What does a typical residential solar power proposal look like? What are the costs? Is photovoltaic (PV) solar power cost-effective?  Which manufacturer’s panels are the best?  Which company’s solar power proposal is the best for me?  Does the solar power system have a payback or ROI that makes sense?  All good questions that every consumer needs to answer before signing a contract.

Below is a proposal from a local company for a 5.8kW PV system.

 Should I spend $26,850?  Here’s a look at a recent proposal I received.

* Does not include cost of upgrading electrical panel ~$1,000.

 Analysis

1. Is this a standard proposal?  A. Yes
2. Is this a high quality proposal? A. No, some details are incorrect.  Taxes were omitted from Net Investment and solar radiation calculations are off, however the net “Energy Value” was calculated correct.
3. Cost effective?  A. Yes, especially considering the increase in home value.
4. Will I purchase this system today?  A. No.  Panel prices and options for PV panels and inverters are changing monthly.  More research is required before I can sign.  I also want to understand “why” these components were chosen by the company.

Proposed System Details

Solar Power System – Details of my proposed system at a price of $26,850:

• (24) Samsung LPC244SM 244-watt mono-crystalline PV panels

• (1) Power‐One’s Aurora Uno model PVI‐6000‐OUTD‐US power inverter
  • Dual inputs with independent MPP tracking for optimizing power from two sub-arrays
  • Flush mount roof racking system (manufacturer not specified)
  • Services for all installation labor, engineering, permit, and inspection.

Solar Power System Proposal Summary and Detail