I was approached by a company offering to install a 7.47 kW grid-tied solar array consisting of 18 Maxeon panels for $34,000. After rebates and incentives, I would end up paying $24,000. I'm curious if this price is reasonable or if I could find a similar system for less. Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
Yikes, that price is high! In South Africa, you could get a 10 kW hybrid inverter for about $1,500 USD and panels for $100 each—way cheaper than what you're looking at. Even accounting for some price differences, $34,000 seems outrageous, even with rebates.
If you break down the total price divided by system size, you're paying around $4.55 per watt, which is above the reasonable range of about $3 per watt. I’d recommend getting at least three other quotes to compare, and maybe look at websites like EnergySage for more options—just be careful of door-to-door sales!
Thanks for that breakdown! I'll definitely follow up with more quotes. I tried posting in a different place but got blocked due to karma.
Honestly, that price sounds a bit steep. I'm skeptical about depending on the incentives this year, so be mindful of that. Definitely consider getting more quotes or exploring other options.
What led you to that conclusion about the incentives? I've heard they usually stick around, especially for projects underway.
Thanks for your perspective! I'm definitely concerned about the incentives as well.
That seems quite expensive! I managed to install my own 4 kW system with a 6,000-watt inverter and 14.3 kWh battery for around $11,000 CAD, mainly because I did all the labor myself. I know it’s not grid-tied, but it's worth considering going the DIY route if you're comfortable with it.
That's awesome! Did you buy everything from one retailer or piece it together? I've got some electronics background and am contemplating doing my installation.
Thanks for your input! Your pricing insights are reassuring and give me a better benchmark to work with.