Solar in Virginia - A Guide to Going Solar in VA

There are many reasons to install solar panels in Virginia. Ultimately, getting solar means taking hold of your energy future with a renewable resource that’s really yours and looks good on your home. Thousands of Virginians own solar energy systems at their homes that are connected to the grid. As even more people move to Northern Virginia for Amazon’s National Landing, the time has never been better to go solar.

Now’s your best time to reach out to a solar installer in your area. This Guide to Going Solar is a simple How-To with 4 Steps and a list of resources. If you have any questions, we’re local and just a phone call or email away. Plus we’ve put together some more helpful resources for going solar in Virginia and beyond.

Guide to Going Solar:

Step 1: Learn about solar incentives in Virginia

Step 2: Contact a local solar installer near you

Step 3: Choose a way to pay for your solar system (cash, loan etc)

Step 4: Get it done

Resources

Step 1: Learn about solar incentives in Virginia

Going Virginia isn’t about making a game out of cobbling together obscure, complicated utility incentives and government handouts.

The good news is that Solar in Virginia makes sense without incentives. But take note of the federal tax credit and a helpful utility program for grid-connected solar known as net energy metering:

Federal Incentives:
1. There is a Federal Tax Credit of 30%: This means you can deduct 30% of the solar cost of your solar project from your tax liability. This is a federal incentive and applicable to every solar system small or large in the entire country. The tax credit will disappear for residential customers in 2020. Read more on the IRS website about the 30% tax credit. Owners of new solar energy systems could not claim a tax credit unless their system was operational. Now, the legislation allows you to claim it as soon as the construction of the system is complete, as long as it is operational by December 31, 2023. Overview of the Federal Tax Credit changes over time:
  1. 2018 – 2019: The tax credit remains at 30 percent of the cost of the system. This means that in 2018, you can still get a major discounted price for your solar panel system.
  2. 2020: Owners of new residential and commercial solar can deduct 26 percent of the cost of the system from their taxes.
  3. 2021: Owners of new residential and commercial solar can deduct 22 percent of the cost of the system from their taxes.
  4. 2022 onwards: Owners of new commercial solar energy systems can deduct 10 percent of the cost of the system from their taxes. There is no federal credit for residential solar energy systems.
2. U.S. Agency Incentives: There are Grants and other opportunities for very specific situations. Reach out to your solar installer for more detailed information to see if you qualify and how to apply for the grants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has Grants for example.
State Incentives: Virginia doesn’t have solar incentives. There is no RPS and no SREC market anymore (Solar Renewable Energy Credits), so one can’t get a significant income anymore from the sale of SRECS. An RPS is a law that would make a Renewable Portfolio Standard required for Virginia. This would force the State to have a certain percentage of its power generated by renewable energy. Virginia first passed its voluntary RPS in 2007, but since then, it was forced out of the Pennsylvania SREC market.
County Incentives: Depending on where the solar energy system will be installed, one can have different County level incentives. As every County is different, it will be tedious to list all these incentives. Reach out to your local solar installer for more information. Fairfax County has several incentives for example that are different from Arlington County.
City Incentives: Some Cities have their own incentives unrelated to County incentives.
Utility Incentives: Depending on which utility you will interconnect your solar panels with, you will get access to different incentives and solar programs. Dominion Energy has different solar incentives and programs than Novec. Virginia has multiple smaller utilities and Coops Some utility companies are very formal in their approach to solar, others are more difficult to navigate and less formal. Reach out to your local solar installer for detailed information about solar programs available to you.

Step 2: Contact a local solar installer near you

Ninan-LG-panels-300x169-1 There are many contractors competing for your business. Make sure to select the contractor that you think will do the best job. Search for a solar installer near you. Here is a quick list of pointers:

