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Find the answers to your most common questions about solar energy and the PoweredUp Network program.
Most solar panels will last about 25 to 30 years. Modern solar panels have improved in quality and don’t have any moving parts, which improves their durability. Our systems come with system maintenance and support throughout the term of your agreement as well as a 10-year roof penetration warranty that guarantees weather-tight roof penetration.
The number of solar panels you need depends on your location, your goals, the wattage of the solar panels, the size of your home and the amount of energy you need. If you want to totally replace traditional energy sources, you’ll need more solar panels than if you just want to reduce your energy bill. To determine how many panels you need, the best thing to do is get an estimate from a professional in your area.
Solar panels need to be kept clean and free from any obstructions that prevent them from getting sunlight. You should check for obstructions regularly and clean your solar panels once a year. PoweredUp Network provides the maintenance for our systems, so you don’t have to worry about it.
The battery will back up your essential loads for 5-6 hours, more than sufficient for most outages lasting a few hours. Essential loads refers to your refrigerator, router, key lights and plugs, allowing you to have fresh food, maintain internet connection, charge devices, stream, and email. For extended outages, the battery will recharge by solar generation during daylight hours and you can use the battery while it is recharging. You will be able to enter nighttime with a full charge and begin recharging again the next day. As long as you modify your consumption behavior, you can cycle through recharging and discharging for days and days.
A PPA is an agreement between the customer and the Home Power Program that outlines how much annual usage a system will produce and the kWh rate that the customer will pay for energy usage. Based on discussions with the homeowner, this usage is modeled very closely to the energy used by the home, although it could be modeled at a higher usage threshold if the homeowner plans on buying an EV or upgrading the HVAC system. This agreement also outlines the number of panels that will be installed.
The Home Power Program will bill you monthly for the electric power generated by the solar power system. While you will continue to receive a utility bill from your local utility, it will likely be lower because your system will offset the electricity you previously purchased from the utility. The only electricity you’ll purchase from your utility will be during instances your home doesn’t produce enough electricity for your needs, based on size of the system and your power consumption.
Your utility company will also bill you for your solar power system interconnection fee and for participating in the net metering program; these charges will total approximately $10–$15 per month.
If your system generates more power than your home needs, depending on the setting on your battery, it will export back the excess energy to the grid. Your local utility company may provide you with bill credits for the kWhs you export.
Unfortunately, no. This program supplies a complete solar power and battery storage system to homeowners that do not currently have a solar system. However, we do have options for purchasing an entire system or smart home battery if you prefer.
Unfortunately, no. The program is for homeowners only.
A key differentiator over other solar energy companies is that PoweredUp Network covers the costs of a complete and customized solar power and battery storage system. There is no FICO score required, no financing, and no lien on your property. PoweredUp Network conducts a title search on the property to make sure the titled owner is aware of the upcoming solar and battery installation on their property. All residents of our partner communities are eligible to apply regardless of income or credit score.
A microgrid is a solar system that generates clean power and stores it in a smart energy storage system at your home. Microgrids are also known as “distributed” energy resources (DERs), as compared to the current “centralized” utility grid power system. DERs like microgrids return agency to you over your energy use and access, allowing you to control where your electricity comes from, its price, and your ability to have power when the grid is not functional.
Your microgrid is a part of your community’s ability to establish and enhance resiliency by de-stressing the grid when demand surpasses supply. In simple terms, a microgrid is a key component of the renewable energy transition.
Our experts will perform a 12-month historical review of your power consumption and build a system measured in annual production; the system production matches your usage. All of the seasonal peaks and valleys of your consumption and the solar power system production balance out over the annual period.
The total time it takes to reach system activation is 3-6 months. During this time, the Program manages all elements of the project through the following stages: 1) agreement signed, 2) home survey, 3) permitting, 4) installation, 5) final inspections and permission to operate and 6) system activation.
You only need to be home and allow us to access your property for the site survey, the 1–2 days of installation and the final inspection by the city.
Additional steps for potential roof or service panel upgrades may occur in parallel to this timeline and will be outlined after the site survey. Once your electric utility company authorizes your hookup, your system will be turned on and start powering your home.
Once the solar power and battery storage system is installed, you’ll be able to download our app to help manage your system.
No, the Home Power Program owns the solar panels and the battery system.
If you sell your home, your system will transfer free and clear to the new owner. There won’t be any issues with a new owner qualifying because the program doesn’t require a credit check. The program also doesn’t put a lien on your property, another barrier removed that will allow your system to transfer easily.
If you’re selling in year six or later, you can buy the system based on the depreciation scale in the PPA agreement. You will know exactly what that price is and ask that much more for your home when you sell it so you can recoup the cost.
If you use more power than the system provides, you’ll buy it from your electric utility company. You are not penalized for buying any additional power from your utility. There will be a true-up at the end of each year for any extra power you purchased at market rates from your local utility company.
Yes – installing a home solar system is worth it for most homeowners. Over the lifespan of your system, you could see thousands of dollars in savings. With a program like the PoweredUp Network, which has no up-front cost and an easy installation process, solar becomes even more worth it.
The cost of solar panels can vary depending on the model, brand and your geographic area. You also need to add in the cost of installation, labor and other parts that a system needs. So, while an individual solar panel costs about $200 to $300, the total cost to install that panel can run from $1000 to $1200. While many solar companies offer financing, it’s smart to find a program like PoweredUp Network, which provides not only solar panels but a smart home battery at no up-front cost to you.
Solar batteries can significantly increase the cost of your system. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates the total cost of a solar battery at almost $19,000, including installation. Yet solar batteries can help you reduce your reliance on the electric grid more than solar panels alone. That’s why our program offers a complete solar panel and smart home battery system at no up-front cost.
There is no cost for the system, including the solar panels and battery, inverter, installation and maintenance. Customers only pay for the power produced by the system over the term of the agreement.
The kWh cost a customer would pay to the program (instead of to your electricity company) is 24 cents per kWh for the first year of the agreement. This is considerably lower than a consumer’s average kWh price they pay to the utility.
The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is for 25 years and the price of the energy the system generates is guaranteed, so there are no unexpected rate increases. The rate increases at 2.9% per year. For comparison, it is conservatively estimated (based on historical data) that consumers in the SCE and PG&E markets will experience a rate increase of 5-6% or more annually.
