Are you considering installing solar panels on your roof? Groton Utilities urges you to ask your contractor the following 15 questions to ensure you are making an informed decision.
- What retail rate do you use in your calculation?
- What is the current retail rate of my provider?
- What escalation rate do you use in your retail rate projection over the next twenty years?
- What is the basis for that retail rate escalation?
- What has been the actual last five, ten, twenty year escalation retail rate?
- What guarantee are you willing to provide in case the actual retail escalation rate / retail rate is less than you project?
- My utility provider may change the rate structure in the future, assigning a higher fixed cost than you project, who is responsible for the higher fixed cost?
- What assumptions on net metering do you have regarding the excess solar?
- Does my utility use actual displaced cost in net metering, or do they use full retail, or other?
- How does your solar rate compare to the actual displaced energy cost?
- If I have to replace my roof, or do repair, who is responsible to remove, reinstall, and pay for the removal and reinstall, of the solar panels?
- What is the cost to remove and reinstall the solar panels when I need a new roof?
- What responsibilities for lost solar production sales from you do I have while the panels are removed, and until they are reinstalled?
- If I want or need to sell my house, and the prospective buyer does not want the solar panels, who is responsible for the contract termination cost and panel removal?
- What are my options if the prior scenario occurs?
If you have questions about solar, contact Groton Utilities at 860-446-4000