Licensed and insured to do this type of work. Virginia required a General Contractor license with an AES Specialty (Alternative Energy System). DPOR defines it like this “Alternative energy system contracting” (Abbr: AES) means that service that provides for the installation, repair or improvement, from the customer’s meter, of alternative energy generation systems, supplemental energy systems and associated equipment annexed to real property. This service does not include the installation of emergency generators powered by fossil fuels. No other classification or specialty service provides this function. This specialty does not provide for electrical, plumbing, gas fitting, or HVAC functions.
Read reviews of the solar installers you’re considering. A solar installer has to be good if many reviews all point towards the same dedication to quality work with attention to detail and a fair price. Read reviews on Yelp, Google, Facebook and other similar websites and platforms.
Ask questions. Every solar installer does things slightly differently. Make sure to ask all your questions to make sure you know what you will get. We have many times people asking us “What else should I ask you” as they don’t know what to ask and never bought solar before. If you deal with an honest solar installer, they will point you in the right direction. I often explain our warranty policy, our standard equipment we use (solar panels, inverters, racking, monitoring, etc) and a detailed overview of the financial benefits. Ipsun Power also has their own crew which means that a solar company that has that has full control over the work performed and the scheduling of the work. This is an important aspect of selecting a solar installer for your project.
Financial Benefits. Most people that go solar do this for financial reasons. If we all wanted to save the planet, then we all would have installed solar by now. Make sure to have a clear view of your financial benefits of having solar installed. We know of solar installers asking prices that in the end make solar more expensive than your current power. Today, we can install a solar system so that the $/kWh is lower or comparable with your current electricity rate. Make sure you have a clear view of your total savings over time.
Get a detailed price and contract. We see many competitors having a loose contract with a price that is not set in stone. Many in the solar energy industry provide a fixed price for a solar installation with change orders in case the project changes.
Compare apples to apples: Make sure you compare solar installers for the same type of solar projects.

Step 3: Choose a way to pay for your solar system (cash, loan etc)

There are many ways to pay for your solar panels.

The simplest is to write a check to your solar installer. Another option is to ask your solar installer for an introduction to one of their loan providers. Usually, a solar installer has partnerships with several loan providers specializing in solar and roof work.

Another option is to go to a bank yourself and ask for a loan. The cheapest way for you to go solar with a financial institution is through a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) as the fees associated with this financing method will always be the lowest.

Step 4: Get it done

Why wait or delay your solar project? You will consume and pay for power to your utility company every month of your life that you don’t act after all!

The price of a solar system has come down a lot, it’s so affordable to switch. You’ll be getting away from a centralized utility company that you pay every month to produce and transport your power to generate your power yourself with solar panels on your own home.

We’ve compiled FAQs that go into even more detail about some things you may want to know about solar.

Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you have about going solar:

Ipsun Solar

info@ipsunsolar.com or via phone at (866) 48 IPSUN

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Mary Weddle

20:07 28 Nov 22

Ipsun Solar installed our solar panels, and it was the right decision for many reasons. It was easy to work with the company - from sales to installation and beyond. We have had the panels for some time now, and yet the Ipsun team continues to monitor them to ensure each is working properly. We receive regular reports of the energy generated, and our electric bills have gone down dramatically! The team members are professional, responsive, and caring. We highly recommend Ipsun for their help in making a good decision about a solid investment with a great return and for their ongoing support.

Allan Needell

21:10 23 Nov 22

Ipson Solar worked with me and a roofing company to coordinate removal of an older obsolete system, roof preparation, and installation of a new system. All went well and on schedule and I am completely satisfied with the result.

Mark H

20:31 14 Dec 22

Ipsun was great to work with setting up my Solar array. Most importantly, they've been great about upkeep an maintenance in the years since I've had it installed. They came out to fix some of the wiring when a critter ate through it and repaired the critter guard too.I just wish I had a bigger roof so I could get more kW.

Mark Elion

16:10 20 Oct 22

I used Ipsun Solar for my system and batteries. It has been a very difficult process with many delays and mistakes. I would recommend choosing another installer. You are stuck with the installer for the life of the system. Make sure you pick a good one.I signed with them in January 2022 and was sold on the idea of an operational system in 4 months. They said because they were in a co-op they could do things quicker and in a more labor friendly way (B corp). It’s been 10+ months and my system has not operated at 100% (didn’t operate at all for 3.5 months after delayed July installation).There have been many delays and mistakes directly attributable to Ipsun. It seems like the company does not communicate with itself (or it’s customers).They will promise amazing costumer service, but they under deliver. They will promise they have access to batteries and there will be no delays, but then there are equipment and labor delays.They will install your system and forget that it doesn’t work leaving you sitting for months asking for a fix. But, one thing they will do is attempt to collect payment for a system that doesn’t work (over and over and over). They will send workers out to do nothing, or to repeat completed tasks (over and over) because they have not been told a previous worker did it.You’d think a manager would have reached out to me by now. Nope.

