Buffalo Scoop
West Senca Chamber Ad

Winter solar installation makes sense … and saves dollars

Jan 18, 2017 | In the News

Western New York may be known for its long, cold winters, but that shouldn’t keep you from considering the installation of solar panels to provide energy for your home. In fact, winter is the perfect time to be thinking about both solar and savings for a multitude of reasons!

While major home improvement projects outside the home are typically held off until the arrival of the warmer months, that should not be the case with solar because you want your system functioning at full capacity as soon as possible. Homeowners who install in the winter can still take advantage of sunny days, and will experience the added benefit of having their system working at full capacity when the sunnier months arrive, proving a head start on energy savings.

“As soon as your system is installed, it becomes functional and you will immediately begin saving money because you are producing energy,” said Tyler Uebelhoer, who owns Buffalo Solar Solutions Inc. along with his wife Alicia. “And when you produce more energy than you use — a process called ‘net metering’ — that additional energy is credited back to your account. Then next winter, when it’s cloudy and snowy again, that credit comes back to you. That’s why it’s important to get started as early as possible — even if it means installing in the winter months — so that you’re running at full capacity and earning energy credits for future periods when the weather isn’t cooperating.”

“Net metering is kind of like the rollover minutes plan you had on your old cellphone,” added Alicia. “If you didn’t use all of your minutes, the extra minutes rolled over to the following month. Well, it’s the same premise with solar energy. If you create more energy than you’re using, those credits are returned to you during times when the system is not working at full capacity.

“Additionally, solar installers typically have more time to install during the colder months, before the spring and summer rush for home improvements. Prices also tend to drop during the winter months because equipment and materials are more plentiful.”

Multiple federal, state and NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research & Development) incentives are also readily available right now, making it the perfect season to consider solar, according to the Uebelhoers. 

“As long as the winter conditions are safe, we can install,” said Tyler. “We take additional precautions, of course, to ensure the safety of our workers at the installation site.”

To watch a video of a successful winter installation recently completed in Western New York by Buffalo Solar Solutions, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OalGdRabkg. And for more information on Buffalo Solar Solutions, located at 1212 Abbott Road, Suite A, please visit www.buffalosolarsolutions.com, call 800-7775 or follow the company on Facebook for frequent updates.

West Senca Chamber Ad