HOW TO

Design your system:

1. Clarify Your Goals

Lower electric bills and hedge against rising utility rates
Keep the lights on during outages with battery backup
Go fully off‑grid where grid power is costly or unavailable

2. Understand Your Energy Use

Grab a recent utility bill or list your key appliances.
Note your average daily kWh usage.
Come up with an idea of how long you want your battery to last and what you want to back up.

3. Evaluate Your Site

Roof or ground space: Measure usable square footage and roof pitch.
Sun exposure: Check for shade from trees, chimneys, or nearby buildings.

4. Choose Your System Architecture

Grid‑Tied Solar System – Maximize savings by offsetting your bill and exporting excess power.
Hybrid Solar System– Enjoy bill savings and solar battery backup during outages.
Off‑Grid Solar System – Achieve total independence where utility power is impractical.

5. Check Incentives & Financing

State and utility rebates—search by ZIP to see what’s available locally.

6. Design Your System

Match panels, inverters, batteries, and balance‑of‑system hardware.
Compute a detailed bill of materials.