Long Island Solar: How to Determine If PV Is Right for Your Home

Check for orientation and shading.

For a solar PV system to provide maximum electricity output, it should be oriented south, though it can still produce high yields at up to 30 degrees east or west of south. If you have very little or no south facing roof, your home may not be suitable for solar.

Additionally, trees or other structures that shade your south-facing roof may decrease your solar PV system’s productivity. You may need to remove trees to create an ideal space for solar.

Investigate solar incentives.

There are a number of solar incentives available from the federal government, local governments, and/or utilities that will make your PV installation more affordable. DSIRE Solar is a database of solar incentives available by state and region. For example, it lists the PV Rebate Program from LIPA (Long Island Power Authority), which awards a certain amount of money per watt, depending on the application.

Calculate your payback period.

For your investment to be worthwhile, your electricity bills should be significant.

The payback period tells you how long it will take for the PV system to pay for itself. This means the energy savings will eventually pay back the upfront cost of the system.
To calculate this, simply take the estimated upfront cost of the system (minus and tax rebates or incentives). Then, calculate your annual electricity costs from your electricity bill. Divide the cost of the system by the annual electricity costs. That number is the payback period in years.

If the payback period exceeds the amount of time you plan to stay in the home, it may not be a worthwhile investment.

While it will benefit the environment to add solar to your home, a very low electricity bill due to conservation and energy efficiency will take an extremely long time to pay for itself, and could even outlive your stay in the house. For example, my parents figured out that because their electricity costs are so low (about $100 per month), adding solar to their home would take over 15 years to pay for itself - which is much longer than they anticipate staying in the house. Now that solar prices have decreased, that timeframe would be smaller, and might make more sense.

Of course, you must also consider the amount of value that solar will add to your home. If you think the system will exceed your stay, but only by a few years, then it might still be a break even or net positive investment.


If LIPA is your local utility, you might be able to lease solar on your roof. This will eliminate your upfront costs and allow you to pay for the PV system like you would a car.

Have a solar contractor evaluate your home for free.

You might be wondering - but how do I calculate the upfront cost of the PV system? There are free calculators available online that will give you a rough estimate. However, the best thing to do is call a solar contractor for a consultation.

Most solar contractors will give you a free solar consultation. This means that they will come to your home, assess your roof for solar, and give you an estimate of how much the system will cost (with available tax incentives). If you provide your utility bills, the contractor can tell you how long your payback period is, or how long it will take for the investment to pay for itself.

The Long Island Green Guide has a list of solar contractors who serve Long Island and their phone numbers, so you can call one to make an appointment.