2020 Utah Solar Trends

There has been lots of commotion within the Utah solar community as of late. Last year, news spread of Rocky Mountain Power decreasing energy efficiency programs. And lots of energy news this year has circulated around the current fight over the use of recently released public lands.

The Utah Trends of 2020 are going to be increasingly affected by solar efficiency and price. For Utah’s solar industry, these trends are vital to increased growth.

Ways to Maximize your Utah Solar Installation

Technology is improving every day; solar tech, however, isn’t the only way to increase energy efficiency. Many have found, taking steps to decrease energy use comes down to a few upgrades.

What Insulation is and How it Improves Solar

Insulation is a material used to trap climatized temperatures in your home. There are several different types of insulation. However, any form of insulation will help you decrease energy bills.

Why Adding Insulation Will Improve Your Utah Home

Most homes are not airtight. Insulation keeps air from escaping or coming in. which in turn, maintains the temperature of your home.

With a well-insulated home, you don’t have to crank up the heat in the winter or blast the air conditioner in the summer. This dramatically reduces your energy needs which in turn decreases your bill.

Both Rocky Mountain Power and Dominion Energy currently have incentives for energy improvements. An energy audit will help you determine whether your home could use some insulation.

How Insulation Increases Solar Production

Combining a well-insulated home with a solar array is the perfect combination. Solar empowers homeowners; it allows them to generate their own electricity. When you combine generation with decreased consumption it increases your environmental impact. And, as an extra benefit, solar decreases your energy bills even more.

Re-roofing and Solar Installations

Without a quality roof over your head, you are asking for a disaster to strike. Thankfully, roofs typically last between 20 to 40 years. however, if you have an old home you may need to consider replacing the roof.

Roofs over 20 years old should be inspected. This is especially true if you want to add solar to your home. This is mainly because you need to make sure your roof can support the added weight of solar panels.

If you decide to install solar and later need to re-roof, Go Solar Group will remove and re-install the systems they originally installed. Taking solar panels off your home is necessary if you want to re-shingle after solar is installed. And although not a huge expense, the workers that remove and re-install your solar panels are paid.

Utah Smart Thermostats in Combination With Solar

Smart thermostats are a no brainer when it comes to decreasing energy consumption. However, combining a smart thermostat with solar is pure genius.

Combining these two devices gives homeowners complete control over their consumption. Solar allows them to generate most or all of their energy needs. While smart thermostats allow people to control energy consumption.

Together people can drastically decrease energy bills and their carbon footprint. You can save even more money when you purchase an approved smart thermostat.

When You Want Solar but Don’t have the Roof for it: Ground Mounts

Solar in combination with other energy-saving updates will help you increase savings. However, if your roof doesn’t meet solar qualifications, you can’t install. Well, at least not on your roof.

If you want solar, but don’t have enough usable space on your roof you can purchase a ground mount. Ground mounts are stand-alone systems that are installed away from the home. If you have a large yard with unshaded space, this could be the perfect solution.

Factors That Will Change the Cost of Solar in Utah

As time continues, Utah is edging closer to some incentive terminations. Although the price of solar is decreasing, these incentives have made solar affordable now. Knowing when these are going to phase out is critical to increasing customer savings.

Federal Solar Tax Credit (ITC) Incentive Reduction

The biggest player in solar incentives has been the federal solar tax credit. Through tax credits, this incentive covers 26 percent of solar installation costs in 2020.

It will then continue to decrease to 22 percent in 2021 and 10 percent in 2022. After 2022, residential solar will no longer have a federal tax incentive.

Utah State Solar Tax Declining

In Utah, solar customers also benefit from a state tax credit. This allows them to deduct $1,600 from their solar installations. Governor Herbert signed a two-year extension for this incentive; however, it is not permanent.

In 2021, this credit will start to reduce by $400 dollar increments. It is expected to phase out completely in 2023.

The Future of Net Metering in Utah

Currently, Rocky Mountain solar customers have a 90 percent net metering rate. This, however, is up in the air for the future. After 2032, the Utah Public Utility Commission will determine new rates.

What These Changes Mean for Utahans

With all of these changes coming down the pipeline the easy route would be to abandon ship. The solar industry, however, is not so easily daunted, especially with Go Solar Group leading the way through tough industry changes.

While it is strongly encouraged for Utahans to install solar as soon as possible because the incentives will begin to be reduced, solar is not a fad. The test of time will not choke it out. Hope is on the horizon; costs will continue to align with the average American’s pocketbook.