Can my HOA keep me from installing solar or wind on my property?
No.
As of 2005 NRS 111.239 forbids a home owners association from restricting a home owner of installing a solar or wind installation.
Prohibition or restriction on use of system for obtaining solar or wind energy on property.
1. Any covenant, restriction or condition contained in a deed, contract or other legal instrument which affects the transfer, sale or any other interest in real property that prohibits or unreasonably restricts the owner of the property from using a system for obtaining solar or wind energy on his property is void and unenforceable.
2. For the purposes of this section, “unreasonably restricts the use of a system for obtaining solar or wind energy” means placing a restriction or requirement on the use of such a system which significantly decreases the efficiency or performance of the system and does not allow for the use of an alternative system at a comparable cost and with comparable efficiency and performance. NRS 111.239
How much will it cost?
Because each system is custom designed for each installation the cost will vary greatly from system to system. There are a multitude of variables such as individual electrical usage, architecture, exposure to sun, shadowing by trees and other structures and how much of your bill you would like to offset. Our sales staff will take you through the process of getting all the rebates and credits that you are eligible for which will greatly reduce that cost.
How long will the system last?
There are two main components in a solar electric system. The modules (the panels that harness the sun) and the inverter (the equipment that converts the DC electricity produced by the modules in to AC electricity that we all use). Most of the modules are engineered to last for 40 years and are warrantied for 25 years. The inverters are engineered for 30+ years of service and warrantied for 10 to 15 years depending on the manufacture. A "grid tie" system is very reliable if installed correctly and will generally far outlast it's payoff period of 8 to 15 years.
Will the power company buy back extra power?
No. All you can do is save up credits for your high use/low production times. A well designed system will produce the same or just slightly more than your average monthly usage over a 12 month period.
Will I have power when the grid (power co.) power goes out?
Yes and no.
A standard grid tie system shuts down when the inverter does not detect grid power. This is a safety measure to protect power co. employees from being shocked by your system back feeding on to the grid.
Because Aspen Electric is licensed to do all electrical work we can either design a bimodel system that stores back up electricity in batteries or supplement a grid tie system with a transfer switch and back up generator. This generator can be manually activated or completely automatic.
