Funding Your Solar Power Project
1) State Grants / Funding / Incentives
- Updated information about the CA State Initiative can be found at Go Solar California website: https://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/ Look under "Consumers" for more information.
2) Federal Grants / Funding / Incentives
- The Federal Tax Credit / Investment Tax Credit (ITC) - allows for 30% of the cost of installing your Solar Power System until 2020, at which time it is slated to begin to decrease, and disappear completely by Jan 1, 2022. HOWEVER - in the past, this incentive has been extended, and so there is a small possibility that it may continue after that date - but we do not recommend assuming that will be the case.
- Check with your accountant for updated information for the current tax year.
3) Loans
- Not a lot of banks offer loans to install solar systems, unless you are taking out a second mortgage on your home, or re-financing with a cash-out option. That being said, check with your bank before assuming this is the case (it will also help them to determine the demand for this kind of loan).
- All About Solar LLC offers limited financing on approved credit, with a significant down payment (to cover materials) and monthly payments over one year for the remaining balance (the labor).
- We also work with a few lending companies that specifically lend for solar applications.
4) Build to your Budget - The "Add-on" Plan
- All About Solar offers an "Add-on" Plan, where we install what you can afford right now, and we design the system so that you can add on in the future as your finances allow. Similar to a Plug-and-Play concept, the initial installation includes the hook ups to your house and to your power supplier (PG&E or SMUD) plus a few panels. Then, as you can afford it, we add more panels (and at certain points, additional components) increasing your power capabilities and gradually decreasing your dependence on your power company.
- This plan means you either will never have a loan, or, if you take out loans to do this in parts, each loan will be small and manageable. For example - As you pay off one loan, then you can start another for the next add-on phase.