Does solar-generated electricity make sense for you? 

Maybe. Maybe not. Everyone’s situation is different, and you can’t really know until you have done a full evaluation. At Missouri Solar Applications, we have a process in which we work with you to determine if solar is a good opportunity for your business and/or your home. Sometimes it doesn’t make good financial sense. Sometimes it is a no-brainer. Often, the answer is somewhere in between. 

First and foremost to consider are your goals. Do you want to “go green” and decrease your carbon footprint? Would you like to lower or eliminate your electric bill? Is it important for you to have emergency backup in case the grid goes down for a time? All these factors go into the decision to get solar and what sort of solar system we would design for you. 

A key part of our process is mapping out a year’s worth of your electric usage. This helps us design a system which optimizes the money you spend. In Missouri, a solar system is going to produce very well in the late spring, summer, and early fall and then not as much in the winter. We want to make sure we design a system for you that considers projected production and your pattern of usage so that you don’t pay for a solar electric system that is too big or end up with one that is too small. 

With net metering, when you produce more solar than you need in the summer, that excess production goes back on the grid and to your utility company. In the winter when you aren’t producing as much, you can get your excess credits back. But since Columbia’s net metering only gives you the retail amount back, we consider this when helping you decide how big of a system to buy. 

We also help you determine which solar incentives you may be able to take advantage of: Federal tax credits, utility rebates, federal grant and accelerated depreciation are the primary incentives to consider. We factor these into your final proposal. At MSA, we can also help you update your lighting so that you have the most energy-efficient lighting. This can lower your electric usage and factor into the overall payback calculations. 

Over the years there has been an increased emphasis on renewable energy with solar being a key part of the plan. Utility companies are investing millions of dollars into big solar farms to decrease their reliance on oil and coal. These investments need to be paid for, which often means the cost is passed onto the consumer resulting in higher rates. 

When you invest in your own personal solar system and are generating your own power, you lock in your costs and eventually end up with free electricity. If you need to finance the upfront costs, you can end up swapping your payment to the utility for a payment to the bank. The difference is, eventually you pay off the initial costs and then you just have free electricity. It’s an investment that pays for itself in a short amount of time. 

 Give us a call for more information and for a free site survey and no-obligation consultation to help you determine if solar is right for you. There may be no better time than now to consider making a solar investment. An investment in your own solar energy plant! 

Missouri Solar Applications has been providing quality solar systems to Missouri since 2008 and is associated with local general contractor Prost Builders — still going strong after 75 years. We are one of the top local solar companies in Missouri with:  

• More than 400 solar systems installed. 
• Utility rebate and USDA grant specialist on staff for “free money” if you qualify. 
• OSHA trained and certified installers. 
• Our own team of professionals including structural and electrical engineers, lighting technicians, and grant writers. 
• Insured with multi-million-dollar coverage. 
• We use American-made solar products. 
• Principals active in solar energy for over 45 years. 
• Better Business Bureau accredited. 

Vaughn Prost is the owner and president of Prost Builders lnc., a design/build and construction services firm located in Columbia. Vaughn has over forty years of domestic and international design and construction experience as a cost and scheduling engineer, structural engineer, owner’s construction representative, and general contractor.