A. You can save significant money by switching to solar energy. Commercial electricity prices only rise yearly, and every incremental increase can compound over time towards an exorbitant sum.
Using solar panels can drastically lower your electricity bill. If your home is connected to the power grid, the electricity generated through the panels can offset your total energy output. Simply put, you will only have to pay the electric company for any usage over the amount of energy you produce, plus a moderate fee to stay connected to the power grid.
If your solar system produces more electricity than you can use, the excess power flows through your electric meter and into the power grid. It will be credited to the utility company, lessening your monthly bill. It also means that if you conserve enough energy on a bright and sunny day, you can make your utility company pay you more for the surplus power.
Going solar also gets you a bonus from the Federal Government. Through the federal tax credit program, switching to solar power can net you up to 30% in federal tax credits. If you get a roof and solar installed, you can get up to a 30% tax credit on a portion of your roof's total cost.
The savings you can get from tax credits, plus the long-term savings from cutting off that commercial energy contract, should be more than enough to pay for your solar setup in no time.