There are many different types of solar loan products that you can use to finance the installation of a solar panel system. But despite the plethora of options, you can generally bucket all these loans into two broad categories: secured solar loans and unsecured solar loans.
Continue readingHow does solar panel degradation impact savings?
The word “degradation” can be scary, but don’t let it frighten you too much: every product, from your cell phone to your shoes, degrades over time, and solar panels are no exception to this rule. Fortunately, solar panels degrade at a very slow rate relative to other technologies – in fact, even after 25 years, most solar panels will still generate at least 80 percent of their original solar power output!
Continue readingSolar news: April 30th, 2021
In this week’s weekly news roundup, we discuss several important updates from Tesla and a promising new report on the future of U.S. energy storage.
Continue readingThe Span Smart Panel complete review
Just about every home has an electrical panel–it’s the metal box in your basement that you have to fiddle with every time you overload a surge protector or your lights aren’t working for some weird reason. Span is a company looking to modernize this ancient but essential technology with their Smart Panel: an industry-changing energy management product.
Continue readingBankability: what is it and how do you assess it?
If you’re thinking about installing solar panels, you know that it’s a long-term investment. Solar panels are built to last and many manufacturers offer warranties extending 25 years. So how do you ensure that the manufacturer of your panels will be able to uphold this warranty? One indicator is your manufacturing company’s bankability.
Continue readingWhat are solar-assisted heat pumps, and how do you compare them?
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, space heating and water heating can account for almost two thirds of energy use in U.S. homes—those bills definitely add-up! You can use many different types of energy efficient heating systems to offset these costs, including solar-assisted heat pumps (SAHPs), which some manufacturers claim can have payback periods as low as two to three years. These systems combine technology similar to solar hot water and air source heat pumps in order to heat water or small spaces in your home. SAHPs have existed since the 1970s, but have recently started gaining more attention due to their high efficiency.
Continue readingQ&A with SMA
Outside of solar panels, solar inverters are the most important part of a solar energy system, responsible for converting electricity generated by your solar panels into usable electricity for your home’s electronics and appliances. When it comes to deciding which equipment is best for your solar panel system, you have many different inverters to choose from, including options for both the type of technology (string vs. microinverter vs. string + power optimizers), and well as the inverter brand.
Continue readingThe most common solar panel defects
Solar panels are incredibly reliable, and have proven to be not only great for the environment, but a superb investment as well. Their reliability comes from the fact that they are solid state electronic devices, meaning that there are no moving parts. This nearly eliminates the risk of mechanical failure and allows panels to be extremely low maintenance for long periods of time. However, nothing is perfect, and solar panels can develop defects over the course of their lifetime. We’ve put together a list of the most common problems that can occur with your solar system.
Continue readingSungage Financial solar loans: the complete review
Solar loans are the fastest growing method of financing a solar panel installation. Across the country, the majority of new solar installations are purchased with either a cash purchase or through a solar loan. Sungage Financial, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is a popular financier in the residential solar industry. If you’re comparing solar quotes from a few different solar installers, you may have received a loan option from Sungage. Here’s what you need to know about Sungage and their products.
Continue readingAgrivoltaics: what is it and can it benefit your farm?
The farming industry has been hit hard by the impacts of climate change. From increasing temperatures to severe droughts, farms are facing new challenges that will likely increase with intensity as climate change progresses. Fortunately, a new solution is arising that can both benefit farmers and help reduce emissions: agrivoltaics (also known as dual-use solar).
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