Pacific Northwest Solar FAQs

Solar panels installed by Sunbridge Solar come with a 25 year manufacturer warranty or better. For manufacturers, 25 years is a time frame they feel comfortable standing behind even if the panels are installed in extreme weather conditions that will affect the longevity of an installation. With a warranty double that of the pay-pack, your solar panels come with a wide variety of environmental and economic benefits.

This is an important point. 25 years is the time period that assuming the absolute worst in treatment and installation, not the average. 25 years of solid performance is a “worst-case scenario” in their view.

However, a warranty is only as reliable as the company that stands behind it. At Sunbridge, on top of the 25-year manufacturer warranty, we offer a 10 year, full-service craftsman warranty and only use top-of-the-line, made-in-America solar equipment that has undergone rigorous reliability testing.

Whether it’s a new solar panel installation on your neighbor’s roof or the growing number of solar-powered businesses solar energy is talked about a lot these days. It’s an exciting time for solar energy.

Unlike energy created from a wind turbine or even a traditional power plant, solar does not have any moving parts. So how exactly is energy being created?

Solar panels are made of silicon and other conductive materials. When the sunlight, or photons, hits the conductive materials it shakes an electron free. This electron is direct current (DC) and will need to be converted to alternating current (AC) through an energy converter before your home or business may use this energy.

Read More: A More In-Depth Look Into How Solar Panels Work

Installation of solar panels is a streamlined process. Depending on the size and installation complexity (i.e., solar plus batteries), a typical system will take between 1 to 3 days depending on the expertise of the solar installer. Make sure you avoid these 5 things when installing solar.

The longest wait for installing solar is the local and utility inspections. After installation incomplete expect 1-3 weeks until every inspection is finalized.

Read More: Our 4-Step Process

At Sunbridge Solar we only use American-made solar panels which are known for their higher quality and power production compared to their international counterparts. The American manufacturers we source our panels from are Sunpower and SolarWorld. Sunpower solar panels convert 21% of sunlight into DC energy while SolarWorld panels convert sunlight to energy at a rate of 17%.

Please keep in mind that when selecting your solar panel with the highest efficiency isn’t always the winner. Depending on your solar system size and the amount of available space for the installation it may be more cost-effective to go with a cheaper solar panel.

Read More:

• Solaria Solar Panel Review
• Silfab Solar Panel Review
• SunPower Solar Panel Review
• LG Solar Panel Review
• Hyundai Solar Panel Review

Though we don’t get as much sun as Arizona or Southern California, our cooler climate and long summer days make solar an excellent option. Like any technology, the hotter it gets the less efficient it becomes, and in turn, the less power the panel will produce. Our lovely Pacific Northwest rain is actually a benefit to solar! Your solar panels will be cleaned each time it rains enabling them to produce power at their fullest potential.

In addition, the generous mix of financial incentives offered by the state, utility companies, and the federal government can make the investment especially attractive.

A typical price for home solar panels starts at $12,000 before incentives and tax breaks. System sizes for business owners tend to be larger systems, therefore, the typical starting price for a commercial solar electric system is $15,000.

The location of your array, the size of your roof or ground-mounted system, the age of your electrical panel, the type of roof you have and the distance between your electrical panel and the solar installation all play a role in the final cost of going solar. As a result, an exact price is only possible with a free site evaluation.

Read More:

• Oregon Solar Panel Cost Guide
• Are Solar Panels Worth it In Washington State?

The financial incentives available for solar energy are different depending on the state in which you live and whether you are installing solar for your home or business. Please be aware that incentives are subject to change over time and are not permanent. To get the most up-to-date information, please contact us.

• Oregon Solar Incentives
• Washington State Solar Incentives

Net energy metering, or more commonly known as NET metering is a utility rate plan for their solar customers. When you install solar on your home or business you will enter into an agreement with your electric provider. This agreement will allow you to bank credits whenever you are producing more energy than you are using.

In the summer months, you will build up a bank of energy credits because your solar system is most productive at this time. During the winter months, you will then draw those credits that you built up over the summer. This keeps your electric bill low, all year round.

There is a NET metering fiscal year that runs differently depending on what state you live in. In Oregon, the fiscal year runs from April to March. At the end of March, any credits left remaining will be forfeited and go towards assisting your utility’s low-income support program. Oregon systems tend to be sized to reduce 100% of your annual electric bill or less, therefore, having extra credits is rare.

Washington state runs on a different schedule. The fiscal year starts on May 1st and ends on April 31st coinciding with the long summer days in the Pacific Northwest.

Solar panels incorporate anti-reflective glass that is rated to be used at airport installations where glare can be a serious issue for pilots. Plus, the goal of a solar panel is to absorb as much sunlight as possible, not reflect

Not at all. Sunbridge Solar does all the solar permitting and engineering in-house, as well as all the state incentive paperwork. While you are able to obtain your own permit, we do not recommend it since it can take a lot of time to navigate the complexities of all building, electrical, and utility codes. However, if you are doing a DIY solar installation then obtaining your own permits is advised. Another option is to contact a solar permit service provider and have them do it for you.

No. It is the state law in both Oregon and Washington to prevent homeowner associations from banning you from installing solar panels on your home as long as the system meets all safety, health, and performance standards required by the state or local jurisdictions.

While HOAs are not permitted to ban your solar installation, they are allowed to set neighborhood guidelines, such as using all-black solar panels instead of the standard blue and silver frame.

Throughout assisting dozens of homeowners belonging to an HOA, we’ve found that our solar quotes provide enough information to bring comfort to any possible HOA concern.