Here is an example equation of what you could expect in electricity production each month of the year from a 4 KW PV solar system in Rochester, NY.

Please assume that there are no problems with shade hitting the solar panels, and that the system is angled ideally towards the sunlight.

The numbers below explain the monthly kwh production, the dollar value of the electricity the system would produce, and a few other solar facts.

Energy and Dollar Value Output Details from PV Solar in Rochester:

These numbers as you can see are not considerable, you won’t be saving tens of thousands of dollars right away, but if you factor in a bit of a larger system, or the very good possibility that your actual electric bill is much higher in cost per kwh, then this system might make sense to you.  Some of the difficult factors in this particular location for solar energy is the relatively low amount of daylight hours on average.  The equation would be entirely different if there were lets say 5.5 sunlight hours per day.  That way the solar panels could operate and produce electricity in Rochester, NY for about 20% more time each day.  If though, the state and federal tax credits are something that you could take advantage of, you might want to talk with one of your local installers to see if they can come up with some creative solar panel financing options for you.

A list of the average amount of sunlight you can expect for two different types of solar panel installations in the state of New York.  The first set of numbers if for a solar panel that is fixed in position and tilted towards the sun with the same angle for the tilt as is the lattitude of the location.  The second sunlight hour data is going to explain the number of direct sunlight hours if the solar panel is rotating on one axis throughout the day.  Sunlight is the most important part of any solar photovoltaic installation, so its a great idea to pay attention to these numbers.

New York Cities:

• Albany

• • with a fixed solar panel you can expect to receive 4.3 hours of sunlight per day in Albany, NY
  • with a rotating axis solar panel, you can expect to have 5.4 average hours of sunlight per day
• Binghampton
  • with a fixed solar panel you can expect to receive 4.1 hours of sunlight per day in Binghampton, NY
  • with a rotating axis solar panel you can expect to have 5.1 hours of sunlight per day
• Buffalo
  • with a fixed solar panel you can expect to receive 4.1 hours per day in Buffalo, NY
  • with a rotating solar panel, you will see 5.2 hours per day of sunlight in Buffalo
• Hamburg
  • with a fixed solar panel you can expect to receive 4.3 hours of sunlight in Hamburg, NY
  • with a rotating solar panel, you can expect to have 5.5 hours of sunlight in Hamburg, NY
• White Plains
  • with a fixed solar panel you can expect to receive 4.3 hours per day
  • with a rotating solar panel, you will see 5.2 hours per day of sunlight
• Troy
  • with a fixed solar panel you can expect to receive 4.3 hours per day
  • with a rotating solar panel, you will see 5.4 hours per day of sunlight
• Syracuse
  • with a fixed solar panel you can expect to receive 4.2 hours of sunlight in Syracuse, NY
  • with a rotating solar panel, you will have 5.3 hours of sunlight in Syracuse

Without sunlight, solar panels that are meant to produce electricity can not operate at full efficiency.  It is very important that solar panels are placed in an area that receives as much sun as possible.  You want to minimize or even eliminate all shade that might cause the hours of sunlight to decrease near your panels too.  All of this data has been compiled from the NREL website on solar radiation.

UPDATE: NY Renewable Energy Loan Program

The state of New York is now offering several variations of loans for homes who start a renewable energy project.  There are several different types of technologies that are eligible for the loan that is being offered.  As for solar power, the types of solar that can obtain the loans are:

1. Solar Hot Water Heaters
2. Solar Space Heaters

NY Solar Loan Dollar Amounts:

The minimum loan available through this program is $1,500 and that is only allowed for income qualified people

The rest of the loans must be between $3,000 and $13,000.  The loan may fund the project completely.  Details regarding the repayment of the loan and the actual solar loan terms are based on the length of time selected for repayment.  The general idea is that the loans can take on a 3.50% to 4% interest rate which is very low.

Suggestions:

If you are looking to take part in this green energy loan program in New York state, you should definitely look into the solar hot water technology.  This type of solar will give you the most bang for your buck, and will pay for itself well inside of 5 years.  Also, the typical costs for a solar hot water heater are just a few thousand dollars and sometimes even less than $2,000.

The State of New York has been promoting several Solar Panel Rebate Programs to residents and commercial businesses for several years.  Many of the incentives are only eligible to the end user if they hire a solar professional or “solar installer” who is North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) certified.

