The Tobacco Road and Research Triangle areas of North Carolina have a decent number of solar homes that sell power back into the grid—about 60--but down in the city of Charlotte there are only one-fourth that number: A mere 15 homes so far. That could change as North Carolina power companies rush to boost the amount of electricity they generate from solar energy by the end of the year, per state law.

The upcoming Charlotte Clean and Green Event will feature several solar workshops. A story from WFAE radio cites several barriers Charlotte residents perceive when thinking about solar power: Cost of installation and complexity of process. But don’t rely on what some folks perceive; check out energy efficiency improvements and solar for yourself.

If you want to save on energy bills, first contact DASolar for an energy audit to identify easy savings. If you’re curious about solar power, our local Charlotte solar contractors can give your home or business a free solar evaluation to see what makes sense for your site. Maybe it’s solar hot water (a.k.a. solar thermal) or maybe it’s solar electric (a.k.a. solar photovoltaic panels). In any case, our local contractors can help you compare options and guide you through the process to apply for state and federal solar rebates.

Remember, those state and federal solar rebates can cover about 50 percent of your costs. The various solar options have a range of price points; for example, solar hot water is less expensive to install and has a short return on investment. Explore your energy options: Sign up for your free solar evaluation--the first step if you're thinking about solar panel installation--at DASolar.com today!

(Photo from chascow's photostream)