Solar panel warranties protect your solar investment and are an important part of any solar installation. There are a few different kinds of warranties that keep your panels covered, and understanding both the differences between them and what products feature the best warranties is important to make sure you get the best deal for your solar energy system.
Continue readingWhat is MACRS? All you need to know for your commercial solar installation
If you’re a homeowner looking to go solar, the incentives you have available to you are pretty straightforward: from net metering to the federal investment tax credit, and to any local utility or government rebates and incentives. Between the incentives and the declining cost of solar, the average homeowner on EnergySage sees a payback period for solar of eight years. Easy!
If, on the other hand, you’re a business owner considering solar, there are additional tax incentives that help decrease the time it takes for your solar investment to payoff. The most widely-known of them is the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System, also known as MACRS.
Continue readingSolar energy vs. wind energy: which is right for you?
Installing a renewable energy system on your property is one of the best ways to save money on your electricity bills while reducing your impact on the environment. Often, your decision will be between solar energy and wind energy. If you’re a homeowner weighing your renewable energy options, you already know that thorough research is the best way to find the right system for your home. Here’s everything you need to know about the benefits of residential wind vs. solar so that you can make your decision with confidence.
Continue readingWhat the Tesla inverter means for solar
In January 2021, Tesla launched a new product: the Tesla Solar Inverter. In the realm of Tesla announcements, this one went a little under the radar for the general public — it’s nowhere near as flashy or exciting of a launch as any of their electric vehicles, the initial Powerwall, or Solar Roof. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that this announcement is insignificant: by building their own Solar Inverter, Tesla has the potential to drive the cost of solar even lower. Here’s what Tesla’s announcement means for the solar industry.
Continue readingSolar distributors: who are they, and how do they impact your shopping experience
For most solar consumers, solar distributors are (and will continue to be) a largely hidden part of the value chain: When you receive quotes from local or national installers on EnergySage, you’ll have the opportunity to compare different types of equipment from different manufacturers. But where do the installers themselves — the companies that provide you quotes via EnergySage — get the necessary equipment to complete your solar installation? In many cases, the answer is a solar distributor.
Continue readingTravel in the modern EV: a reliable choice
A common argument against electric vehicles is that they’re “unreliable” or “too limited in range.” Ten years ago, these critics may have been right. But today, electric vehicles represent the future of the auto industry. In 2020, electric car manufacturer Tesla overtook Toyota to become the world’s most valuable carmaker. Other auto companies have been quick to follow, from luxury brands like Audi, BMW, and Jaguar to more affordable options like Chevy or Nissan now boasting new EV options. This trend is driven by scientific advancements in batteries and charging that allow you to travel farther and recharge quicker than ever before. But what does travel with an EV look like today? Is a road trip really viable? Let’s take a look.
Continue readingSolar news: January 8th, 2021
Happy New Year! In this week’s Solar News Roundup, we’ve got two promising stories from our home state of Massachusetts about how the state plans to keep ambitiously tackling climate change.
Continue readingWe read Silfab’s solar 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. We’ll kick things off with a warranty review of a popular Northern-American solar panel manufacturer: Silfab.
Continue readingFirst-time homebuyer? Why solar should be your next big investment
If you just purchased your first home, first of all, congratulations! Buying a home is no small feat and immediately planning your home’s upgrades may feel overwhelming–but we’re here to help! When it comes to solar, we think it’s a great upgrade for first-time homebuyers because solar saves you money in the long run and increases your home value. We’ve laid out some key questions to answer when making the decision to go solar as a first-time homebuyer.
Continue readingSolar carports: how do they work and how much do they cost?
A solar carport is a canopy that captures solar energy placed over a parking area. They provide a huge opportunity to use otherwise wasted parking lot space to create renewable energy. While a typical carport or patio cover provides shading and is undoubtedly a value-add for a home or automobile owner, its one-dimensional simplicity is a missed opportunity. If you’re a PV fanatic following emerging technologies in the solar industry, you may have already spotted the solar industry’s solution: solar canopies, also known as solar carports .
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