Why ask questions when buying solar panels? Can&#;t I simply trust the installers? They are the experts, after all. Well, that&#;s not necessarily so. The good news is solar power technology is advancing rapidly. The bad news is that with new innovations from micro-inverters to solar cells made of materials derived from gallium antimonide substrates [1], technology is being surpassed very quickly.
Goto OUSHANG SOLAR to know more.
This means that solar panel companies still have materials on hand as well as installers on staff who are familiar with systems becoming outdated and this is what they want to sell you. They may not even be familiar with upgrades from which you might benefit.
It is important to find an experienced solar company that stands behind its product and workmanship and that will remain in business during the life of your solar system.
The industry is ripe for advertising that appeals to the eco-conscious individual with buzz words to make the consumer feel that &#;we are all in this effort together to lessen our carbon footprint, slow global warming and save the planet&#;.
It may well be instead that the promoter&#;s highest interest is really simply making a lot of money, using inferior products and unqualified workers to achieve this end.
It is up to you (the buyer) to research the company to best insure getting the value of the investment.
Brokers often have solar power installation companies that they regularly work with, so while the language they use may even flatly declare that they are impartial to installation companies and instead are working only for you, that may not be the case.
It is not necessarily a bad thing that a broker has preferred providers. An ongoing relationship between two companies generally indicates that serious problems have not arisen on one side that might damage the reputation of the other party, but a short list of selected providers may mean that you as a consumer are missing out an on overlooked opportunity, possibly a company with a system better suited to your needs who is aligned with a different broker.
Many of these broker websites also contain misleading indicia that appears legitimate, like unverified or partial customer reviews.
It is important to read these websites closely, researching the ownership of the &#;brokerage&#; through a separate search, researching their strategic alliances within the solar industry and scrutinizing the validity of the ratings or reviews ascribed to solar panel system installation providers.
Concerning the &#;customer ratings&#; on the site, if there is no indication that these have been vetted and verified, do not rely on them in making your decision.
Impartial verified reviews can be found on websites that are not selling products but instead are devoted entirely to consumer affairs and business ratings. A consumer affairs website generally has many more reviews by customers. It will explain clearly the process and criterion for the reviews it accepts.
The business rating website will be more legal in nature, chronicling disputes and resolution rather than focusing on the quality of the product.
You can begin either by visiting one of these websites to select a short list of companies that might fit your needs or visit the website to verify the reputation of a company you are considering.
It is a good idea too, to ask a prospective installer for references and follow up by calling these customers with a list of questions in hand, beginning with how long they have had their system so that you have a timeline to compare customer experiences.
The list of questions you ask the references should include: Were there any costs that were not included in your initial quote or that you were not anticipating?
Overall, the average cost of installing a 5 kilowatt system in the United States presently is around $15,700 before the 30 percent federal tax credit and any other rebates [2].
Understand that this is just an average and will vary from state to state as well as with particular rooftop configurations. Too, your needs may be greater than a 5 kilowatt system.
First, the cost of the solar panels themselves.
The upfront cost will vary with the quality of the panels selected. Read Why Are Solar so Expensive for a discussion of the different types of panels available.
Remember that the more expensive panels are typically more efficient and will save you more money over time due to the increased power production.
In conjunction with the quality, you must consider the number of solar panels you need and can fit in the allocated space.
The time it takes to recoup the investment in solar panels varies depending on a number of factors, including the initial cost, energy savings, and local incentives. According to a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the average payback period in the United States is between 6 and 8 years.
This range can shift based on your location, as areas with higher electricity costs or more sunlight typically offer quicker returns. Additionally, federal tax credits and state rebates can significantly reduce the upfront cost, making the investment more attractive.
Taking these factors we estimated, you need to do the following arithmetic to determine solar payback time:
Cost to install = (total cost of the solar system &#; value of upfront financial incentives)
Average cost of electricity = total annual cost of electricity / total annual electricity used
Yearly savings = average cost of electricity * yearly energy production from solar system
Payback period = cost to install / yearly savings
For example:
Cost to install = $20,000 &#; $6,000 = $14,000
Average cost of electricity &#; $1,351.08 / 10,764 kWh = $0./kWh
Yearly savings = $0./kWh * 10,950 kWh = $1,374.43
Residential solar system payback period = $14,000 / $1,374.43 = 10.2 years.
A payback period of 10.2 years is actually above the average across the United States.
Inverters are necessary to transform the electricity produced in the solar cell from a direct current to the alternating current electricity used in American household systems.
A central inverter or string inverter covers the entire solar array whereas micro-inverters are on the back of each panel. Micro-inverters were invented to solve the problem of the entire array performing at a subpar level when only one or a few panels are affected by shade, debris or snow.
