{"id":33361,"date":"2018-12-04T14:17:25","date_gmt":"2018-12-04T19:17:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/?page_id=33361"},"modified":"2024-01-08T10:54:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T15:54:09","slug":"considering-solar","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/member-services\/considering-solar\/","title":{"rendered":"Considering Solar?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-36140 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/GEC-Energy-Rates-vs-Solar-Cost-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/GEC-Energy-Rates-vs-Solar-Cost-1.jpg 940w, https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/GEC-Energy-Rates-vs-Solar-Cost-1-800x596.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Glades Electric Cooperative wants to ensure your expectations are met if you choose to install a rooftop solar system. We cannot recommend a solar contractor, but we are here to help you navigate the process as your trusted power provider. Consider the information below as you research rooftop solar.<\/p>\n<p>To help you determine if solar is a good choice for you, check out our rooftop solar resources:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>GEC&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/rooftop-solar-assessment-tool\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rooftop Solar Calculator Tool<\/a><\/li>\n<li>GEC&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Is-Solar-Power-Right-for-Your-Home.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Is Solar Power Right for Your Home?<\/a><\/li>\n<li>GEC&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Net-Metering-Guide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Department of Energy&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/eere\/solar\/homeowners-guide-going-solar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Homeowner&#8217;s Guide to Going Solar<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Still have questions? Contact <a href=\"mailto:solar@gladeselectric.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">solar@gladeselectric.com<\/a> or call us at 863-946-6200.<\/p>\n<h2>Hiring a Solar Contractor<\/h2>\n<p>As with any major home improvement, it is essential to choose the right installer or contractor. Making a sound choice will help you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Get the best system for a fair price.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure that the solar system is installed correctly.<\/li>\n<li>Meet all of your expectations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Questions to ask when considering a contractor:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the company or contractor\u2019s background and qualifications?<\/strong><br \/>\nHow much experience does the company have?<br \/>\nDoes the installer have any references available?<br \/>\nIs the installer licensed and insured?<br \/>\nDoes the installer have any certifications?<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is offered with the installation at your home?<\/strong><br \/>\nWhat system will be installed? What is the brand name? What is the price?<br \/>\nWhat warranty is available?<br \/>\nWhat is the payback period? (How long before the cost of installation is recouped?)<br \/>\nWhat preparation is necessary?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are you being offered a bid or a contract?<\/strong><br \/>\nIs this an estimate or a fixed price?<br \/>\nDoes the price include materials and labor?<br \/>\nWhat is the scope of the project?<br \/>\nWhat is the timeline for project completion?<\/p>\n<p><strong>What payment options are available?<\/strong><br \/>\nIs a down payment required?<br \/>\nIs a payment schedule an option?<br \/>\nIs financing a possibility?<\/p>\n<p>Be prepared and ask questions before installing solar. There are many factors to consider, so please contact our Engineering Department at (863) 946-6200 BEFORE you sign an agreement with a solar contractor.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\" style=\"max-width:100%;\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-32860 alignright\" style=\"font-size: 14.4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/GLADES_Solar_Vert-800x464.jpg\" alt=\"Logo: Cooperative Solar - A Glades Electric Solar Project\" width=\"419\" height=\"243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/GLADES_Solar_Vert-800x464.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/GLADES_Solar_Vert-1600x927.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>GEC partners with Seminole Electric Cooperative, our wholesale power provider, to help our members benefit from solar energy without the headaches of installing and maintaining solar panels themselves. Located in Hardee County, Florida, Seminole\u2019s solar facility features more than 8,000 single-axis tracking solar photovoltaic (PV) panels which rotate to follow the movement of the sun throughout the day. \u00a0The facility can produce a total output of 2.2 megawatts, which has been allocated to Seminole\u2019s nine member cooperatives, including Glades Electric Cooperative.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/apps.seminole.coop\/db\/cs\/?coop=gec\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Click here to Monitor Electricity Production at the Solar Facility<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Glades Electric Cooperative wants to ensure your expectations are met if you choose to install a rooftop solar system. We cannot recommend a solar contractor, but we are here to help you navigate the process as your trusted power provider. Consider the information below as you research rooftop solar. To help you determine if solar [&#8230;]\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":32157,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33361"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33361"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36142,"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33361\/revisions\/36142"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/32157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gladeselectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}