There are over 4,200 homeowners in Louisiana that have received and compared solar panel installation quotes. This is why there are a ton of commercial solar installations in New Orleans, Louisiana that you could go to for consultation if you are planning on getting solar panels installed in your residential home or commercial building. But the biggest question remains, how much do solar panels cost in Louisiana?
How much do solar panels cost in New Orleans?
The average solar panel cost in New Orleans, Louisiana as of October 2021 is $2.91 per watt. If you have a solar panel system that is 5 kilowatts, then the average solar installation in New Orleans would usually range in cost from $12,368 to $16,732, with the average gross price coming in at $14,550. The net price that you are going to pay for your solar system could fall by thousands of dollars after you account for the 26 percent Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and all of the other state and local solar incentives.
This is why comparing quotes for solar panels is important because you can expect to see prices up to 20 percent lower than working with a single solar company.
Average Solar Panel Cost by System Size in New Orleans, Louisiana
System Size System Cost System Cost After ITC
3 kW $8,730 $6,460
4 kW $11,640 $8,614
5 kW $14,550 $10,767
6 kW $17,460 $12,920
7 kW $20,370 $15,074
8 kW $23,280 $17,227
9 kW $26,190 $19,381
10 kW $29,100 $21,534
How long does it take to install commercial solar panels?
Due Diligence – 1 to 3 months
Evaluation of the facility, legal review of the project, and the basic design of where the solar panel goes are some of the evaluations when you plan on going solar for your commercial building.
The engineer would go to the facility to verify the measurements and inspect the building during the physical evaluation that usually would take about 1 to 3 weeks.
After the physical evaluation, then the constriction team would then help the owner of the facility get permission from the city to confirm the construction. This legal process would have to be the longest part and would usually take about 2 to 8 weeks.
After getting the go signal, the engineer would then draft a basic plan on where the solar panels fit the best. This process would then usually take about 1 to 3 weeks to draft.
Engineering and commercial solar panel design – 1 week
The engineer would continue the basic design using 3D software to model the new design’s layout and finalize the construction plan in this phase.
Construction and solar panel system commissioning – 2 to 3 weeks
This part of the process would depend on the complexity of the project and outside factors, but usually, the on-site construction phase would take about 2 to 3 weeks. There are some solar companies who would provide you with roof-mounted solar arrays, solar carports, and ground-mounted solar panels and each of these have their own nuances when it comes to how long it takes to install them. If you decide to install all of them, then obviously the whole process would take longer.
Solar panel operations and maintenance
The construction team would usually offer you some maintenance services for your company post-construction and this is important because, with proper maintenance, the solar panels could last longer. Basic annual inspection and monthly performance reports are only some of the services that solar installation companies could offer you.
Solar installation companies usually handle the engineering, procurement, and construction of your solar project and the typical payback for solar projects is usually between 3 to 7 years. This would depend on the facility. When it comes to the standard warranty, it would usually last 25 years, ensuring you that your solar products would last long into the future.
Once everything is set, then you would be able to enjoy clean and renewable energy and wait for the money to come back, even though it may seem like it is a lot at the beginning, it is all worth it in the end.
