Part 7 on the California Solar Consumer Protection Guide
The moment that your solar panels are installed, they are technically ready to start producing electricity for your home or business. Unfortunately, we live in a bureaucratic world and there is also an obvious need for guaranteeing safety. Therefore, although Solaron installs your panels efficiently and safely, in accord with SunPower recommendations, industry standards and local regulations, it is still necessary for your utility company to do their own inspection of our work, along with any municipal inspections, before your solar system is activated.
How Long Does It Usually Take?
From the moment you sign a contract with Solaron to install solar panels, your project has a spot in our lineup of promised installations. The time from signing to installation varies, based on demand at that moment. Demand for solar panels nationwide was high at the end of 2019, chiefly due to the upcoming expiration of the 30% IRS tax deduction for photovoltaic installations. Since 2020 still offers a large 26% IRS deduction, Solaron expects requests for solar arrays to be vigorous in Sacramento throughout that year, but likely peaking as we move towards the fall season. That’s because the tax deduction drops once again for 2021.
Once your solar panel installation is complete, a building inspector from the local municipal authority must visit and approve the work. Afterwards, your utility company also completes an inspection and insures that all is done to their satisfaction. Obviously, Solaron does not have control over these entities, but we do our best to expedite their site visits. The average time for this part of the process to be completed is two to three weeks.
After all the approvals are received, your solar panels are “turned on” by Solaron and the system starts to send electricity into your home and excess wattage to your utility company grid. At this moment, you become a solar energy producer. Congratulations will be in order!