A third option freshly on the market is the power optimizer [3], designed to &#;optimize&#; the direct current produced by a solar panel before feeding it into a companion inverter converting the DC current into AC.
If you are in the market for a new roof or are building a new home, a new option to solar panels on the roof has just become available. Within the past week, the first roof made of solar tiles was installed
[4]
.While this product manufactured by Tesla has a 30-year warranty and may well be a viable option in this situation, it has not been on the market long enough to prove its projected cost savings, and you may still be looking at a traditional solar panel system.
With a traditional solar panel array, you will also need the system to affix the panels onto your roof if that is where you are placing it. Panels can be placed on tile, composition or metal roofs and brackets and hooks are available to affix them. Alternatively, you may choose to mount your solar array on a ground rack.
Three different options of mounting systems are currently available. They can be fixed, that is placed in a permanent position which is fine where continuous sunlight during daylight hours is available.
If you live far from the equator, the sun arches differently seasonally and an adjustable system with a rotating bearing to adjust the tilt of the panels will take advantage of the changing arc.
Finally, tracking systems are available where the panels move to &#;track&#; the progress of the sun across the sky, maximizing available sunlight. A tracking system will require site preparation including burying wires and grading [5].
The efficiency rating of solar panels refers to the percentage of sunlight that the panels can convert into usable electricity. Most residential solar panels have an efficiency rating between 15% and 20%, with some high-performance models reaching up to 22%.
The expected lifespan of most solar panels is around 25 to 30 years, during which time the panels will gradually lose some efficiency&#;typically around 0.5% to 1% per year. By the end of their lifespan, most panels will still be operating at about 80% of their original capacity, meaning they will continue to generate electricity long after they have paid for themselves.
Choosing high-efficiency panels may involve a higher upfront cost, but the long-term energy production can offer better value over the system&#;s lifetime.
The type of inverter included in your solar panel system plays a crucial role in how efficiently your system converts solar energy into electricity for your home. The most common options are string inverters, micro-inverters, and power optimizers.
A string inverter, which is the traditional choice, serves the entire array of panels, but its performance can be affected if one panel underperforms. Micro-inverters, on the other hand, are installed on the back of each panel, ensuring that issues like shading or debris on one panel don&#;t reduce the output of the entire system.
Power optimizers offer a middle ground by enhancing the performance of each panel while still connecting to a central inverter.
As for warranties, most inverters come with a warranty ranging from 10 to 15 years, with some offering extensions up to 20 or 25 years for an additional cost. Given that inverters are one of the most likely components to need replacement over the life of your solar system, it&#;s important to understand the warranty coverage and consider investing in an extended warranty for peace of mind.
Solar power is generated when the sun is shining. Accordingly, excess energy can be either stored on your premises for use when the sun is not shining or, if the option is available in your area, you can feed the extra energy into the electrical grid feeding your residence or business and draw upon it during the &#;off&#; hours.
If you choose to store your own energy, several different manufacturers offer solar batteries for this purpose. These will probably be made of either lead acid, lithium ion or saltwater.
Specifications differ widely, so you will need to evaluate a number of factors besides just the battery&#;s storage capacity. The capacity is measured in kilowatt hours of electricity the battery can store.
However, that is not a measure of how many kilowatts it can provide at a certain moment in time.
The latter is measured as a &#;power rating&#; and can best be understood as follows:
Another consideration is the battery&#;s depth of discharge, referred to as DoD. Generally, if you run a battery dry, it will not recharge or will recharge fewer times in its lifetime, so it is best to run it low, but not dry.
The depth of discharge is the percentage you can drain the battery before recharging it for optimal battery life. For example, if you have a 10 kilowatt hour battery and its depth of discharge is 90 percent, you can use 9 kilowatt hours before recharging it.
Finally, you need to consider what is known as the battery&#;s &#;round-trip efficiency.&#; A battery is not 100 percent efficient in storing energy fed into it. For example, if you feed ten kilowatt hours of electricity into the battery and get nine kilowatt hours available to draw, the round-trip efficiency is 90 percent.
You will also want to compare the warranties covering battery life. Most home energy systems &#;cycle&#;, or charge and drain, daily. A battery&#;s ability to hold a charge diminishes over time. If a battery has a warranty for ten years or 5,000 cycles at 75 percent, this means that at the end of the warranty period, the battery will have lost no more than 25 percent of its ability to store energy.
As with any other hardware and as discussed above in selecting an installer, you will want to research the product and its manufacturer&#;s reputation and track record.
You can buy more than one battery and for space considerations, may want to look at stackable batteries.
