total costs. Solar loans are another good option if you don’t want to make a big initial investment. You can pay for your system in installments while still benefiting from energy bill savings and solar incentives. However, you’ll spend more in total due to accruing interest. Solar leases let you rent your panels for a set monthly rate, while PPAs let you pay only for the energy you use, akin to an electric bill. Both options disqualify you for solar incentives and don't grant you system ownership. Solar experts generally don't recommend them, but they might be suitable in some cases. We advise working with a company that offers multiple financing options. Talk to each consultant about what's available, and obtain more than one estimate for the best odds of keeping within your financial plan.

The table below lists the average payback periods for different capacities of solar systems in Irvington.

You can claim a 26% federal solar tax credit from the IRS for new residential solar systems purchased before 2032. Additionally, local governments and utilities may have their own rebates and financing plans that could reduce your total cost even more.

Sources

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
• U.S. Department of Energy