Home energy upgrades can reduce your monthly electric bills, but they don’t always come cheap. Whether you’re interested in solar, energy efficiency, electric cars, or all of the above, there are energy tax credits available in 2020 that will make home energy upgrades easier on your wallet.
Continue readingWhich PG&E rate schedule is best for solar? Understanding peak hours
PG&E’s new rate schedule affects utility’s entire coverage area in 2020. Whether you have solar panels on your roof, are considering solar, or don’t have any plans to generate your own electricity, the time-of-use (TOU) rates will have an impact on your monthly electricity costs. Currently, all PG&E customers have the option of switching to TOU rates or remaining on their existing rate schedule. However, if you are a new PG&E customer or move to a new address, you’ll have to choose a new TOU plan. The best option for your home depends on your electricity use habits.
Continue readingSunrun solar reviews: what are America’s homeowners saying about its top installer?
With Tesla Energy and SolarCity in a transition phase due to the ongoing merger between the two companies, a new solar behemoth has taken the reigns as America’s top installer. Sunrun now installs more solar systems than any other company in the United States. With a new focus being given to this California installer, we thought it would be appropriate to review the firm and offer our take to help consumers assess Sunrun in depth when comparing them to other U.S. installers – many of which provide competing solar quotes on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace.
Continue readingHealth & Environmental Benefits of Solar Energy
Homeowners and utilities alike are choosing solar energy at a faster rate than ever before in the United States. The explosive growth of solar power is partly a result of the falling cost of solar panels. Rebates and incentives have also contributed to the United States’ biggest year ever for solar. But decreasing costs are only one of the many benefits of solar energy. You can also improve your health and protect the environment by reducing your reliance on fossil fuels and installing a solar energy system at your home or business.
Continue readingHow long does it take to install solar panels?
If you’re considering installing solar panels, one of your top questions may be how long it will take after signing a contract to finish your solar project. There are a number of factors that determine this timeline – in this article, we’ll discuss those factors, as well as the average estimated timeframes for a solar panel installation from start to finish.
Continue readingWhat are the top LG solar panels for sale?
Known for their high-quality electronics, LG solar panels are top-notch options in a diverse solar panel market. As an increasingly popular solar panel brand in the U.S., LG produces quality solar panels with above-average warranties. Some of their products even appear in EnergySage’s ranking of the best solar panels available.
Continue readingComcast & solar: Sunrun partnership explained
As the cost of solar continues to fall and the financial and environmental benefits of solar PV grow, more organizations are collaborating to provide reasonably priced solar options to homeowners. For example, National Grid recently announced that it is partnering with EnergySage to offer a solar marketplace option to its Rhode Island customers. Recently, Comcast also announced a partnership: the cable company will offer a discounted solar option to its customers through an exclusive partnership with Sunrun. Find out more about what the Comcast solar offer means for you.
Continue readingWhat is a kilowatt-hour (kWh)? What is a megawatt-hour (MWh)? The difference between kWh and kw (and MWh and MW)
If you’ve been thinking about your energy costs lately, you may be looking into energy efficiency upgrades for your home such as installing solar panels, adding smart thermostats or pursuing an EnergyStar home certification. And when comparing various energy solutions and the prices for new options, you’re going to hear one metric used incessantly: kilowatt-hour (kWh). So what exactly does a kWh mean and how does it differ from a kilowatt (kW)?
Continue readingThe Tesla roof: when will it be available and should you wait for it?
For those asking themselves, “should I wait for the Tesla solar roof?”, you are not alone. Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, has a well-earned reputation for creating innovative 21st-century products that combine attractive designs with exceptional performance – and generate high levels of consumer interest as a result. The latest Musk technology to make a splash is the Tesla solar roof, which he revealed to great fanfare in October 2016. Here’s everything you should consider before making your decision, including what Tesla roof rivals you should consider.
Continue readingWhere are solar panels made and should you care?
One of the things you may have questions about as you shop around for a solar system is where the solar panels are manufactured. This article will help you determine whether a panel’s country of manufacture should be a key consideration for you.
Note: If you are looking for information on the 30% tariff levied on solar panels by the Trump Administration, read our complete analysis here.
Does it matter where solar panel companies are based and where they make the panels?
When it comes to quality, the mention of any country’s name will evoke an association; each nation has its own brand image, which may or may not be justified. You as a smart solar shopper, however, will want to look at the facts in order to make a more well-informed decision. Our recommendation is to judge each panel by its own merits.
What if the country of manufacture is important to me?
This doesn’t mean that country of origin is never important, of course: everyone has their own preferences. For example, many Americans would prefer solar panels made in the USA to ones that are imported, whether for patriotic reasons or because they trust the ‘American-made’ brand for quality.
American-made vs imported panel costs
American-made solar panels generally cost from $0.50 to $0.80 per watt (W) – about $0.10 to $0.30 more per watt than imported panels. The highest quality, ‘premium’ American panels may even come in around $1.00/W.
For a typical 6kW system, an additional $0.30/W translates into about $1,800, a reasonable amount to pay if the ‘Made in America’ stamp is important to you. Also keep in mind that some states may offer rebates for locally-made panels that can offset some or all of the additional cost.
Check out our list of U.S. solar panel manufacturers for more information about companies that make solar panels in America.
Manufacturing location vs headquarters location
If ‘country brand’ is important to you, be aware that the location of a company’s headquarters is not always the same as its factories. (For example, SunPower is a premium American brand that has manufacturing plants in both the US and the Philippines.) All else being equal, knowing that a company’s head office is relatively close or in a familiar country could help you make a decision.
Where do the top solar companies manufacture panels?
Below, EnergySage has compiled a list of the leading solar panel companies active in the US market based on the most recently available data in 2018. The table is broken down by each company’s market share, headquarters location, manufacturing facility locations and overall quality ranking.
The key takeaways from the table below are that: 1) no single country dominates the market (although the US and China do appear most frequently), and 2) there is little to no correlation between country of manufacture and the company’s quality ranking.
Exhibit: List of solar panel makers in the US by residential market share and country of manufacture*
| Solar Panel Manufacturers | Approx. U.S. Market Share* | Company Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| 1SolTech | < 1% | U.S. |
| Aleo | 2% | Germany |
| Axitec | < 1% | U.S. |
| Canadian Solar | 6% | Canada |
| Centrosolar | < 1% | Germany |
| Conergy | < 1% | Germany |
| Eoplly | < 1% | U.S. |
| ET Solar | 2% | China |
| Hanwha Q CELLS | 1% | South Korea |
| Hyundai | < 1% | Korea |
| Itek | < 1% | U.S. |
| KYOCERA Solar | 2% | Japan |
| LG | 6% | Korea |
| Lightway | < 1% | China |
| MAGE Solar | < 1% | Germany |
| Perlight Solar (Zebra Energy) | < 1% | U.S. |
| Phono Solar | 1% | China |
| REC Solar | 8% | U.S. |
| ReneSola | 4% | China |
| Sharp Solar | 4% | Japan |
| SolarWorld | 4% | Germany |
| SunEdison/MEMC | 0.50% | U.S. |
| Suniva | 2% | U.S |
| SunPower | 17% | U.S |
| Suntech | 2% | China |
| Trina Solar | 17% | China |
| Winaico | <1% | China |
| Yingli Solar | 17% | China |
For any homeowner in the early stage of shopping for solar that would just like a ballpark estimate for an installation, try our Solar Calculator that offers up front cost and long term savings estimates based on your location and roof type. For those looking to get quotes from local contractors today, check out our quote comparison platform.
* 2015 Data, Residential Solar Installations, Source: GTM / SEIA
