Since the cost of going solar falls every year, many homeowners wonder: should I buy solar now or wait to save money on installation costs? There are many variables that influence the total financial returns you can expect to see from solar over its lifetime, all of which you should take into account when making your solar decision.
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Types of solar panels
Most of the solar panel options currently available fit in one of three types: monocrystalline, polycrystalline (also known as multi-crystalline), and thin-film. These solar panels vary in how they’re made, appearance, performance, costs, and the installations each are best suited for. Depending on the type of installation you’re considering, one option may be more suitable than the others.
Continue readingGel batteries: what you need to know
Gel batteries are a type of lead-acid battery that, in certain cases, can be a solid choice as an energy backup system or paired with solar panels. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the differentiating factors between gel batteries and other energy storage options, and the best use-cases for this technology.
Continue readingAn overview of utility-scale solar panel installations
The largest scale of solar projects is utility-scale solar (also known as solar power plants). Typically sized anywhere from 1 to 5 megawatts (MW), solar power plants can be massive projects, often spanning multiple acres of land. Utility-scale solar projects are usually ground-mounted arrays. Sometimes, these arrays include the use of solar trackers to maximize energy production.
Continue readingThe best solar phone chargers in 2021
Keeping your phone charged on the go can be a hassle – hunting for an outlet isn’t the way anybody wants to spend their day. Whether you’re hiking, camping, or simply walking around, there’s an easy and environmentally-friendly solution to your charging problem: a solar phone charger.
Continue readingSolar news: January 8th, 2021
Happy New Year! In this week’s Solar News Roundup, we’ve got two promising stories from our home state of Massachusetts about how the state plans to keep ambitiously tackling climate change.
Continue readingGoing off-grid with solar: what does it mean and how much will it cost? (Part 2)
This is Part 2 of a two-part series that explores the economics of going completely off-grid with solar. Part 1 focuses on what it actually means to go “off-grid” and how to start thinking about calculating the costs for cutting the cord with your utility. Part 2 discusses two real-world examples of sizing an off-grid solar energy system, along with the feasibility of going through with an off-grid solution. Check out Part 1 here.
Continue readingIndependent solar monitoring services: what you need to know
Producing solar energy relies on having working, efficient equipment, and there are a number of factors that can reduce your system’s effectiveness. Shade, dirt, damaged parts (such as wiring, inverters, or panels), and more can all cause your system to generate less electricity than it’s capable of.
Continue readingSolar news: December 28th, 2020
In this week’s Solar News Roundup (the last of the year!), the federal government extends the solar tax credit, and the Department of Energy announces a new round of funding for grid-integrated solar.
Continue readingSolar panels and wind: are your panels made to last?
Weather events like hurricanes are accompanied by wind speeds up to 200 miles per hour, and tornadoes can bring even higher speeds that threaten to damage rooftop and ground-mounted solar energy systems. If you live in a windy area of the country, it is especially important to know how your solar energy system will hold up during a storm.
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