The Tesla Powerwall has received a lot of publicity as well. It is a flat battery that can be mounted directly on an interior wall. It is an attractive option and becoming more readily available to consumers [6], but do remember to consider mounting hardware and installation costs in addition to the retail price of the Powerwall.
Well, for starters, they are definitely not soft!
As discussed in Why Are Solar Panels so Expensive soft costs, that is the cost of labor for installation, costs involved in obtaining permits, and requisite electrical, structural and fire safety inspections, as well as connection costs can comprise 40 percent of the cost of the system.
And on top of these permitting and installation costs, don&#;t forget to add a rider to your homeowners&#; insurance policy to cover the system.
While several advocacy groups are pushing for legislation to equalize and streamline the permitting process and costs to encourage growth of solar energy across the United States, permitting remains a challenge in many jurisdictions.
The State of California requires all of its city and county governments to have an expedited, streamlined process for residential rooftop solar systems smaller that 10 kilowatts and to provide a simple checklist for the permit process [7]. But they are far ahead of most jurisdictions.
A building permit for a solar system will require proof of compliance with zoning requirements.
As an example, that may even include a requirement for a grading pre-inspection for a ground mount system. A structural safety inspection may not only require proof that the roof can sustain the weight of the panels, but in some jurisdictions the integrity of the system in high winds or through seismic activity must be certified.
Permitting costs include not only the application fee, but also paying qualified independent contractors to certify compliance to electrical and fire regulations.
In many jurisdictions, local officials will have to be scheduled for government inspections and these sometimes require fees on top of the permit application fee. Scheduling all of these inspections can be maddeningly time-consuming as well.
The solar panel installer should have a licensed electrical contractor familiar with the local utility interconnection requirements to connect your system to the local electric grid. The cost can vary depending upon the utility&#;s metering requirements. If your array is on the ground and a distance away, you may have the additional expense of burying a utility line.
While the electrician will confirm the installation requirements with the local utility and ensure compliance, you will be entering into a separate contract with the local utility concerning the power you are feeding into the grid. Accordingly, you should contact them directly to discuss the interconnection contract terms.
If you need help in this transaction, you can call your state energy office or the local Public Utility Commission office
[8]
.The timeline for installing a solar panel system depends on the complexity of the project, the permitting process, and the availability of materials and labor. On average, you can expect the entire process to take anywhere from one to three months from the time you sign the contract to the moment your system is fully operational.
The first few weeks typically involve site assessment and design, where the solar company evaluates your property and creates a customized plan. Following this, the permitting phase begins, which can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on your local jurisdiction.
Once permits are secured, the actual installation usually takes just one to three days. After installation, there&#;s usually a final inspection and connection to the grid, which might add another week or two to the timeline.
The method used to mount solar panels affects both the efficiency of the system and the integrity of your roof or property. Most commonly, solar panels are mounted on rooftops using brackets and rails that are designed to hold the panels securely in place while withstanding various weather conditions.
The specific mounting method will depend on your roof type&#;whether it&#;s tile, composition shingle, or metal. For flat roofs, a tilted mounting system might be used to ensure the panels receive maximum sunlight.
Alternatively, if rooftop installation isn&#;t ideal due to shading or space constraints, you might opt for a ground-mounted system. Ground mounts can be placed in a sunny part of your property and may be fixed in a permanent position, adjustable for seasonal changes, or even equipped with a tracking system to follow the sun&#;s path.
Most solar monitoring systems gauge, display and record the energy being produced by your system in real time. But how do you know if it is operating optimally?
The most sophisticated monitoring systems measure your production against a database of forecasted production for your area. The database was compiled in partnership with the Department of Energy [9].
A typical monitoring display screen will show how much energy your system is producing and how much you are using at the moment, and can show the daily summary as well as historical production and consumption data. It will also show the state of charge of your battery.
Many monitoring systems record and store this information so that the user can go also go online and access data in real time or past data.
Say, for example, you are not home, but want to check your system&#;s performance in December, you can find that, compare it with the forecasted output and determine if you have a problem. Or if you are concerned that perhaps you have a crack in a panel or your inverter is not working properly, you can compare your output against projected output in real time.
The most common equipment failure is with the inverter.
Inverters will probably not last the lifetime of your system, so you can expect to replace our inverters at least once.
An inverter typically comes with a five to ten-year warranty. This is important to look for as it is estimated that inverter failures account for 50 percent of major system failures [10].
Inverters with a five-year warranty may offer an extended five year warranty for around $250, which may well be worth the investment.
When considering any hardware replacement warranty, it is important to understand whether the cost of labor to remove and install the defective equipment is covered.
