Frequently Asked

Your Questions, Answered

Got Questions? Check out the FAQs below!

What happens when I buy a property in Vermont that already has solar?

First, congratulations on purchasing a solar-powered home! Transferring warranties and registrations is a simple process for the new solar homeowner—there are just three steps you need to take within 30 days of the property purchase

Set up your new electric account

Fill out a form with the manufacturer to transfer the product warranty

Fill out a form with the state of Vermont to transfer the registration

Can I get paid for my solar production?

While you won’t receive a check for your solar production, you will earn solar credits that are applied to your electric bill. So, instead of writing a check to pay for your electric bill, your solar credits do that for you! The process is called net-metering and the amount of solar power created by your solar panels is accounted for in credits. In Vermont, the credits are available for 12 months and will expire if not used.

What is net-metering?

It’s a dream come true… or as we like to call it, “a piggy bank for solar production.” A basic definition for net-metering is that it’s a set of rules, defined by each state, that regulates how individuals connect their solar, wind, or power systems to the electrical grid. With net-metering, customers can offset the cost of their electricity bill with the surplus energy the’ve produced from their own system and sent to the grid.

When Green Mountain Solar installs your solar system, you will also receive a new electric meter. This new meter will keep track of the kilowatt-hours of electricity that your solar is producing. This is where net-metering kicks in. Net-metering keeps track of your excess solar energy flowing to the power grid. Your utility meter will essentially “spin” backwards and the utility company will credit your account.

How long do net-metering credits last?

The utility company will effectively bank the power you produce in excess of your consumption. That excess power is turned into credits. In Vermont, these credits are valid for 12 months. A well-sized system is important to be sure that you are not carrying over excess credits from year to year.

When Green Mountain Solar comes to your site evaluate your energy needs, we size your solar system to produce enough power to cover your annual electric consumption. This will mean that on a net basis, your production and consumption will even out over the course of the year.

I have more than one electric bill. Can solar take care of more than one bill?

Solar credits can apply to more than one electric account. In Vermont, group net-metering offers the opportunity to apply the credits earned with your solar to more than one account. The other account(s) just need to be with the same utility company. The properties don’t need to be in the same place where the solar is installed. You can choose what percentage of energy is allocated across each of the accounts and notify the utility by submitting a simple form. The percentage allocations can be adjusted up to four times a year.

Will my solar work when there is a power outage?

The simple answer is no, not unless you get a battery. Because your solar is tied to the grid through net-metering, when the grid goes down, your solar goes down, too. The industry has developed a safety feature called Rapid Shutdown, which is required for all residential solar installations. This feature ensures that when the utility power goes down your solar power will also shut down within milliseconds to protect line workers as they repair the downed lines.

What is a battery backup?

Pairing solar and battery backup is an excellent solution as not only will you have seamless backup power during outages, but you’ll be able to ‘top up’ your battery charge with the power of the sun, so your battery becomes more useful, for longer.

A battery powers your home with solar energy that is stored in the battery, so you can keep essentials, like a well pump, refrigerator, chest freezer, and your furnace, running during electrical outages. You can even use the battery at night to run your essentials off solar and save even more on your electric bill.

Can I heat my home with solar power?

Yes, but you need to have an electric heat system. Solar is transformed into electricity, which powers all the electrical appliances in your home. This can include electric heating systems, like cold-climate heat pumps (also called ductless mini-splits). If you currently heat your home with heating oil or propane, you can switch to an efficient, electric cold-climate heat pump to save on your heating bill. Pairing solar electricity with an electric heat pump is a great way to eliminate your fuel bill as well as reduce your electric bill. It’s a winning combination for savings.

I don’t see a lot of sun in New England, does solar make sense here?

Good news! Solar panels produce some energy even when the sky is overcast. For example, Vermont receives an average of 4.13 sun-hours per day—this is very similar to the daily average in Germany, which is a front-runner in total solar installations worldwide. This is also where the magic of net-metering comes into play. Net-metering allows a customer to produce excess energy in the summer and draw on their net-metering balance during the winter months when production is lower. Thus, you can rely on solar to power your home and reduce your electric bill year-round—even if you live in New England.

What happens to my solar production when it snows? Do I need to clear snow off the panels?

When Green Mountain Solar designs your solar system, we consider the type of roof you have, which direction your house faces, and the weather history for your area—including annual snow accumulation.

If you have a steep roof and your panels are covered in snow, the snow will stay on the panels until the next sunny day. As soon as light penetrates through the snow, hitting the solar, electrons begin to flow and warm the surface of each panel. In a short amount of time, about an hour or two, the bottom layer of snow will melt, and the snow will slide off your panels, much like it does on a metal roof. If temperatures remain low, in the single digits, and the weather is cloudy for an extended period, snow may remain on the panels. To read more about snow on panels, check out our blog post, here.

I’m thinking about getting solar and I’m putting a new roof on my house. What is the best roof for solar?

Although we can install solar panels on many different roof materials, we have the answer for the best candidate for solar panel: a metal roof with standing seams. Standing seam doesn’t require roof penetration and our installers clip the roof attachment directly onto the seam. Installation is generally quicker, and we don’t have to drill holes in your roof. We also install solar panels on asphalt shingle and corrugated metal roofs.

Wait…you need to drill holes into my roof to install solar panels?

If you have an asphalt shingle or corrugated metal roof, we need to install roof attachments that connect to your rafters. This means we need to drill holes through your roof to your rafters. To do this, our crew measures the rafter spacing before drilling any holes, so we hit the rafters on center every time. It’s the attention to detail and meticulousness of our installers that sets us apart.

How about solar shingles? Are they as good as solar panels?

I’m thinking about getting an electric car…and solar. How many solar panels do I need to power my electric vehicle?