Mitsubishi Electric is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electronics and electrical equipment, including televisions, air conditioners, and solar panels. The company was founded in 1921, and it manufactured the first solar panels to provide power to satellites in the 1970s. All of Mitsubishi’s solar panels are manufactured in Japan. Although they are relatively new to the U.S. market, Mitsubishi solar panels are increasingly popular in quotes to solar shoppers comparing their options on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace.
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JinkoSolar panels: the complete review
JinkoSolar is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of solar panels and develops solar projects across the world. The company was founded in 2006 and primarily manufactures its solar panels in China and Malaysia. However, JinkoSolar recently opened a solar panel manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, Florida, where they manufacture the aptly named “Eagle” series of American-made solar panels.
JinkoSolar panels–and the Eagle series in particular–are increasingly popular in quotes to solar shoppers comparing their options on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace.
Continue readingHighlights from LBNL’s 2021 Tracking the Sun report
In case you missed it, solar has been in the news quite a bit recently: the Biden Administration announced a goal for solar to produce 40% of the nation’s electricity by 2030; the Department of Energy released a corresponding Solar Futures Study that lays out just how to reach that lofty goal; the inclusion of clean energy incentives (including for solar!) is at the forefront of the debate around the infrastructure and budget reconciliation bills; the latest Solar Market Insight report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie just dropped; and we recently released our own biannual Marketplace Intel Report. There’s a lot going on!
Amidst this solar news frenzy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) just released their annual Tracking the Sun report, the best resource for tracking the state of residential solar installations in the U.S., and complete with publicly-available data sets with info on nearly 80 percent of all of the solar panel systems installed in the country. Here are some of the highlights from the report:
Continue readingSolar leases: what you need to know
If you’re looking to lower your electricity bill without any upfront costs, there’s a good chance you’re considering a solar lease. Under the right circumstances, solar leases can be an attractive option, offering cheaper electricity with very little hassle on your end. However, there are also instances in which a solar lease could cause trouble down the line, so it’s important to do your research before signing any contract. In this article, we’ll cover the basics about solar leases–from what they are to why you may or may not want to enter one.
Continue readingSolar panels for sale: where to buy solar panels
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to finding the best place to buy solar panels. Where you buy your solar panels from or who you decide to contract with for installation will depend on your personal preferences, how you want to finance the system, and the type of system you want to install. In this article, we’ll evaluate several options for buying solar panel systems, including:
- Wholesale resellers
- Large national installation companies
- Amazon solar kits
- EnergySage Marketplace
How much does a 20,000 Watt (20 kW) solar system cost?
If you’re shopping for a solar energy system, one of your first questions is probably, “how much will it cost?” Prices depend on the size of your system, the type of equipment you choose, and the state that you live in, but reviewing prices for a 20 kilowatt (kW) system is a great place to start for many smaller homes. Learn more about how much a 20 kW solar system costs, how much electricity a 20 kW system will produce, and the smartest way to shop for solar.
Continue readingHow to find affordable solar panels
Installing a solar energy system is becoming increasingly attainable for homeowners across the country as prices continue to drop. Being savvy about where to find the best deals on solar can make your solar installation process pain-free, and lead to maximum savings.
Continue readingHow are supply constraints impacting the solar industry?
While many COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are starting to be lifted across the United States, pandemic-related supply chain issues continue to be felt across many sectors, including the solar industry. In spring 2020, solar equipment manufacturers experienced significant delays due to workplace and travel restrictions. As the pandemic continued throughout 2020 and into 2021, consumer demand largely shifted away from services, such as dining and travel, towards goods, such as computers and televisions, leading to shortages for key manufacturing components. In this article, we’ll cover some of the supply constraints currently facing the solar industry, and how these constraints are impacting solar shoppers.
Continue readingShould you buy Grape Solar panels from Costco or Home Depot?
Installing solar panels is fast becoming a home improvement project that any homeowner can take on. Now that you can buy solar panels at Costco and Home Depot, you may even be considering installing a home solar energy system yourself. One of the most popular DIY options is to purchase a solar panel kit from Grape Solar, an Oregon-based solar panel manufacturer whose products are for sale at Costco and Home Depot. But before you make a Costco solar purchase, we recommend you learn more about how Grape Solar panels compare to other solar panel brands.
Continue readingHighlights from the Tracking the Sun report
One of the best resources for tracking trends in the solar industry was just released. The recently published annual Tracking the Sun report from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) describes price and technology trends for distributed solar projects nationally, collecting project-level data from approximately 1.6 million systems through the end of 2018. The latest edition of the report, which is now in its twelfth year, finds that prices for distributed solar power systems continued to fall in 2018, that industry practices continue to evolve, and that systems are getting bigger and more efficient.
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