|
Estimating costs and savings of a PV system
The cost to purchase and install a PV system depends on the size of the system, the type of system and the layout of your property. The potential energy savings generated depends on the size of the system, the system orientation and the amount of unobstructed sunlight it receives.
Typical metrics for a two-kilowatt (2,000 watts) PV system for a residence
| Electricity produced |
3,000 kilowatt-hours per year.* (An average home in Colorado uses about 7,500 kilowatt-hours per year.) |
| Costs |
$16,000 – 20,000 installed (before the rebate) |
| Savings |
$280 per year in electricity costs (assuming $0.095/kWh cost of electricity and 3,000 kWh per year of energy produced) |
Typical metrics for a two-kilowatt (2,000 watts) PV system for a business
| Electricity produced |
3,000 kilowatt-hours per year.* (An average home in Colorado uses about 7,500 kilowatt-hours per year.) |
| Costs |
$16,000 – 20,000 installed (before the rebate) |
| Savings |
$142 per year in electricity costs** (assuming $0.04842/kWh cost of electricity and 3,000 kWh per year of energy produced) |
*The PVWatts Calculator allows you to determine more accurately the amount of energy your PV system will generate based on your system’s specifications (e.g., array type, tilt).
Below are a number of tools that can help you evaluate the potential costs and savings of installing a PV system on a particular home or business.
Looking for information about federal tax incentives for solar energy? Please see the links below, but keep in mind that our Solar*Rewards program only offers rebates for PV systems, not solar water heating or other solar thermal systems.
|
