If you’ve gone solar, you’ve already decreased (or possibly eliminated) your electricity bill. But you may want to add more solar panels to your existing system; your solar panel system could be undersized to begin with, or you might have increased your electricity usage since installation due to new additions to your house, new appliances, or adding an electric vehicle (EV) purchase.
Continue reading
Solar loans have become a popular way to finance solar panel installations. While there are various loan options to consider, the majority of solar loan products offer fixed interest rates, monthly payments, and terms. If you’re looking for a solar loan option that allows you to adjust your monthly payment down the line, you may want to consider re-amortization options.
Continue reading
Historically, community solar has been the most popular–and most accessible–in four key states: Minnesota, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New York. But excitingly, more and more states are jumping on the community solar bandwagon, and new projects continue to pop up each year.
So, what markets are heating up for community solar? And which states can we expect to take the plunge next?
Continue reading
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.
Continue reading
You don’t have to install solar panels on your roof to go solar – solar shingles are an innovative solar technology that can also help property owners save on their energy bills just like traditional solar panels. In this article, we’ll review the key differences between solar shingles, also called solar roof tiles, and their solar panel counterparts, as well as weigh the pros and cons of a solar shingle installation.
Continue reading
If you look at the best solar markets in the US, they all have one thing in common: a strong net metering policy. Net metering–or NEM–allows you to earn credits for any excess solar electricity you send to the grid when your solar panel system generates more than you need.
Over the next year, California will be releasing the third iteration of net metering, or NEM 3.0. In February 2022, the state of California decided to delay making a final decision on net metering until further notice. As of May 2022, the earliest the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) could issue a draft decision is July, which would mean a final decision in August. We don’t know exactly how credit values will change, or what they’ll change to, but we do know that whatever happens will have large implications for the country’s leading solar market. We’ll continue to keep this article updated with the most recent news on NEM 3.0, and in the meantime, discuss some of the proposed changes to the state’s current net metering policy, along with timelines.
Continue reading
Inverters are an essential component of any solar panel system. They’re responsible for converting direct current energy (DC) generated at your solar panels into usable alternating current (AC) electricity for your home’s appliances. When it comes to choosing an inverter solution for your solar panel system, there are a few options to consider. In this article, we’ll go over one of the more popular types of inverter technologies: microinverters.
Continue reading
Generally, a solar panel system will last about 30 to 35 years – and in that time, your solar panels will generate plenty of savings on your electric bills!
Because solar panel systems have such a long life, many homeowners have questions about the impact this will have on their roof. How will the roof hold up over time? What if you have to remove and reinstall your solar panels for a roof replacement? Does your roof need to be prepped a certain way for solar panels to fit?
Continue reading
The most important part of a solar panel system is the solar array. It holds all of the panels in your system, which is where sunlight is collected and converted into electricity. Here are some common questions to ask yourself before installing a solar panel system on your home, and to make sure you get the most productive array possible.
Continue reading
Once solar panels are set up on a property, they’ve relatively maintenance free. This is because the majority of solar panel systems have no moving parts; as long as they’re receiving sunlight and the products aren’t faulty, they will be a reliable source of electricity for at least 25 to 30 years.
Because of their ease of use, most people don’t think about the actual setup of a solar panel system. What parts are required? And how do they all connect to produce power for your property? Here’s a quick intro to the most important solar system components, and how they’re set up on your home or business.
Continue reading
