Standardized Solar Electric Systems

Most residential customers don’t need custom systems to generate electricity or hot water. Our pre-packaged systems are built with components that we have selected from the best technologies and values on the market. 

The percentages of electricity produced are based on a “typical” home in PEPCO’s service area, which uses 850 kWhs of electricity per month (10,200 kWhs per year).
 
These systems will return between 8% and 20% on investment (depending on government incentives and final pricing). Smaller systems have smaller ROIs.
 

Standardized Systems

  • Starter solar electric system (1.0 kW)
  • Budget solar electric system (2.28 kW)
  • Mainstream solar electric system (4.5 kW)
  • Option 1: Daytime Protection against Electrical Outages
  • Option 2: Full-time (Battery Back-up) Protection against Electrical Outages

 Starter Solar Electric System

This 1.00.KW system will meet approximately 15% of a typical home’s annual electric needs and let you add panels as your budget allows. Disappointed that your budget “only” allows for a starter system? Here’s another way to look at it.
 
In the DC metro area, this system will generate an average of 1292 kW-hours a year.
 
Over its 30-year lifespan, this system will save 39.9 tons of carbon dioxide – equivalent to removing 7.25 cars from the road. It takes about 1023 new trees to absorb an equivalent amount of CO2 produced by fossil fuels.
 
Contact us for system details, solar panel datasheets, the inverter datasheet, system economics, and pricing information for your home. 
 

Budget Solar Electric System

This 2.28 KW system will meet approximately 30% of a typical home’s annual electric needs.
 
In the DC metro area, this system will generate an average of 2946 kW-hours a year.
 
Over its 30-year lifespan, this system will save 79.8 tons of carbon dioxide – equivalent to removing 14.5 cars from the road. It takes about 2046 new trees to absorb an equivalent amount of CO2 produced by fossil fuels.
 
Contact us for system details, solar panel datasheets, the inverter datasheet, system economics, and pricing information for your home.
  

Mainstream Solar Electric System

This 4.50 KW system will meet approximately 60% of a typical home’s annual electric needs.
           
In the DC metro area, this system will generate an average of 5814 kW-hours a year.
 
Over its 30-year lifespan, this system will save 157.5 tons of carbon dioxide – equivalent to removing almost 29 cars from the road. It takes about 4038 new trees to absorb an equivalent amount of CO2 produced by fossil fuels.
 
Contact us for system details, solar panel datasheets, the inverter datasheet, system economics, and pricing information for your home. 
 

Solar Electric System Options

Option 1: Inexpensive Daytime Protection against Electrical Outages
For about $1000, we can install an electrical sub-panel that will enable your solar system to directly power your house during the daylight hours of an electrical outage. Depending on the generating capacity of your system, this can protect you from the worst effects of a prolonged blackout: losing all the food in your refrigerator and freezer and freezing your house’s pipes. Depending on the size of your system and how you ask us to prioritize circuits in your house, your furnace, heat pump, and air conditioning will also work during daytime hours.
 
Option 2: Full-time (Battery Back-up) Protection against Electrical Outages
If you’ve considered a back-up generator to protect your house from prolonged and widespread electrical outages, here’s a safer, greener, and more dependable option. For about 15% more than the cost of your installed solar system, we can add a battery back-up system that will store enough electricity to keep your house going through the night.
 
During widespread outages, back-up generators that are fueled with gasoline, diesel, or kerosene have limitations, because nearby gas stations without electricity can’t provide you with fuel. And needless to say, storing fuels at your home can be very dangerous. Electrical authorities nationwide agree that electrical outages will become more frequent over the many years that it will take to re-build the electrical grid and make it “smarter.” If your electric company is selling backup generators, what does that tell you?

 

Why Solar?

  • A Great Home Improvement
     

    Solar returns from 87% to
    157% on resale – more than
    any home improvement;
    houses with solar sell
    faster; and the value of a
    solar electric system will
    appreciate as electric
    costs rise. Read more.

     

     
  • A Solid Investment
     

    At a time when safe
    investments pay only
    a few percent, solar
    delivers risk-free, tax-
    free, double-digit
    returns – often paying for
    itself in four to seven
    years. Read more.
     

     
  • Environmental, Economic, & National Security Benefits
     

    Your decision to buy
    renewable has local,
    national, and international
    implications, from
    job creation to asthmatic
    kids to homeland
    security. Read more.
     

     

     

What Does Switch Offer Homeowners?

  • Energy Efficiency Improvements
     

    Energy efficiency
    improvements

    make your home more
    comfortable, your bills lower,
    and your carbon footprint
    smaller. They return $1.30
    for every $1 invested, and
    many are not hard to do
    yourself.
     

     

     

     
  • Solar Electric Power
     

    Solar electricity has
    become much more afford-
    able with government
    incentives, and few things
    are more satisfying than
    seeing your electric meter
    spin backwards. Click on the link above to get an
    idea of the best system for you.
     

     
  • Solar Hot Water
     

    Solar hot water
    doesn’t have the “cool”
    factor of solar
    electricity, but it costs
    far less up front – and
    has a surprisingly
    fast pay-back. Click on the link above to take a look at the possibilities.
     

     
  • Wind Power
     

    Wind power options for
    residences are growing,
    and it works in parts of
    the greater DC area.
    We’ll help you figure out
    if wind can work for you
    and which approach is
    best.
     

     

Breaking News

  • DC & MD Residents:
    Save up to 60%
  • Switch Now Offers Finaincing

Look Who's Switched

  • George Mason High School,
    Fairfax, VA
  • Private Residence,
    Washington, DC
  • The Mount Pleasant Neighborhood,
    Washington, DC
  • Private Residence,
    Washington, DC