Here is a list of NABCEP certified solar installers in the state of New York:

• Jeff Wolfe

  GroSolar
  12 Petra Lane
  Albany, NY 12205
  Phone: 802-280-3097 800-374-4494

• Carter Wilding-White

  Alteris
  120 Broadway
  Albany, NY 12204
  Phone: 518-512-5154

• Jason Weingast

  Active Energies Solar, LLC
  1899 Greenville Turnpike
  Port Jervis, NY 12771
  Phone: 970-306-4233

• Art Weaver

  Renovus Energy, Inc.
  102 Cherry Street
  Ithaca, NY 14850
  Phone: 607-277-1777

• Chris Watrous

  Upstate Energy Solutions
  4316 State Route 414
  Burdett, NY 14817
  Phone: 607-229-4178

• David Verner

  Adirondack Solar
  125 Wolf Road
  Albany, NY 12205
  Phone: 866-452-7652

• Curt Snyder

  Crest Solar Power Solutions
  160 Brinton Road
  Keeseville, NY 12944
  Phone: 518-578-1487

• Wayne Skolnick

  Accord Electric, LLC.
  PO Box 44
  Schuyler Falls, NY 12985
  Phone: 518-314-6336

• William Silva

  United Renewable Energy
  3840 East Robinson Rd, Suite 202
  Amherst, NY 14228
  Phone: 315-489-2290

• Jonathan Sharp

  Monolith Solar Associates, LLC
  15 Kings Court
  Nanuet, NY 10954
  Phone: 518-779-9091

• David Schieren

  EmPower CES, LLC
  233-B Long Beach Road
  Island Park, NY 11558
  Phone: 516-837-3459

• Gregory Sachs

  EmPower CES, LLC
  233-B Long Beach Road
  Island Park, NY 11558
  Phone: 516-837-3459

• Jason Ross

  Ross Solar Group, LLC
  72 Grays Bridge Road, Suite C1
  Brookfield, CT 6804
  Phone: 203-512-4500

• Kevin Rose

  Alteris RPS, LLC
  120 Broadway
  Menands, NY 12204
  Phone: 518-512-5154

• Nathan Rizzo

  Solar Liberty Energy Systems, Inc.
  6225 Sheridan Drive, Suite 102
  Buffalo, NY 14221
  Phone: 716-634-3780

• Anthony Pereira

  AltPower Inc.
  125 Maiden Lane Suite 307
  New York, NY 10038
  Phone: 212-206-0022

• Gary Minnick

  Go Solar, Inc.
  272 Main Road
  Riverhead, NY 11901
  Phone: 631-727-2224

• James McKee

  Helios Solar USA, Inc.
  PO Box 4425
  Danbury, CT 6813
  Phone: 203-948-5698

• Carlo Madonia

  CVM Electric, Inc.
  220 Dingens Street
  Buffalo, NY 14206
  Phone: 716-824-2200

• James MacDonald

  Solar Energy Systems, LLC
  1205 Manhattan Avenue, Suite 1210
  Brooklyn, NY 11222
  Phone: 718-389-1545

• John Lorino

  All Around The House
  PO Box 629
  Glen Wild, NY 12378
  Phone: 845-434-0212

• Roger Ley

  ETM Solar Works
  300 North Street
  Endicott, NY 13760
  Phone: 607-785-6499

• Jonathan Lane

  Quad State Solar, Inc.
  22 Devonshire Court
  Plainview, NY 11803
  Phone: 516-935-3273

• Melissa Kemp

  Halco Renewable Energy
  865 County Road 6
  Phelps, NY 14532
  Phone: 315-946-6200

• Richard Ivins

  Pfister Energy, Inc
  80 East Fifth Street
  Paterson, NJ 7524
  Phone: 973-653-9880

• Jeff Irish

  Hudson Valley Clean Energy, Inc.
  13 Hook Road
  Rhinebeck, NY 12572

• Bret Heilig

  OnForce Solar
  31 Union Square West, Suite 6C
  New York, NY 10003
  Phone: 800-786-4028

**This list may not be complete, and may not also be up to date.  At the time of publishing it contained most of the NABCEP certified New York State solar installers.  These are the solar installers who have completed a course and have been trained in the proper techniques of installer solar panel systems.

New York Solar Energy Tax Incentives:

-State Sales Tax Exempt

-Local Sales Tax Exempt

-Also for solar water and solar heating, not just photovoltaic solar

Solar Hot Water Grants and Loan Programs for New York:

-Maximum of $20,000 low interest loan for solar hot water heaters for residents of NY

-Also this loan is available to New York residents who install Geo Thermal heat pumps

Solar Photovoltaic  Panel Incentive Program in New York:

-this program is a first come first served type of incentive.  Applications for this incentive must be submitted and approved.  Each month there is $2 million dollars allocated to the budget for the NY solar incentive program, and once it is used up, applications are no longer accepted.  The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority is the actually governing board of this state level incentive.

-Maximum residential home solar panel incentive is: $12,250

-The rebate may not be more than 40 percent of costs to the homeowner after all other tax credits

-The approximate amount of the solar panel incentive is $1.75/DC watt.  This amount can be lowered if it is determined that there is a potential production loss and efficiency loss of the solar panel system.  More efficient systems will receive a higher incentive.  Also, shading and other factors may also lower the incentive amount of the system.

Requirements to receive the solar panel incentive:

• solar panels must be new and in good working order
• the solar system must come with at least a five year warranty
• there must be a way to monitor the output of the system
• a NY state approved solar contractor must install the system
• the solar electric system must be grid connected
• all local and state and federal building codes must be met and approved

more information on this program can be found at the NY State rebate program website