Kem Clawson

18:04 01 Nov 22

After thinking about adding solar to our home, I finally got serious about it last spring. I contacted 5 firms and had a wide range of experience- not all good. IPSUN emerged as my solid choice. Knowledgeable sales rep, flexible, and not high pressure. I was further pleased by their engineering staff and the final solution. And then a very smooth installation day. Plus, this company is a strong advocate for solar energy and climate action. We are so pleased we selected IPSUN.

Ed Masuoka

17:46 28 Nov 22

Ipsun Solar did an excellent job in every aspect of getting our 48 kilowatt solar panel system from the initial planning through permitting and installation. Their support was great and the system is performing flawlessly.

Travis Kallman

19:36 21 Dec 20

I just wanted to leave a quick review and say that Ipsun has been great to work with. From the very beginning, they were communicative and walked me through every step. Although COVID made everything a bit slower and more difficult, I basically got to sit back and let them take care of everything, which they did. When the time came for the install, the team was very quick, professional, and did a clean job, which looks great. I would not hesitate to recommend Ipsun and I am looking forward to cranking out the kilowatts.

Dawson Wu

03:41 10 Jun 23

Great and professional services, including consultation and installation! Our solar panels launched about a month ago. The Ipsun app provides sufficient information for me to check power production. I truly recommend to go solar with Ipsun Solar!

Marynelle Losin

17:11 02 Apr 23

Ipsun solar was an outstanding company to work with. Every person from start to finish was enthusiastic, expert, easy to contact, very helpful, and truly professional. We would recommend this company eagerly and without hesitation!

David Best

14:27 14 Dec 22

Ipsun Solar is the best Solar provider in Virginia. I have had my system in rfor a little over a year and could not be happier with the results it provides. My average bill is about $7.50 a month during most of the year. The Enphase equipment is excellent and their program provides the ability to follow on-going collection from the panels. I recommend IPSUN to anyone who wants Solar on their home.

Bobby Singh

21:22 10 May 23

Mr. James at ipsun solar was more than fantastic to work with. Friendly, fast, easy processes made working with him and this company an absolute pleasure. 10/10 would recommend him to anyone who is interested in anything solar.

Phil Roth

23:13 20 Jun 23

I work for the manufacturer of a component that Ipsun utilizes in some of their installations. Ipsun has taken full advantage of all of our training materials, courses, design support, tech support and sales support. Ipsun consistently produces flawless installations of our product because their team took the time to learn all of our best practices.Installers get a lot of love from their clients but, speaking as a representative of a company that Ipsun is a client of, they deserve credit for their due diligence from start to finish.I work with solar installers in every part of the country and this team really stands out!

Amy MacNeille

16:44 23 Jun 23

Working with Ipsun Solar on a large residential project in Maryland was amazing. Every step, from planning to completion, was organized and communicated clearly. There were no surprise invoices and they handled all utility permitting for us. Their app shows all real-time functionality of solar panels and they provided all docs needed for the tax incentives come tax time. Install itself was a breeze - just a few days for a very large home. 5 stars!

Alan Worden

20:27 23 Jun 23

Ipsun was FANTASTIC. I have undertaken dozens of construction projects. Ipsun was absolutely top of the list. Every person was great, friendly, smart, and totally professional. They are a great firm. Don't hesitate to use them!

Brian Miller

16:42 20 Jun 23

Of all the companies I talked to about my solar installation, Ipsun was head and shoulders above the rest in terms of clarity, openness, and thoroughness. The install went smoothly and we love being solar-powered!

Peg Butner

19:58 31 Jul 23

Everyone, from the very beginning of discussing the project to the final installation, was wonderful to work with. The people who explained the assessment of our house for solar were very knowledgeable and answered any and all questions. The installers were courteous, also answered our questions, and were very professional in their work. I just can't say enough good things about Ipsun Solar. We were thrilled when we were able to "flip the switch" and use the sun for our power.

Jim Strang

23:50 07 Sep 23

We had a great experience with Ipsun Solar. The goal was to generate all of our power from the solar panels and have whole home backup when the grid went down. I was very particular where the equipment went, batteries, solar panels, and control equipment. They were able install all of the components where they were not visible from the street. The team at Ipsun Solar were very patient answering all of our questions and concerns. The crew worked together and got the installation up and running over a four-day window. Ipsun delivered what they promised! The system has now been operating for eight months. No power bills and whole home backup. We’ve lost our power several times in the past six months and it’s a seamless switchover. They listen to the customer. They have the experience and knowledge to deliver a system that meets the needs of the homeowner. Many Thanks to the Ipsun Solar team.

