Group discounts for solar power?

Group discounts for solar power, offered through companies like One Block Off the Grid, are an especially smart move for a number of reasons.  First, the cost of solar panels is often off-putting to homeowners.  Second, the idea that other people in your neighborhood or region also are installing solar panels may give you an idea of community, or belonging, especially where some people still regard solar power as a “fringe” idea.

Dave Llorens, founder of 1BOG, comments:

“The idea was to put this online and deliver it to thousands of people at a time.  No one wants to have a salesman in their living room, they just want the numbers.”

In order to obtain group discounts for solar power for its potential customers, One Block Off the Grid screens solar contractors in regions that already offer solar subsidies.  The company then works with approved contractors to get them to offer a percentage discount when and if 1BOG brings a large enough group of customers.  If a deal is reached, it is offered on the One Block Off the Grid website.  The only “catch” is that the estimated number of people must agree to buy the panels in order to get the deal.  Usually, people looking to buy solar panels can realize a discount of about 15% in addition to a $500 rebate.

The cost of solar panels is usually much less using group discounts.  Mr. Llorens states that 1BOG only offers deals with a return on investment (ROI)  of 10 years or less.

Grape Solar CEO Ocean Yuan

A few weeks ago, we told you about how you could buy Grape Solar solar panels at the major warehouse company, Costco.

Now, this Oregon-based company is taking its product to a wider range of homeowners who want to go solar.

Residential solar panels from Grape Solar are available online at Amazon.com.  The ease of ordering these solar panel kits is matched only by the convenience of doing so.

Grape Solar panels are high-powered and reliable.  The kits at Amazon.com all include photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, racking system and inverter.  They are designed to be a grid-tied system.

Nine different sizes of solar panel arrays for homeowners are available at Amazon, ranging in price from $549 to $19,999.

The cost of solar panels is not the only consideration, however.  Consumers are encouraged to talk to a professional solar contractor to get an idea of how many solar panels to install on their home, and also to hire installation experience.  Not only can you save hassle and potential frustration, but a professional can help you maximize solar electricity output from your solar panel system.