The first thing you’ll want to do is contact your homeowner’s insurance provider. Find out if they cover adding solar to your home and if there will be any additional costs.

Talk with your CPA or tax advisor regarding the solar tax credit. Tax credits are often confused with a solar rebate. Your tax advisor can provide you a better idea of how much a tax credit benefits your situation.

Find out the age and condition of your roof materials. You’ll want to avoid putting a new solar system on your roof if it needs to be repaired or replaced. Replacing your roof after installing solar panels requires you to remove them, and this cost is not accounted for most break-even projections.

It's very important to speak with your county agency regarding electrical inspections and any other inspections they require.

Research each vendor you think about using. Check the vendor’s reviews on SolarReviews.com, BBB reviews, and Google Reviews. Reviews are often more telling than the companies rating. Also, be sure to ask the solar vendor if they've worked on other projects in the area and ask them for references. If you have a question about quality solar contractors, call BRMEMC to discuss your concerns or get a recommendation.

Get a minimum of three quotes. While the first offer you get may be the best, you’ll want to get a couple of other offers to compare. You should feel confident you’re getting the best deal for you.

Don’t give in to high-pressure sales tactics. A great solar vendor won’t pressure you into deciding on the spot. They know and understand that a decision of this cost takes time and thought. 

Find out from your vendor how easy is it to cancel your contract. Make sure you know their requirements. Typically, you will have three days to cancel after you’ve signed the contract. If you are still in your window to cancel and are unsure about it cancel the contract. You can always sign a new contract after you've given the process more thought.

Typically, contractors will ask you to request some data from your utility. A good contractor is going to ask you to get the last 12 months of hourly data. If a contractor asks you to only get your monthly bills for the past 12 months, you should move forward with caution. If you need to get your hourly data, call BRMEMC and speak with our Member Services department.

We are a very solar-friendly utility. BRMEMC charges and fees are listed below per Policy 336.

• Interconnection Application Fee = $500.00 per installation (Plus $10.00 per kW)
• Labor, Transportation, and etc. = $200.00 per trip
• Construction Charges (if applicable) = Actual Cost
• Metering:
  • Class 200/320 A Single Phase Meter = $100.00
  • Class 200/320 A Three Phase Meter = $350.00
  • Class 20 CT Rated Meter = $350.00
  • Class 20 CT Rated Meter (RS232 Output) = $750.00
  • Additional items needed for metering will be included in the Construction Charges
• Meter Communication
  • Any applicable meter communications fees required by TVA will be the responsibility of the member.