Solar in Seattle

The short answer is YES! The long dry summer days have the potential to make up for the dreary weather we get much of the year. According to a Google Project Sunroof analysis, which estimates viability based on Google Earth imagery approximately 85% of buildings in Seattle are solar viable. Look for incentive programs. There is a federal tax credit for homeowners who install a solar photovoltaic (solar) system before December 31, 2023. Learn more about the federal tax credit at energy.gov/eere/solar/homeowners-guide-federal-tax-credit-solar-photovoltaics Get competitive bids. The EnergySage site (energysage.com/) lets you see multiple bids from solar providers. There are more than 500 companies in the site’s database, all of which have been pre-screened. Use the solar calculator. EnergySage also has what it calls a “Solar Calculator” (energysage.com/solar/calculator/), which gives you an estimate of what your potential monthly savings might be if you added solar panels to your house based on your current monthly electric bill. Consider leasing. Buying outright is increasingly popular with homeowners, but leasing solar panels is also an option. With a lease, you don’t pay for the system or its installation. If you end up generating more energy than your house consumes, Washington State even allow you to sell some of that energy back to the grid. Once you’ve calculated your monthly savings and gotten a bid, you can see how long it will take until you recoup your upfront costs.