Solar technology makes it possible for home and business owners to have dependable power from renewable sources.
Generous 30% Federal Investment Tax Credit (IRS5695), a New Mexico State sales tax exemption and decreasing materials costs make this an excellent time to purchase a solar electric system for your home. Click here for more incentive details.
Grid-Tie Systems
Also called grid-interactive, grid-intertie, utility-interconnected and other such descriptive terms, grid-tie solar systems are built onto your property and connect directly into the Utility grid power electric feed. Net metering is mandated by Federal law, the Utility company must provide provisions for interconnecting renewable energy sources.The power from your solar electric (PV) system will power your electrical needs at your property when needed.
When there is no need for the power at your property, the solar electricity from your system will flow back into the utility power grid and be used by others. All energy produced by your solar electric system is metered by a separate REC meter that is installed with your system. If applicable in your utility provider area, you may receive REC credits or payments for all of the clean solar energy you produce, even when used at your property.
This type of system provides no backup power when utility power fails as there is a UL requirement for grid-tied inverters to disconnect from the power grid when there is a power outage. This is to protect electrical workers who will be working on the power system to repair it when there is an outage.
For information about the Tax Credits and REC programs available for Grid-tied solar systems, please visit our Incentives page.
Grid-Tie Systems with Battery Backup
A grid-tie system with battery backup feeds excess solar electricity to the grid and provides backup power when the utility grid is down. With this type of system you sacrifice some power generation efficiency in exchange for having power when there is a utility power failure. The amount of backup power you have depends on the size of the battery and electrical loads that draw on them. Usually only critical loads are included for battery back-up to keep the battery bank size and cost to a minimum.
We will analyze your critical loads desired and the amount of back-up power needed to properly size the batteries for your specific project. Laws usually referred to as “net metering” allow solar-energy-system owners to feed their excess generated electricity back to the utility. The system owner receives a credit or payment for renewable energy-generated electricity fed into the grid. In other words, you pay only for the net electricity you consume – the amount of electricity you take from the utility minus the amount you generate and feed back from your solar system.
With a solar electric system, you can provide yourself with protection from the rising prices of fuel, because your system’s fuel is the sun. Mass production has significantly reduced the price of renewable energy systems and their components. The use of renewable sources such as wind, water and sun increases our energy self-sufficiency and fosters economic and national security.
As more families, individuals and businesses generate their own renewable electricity we will reduce pollution, provide more electricity for all to use, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and make the electricity on the grid "greener".
Select Solar provides excellent services for all of the design options and system installation requirements at your property.
- Flat roof or pitched roof mounting systems
- Solar parking structures, awnings and portals
- Facade mounting
- Pole mounted, fixed or tracking
- Ground mounted