The Short Answer – YES!
Solar works very well here in the Northwest. Even taking into account our cloudy weather throughout much of the year, solar is our most abundant renewable energy resource. In fact, the Portland/Vancouver area receives as much annual solar energy as the national average.
Not Convinced Yet?
Here’s more proof. Ever heard of Net Metering? Net Metering is what happens when your solar panels are generating more electricity than what your home or business is consuming. Where does that excess electricity go? When your solar panels generate more electricity than you need, that excess electricity has to go somewhere. It goes to your power company. Your power company will ‘bank’ that excess electricity for you until you need it.
*Germany has more solar installations going up per capita than any other country in the world and its capital, Berlin, receives less sunlight than even Astoria, OR.
Peak Sunlight Comparison
Compare our peak sunlight hours per day to other cities.
In the States
Elsewhere
Is Solar Energy Effective at Night or During Cooler Fall and Winter Seasons?
The answer is YES. When your system produces more energy than your household needs, that electricity gets fed back into the grid through net metering. This energy will be put back into your system on darker winter days, or at night, when your system is producing less energy. Net metering makes it possible to have a solar system without a battery, further reducing the cost of solar! Explore net metering for both Oregon and Washington.
Is Your Home or Business a Good Candidate for Solar?
Here’s a simple checklist you can use to find out.
Do you have significant roof space that faces South, Southeast, Southwest, West or East?
Shading will affect the production of your system. Do you have trees that shade the roof? See if you have any active moss growing on the shingles of your roof. Moss = Shade. If the moss appears old and inactive, it may be from a tree(s) that have since been removed.
Before putting solar on your roof, we’d like to see that the roof has at least 10 years of remaining useful life.