Author Archives: jacob

Comparing lithium-ion battery chemistries

Lithium-ion batteries are the most popular products used for solar electricity storage today. Within the umbrella category of lithium-ion batteries, there are several specific chemistries that battery manufacturers employ in their products. These chemistries each have their own advantages and disadvantages, as well as ideal use cases.

Continue reading

Does solar-plus-storage still work during an outage?

Battery storage paired with solar panels is a great way to save money on electricity bills in the long term, especially with new rate plans like time-of-use becoming more prevalent. But does adding a battery mean you’ll be able to produce, store, and use electricity with solar when the grid is down? Do you even need a battery? In this article, we’ll dissect how solar and storage can make for an effective grid resiliency technique.

Continue reading

Critter guards/bird netting for solar panels: protect your system from squirrels & birds

A surprising threat to your solar panels may be the animals that live in the area surrounding your home. Birds and squirrels can damage your solar setup in several ways, leading to unwanted repair costs and headache. One solution to solar’s animal problem is to install “critter guards,” a physical barrier between your panels and the local fauna.

Continue reading