Long Island Solar Could Make Your Heat Pump More Affordable to Run

Winter is almost here, and if you haven’t already switched from cooling to heating on your electric heat pump, you soon will.

Heat pumps have changed the energy landscape on Long Island, with thousands of families adopting cold-weather electric heating over traditional gas or oil furnaces. Modern heat pumps can stand up to Long Island’s coldest days, and many families spend less on electricity than they did on gas bills or fuel oil deliveries.

But a good thing can get even better, especially if you consider solar to offset your electricity consumption. Rooftop solar could improve the financial benefits you already enjoy with a heat pump system.

Long Island’s Energy Costs are Rising

PSEG Long Island announced this week that it will be hosting a series of community events to assist families struggling with their electric bills. These events will help PSEG customers apply for state and federal programs.

There’s no doubt that this will help many families to better manage their energy spending, but for many Long Islanders who don’t qualify for assistance programs, it might feel like they’re being left behind.

Although the push for solar energy has lessened somewhat in recent months due to changes in federal policy, there are still huge benefits for the average homeowner. If you own a home and use electric heating, solar is an investment that simply makes sense. It could be the best way for your family to manage your electric bills.

Why Solar is Perfect When You Have a Heat Pump

Solar generates clean electricity on your rooftop. It can power your home during the day, but much of the energy you produce will actually go to the grid. Your special meter (installed by PSEG) will count in reverse when this happens. Your account will be credited for any positive energy balance at the end of each billing period.

Now imagine that you have an efficient cold-weather heat pump in your home and you’re running it entirely from the grid. Your energy bill will skyrocket during winter. If you install solar panels, they will help to offset the cost of heating your home with electricity. You can continue to enjoy efficient electric heating, just at a much lower cost.

And, of course, your solar panels will benefit you throughout the rest of the year. Outside of winter, solar panels will offset your general consumption and cooling costs. Installing solar is an effective way to reduce what you owe PSEG each month, and the savings are often significant. The average family can generate savings equal to the cost of installation within the first 7 – 10 years of ownership.

Solar panels last for 25 years or more, so the savings after the initial payback period go straight back into your budget.

There Are Still Valuable Incentives for Solar Panels on Long Island

The federal government eliminated the solar tax credit earlier this year, but you can still claim a state tax credit worth up to 25% of the cost of your solar installation, capped at $5,000. There are also potential direct incentives that will come off the top of your bill.

Now is the perfect time to start planning a solar installation for 2026. You can talk to the team at Power Solutions (formerly known as Long Island Power Solutions) to explore system designs, costs, and benefits. Our consultations include detailed projections and a cost/benefit breakdown, so you can see the potential savings of solar relative to your historical electric bills.

Contact us today at (631) 348-0001, begin your free energy savings evaluation, and upgrade your home with an efficient solution to make your heat pump and other high-drain appliances more affordable to run.