Tag Archives: utilities

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.

Continue reading →

What is distributed power? The parallels between distributed energy and cell phones

In 1994, only 10% of Americans had a cell phone. And yet, in 15 short years, more Americans had cell phones than landlines. While the rapid adoption of mobile phones can’t be attributed to a single factor, there is one major parallel between the transition from landlines to smart phones and what’s actively happening today in the electricity industry: the transition from a centralized system to a distributed (or decentralized) network.

Continue reading →

Saving energy with EnergySage, part 1: What’s on your bill?

This post is the first in our series about how to save on your energy bills even when you’re spending more time at home, as the entire EnergySage team is, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue to check our blog for more ideas for how you can take control of your energy bills in the coming weeks. 

You may have heard that the world is basically on pause right now. The impact of the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus appears to be vast, far-reaching, and multilayered, including in some ways that you may not anticipate. For instance, with so many Americans now working from home or sheltering in place, one way you may see the impact of the pandemic personally is in how your energy bills change now that you’re spending more time at home. 

Continue reading →

Behind-the-meter: what you need to know

The electricity system is changing, from the way we generate power to the way we distribute and use it. All grid-tied energy systems are situated either “in front of the meter” or “behind the meter”, and as more and more electric customers take control of their production and usage, it is important to understand the fundamental differences between these two positions on the larger electric grid.

Continue reading →

How 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 reading →

How do demand charges work?

In the past few years, utilities across the country — from Indiana to Massachusetts to Arizona — proposed mandatory or voluntary demand charges for residential customers. With the right resources and knowledge, it is definitely possible to reduce your monthly bill on a demand charge rate. But in many situations, including often for people with solar on their roof, demand charges can lead to more expensive bills overall.

Continue reading →