Following the news of Tesla’s acquisition of U.S. solar installer giant SolarCity, the world has been keeping a close eye on Elon Musk and his two prosperous clean energy ventures. Tesla and SolarCity, electric cars and solar panels – a two-front war waged against grid reliance and energy dependence. In 2019, Musk-owned companies are both expanding and constricting as two of the tech entrepreneur’s five companies are joining forces around one common goal: eliminating your carbon footprint.
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Comparing top solar panel brands: SunPower vs LG, Panasonic and Canadian Solar
When it comes to solar panel manufacturers, there is no shortage of options for homeowners in 2019. Solar panel technology is improving every year, and many solar panel companies offer products that boast both high conversion efficiency numbers as well as impressive long-term warranties. SunPower is the leader with regard to efficiency across the board while LG solar panels are known for top tier design and aesthetic, but companies like Canadian Solar offer much more appealing prices for their solar panels. How do the top PV manufacturers stack up? We’ll help you compare and contrast your options among the industry leaders – SunPower, Panasonic, Canadian Solar, and LG.
Continue readingSolar electricity vs. fossil fuels: how do they compare?
If you’ve been following the ongoing battle between solar energy vs. fossil fuels, it might seem like the predominant resources on which the global economy depends – oil, coal and natural gas – will be completely phased out of existence in the near future. In reality, these resources still power most of the planet, while renewable resources like solar and wind only contribute some two to three percent of global energy capacity. This reality check begs the following question: how does solar really stack up against fossil fuels, and why is there so much excitement about the growth of solar?
Continue readingHow much do solar panels cost in Florida in 2019?
It often surprises people to hear that Florida, frequently referred to as “the Sunshine State,” is not the top state for solar. While California may hold the #1 spot for the U.S. solar market, Florida is undoubtedly one of the country’s leading states for home solar power. In this article, we’ll break down the top solar panel incentives in Florida and explain what a solar panel system will most likely cost.
Continue readingVirtual net metering: What is It? How does it Work?
As community solar gains more attention in the U.S., more and more homeowners are hearing about a solar incentive referred to as “virtual net metering.” Thus, the question everyone is asking is fairly obvious: what exactly is virtual net metering, and how does it work? We’ve got the explanation.
Continue readingSolar panel technology: learn about the latest advances in solar energy
Solar power is in a constant state of innovation in 2019, with new advances in solar panel technology announced constantly. In the past year alone, there have been milestones in solar efficiency, solar energy storage, wearable solar tech, and solar design tech. Read on to get the complete update on all the breakthroughs you should know about in the world of new solar panel technology.
Best solar battery chargers: marine, RV and car battery chargers
Among today’s many uses for solar energy, one increasingly popular way to harness sunlight is with battery chargers that can power common home products. Outside of rooftop and utility-scale photovoltaics (PV), battery chargers might be the next best use for solar energy in terms of efficiency and practicality. A small panel can easily be placed next to a window to charge a phone, and a portable charger can be an easy way to power your car’s battery through the sunroof. In this article, we’ll discuss the many ways a solar battery charger can be useful, including how solar works with cars, boats, RVs and small devices.
Continue readingThin film solar panels: do they make sense for residential?
In a world where new solar panels and breakthroughs in solar technology are emerging almost every month, homeowners have a lot of panel options to choose from in 2019. Among the many innovations in the panel manufacturing space, none may be more appealing and visually exciting than thin-film solar panels. In this article we’ll dig into what makes thin-film stand out from standard silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels and offer some insight on when thin-film solar is an ideal option for homeowners and the residential market.
Continue readingSolar panels for schools: how much are the costs and benefits of solar for k-12s and universities?
As solar has entered the mainstream in the past decade, corporations and institutions with massive energy bills have started to realize how much money they can save by switching to solar power. There’s already a strong case for residential rooftop solar, but you can make an even more convincing argument for solar in the commercial sector where prices are lower and overall savings can be dramatic. In this article, we’ll focus on schools and universities, explain why many educational institutions across the country are installing solar, how much solar costs for schools and detail how the process works.
Continue readingSunrun solar reviews: what are America’s homeowners saying about its top installer?
With Tesla Energy and SolarCity in a transition phase due to the ongoing merger between the two companies, a new solar behemoth has taken the reigns as America’s top installer. Sunrun now installs more solar systems than any other company in the United States. With a new focus being given to this California installer, we thought it would be appropriate to review the firm and offer our take to help consumers assess Sunrun in depth when comparing them to other U.S. installers – many of which provide competing solar quotes on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace.
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