How much does a Tesla cost

How much does a Tesla car cost?

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Reading Time: 7 minutes

When most people think of electric vehicles (EVs), there’s one prominent name that’s top of mind: Tesla. It’s not all that surprising, considering that the electric car company owns roughly 80 percent of the electric car market share in the U.S. 

Tesla’s constantly innovating and releasing new electric car tech to the market, and today can boast of four commercially available car models, each with its own unique set of perks: the Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X, the Tesla Model 3, and the Tesla Model Y. In this article, we’ll break down the car prices for each of the different Tesla EV models, and explain how you should compare them.

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Solar Futures Study

The Solar Futures Study: how we can get to 45 percent solar electricity by 2050

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Reading Time: 8 minutes

On September 8, 2021, President Biden made a big announcement for the solar industry: solar has the potential to power 40 percent of U.S. electricity by 2035, and 45 percent by 2050 – an increase of over 1,000 percent from where it stands today. Produced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Technologies Office (SETO) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Solar Futures Study served as the basis for Biden’s announcement, explaining the role that solar will need to play in decarbonizing the electric grid and how we can achieve these targets in a cost-effective way. In this article, we’ll answer some of the major questions you might have about this study and what this solar transition could look like. 

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tesla powerwall review

The Tesla Powerwall home battery complete review

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Reading Time: 7 minutes

Back in 2015, automaker Tesla Motors set its sights on the home energy storage market and announced the launch of its home battery product, the Tesla Powerwall.

In the past, Tesla Motors has been praised for making high-quality electric vehicles, as well as for their ability to reimagine and successfully rebrand existing technologies. In fact, while Tesla’s automobiles revitalized the 21st-century electric vehicle market, the first electric cars were invented more than a hundred years earlier. 

Tesla’s rebranding of residential-use batteries is in line with their legacy of reimagining existing products. Tesla’s battery may represent the first time in history that everyday homeowners are truly excited about the potential of storing energy at their home. The Powerwall, combined with the exciting Tesla Solar Roof, are both potential cornerstones of Elon Musk’s sustainable energy vision for the future.

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best solar panels 2018 graphic

What are the best solar panels available? Top brands and products compared

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Reading Time: 7 minutes

Finding the best solar panels for your home can feel like a daunting challenge. There are more than a hundred different brands of solar panels and other solar equipment on the market at any given point. In this article, we’ll discuss how solar panel manufacturers stack up to one another, and who makes the best solar panels.

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off grid solar

What is an off grid solar system? What does it mean to go “off the grid” with solar?

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

People say all the time that they want to get off the grid. Beyond just meaning getting away from it all for a while, getting off the grid has a specific technical meaning with regards to your relationship to your utility and how you get your power. So, what exactly does it mean to go off the grid? If you’re going off-grid, there are tons of options to consider when it comes to batteries, inverters, panels, mounting systems, and solar charge controllers. Each product is different and you can customize your kit in a countless number of ways, which is why it is vital to know exactly what you’re looking for and why. Generally, an off grid solar system has the following parts:

  1. Solar panels 
  2. Solar inverters
  3. Wiring/cables
  4. Mounting equipment 
  5. Charge controller
  6. Batteries 
  7. Safety equipment (safety disconnects, grounding equipment, surge protection)
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is solar worth it

Are solar panels worth it?

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

Like any major investment, installing a solar system is a big decision! But, as the cost of solar continues to decline, this decision is becoming easier and easier: for most people, going solar now represents a smart long-term investment with substantial savings. However, before installing a solar panel system, you’ll want to make sure that you can take advantage of these benefits by first considering a few major factors. In this article, we’ll help you decide if solar panels are worth it for you.

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passive solar heating

Passive solar heating: an overview

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

Electricity is not the only thing that can be created by harnessing the sun’s energy. One of the most economical ways to take advantage of the sun’s power is to design your property with passive solar design in mind, or to say, to take full advantage of the site, materials, and climate of your home to maximize efficiency and minimize energy usage overall.

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Q&A with CollectiveSun

Q&A with CollectiveSun

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

As more and more homeowners and businesses go solar, it’s important that we increase the accessibility of solar financing to reach more groups of people. For example, while nonprofits aren’t able to directly benefit from the investment tax credit (ITC) or other tax based solar incentives, there are still companies that can help them maximize their solar savings. CollectiveSun is one such company – in fact, they work exclusively with nonprofits and tax exempt organizations to help make solar more financially accessible, providing a 12 percent discount on solar on projects 50 kilowatts (kW) or greater. We sat down with CollectiveSun to learn more about their company and their financial offerings.

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Longevity of solar

Powering through: 2020 NREL study reveals the true longevity of solar

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

One of the most common statements you’ll hear us say about solar is that it’s a great investment. Among many reasons, we say this because solar panels last a long time. Most solar panel manufacturers now offer warranties between 20 and 25 years, with some going even longer. The average payback period in the US is around eight years, meaning you’ll save substantial amounts of money for well over half of your system’s lifetime. 

But warrantied production is one thing and actual performance is another altogether. So, how well do panels actually perform as they age? A 2020 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), PV field reliability status—Analysis of 100 000 solar systems, provides some compelling insights. 

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