Government Grants for Solar Panels : In this article today, we will be sharing with you all Government Grants for Solar Panels. We all are well aware of the importance of solar panels. These are a great source of renewable energy that can fulfill the energy demands on a domestic and industrial level. Solar panels are gaining huge popularity because of their eco-friendly and cheap nature.
With so much environmental deterioration, it is obvious that shifting to anything green is always preferred. Considering its need and benefits, the governments, various environmental organizations are boosting the use of solar panels. As a result, promoting the use of this clean and renewable energy is being boosted through various ways like grants for solar panels.
Suppose you are well aware of the environmental hazards and wish to act as a responsible citizen. In that case, you can shift to solar panels and save on lots and lots of utility bills as well as help the environment. To help you in this good deed, below we have mentioned the government grants for solar panels using which you can get huge financial assistance for solar panels installing.
So what are you still waiting for? Go ahead and see the ways in which you can get government loans for solar panels. Before that, if you are a little skeptical about solar panels or still not convinced as to why you should get solar panels, then read the below section on why solar panels are important.
Why are Solar Panels Important?
Solar Panels are a renewable source of energy. They use the sun’s light to generate energy which can further be used by us in the form of electricity. Indeed, these solar panels are a friend to the environment, and as it is our duty to protect the environment, using solar panels can be very beneficial. It requires just a one-time installation, and then you are good to go.
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Energy bills Saving
Energy Utility bills can at times be huge enough to cause a hole in your pocket. Using Solar Panels can help you get rid of utility bills. Nowadays, Solar Panels are made so strong that they can run all sorts of electronic appliances like A.C., refrigerators, etc.
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Great for the Environment
Carbon emission is a serious problem faced by the entire world right now. It has become all the more important to switch to energy that is not harmful to us and the future generation. Solar energy is clean energy that meets the demands for sustainable development and does not harm the environment in any way.
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Tax Credits and Rebates
In order to promote the use of this renewable energy and reduce the dependency on exhaustible energy sources like fossil fuels, coal, etc., the government offers various tax credits and rebates programs. You can thus get tax credits after filing for tax returns. You can also seek government assistance to make energy-efficient houses.
If you want to know more about the benefits, solar panel grants for businesses and other related information, then read the article below!
Government Grants for Solar Panels
The government supports and promotes the use of solar panels by offering government grants for solar panels. Such programs allow low-income people or those who cannot afford solar panels with the government’s financial assistance. Given below are some of the well-known government grants for solar panels that you can apply for.
High Energy Cost Grants for Solar panels
A High Energy Cost solar energy grants provides financial assistance to low income families in rural areas who want to install solar panels on their homes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers this program.
There can be high demand for electricity in rural areas for agricultural purposes. To help the rural people with such high costs, this program offers grants for solar panels, which can save a lot on utility bills.
These grants are used to purchase, install, and repair solar panels, which can be very helpful in saving energy and utility bills. Even business entities are allowed to apply for this grant.
Rural Energy For America Program Solar Panel Grants (REAP)
One of the most well-known energy assistance programs for low-income families is REAP Solar Panel Grants (Rural Energy For America Program). We all know how important small businesses are and that they need some sort of assistance in order to thrive and compete with larger businesses.
The government helps small businesses through various grants of $20,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Through these grants, the Small businesses can purchase and install solar panels to generate electricity for their business and farming operations and thus save a lot of money that would have otherwise gone for electricity bills.
You can apply for this grant, but before that, you should check the eligibility criteria for the same. A financial assistance grant for the installation of solar panels is only applicable if you qualify for it. You can check the official website to get more detailed and updated information on these grants.
Green Retrofit Solar Panel Grants
Green Retrofit Solar Panel Grants is a great way to get solar grants for low income families. This program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Office of Affordable Housing Preservation runs it to give grants to low income householders.
With the help of this grant, one can buy and install solar panels to reduce their dependency on conventional ways of electricity that cause environmental degradation through carbon emissions. Under the Housing Recovery Act, the government has a budget of $250 million. One condition for such a grant is that the person availing of the grant need to do this within 2 years of getting the grant.
Tribal Energy Program
Tribal Energy Program is a well-known grants program which the U.S. Department of Energy administers. Through this program, the tribal population is helped with using technology-based energy generation. The tribes can avail assistance for solar panels through this program.
Tribes can get not only grants for solar panels from the government but also assistance with the installation of other energy-efficient infrastructure, measurements and systems. You can inquire more about this program in the local community agencies or online.
Renewable Energy Solar Panel Grants
Renewable Energy Solar Panel Grants are yet another well-known grants that can help you with solar panel purchase and installation. The U.S. Department of the Treasury looks after the program for assistance for low-income people for a solar panel.
The U.S. government is doing all they can to promote the use of solar energy. Grants for using solar energy is one of their ways of boosting it. This grant is given out in the form of reimbursement incentives instead of tax credits. You can get more information about this grant on their official website. If you fit eligible for it, then make sure you are applying for this government grant for a solar panel.
