Wind, geothermal, solar, hydro, tidal, hydrogen, and other renewable technologies are a widely popular source of energy throughout the world today. Countries, corporations, and individuals are adopting renewables for a number of great benefits. In this article, we’ll dive into some of the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy.
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What are off-peak electricity hours? All about the cheapest time to use electricity
It is becoming increasingly popular for utilities to offer time-of-use (TOU) plans to their residential customers. In a standard electricity plan, you pay the same rate for your electricity regardless of the time of day. TOU plans are different: the cost of electricity in a TOU plan depends on the time the energy is drawn from the grid which is developed into a schedule of peak hours, off-peak hours and sometimes even partial-peak hours.
Continue readingThe pros and cons of community solar
Community solar is an enticing option for those looking to take advantage of solar energy without installing a system on their own property. This unique type of solar project has a large central solar power plant whose energy can be shared potentially by thousands of people with either subscription or ownership plans. This flexible and consumer-friendly solar project plan is perfect for those who don’t want to install solar panels on their property, and especially those who want to reduce both their carbon footprint and their electricity bill. As with any energy choice, there are pros and cons to participating in a community solar program. In this article, we’ll dive into some of the primary benefits of community solar, as well as explaining its downsides and how best to keep them in mind as you compare community solar options.
Continue readingWhat are solar shingles?
You don’t have to install solar panels on your roof to go solar – solar roof tiles are an innovative solar technology that can also help property owners save on their energy bills just like traditional solar panels. In this article, we’ll review the key differences between solar shingles, also called photovoltaic shingles, and their solar panel counterparts, as well as weigh the pros and cons of a solar shingle installation.
Continue readingWe read SolarEdge’s warranty so you don’t have to
Let’s face it – warranties aren’t the easiest (or most gripping) documents to read. There are often a lot of details and fine print included that can be hard to digest, leaving many to wonder: what does the warranty actually cover? Am I vulnerable? Anything I might be missing?
To make it as easy as possible, we’ve read warranty documents for the top solar equipment manufacturers–and talked to them to confirm what is and isn’t included–and plan to point out the most important aspects of each in a series of articles. In this article, we’ll be breaking down the warranty of one of the most popular inverter companies in the industry: SolarEdge.
Continue readingPassive solar heating: an overview
Electricity is not the only thing that can be created by harnessing the sun’s energy. One of the most economical ways to take advantage of the sun’s power is to design your property with passive solar design in mind, or to say, to take full advantage of the site, materials, and climate of your home to maximize efficiency and minimize energy usage overall.
Continue readingGreen power plans, community choice aggregation, community solar: why we recommend community solar
From green power plans to community choice aggregation to community solar, there are an increasing number of options when it comes to electricity these days, and understandably, it’s not always easy to make a decision.
While we at EnergySage are onboard with any power options that support the environment and further decarbonize our electricity, we’re especially excited about community solar – in this article, we’ll explain a few reasons why.
Continue readingHome wind turbines: are they right for you?
Not every property is suitable for solar panels. However, that does not mean that you won’t be able to generate clean energy on your property. One renewable energy technology that’s becoming an increasingly popular alternative for homeowners looking to generate their own clean electricity is small wind turbines.
Continue readingMicroinverters: what you need to know
Inverters are an essential component of any solar panel system. They’re responsible for converting direct current energy (DC) generated at your solar panels into usable alternating current (AC) electricity for your home’s appliances. When it comes to choosing an inverter solution for your solar panel system, there are a few options to consider. In this article, we’ll go over one of the more popular types of inverter technologies: microinverters.
Continue readingSolar panels for sale: where to buy solar panels
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to finding the best place to buy solar panels. Where you buy your solar panels from or who you decide to contract with for installation will depend on your personal preferences, how you want to finance the system, and the type of system you want to install. In this article, we’ll evaluate several options for buying solar panel systems, including:
- Wholesale resellers
- Large national installation companies
- Amazon solar kits
- EnergySage Marketplace