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1. How do I find a solar installer?

• There are various local installers all over Delta County along with some in Montrose and Mesa Counties that may travel to help you install your system.
• A list of area installers is located here.

2. Can I benefit from the state and federal tax credits?

The federal tax credit that pays back 30% of the cost of your system is in effect until the end of 2019; it drops to 26% in 2020 and 22% in 2021. Beginning in 2022, the credit expires for residences and drops to 10% for businesses. The federal tax credit can be taken over two years. These amounts are deducted from  the amount of tax you owe (before withholding), so if you do not owe enough taxes, you may not be able to claim the full tax credit. Since nonprofit organizations do not pay income  taxes, they cannot benefit from  the solar tax credits.

NOTE: This information is provided as a guideline only. Consult your tax advisor for complete information applicable to your situation.

3. What financing options are available for installing solar?

• The State of Colorado just began a new financing program for homes called RENU loan. To learn more, check out the RENU website. 
• Delta County has adopted the Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C­-PACE) program.  Colorado C-PACE is a financing tool that allows commercial and multifamily property owners to finance qualifying energy efficiency, water conservation, and other clean energy improvements on existing and newly constructed properties, with repayment of the financing through a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill.  Video link: https://player.vimeo.com/video/163736731?autoplay =1.
• Farms and rural small businesses may also qualify for a 25% grant from the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
• The Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Energy Office also has a program for farms that are looking for energy upgrades or renewable energy.
• Installers often offer financing options "power purchase agreements" that generally do not require any up-front payments but offer monthly energy savings.  Under these arrangements, the financing entity owns the system and takes advantage of tax credits.  For more information on how this works see these links: https://www.energysage.com/solar/financing/should-you-buy-or-lease-your-solar-panel-system/ or https://youtu.be/oKRHFGUMp8o?list=UUtviAZdD4s2EhemjPLQTs7g.

4. What maintenance will my system require?

• In general, the PV modules should be kept clean of debris  such as excessive dust, leaves, sticks, bird droppings, etc. Accumulation of such material on the panels can affect power output, but rainfall in Colorado is generally adequate to wash off the panels and keep that effect to a minimum.  We advise performing a visual inspection of the PV array and checking the system output production on inverter or monitoring system at least once per month to ensure proper operation.  More than likely, everything will be working just fine.  However, this is a great habit to help catch any potential issues early and minimize any downtime.
• When you buy or lease a system, it is common to enter into a maintenance contract with the installer, the financing entity, or a third party that will handle repairs if the system needs repair.