How much does solar cost?
Today, solar costs less than traditional electricity in many markets. We can install your system with no upfront cost, and your organization can pay less for clean, abundant solar energy than you do to your utility company.
How does solar power work?
The solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity throughout the day. A discreetly placed inverter converts the DC electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is what your business utilizes. When your solar power system produces more power than you need, it feeds the power back into the electricity grid.
Will my system still be connected to the utility grid?
Yes, all our systems are connected to the utility grid. During the day, your property will draw energy from the solar system and feed any excess energy back to the grid. At night, you’ll continue to draw energy from the grid as you do now. For some systems, Battery Energy Storage options are also available.
Why should I consider solar energy?
Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is a technology, not a fuel, and consumers can expect continuous improvements. Investing in solar energy will improve energy efficiency and reduce your monthly energy costs while at the same time earning your organization a "green" reputation. An investment in solar is also an investment in meeting sustainability goals for your organization.
What solar systems do you offer?
We offer two types of customized photovoltaic (PV) arrays, rooftop and ground mounted (fixed-tilt or single-axis tracking systems), for commercial members.
Does Ozarks Natural Energy offer financing?
Ozarks Natural Energy’s preferred contractors offers affordable financing for your solar investment and can provide O.N.E. solar customers reliable access to a range of solar financing options to meet the different needs of businesses, schools, cities and other organizations.
How do you calculate the cost?
The total cost of installing a solar array depends on the size of the system. We will perform an energy analysis and site assessment to customize a system to fit your organization’s needs. Once you have decided on a roof or ground mounted system, an energy advisor will schedule a consultation and provide an estimate.
Are there tax incentives for solar installations?
Most solar installations qualify for a Federal Solar Tax Credit. For more information about Federal Solar Tax Credits visit the IRS Website.
What kind of energy savings can I expect?
There are many variables that determine the overall return on investment of going solar. Whether you have land available to build the system on or our contractor will be required to purchase land is a great example variable that changes the overall return time of your solar investment. When we conduct our analysis, we will provide you with a quote that gives you and estimated savings over the first year and life of your system.
How long until I’m solar powered?
After an onsite visit, assessment, and proposal accepted, installation will be scheduled. A average 50 kW system installation takes 1 month to complete once all of the preliminary work is complete and our team is onsite with materials. Installation completion time will vary based on the size of the system.
Can I insure my solar array?
We recommend insuring your new asset. Most insurance companies will allow you to include the system under your company’s insurance policy.
Can I put a solar system somewhere else other than my roof?
Yes. If your property is large enough to accommodate a ground-mounted system, and the location is not shaded by trees or other obstructions, then the system will work, in most cases, better in many cases due to the ability to orient it in the exact direction it needs to be faced rather than being constrained by the roof orientation.
Can a solar system supply all my company or organization’s electricity needs?
For most customers, solar with proper direction orientation will provide approximately 80 to 90 percent of their business’s electricity, regardless of how large a system is installed. Installing a larger solar system cannot overcome these limitations. Instead, a larger system will produce more energy when the sun is shining. If the system produces more electricity than your home needs during these times, the excess production will flow to the electric grid rather than your business or organization.
Will I be able to produce power during an outage?
No. The inverter, which is one of the key components of a solar system, needs power continuously to function; therefore, you must remain connected to the grid. If the grid goes off during an outage, so does the inverter. This ensures the safety of all of those working on the local distribution system as well when restoring power.
How long do solar panels last?
A typical solar panel has a 20 to 25 year life cycle. We offer a warranty on all equipment and workmanship.
What warranties are normally included with a new solar system?
Our contractor provides a 1 year A-Z warranty on all equipment / workmanship. After 1 year, the contractor will continue to process warranty claims and will assess a service call fee for onsite diagnostics and repairs.
- Workmanship Warranty (Year 1): “Bumper to bumper” for material (panels/inverters), electrical and workmanship (everything including monitoring).
- Workmanship Warranty (Year 2-5): If in years 2-5 of your solar installation you experience maintenance issues due to a faulty installation we will return and make any necessary repairs free of charge.
- Lifetime Monitoring Guaranty: For the life of your system you will receive free solar monitoring. At any time via mobile app you can track day-by-day the performance and production of your solar system.
- Extended Product Warranty: Our contractor will maintain warranty information for inverters/modules and will perform warranty work for service call rates or the contractor can set up an Operation and Maintenance agreement with them. Warranties will be tied to the products we use so they will likely vary in some ways unless we develop a contractor warranty which would basically be an Operation and Maintenance contract.
How will I be compensated for the energy that feeds back into the grid?
If you happen to produce more than you use for the month, any remainder is carried over and banked. The excess generation will continue to carry over until the credit is utilized, or 24 months has expired. You may request a check for the cooperative’s avoided cost. You may also choose to continue accumulating kWh on a month-to-month basis.
Can I go solar without purchasing a new solar system?
Yes. Ozarks Natural Energy owns and operates a one megawatt (1 MW) community solar facility located in Northeast Springdale. Arkansas business customers can purchase shares of electricity produced by this facility. Click here for details.
Will I still get a Ozarks electric bill after my solar system is installed?
Yes, customers will still receive a bill for a portion of their electricity usage because, in most cases, their solar system will not produce enough power to offset the business’s entire electric consumption. Members will also continue to be billed a customer charge to recoup the costs associated with maintaining the distribution grid that traditional and solar members rely on to receive their power.
What if I’m leasing my property?
A solar installation requires an agreement from the property owner. Talk to your landlord about lowering the building’s electric bill with no upfront cost.
What if I want to sell my property?
Solar leases and loans are line-itemed as an assessment on the property tax bill. Should you choose to sell your building, you may prepay the assessment or the assessment will transfer to the new owner.
What is PACE?
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) is an innovative way for commercial property owners to pay for on-site renewable energy projects. PACE funding is provided or arranged by a local government for 100% of a project’s costs. Then it’s repaid with an assessment over a term of up to 20 years.
To see if PACE financing is available in your community and learn how you can support a program, go to www.pacenow.org.
