Most solar panels on the market in 2023 produce between 250 and 450 watts of power. You might come across these solar panel output numbers from your solar installation quote, which will typically include “245W”, “300W”, or “345W” next to the name of the panel. They are all referring to a solar panel’s wattage, capacity, and power output.
In the past years, solar technology has been making leaps and bounds toward higher solar cell efficiency, power output, and overall quality. Today, most top solar panels have conversion efficiencies above 20%, compared to their previous average of less than 15%. They also now mostly come with a warranty of 10-25 years, helping you feel more confident in the longevity of your purchase. It’s important to know what determines solar panel efficiency so your investment in solar can generate the most energy and ultimately save the most money on your electric bill.
Declining costs and increasing incentives make a solar investment extremely valuable – but the price tag certainly isn’t low. When shopping for solar, also known as a photovoltaic (PV) system, you want to ensure you’ll get your money’s worth. So, it’s important to understand the lifetime of the equipment and its expected energy production. Many solar installers will guarantee a certain amount of electricity production to provide peace of mind when installing a PV system. In this article, we break down solar power production guarantees, what happens when a system’s production doesn’t match the amount of power guaranteed, and why some solar companies don’t offer this for home solar panel systems.
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The ADT logo can be found on homes across the United States, broadcasting that they’re protected by the home security system of a trusted and reliable company. Solar probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think about ADT, but in 2021, they entered the residential solar market with the acquisition of Sunpro Solar, creating ADT Solar. So what does going solar with ADT Solar look like? Let’s dive in.
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In 2007, Sunrun launched in San Francisco, CA with their core business model centered around providing power purchase agreements – meaning they own the panels they install on your roof and sell you the power your panels generate. Today, they’ve shifted their strategy and are currently the largest solar installer in the U.S. with about 13 percent of the residential solar market – a feat they reached in large part due to their acquisition of Vivint Solar in 2020, formerly the second largest installer after Tesla. As the solar industry continues to grow, so does the demand for solar-plus-storage systems and Sunrun has also stepped up to meet this opportunity, now offering these systems in most areas of the country.
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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.
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In this week’s news roundup, we discuss an important update in solar legislation in North Carolina and cover potential tariffs on solar panels made in Southeast Asia.
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If you’re considering installing a residential or commercial solar panel system, you might be wondering if your roof type is appropriate for a solar installation. The good news is that solar panels can be installed on just about any roof type, but the installation process and mounting hardware might vary from material to material. In this article, we’ll explore the many types of roofs solar panels can be installed on and how each has a unique installation process.
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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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Ten years ago, if you were installing a rooftop solar system, one of your installer’s first steps was to come to your house, climb up on your roof, and take a bunch of measurements and pictures to evaluate the project. However, this process is now starting to change with the rise of a new technology: drones. Drones in solar have a number of advantages that make them appealing to both homeowners and installers, including saving time and money for everyone involved. In this article, we’ll take a look at how drones are used in solar projects and explore some major companies on the cutting edge of this technology.
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