Author Archives: Luke Richardson

Tesla Solar Roof: Elon Musk’s solar roof tiles complete review

Reading Time: 8 minutes

If you’ve found it difficult to stay up to date on the future of Tesla Motors and SolarCity in recent months, you are not alone. Numerous industries (solar, electric vehicles, and ridesharing, to name a few) worldwide are starting to feel the impact of a merger that could significantly alter growth plans for manufacturers and executives across the globe. Now the concept of an integrated solar glass shingle – the Tesla Solar Roof – is on everyone’s mind.

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Best solar battery chargers: marine, RV and car battery chargers

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

Among today’s many uses for solar energy, one increasingly popular way to harness sunlight is with battery chargers that can power common home products. Outside of rooftop and utility-scale photovoltaics (PV), battery chargers might be the next best use for solar energy in terms of efficiency and practicality. A small panel can easily be placed next to a window to charge a phone, and a portable charger can be an easy way to power your car’s battery through the sunroof. In this article, we’ll discuss the many ways a solar battery charger can be useful, including how solar works with cars, boats, RVs and small devices.

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How long do solar panels last?

Reading Time: 5 minutes

One of the most common questions we hear from homeowners considering a solar panel installation is “how long do solar panels last?” It’s hard to understand the upfront cost of going solar without knowing how long you can expect your rooftop panels to produce ample energy. Your solar panels will be able to offset your electricity use for decades, but it is also important to understand industry projections and degradation rates. Continue reading →

The pros and cons of solar energy: what are the advantages and disadvantages of going solar?

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Reading Time: 7 minutes

If you’re considering installing a solar panel system, you’ve probably already had your share of exposure to solar marketing, whether through spammy ads promising free solar panels or a knock at the door signaling an eager solar salesman ready to convince you why you should go solar. To make the right decision for your home, you need to be able to distinguish between the real pros and cons of solar energy and the solar myths that are sometimes communicated in the media.

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What are typical Tesla car prices? Model S, Model X crossover and Model 3 costs explained

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

The U.S. electric vehicle (EV) industry is poised for further success in 2019 after a massive year of growth in 2019. There’s no one single reason for the uptick in EV sales in America – states like California are requiring car dealers to offer electric car options, costs are coming down, battery technology is improving, and manufacturers are inventing stylish new designs for the modern-day electric car.

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8 Solar Energy Facts

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

The U.S. solar industry has witnessed remarkable growth in the past decade while the cost of solar has declined by nearly 70 percent. Now that solar has entered the mainstream, everyday homeowners are starting to wonder how much solar could save them and how simple making the switch really could be. If you’re starting to think about installing solar panels, it’s helpful to understand the big picture for solar power. In this article, we’ll break down eight solar energy facts that may surprise you.

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Are Chinese solar panels good quality?

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

When homeowners are considering solar offers on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace, we often hear questions about a solar panel’s manufacturer origin and whether it’s a good idea to choose Chinese panels for an installation. This is a common question as the latest estimates indicate that China is manufacturing roughly 70% of the world’s solar panels today – a dominant market share and a clear indicator of China’s key role in the global solar industry. China has a significant impact over worldwide solar trends like pricing, warranties and manufacturing practices. For example, the 80% decline in worldwide solar prices between 2008 and 2013 occurred largely due to improvements in manufacturing costs in China. And because China is such a major player in solar, many U.S. homeowners are asking “should I choose Chinese solar panels and will it match the quality of other top brands?” In this article we’ll break down pricing, quality and brand influence of Chinese solar panels.

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Thin film solar panels: do they make sense for residential?

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

In a world where new solar panels and breakthroughs in solar technology are emerging almost every month, homeowners have a lot of panel options to choose from in 2019. Among the many innovations in the panel manufacturing space, none may be more appealing and visually exciting than thin film solar panels. In this article we’ll dig into what makes thin film stand out from standard silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels and offer some insight on when thin film solar is an ideal option for homeowners and the residential market.

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Solar carports: how do they work and how much do they cost?

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

While a typical carport or patio cover provides shading and is undoubtedly a value-add for a home or automobile owner, its one-dimensional simplicity is a missed opportunity. If you’re a PV fanatic following emerging technologies in the solar industry, you may have already spotted the solar industry’s solution: solar canopies, also known as solar carports .

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Solar panels for schools: how much are the costs and benefits of solar for k-12s and universities?

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

As solar has entered the mainstream in the past decade, corporations and institutions with massive energy bills have started to realize how much money they can save by switching to solar power. There’s already a strong case for residential rooftop solar, but you can make an even more convincing argument for solar in the commercial sector where prices are lower and overall savings can be dramatic. In this article, we’ll focus on schools and universities, explain why many educational institutions across the country are installing solar, how much solar costs for schools and detail how the process works.

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