Types of Solar Panels and Their Cost
Now that you know the different types of government grants for solar panels available, here are the types of solar panels and their respective prices so that you can get more information about the kind of solar panels you can get for yourself.
Solar Panels use direct sunlight to generate electricity. Thus it is a natural and clean energy source. In order to use solar energy for electricity generation, one must have solar panels, which are a group of solar cells that are further made from layers of boron, silicon, and phosphorous. All these constituents of the solar panels work together to generate electricity. There are further different types of solar panels as below –
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Multi-Crystalline Solar Panels
Multi-Crystalline or Polycrystalline Solar Panels or Many Crystal Solar Panels are less efficient when it comes to performance compared to Monocrystalline Solar Panels. The constituents of these solar panels are silicon and multi silicon fragments.
The cost for Polycrystalline Solar Panels depends on the number of panels you are buying and the purpose you will be using them for. Generally, the solar panels come in watt by watt measures. When buying Multi-Crystalline solar panels, you will have to count from $0.90 to $1.0 per watt.
Note that the price can go up as per the use of watt. If you are looking forward to buying the entire Poly-crystalline Solar Panel, then the price can range from $5400 to $6000.
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Mono-crystalline Solar Panels
These are the highest performing solar panels made of a single crystal of silicon. The most crucial constituent of solar panels is pure silicon. These are not only efficient in performance but also greatly space-efficient and durable. They generally come in black color making it easier to identify them.
Generally, the solar panels come in watt by watt measures. The cost is dependent on the number of panels you are buying and the purpose you will be using it for. These solar panels come at a price of $1 to $1.5 per watt. And if you are looking to buy the complete mono-crystalline system for outfitting, then it can cost you anywhere between $6000 to $9000.
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Thin Film Solar panels
Thin Film Solar panels, as the name suggests, are made up of very thin layers of photovoltaic material on a solid surface like that of glass. These layers are very thin and also very flexible. The constituents of these types of solar panels are Cadmium telluride, Amorphous silicon, and copper indium gallium selenide.
The best part about these types of solar panels is that they come in different forms and sizes so that you can buy one as per your needs and requirements. Many large industries and companies use these types of solar panels.
Generally, the solar panels come in watt by watt measures. The cost is dependent on the number of panels you are buying and the purpose you will be using it for. These solar panels come at a price of $1 to $1.50 per watt. And if you are looking to buy the complete thin-film solar panels for outfitting, then it can cost you anywhere between $6000 to $9000.
How to Finance for Solar Panels?
Now that you know the cost of solar panels in general, you must be wondering how to finance solar panels. It is true that for some, the initial installment charges for a solar panel will seem higher. But then it is just a one-time thing, and after that, you do not have to worry about those utility bills. Given below are some of the ideas you can use for financing solar panels.
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Seek incentives and rebates
As mentioned earlier, various government and Non-government organizations offer incentives and financial assistance with solar panels. Various such programs are available for low income families. You can avail of the tax credits that come with buying solar panels and claim over 26% of the price for purchasing the solar panels. This is just not it; there are many other grants, as mentioned above and various rebates available in different cities.
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Pay on your own
If you can afford to buy solar panels, then buying them on your own can be a great way of paying for them. In the case of government grants for solar panels, it might take you a lot of time to get the grants or rebates. So the best thing would be to purchase the solar panels on your own. You can get these solar panels on a discount and installment basis.
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Apply for a grant and assistance
As discussed earlier in this article, you can always apply for government grants for solar panels and similar ones to get financial assistance for solar panels. You have a number of options available, using which you can get government grants for buying solar panels.
FAQs
How long does the solar system last?
A Solar system is a clean energy source that can generate electricity with direct sunlight. Generally, a solar system can last for at least 25 years where it can offer electricity generation with no interruptions. Even the Solar Manufacturing companies offer a warranty of over 25 years.
How is electricity generated from solar panels?
Solar energy makes use of the sunlight to generate electricity through the photovoltaic cells present in the solar panels. This can also happen through mirrors concentrating solar radiation. This generated energy is stored in thermal storage or batteries.
What are the benefits of going solar?
As mentioned in this article, using solar panels can be very helpful in saving the environment as well as your utility bills. Solar energy is clean energy that uses sunlight to generate electricity. It is a great and efficient alternative to the non-renewable sources of energy like fossil fuels, coal, and so on, which also deteriorate the environment.
Are non-homeowners going to be eligible?
Generally, the homeowners are eligible for applying for grants for solar panels. This is because only homeowners will be able to install solar panels on their rooftop. For Non-homeowners or tenants, to get grants for solar panels, they will have to first seek permission from the homeowner to install solar panels.
Wrapping it up
That was it all about the Government Grants for Solar Panels. I hope you have all found the above article of use. If you have any questions for us or know of any such Solar Panel government grants, then make sure that you drop them below. We will be glad to hear from you!
Stay tuned for more such informative posts!