The cost of switching to solar energy has decreased dramatically since it first became available. According to figures published by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) , it continues to drop, with the average cost of residential installation falling 41 percent between 2010 and the second quarter of 2014. Much of that decrease can be tied to dramatic drops in the prices of solar panels themselves, which have fallen 64 percent over that same period, but other costs, the ones that pay to get those panels on the roof and hooked into the system, have not been subject to the same declines. As a result, solar is still a major expenditure for many households. Unlike most home improvements, however, some of which cost more than they’ll return if a house is sold, solar does more than increase a home’s value. It pays for itself over time in the form of lower electric bills, and it’s one of the few home improvements that qualify for a variety of federal, state and local tax
