In this week’s Solar News Roundup: bills in Massachusetts mimic California’s new solar mandate, and a SEPA report on energy storage deployment by utility.
Continue readingUtility-scale battery storage: what you need to know
With the declining cost of energy storage technology, solar batteries are becoming an increasingly popular addition to solar installations. However, it’s not just residential and commercial solar shoppers who benefit from installing energy storage. In fact, utility-scale battery storage is increasingly playing a major role in the operation of the electric grid, providing cost savings, environmental benefits and new flexibility for the grid.
Continue readingCan you buy solar panel cars?
Solar panels can produce electricity wherever the sun is shining. As electric cars continue to increase in popularity, some companies have begun exploring the possibility of integrating solar panels directly into cars to provide power on the go. In this article, we’ll take a look at how feasible solar panel cars actually are, and if you should consider buying one once they’re available.
Continue readingSolar islanding with batteries: what you need to know
Battery storage is becoming increasingly popular throughout the US. This is particularly true in parts of the country that are impacted by frequent electrical outages, whether due to natural disasters or otherwise. A big reason why storage is popular in these areas is due to storage’s ability to “island”.
Continue readingCPUC Consumer Protection Packet: what you need to know
On July 16, 2019, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released the Solar Information Packet. As of September 30, 2019, this document will be required to accompany all solar installation contracts in California. If you’re going solar in the Golden State, here’s what you need to know about the new consumer protection packet.
Continue readingFederal ITC stepdown: comparing savings between 2019 vs. 2020
Because the cost of solar continues to decline, one question we field a lot at EnergySage is whether you should wait to install solar panels. And for anyone asking that question in 2019, the answer is as soon as possible: given the looming step-down and expiration of the federal investment tax credit (ITC), solar shoppers who wait until 2020 or later to move forward will be missing out on major tax savings – but just how much?
Continue readingSolar news: July 26th, 2019
In this week’s Solar News Roundup, Target keeps its title as the top company for on-site solar, and we highlight an important story from NPR about bringing solar to communities of color.
Continue readingCEO’s note: Why I’m excited about the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide
We are very excited to release a brand-new online tool for the solar industry: the EnergySage Buyer’s Guide – a first of its kind tool to allow consumers to research, compare and evaluate the price and quality of solar panels, inverters and batteries. To introduce you to our new product, I would like to give you some context for why we built the Buyer’s Guide and describe how we anticipate solar shoppers and industry stakeholders alike to use it.
Continue readingSolar-powered breweries: making beer with the sun
Producing beer is a resource- and energy-intensive process. Given the number of craft breweries that have expressed an interest in sustainability, it should come as no surprise that breweries around the country are now looking for ways to produce brews in a more environmentally friendly way: by going solar.
Continue readingFour videos about the benefits of solar energy
Do you need to convince a naysayer about why they should go solar? Here are four videos you can pass on to inform friends about some of the important benefits of solar panel systems.
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