Robert Miller

16:24 03 Oct 23

On the installation and maintenance side Mike, Abdul, Nelson, and James were fantastic! Installation process went very smooth and they ensured the job was done right. They also helped set up the app to monitor solar production and consumption. A++ on the maintenance side!

Sean Dumont

15:18 04 Oct 23

Everyone I spoke with at Ipsun including the salesperson, technicians, coordinators, electricians, and all the other roles were very professional and helpful. When I had questions they were acknowledged and quickly addressed. I'm happy with the pricing, scheduling was quick and painless, and the array looks great. Thanks again to everyone at the company, I would definitely recommend them if you're interested in solar.

Corey Barber

15:09 17 Oct 23

I was pretty torn about what sort of review to leave for this company because I initially had a very good experience, but after the installation, I have essentially been "ghosted" by the company. I think your experience will probably come down to which representative you happen to get assigned to help shepherd you though the project.The longer story is that the designer that I initially started the consultation with was fantastic. He was very responsive and answered all of the questions that I had, which were a lot because I'm an engineer and like to get into the nitty gritty. After my system was designed, they assigned another person to help keep me updated and ensure my project stayed on track. It took a very long time to get to the installation date, but they did a good job at reaching out and keeping me informed. The installation itself also went very well. It was smooth and I think we only had one slight unforeseen issue which required removing one panel from the original 32 panel design. Not a big deal and they identified it prior to the actual install (during the site survey). Inspection went well and I don't think the inspectors even had to come out to the house... everything was done via plans and photos.After the installation, I was assigned a new representative to lead the project through the PTO phase from Dominion Energy and get my signed up for SREC credits. This is where the troubles began. First of all, it took an extraordinarily long time to get our PTO from Dominion Energy. It took about two months before Dominion even granted a temporary PTO, which allowed us to turn the system on, but did not provide net metering. After that, it was an additional 7 weeks before the final PTO was granted. So, about 4 months in all until we could begin generating AND get reimbursed for excess. While I don't blame IPSun Solar for this (it was purely on Dominion Energy), the new representative did a terrible job at reaching out to us to keep us apprised of the situation. He may have provided one update over that entire time period and was unresponsive to any questions or e-mails that I sent him.After receiving our final PTO, we got (what I assume is probably an automatically generated e-mail) from our designer telling us to expect an e-mail from the SREC broker that they use to set us up in the SREC market. That e-mail never came, so I reached out to our IPSun Solar representative and got... crickets. No response to at least three inquiries. So, we reached out to our designer to see if he could help and did not receive a response. Finally, we reached out to the main office and were told that they would take care of it and to expect an e-mail shortly. Nothing... After months of trying to get IPSun Solar to set us up in the SREC market, we finally gave up and did the registration ourselves. I hope we did it correctly as there is some technical information around metering that we did not have, but we had no alternative.If my experience with this company had stopped at the installation, I would have easily given 5 stars. However, knowing about their lack of responsiveness once the work is completed and how difficult it is to get any support, I definitely worry if we should have any warranty issues. Because of the experience over the past few months, I have to give a rating of 3 stars instead of 5.

Alan Sipress

17:34 28 Oct 23

We were extremely pleased with Ipsun Solar's installation of solar panels on our home. On the front end, the company's representative was very responsive to all our questions, and I never felt like he was trying to oversell us. The team that did the work was punctual, professional and kept us closely updated on the progress of the project. In the months since the panels were installed, they've operated just the way we'd hoped they would. I can recommend Ipsun Solar without any reservations.

Guide to Going Solar:

Resources

Step 1: Learn about solar incentives in Virginia

Step 2: Contact a local solar installer near you

Step 3: Choose a way to pay for your solar system (cash, loan etc)

Step 4: Get it done

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Services

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Resources

Guide to Going Solar:

Resources

Step 1: Learn about solar incentives in Virginia

Step 2: Contact a local solar installer near you

Step 3: Choose a way to pay for your solar system (cash, loan etc)

Step 4: Get it done

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

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