A home solar panel array is made up of components that all work together to convert solar energy into usable energy for your lights, appliances and devices. 1. Solar panels Solar panels are made of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight to direct current electricity (DC electricity). As long as the sun ray’s are making contact with your roof, your panels are converting solar radiation into DC electricity. Even when it’s cloudy, you can still expect your solar panels to produce 10% to 25% of their normal output. But your electricity isn’t ready just yet. You’ll need an inverter to get the kind of power you need to turn the lights on. 2. Inverter The inverter takes the DC electricity produced by your solar panels and turns it into alternating current electricity (AC electricity). It’s typically installed on an exterior wall of your house, or in the garage. 3. Main electric service panel Solar electricity from your inverter flows to the electrical panel, and then into your home where it powers your lights and appliances. If your solar panels generate more solar power than you use, the excess power will flow to the utility grid. Even better? You might even earn energy credits from your local utility for the power you send. 4. Production Meter Your production meter continuously monitors your solar panels and overall system performance, transmitting real-time data to the solar company via a wireless connection. By tracking energy production 24/7, it can automatically detect and alert the solar company to any issues or irregularities. This ensures your solar panels and system remain in optimal condition—without you ever having to lift a finger. 5. Utility meter When your solar panels produce more than you need, the excess energy is sold back to your utility and credited to your monthly electric bill. When you need more energy than your solar panels can produce, your home will automatically pull the energy from your utility. Your utility meter measures how much energy comes from and goes to the grid.

The solar panels and equipment we use are backed by comprehensive factory warranties. Additionally, our partners’ monthly solar panel lease plans and prepaid solar panel plans (also known as solar PPAs) include 24/7 proactive monitoring and free maintenance. If we detect that your rooftop solar panels or battery aren’t performing at their best, we’ll promptly dispatch a specialist to restore them to full capacity—at no cost or hassle to you.

Once approved for a solar installation, your property will undergo a site assessment, and an expert technician will schedule a visit with you to confirm the design of your solar panels and full solar energy system. After that, our Solar Design Experts will make any necessary adjustments to the design of your solar panels and get your final approval. Once it’s approved, we’ll submit your design to the city for permitting, which can take up to eight weeks. From there, one of our local certified partners will install your solar panels. We only partner with top-rated solar installers, so you can rest easy knowing you’ll have the highest quality solar installation available. When your installation is finished, the city or county will perform a final inspection of your system. Once it’s approved, it’ll be connected to the grid, and we’ll submit your documents to the utility company. After your utility company grants Permission to Operate (PTO), you’ll be all set to start powering your home with the sun.

Everything transfers! You can save money on your electric bill and get paid by your utility company while you have the solar, then you’ll be able to hand everything off to the next homeowner for them to enjoy. This usually translates to selling your home quicker to any buyer who understands how solar works, as they too would rather pay for a power bill that never goes up and they get to own.

If the home qualifies, the upfront cost is $0. Getting solar for your home isn’t free. However, we use a combination of state, federal, and private programs to help you reduce your utility bill and replace it with a low-cost solar payment. (Incentives do not apply to lease products.) The best part about these programs, and the reason you see more solar on homes today, is any home with good sun exposure will generate enough income to not only pay for its own cost but also put money in your pocket. Why pay more to rent power when you can own it for less?

The solar panels used in New England are engineered for the elements, and are quite sturdy. However, snow buildup can affect production, but most homeowners just let them clear off naturally like you would a roof. In some cases, depending on the roof pitch, solar panels allow the snow to slide right off them due to their glass-like material. Meaning, that you won’t see as much snow buildup on your roof as before.

Although solar has been found to increase property values, Rhode Island and Massachusetts both offer property tax exemptions for the value added. As a result, homeowners who go solar will not see their property taxes increase. Not only do they offer a property tax exemption, but they also offer a sales tax exemption too.

Homes that will see the most savings are the ones that have south facing roofs and are not too shaded by trees. Also, your solar system size is based on how much energy your household uses, so too little usage can disqualify a home as well.

Even with solar panels, you will still receive an electric bill. However, the amount you owe can be significantly reduced. It all depends on which solar program best fits your needs and how much electricity your roof can produce compared to your home’s consumption. Most U.S. installations are still grid-tied, allowing customers to draw power from the grid when their system does not produce enough electricity. In months where we generate 100% or more of your power, you could potentially eliminate the “electricity” portion of your electric bill. However, even in a perfect solar offset situation, you will still have an electricity bill due to mandatory utility company fees. Luckily, by lowering your energy usage, investing in battery storage, and enrolling in net metering, you could pay a much smaller energy bill with solar panels than without them.

For Photovoltaic Solar panels, (or PV Panels) that you see around New England, little to no maintenance is required. This type of solar panel is commonly known as “passive solar” as it has no moving parts. Because of this, you will see fields of thousands of panels, or commercial installations on large businesses/malls/carports that rarely have workers around. At SunCore Energy we take this a step further by using new technology called microinverters, to ensure not just the panels but the inverters as well are maintenance free, and they come with a 25 year warranty.

We partner with the best local certified installers to ensure high-quality workmanship and strong warranty protection. Choosing local professionals not only supports the local economy but also helps streamline the paperwork process, reducing the likelihood of delays. Solar panel installation typically takes 1–2 days, with our crew on-site throughout the process. Once your system is installed, we provide a detailed walkthrough, educating you on how to operate and safely shut down your system for any future needs.

If your roof gets a lot of sunlight, there’s a good chance you will qualify. We provide a free site assessment to determine exactly how much sunlight you get. After a follow-up consultation, we’ll explain why your home is or is not ideal.

The solar process takes about a month to complete after we install your system. The good news is you will begin to earn credit, which reduces your bill, immediately after turn on and should see an impact on the very next billing cycle.