Solar News

There is no doubt that the residential solar market continues to grow rapidly. With the increased risks of blackouts due to severe weather and high demand, more homeowners are trying to take control of their own power production. But for many, the most pressing question is how much it costs to achieve energy self-sufficiency. There are many factors that affect the price of solar energy. The most obvious cost is the hardware and the components that make up the solar system. The solar panel itself contains an inverter solar cell plus the mounting hardware. Then there is the carrier ...

Of course, like most businesses throughout the nation (and the world), COVID-19 affected the solar industry. As we came out of the pandemic, the solar industry seemed to be coming back strong and very healthy. And it is still growing throughout the country. However, there are challenges facing solar companies that have increased costs and delayed installations. We are all working very diligently to overcome any barriers so that we can maintain the forward momentum of solar. The issues will come as no surprise. Supply Chain Like most industries, supply chain issues have affected solar installations. Coupled with inflation, ...

Going solar offers homeowners many great benefits. One of the best—for those who can take advantage of it—is net metering (also called net energy metering). With net metering, homeowners get credited for the extra energy their solar system produces that is sent back to the electric grid. Usually, you are credited monthly until the credits are summed up annually. Net metering means that homeowners can use their solar system to offset their home electricity consumption over the course of the year—high-producing months help to offset lower-producing times when more power must be drawn from the utility grid. In most ...

While generating power from the sun is without cost, the technology behind this process is not. The reality is that solar panels are an investment, much like a home, that has an upfront cost but pays off in the long term. The installation can be compared to a small construction project, and each module contains multiple parts to make everything run smoothly. So, how does a homeowner ensure that taking a chance on clean energy solutions will be worthwhile? There are four key areas for homeowners to evaluate when determining which solar provider will be the right fit for ...

A solar monitoring system can keep you apprised of your PV system’s performance. It offers information about energy consumption and generation, optimizing energy usage, and whether there is damage to your solar system, among other topics. It’s important to monitor your solar setup in some way; without monitoring, it can be difficult to figure out if your solar panels are operating at their best. With a monitoring system, you will be able to see if there have been any significant changes in performance. Most solar companies will set you up with a monitoring system that is connected to the ...

We now live in a day and age where climate change has affected all of us in some way. Whether experiencing the impact of wildfires on the West Coast, torrential hurricanes to the East, or enduring wild winter weather in the South, it’s safe to say that no one can escape the consequences left behind by fossil fuels. But there are ways to reverse the damage done and promote a healthier planet, and it starts with everyday habits right at home. 1. Reduce Waste Many homeowners have taken simple steps to reduce the amount of waste they produce. Supplying ...

Clean energy has been breaking records for the past few years, and it doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. According to market insights provided by the Solar Energy Industries Association in partnership with Wood Mackenzie, solar PV accounted for 43% of all new electricity-generating capacity additions through Q3 2020. Similarly, electric vehicles (EVs) have also experienced record growth in 2020, registering a 43% increase despite a slump in overall auto sales. Even during a global pandemic, these industries have shown incredible resiliency as the demand for greener solutions continues to surge.Perhaps one reason why these numbers are so similar is that ...

Most solar panels come with a 25- to 30-year warranty, but they may realistically last 25 to 40 years or more. Panels will, however, slowly begin to degrade over time, meaning they may produce less energy. Solar panel degradation rates are constantly improving. Currently, the standards are between 0.1 and 0.8% loss per year. To determine the projected output of your solar panels after a certain number of years, you can multiply the degradation rate by the number of years you are interested in and subtract that number from 100%. So, if your panel manufacturer predicts 0.5% degradation, at ...