It’s not just homeowners that can take advantage of the benefits of solar: commercial and industrial businesses can also participate in the clean energy revolution by installing solar–and storage!–on their properties. In fact, in many cases, the incentives for businesses to invest in solar are even better than they are for homeowners. If you are a business looking to explore your solar options, here are the key incentives to be aware of in 2021.
Continue readingAn overview of the California solar mandate
If one state leads the rest of the country in setting the bar for solar, it’s California: the Golden State consistently tops the Solar Energy Industries Association’s list for the best states for solar, having more than four times the installed capacity than the runner up (North Carolina).
Continue readingHow much does a 20,000 Watt (20 kW) solar system cost?
If you’re shopping for a solar energy system, one of your first questions is probably, “how much will it cost?” Prices depend on the size of your system, the type of equipment you choose, and the state that you live in, but reviewing prices for a 20 kilowatt (kW) system is a great place to start for many smaller homes. Learn more about how much a 20 kW solar system costs, how much electricity a 20 kW system will produce, and the smartest way to shop for solar.
Continue readingGoing off-grid with solar: what does it mean and how much will it cost? (Part 1)
This is Part 1 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 2 here.
Continue readingThe future of solar site surveys: onsite or remote?
One of the most crucial parts of any solar installation project is the site survey. After your installer makes an initial assessment of your property, they’ll conduct a site survey to obtain detailed information on the condition of your roof, and take measurements to assist the engineers in design. But how exactly do installers get this information?
In the past, the only option was to climb up on the roof and take measurements by hand. While this is still the most common method, some new remote technologies are beginning to offer compelling advantages that are changing the way site surveys are conducted. In this article, we’ll take a deeper dive into the pros and cons of each of these methods.
Continue readingDoes your battery come with its own inverter?
While shopping for storage solutions, it can be hard to break down which products come with an integrated inverter, which will need an additional inverter, and how many boxes will be installed on your wall. This is one of the key factors to pay attention to as you’re comparing storage solutions, as it will impact the overall efficiency and cost of your battery setup, as well as how you integrate it into a solar panel system.
Here’s a breakdown of this info for some of the biggest storage companies in the market today:
Continue readingPanelClaw company and product overview
One essential component of a solar panel system is racking. In this article, learn about PanelClaw, a racking manufacturer specializing in flat roof solar setups.
Continue readingThe SunPower Equinox: an all-in-one home solar solution
More and more often, new technology in the solar industry is geared towards making installations as aesthetically pleasing as possible. This was SunPower’s motivation for their Equinox home solar energy solution, which was first introduced in 2016.
This solar solution is an all-in-one packaged system where every component is made by SunPower. It’s designed to be as sleek as possible on rooftops by hiding parts of the solar panel system that are otherwise visible in most installations. Typical solar energy systems may include panels, inverters, and monitoring from separate manufacturers. In an Equinox system, every component of the system is from SunPower.
Continue readingCorporate renewable energy procurement: an overview
In today’s current era of renewable energy targets, action is not just limited to political entities such as the federal government, states or individual cities. In fact, many corporations are getting in on the act by promoting corporate sustainability programs or contracting directly with renewable energy developers to build solar and wind farms specifically for their company. As the solar and wind industries continue to grow, corporate renewable procurement and targets will play a substantial role in driving renewable energy to greater and greater heights.
Continue readingSolar windows: can you turn your windows into solar glass?
Solar windows are an exciting technology that let you generate electricity from more than just rooftop panels. As the solar market evolves and expands, companies are looking into new solar technologies aimed at spreading solar energy generation beyond traditional rooftop and ground-mount solar panels. Solar windows have gained momentum recently, and could represent part of the solar market’s future.
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