Top EnergySage articles of 2020

Let’s all breathe a big sigh of relief – 2020 is almost over! Despite some hurdles, solar energy had a strong year full of exciting news and milestones; in their 2020 World Energy Outlook report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) proclaimed that solar will be the “new king of electricity,” the world’s largest solar plant went live in October (2.2 gigawatts!), and just this week, the federal government extended the 26 percent solar tax credit for another two years.

To finish off the end of a long year, we’ve pulled together a list of our most popular articles of 2020, as chosen by you, our readers.

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Solar panels and wind: are your panels made to last?

Weather events like hurricanes are accompanied by wind speeds up to 200 miles per hour, and tornadoes can bring even higher speeds that threaten to damage rooftop and ground-mounted solar energy systems. If you live in a windy area of the country, it is especially important to know how your solar energy system will hold up during a storm.

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Cancelling a community solar contract: what’s involved?

In the past, long-term contracts have been a major barrier to widespread community solar adoption: 10, 20, or 25-year long agreements left many hesitant to subscribe, and understandably so considering how unpredictable the future is (2020 being the BEST example of that).

Fortunately, this has changed: community solar contracts today are much more flexible than they used to be, and many options allow you to sign up with no commitment and opt-out early for free. That said, there is still no standard when it comes to community solar cancellation policies – they can vary by project, utility, and community solar company, so it’s important to review the specific cancellation terms of your community solar agreement prior to signing on the dotted line.

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