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  • 7 Steps to Solar

    1. Sign your solar contract - Within a few days of signing your sales contract, your SunPower Partner will call you to schedule a home site audit.  SunPower Partners are SunPower-certified contractors who design and install SunPower solar systems.
    2. Home Site Audit - Your Partner will come to your home and examine your roof and service panel to gather technical inputs needed to finalize the detailed design.
    3. Design review - A few weeks after the site audit, you will receive a detailed design layout document to review and approve.  Your Partner will build your system based off of these specifications, so review it carefully before approving it.  If you belong to an HOA, your partner will help you prepare the documents you need to submit for approval.
    4. Permits Filed - Once the design for your solar system is approved, your Partner will obtain the appropriate construction permits from your local jurisdiction.  Depending on the jurisdiction's permitting process, this can take a few weeks.
    5. Installation - Your SunPower Partner will contact you to set up an installation time based on your schedule and will let you know what to expect during the installation process.
    6. Inspection - When the installation is finished, your Partner will arrange for the necessary inspections from your local jurisdiction and/or your utility provider.  These inspections are typically completed within one week of the installation.  Once inspections are complete, your utility will grant Permission to Operate (PTO) within a few weeks.
    7. System Activation - Once your utility give the OK to operate, your system is ready to be turned on.  To make sure you have everything you need and are familiar with how your new solar system operates, your Partner will do an in-person system walk-through with you and get you set up on the monitoring portal so you can track the energy your solar system is making. 

  • About the Author

    Michael Powers

    http://www.terrawatts.com/

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    Michael is one of the founding partners of Stellar Solar. In 2001, he helped launch The Home Depot’s national solar energy program which is now offering home solar through hundreds of stores in nearly a dozen states. He is a writer and marketing professional with over 30 years’ experience in the fields of energy, market intelligence and leadership training. He currently serves as treasurer and board member of Global Energy Network Institute (GENI), a San Diego-based non-governmental organization that advocates linking renewable energy resources around the world using electricity transmission.