In this week’s Solar News Roundup, JinkoSolar invests in a new Florida factory for NextEra Energy, and RGS Energy announces a move towards Dow solar shingle installations.
Continue readingDo you have a solar ready home?
Many homeowners are considering putting panels on their homes, and for good reasons: when you generate your own solar electricity you can drastically reduce your monthly bills, increase your property value, and help the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar is more accessible than ever, especially as the cost of solar has decreased and solar technology has become more efficient.
Continue readingHow the Tesla referral program works: rewards for solar, Model S, and Model X customers
Tesla’s referral program offers incentives to its customers for referring their friends and family to the company. Now that Tesla has acquired SolarCity, the country’s largest solar installer, the leading cleantech company’s referral program includes rewards for referring solar customers as well as car buyers. Whether you purchased a Tesla electric vehicle (EV) or Tesla solar panels, you can earn rewards when your friends buy Tesla cars or go solar with Tesla.
Continue readingBuying a house with solar panels: what you need to know
Home solar is more popular than ever, and if you’re in the market for a new home, you might come across options with solar panels already installed. It is important to understand the unique aspects of buying a solar-equipped home so you can enjoy the benefits of solar energy without having to go through the installation process.
Continue readingSunPower dealers: list of SunPower-certified solar installers for home & business
If you’ve been doing your solar research, you probably already know that some of the most efficient panels on the market come from SunPower, a panel manufacturer out of California. SunPower is noteworthy not just for their exceptional efficiency, but also for their aesthetics and excellent warranty offering (bumper-to-bumper for 25 years for both product and performance). SunPower is one of the brands that homeowners request most frequently when comparing offers from solar installers on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace and it has hundreds of dealers across the world.
Continue readingSolar news: Arizona regulators choose renewables, Hawaii college goes 100% solar
In this week’s Solar News Roundup, a college in Hawaii looks to become the first 100% renewable campus in the U.S. with solar power, and regulators in Arizona decide to put a hold on new gas plants in favor of cleaner energy sources.
Continue readingSolar trees: everything you need to know
Solar trees are a type of ground-mounted solar system that offer a unique way to install solar panels on a residential or commercial property. Learn about two companies offering unique solar tree systems, and find out whether you should consider a solar tree for your home or business.
Continue readingEverything you need to know about the Sunrun Brightbox solar package
Batteries are becoming a popular addition to solar panel systems throughout the U.S. and across the globe. Energy storage can provide backup power if the grid goes down and can also help maximize savings in utility territories that have time-of-use (TOU) rates or unfavorable net metering policies.
Solar companies are picking up on the trend – many have started offering battery installation as a service to pair with a solar panel system. The largest residential solar installer in the country, Sunrun, has a “solar plus storage” option known as the Brightbox package. Brightbox is available in Hawaii, Arizona, California, New York, and –most recently– Massachusetts.
Continue readingSolar battery banks: use solar panels and batteries to power your home without the grid
Home energy storage has featured frequently in the news over the past few months thanks to new battery products from companies like Tesla, LG and Mercedes-Benz. These products are popular for a reason: when you pair solar panels with a battery bank at your home or business, you can actually operate independently from the electric grid. However, not all solar batteries are created equal. Here’s the rundown on what it actually takes to use a solar panel battery bank to go off the grid.
Continue readingThe environmental impacts of solar energy
Solar energy is a win-win: in addition to its significant financial benefits, going solar is also great for the environment. When your solar panels generate electricity, they produce zero emissions, which means they don’t contribute to climate change or health issues like more traditional sources of energy. They also draw their energy from the sun, an abundant resource that will be available and accessible across the world for the foreseeable future. All that said, what you may not realize is that there is actually an environmental impact of solar energy too.
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