If you are replacing hardware components such as an inverter, look to trusted manufacturers and at a minimum, confirm that the component has a UL number which indicates that it has been tested and listed by Underwriters Laboratories, which is probably the most reputable not-for-profit electrical testing laboratory in the world [11].
Again, because this is the inverter is the component most likely to fail, it is important to purchase it from a reputable manufacturer who has been in the business long enough to understand its life span and will stay in business long enough to honor its warranty.
The same principles apply to tracking systems which will have more moveable parts than a rooftop array. Read the warranty carefully to ensure that it covers hardware replacement and service installation and repair costs.
While solar panels are very durable, built to withstand temperature changes, heavy snows and hailstorms, solar panel manufacturers do offer warranties guaranteeing support and coverage in such event. It will also be worthwhile to explore what your homeowners&#; insurance rider covers.
Most system installers offer a limited period warranty for faulty installation.
Other degradation issues such as soldering lifting at the joints, moisture ingress, delamination and hotspots may not appear for years and will probably not be covered under a panel warranty, but only under the general power output warranty, discussed below.
A hotspot is where a weak cell in a string cracks due to overheating from a string of good cells dissipating all of its generating capacity into the compromised cell [12].
The good news is that solar panels seldom fail, failure being defined as one that needs replaced. The United States Energy Department&#;s Renewable Energy Laboratory reported that the median failure rate from - was 5 panels out of 10,000 failing annually
[13]
.A more general warranty, frequently offered but more difficult sometimes for the owner to prove is the power output warranty. This warranty which is often for the expected lifetime of the system, for example 25 years, it guarantees that system performance measured in peak power output, won&#;t fall below a specified lever, say 85 percent over the term of the warranty.
In this scenario, it is worth considering that a panel or two may not be performing at all, but the entire system is still producing at 85 percent. Some companies offer a secondary warranty for purchase, guaranteeing a higher power output for the initial years.
Panels typically come with a limited period workmanship warranty covering defective panel parts
Small cracks appearing in the solar cells from temperature changes and weather conditions generally degrade the system over time. They cannot be repaired; the entire module must be replaced. Their effect on the output will determine whether it is worth it.
When you are purchasing your system, discuss this possibility with the seller and get a written repair quote for a panel and installation of same, just so you have an idea what this may cost if it is not covered and you feel it would be worth it to replace a cracked and degraded panel.
It may not be a simple matter to determine the cause of the decrease in power output as it may be from a component not easy to isolate like a faulty electrical cable. It might be worth your time to watch the installation to better understand the architecture of your system and to discuss diagnostic techniques with the installer for the more common possibilities.
For snow removal, read our article at How Well Do Solar Panels Work in the Winter.
Apart from snow removal, if your panels are not at an angle where it can slide off, then the only maintenance required on a rooftop system is keeping the panels clean of debris, dust or smearing from smog. If you are leasing your system, routine maintenance is the company&#;s responsibility.
If it is your responsibility, ask your installer for a reputable local company you can call to periodically clean your panels or to remove the snow if you do not want to use a solar snow rake.
If you decide to move after installing a solar system, you have a few options regarding what to do with your solar panels. The most straightforward approach is to include the solar system in the sale of your home, potentially increasing the property&#;s value by an estimated $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the size and efficiency of the system.
This can make your home more appealing to buyers who are interested in energy efficiency and lower utility costs. In most cases, the solar system is considered a permanent fixture, meaning it stays with the house. However, if you financed the system through a loan or lease, you will need to transfer the agreement to the new homeowner. This process is usually straightforward but should be discussed early in the selling process to avoid any complications.
Alternatively, you could choose to remove and relocate the system to your new home, though this can be expensive, often costing between $5,000 and $10,000, and may not always be feasible depending on the new property&#;s suitability for solar.
The terms of a net metering agreement do affect the financial benefits you receive from your solar panel system, you should understand how your utility provider handles this arrangement. Net metering allows you to send excess electricity generated by your solar panels back to the grid in exchange for credits on your utility bill.
The rate at which you are credited varies by provider and location, but in many areas, you receive a one-to-one credit, meaning for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) you send to the grid, you receive a full kWh credit. However, some utilities offer less favorable terms, crediting you at a lower rate, such as a wholesale rate, which could be 50% to 70% of the retail rate.
Additionally, the length of time you can carry over these credits can vary, with some agreements resetting annually, while others allow you to accumulate credits indefinitely. It&#;s also important to note if your utility has any caps on the amount of energy you can send back to the grid or if they charge additional fees for participating in the net metering program.
In most cases, if the local grid goes down, your solar panel system will also shut off automatically, a safety feature known as &#;anti-islanding&#; designed to protect utility workers from potentially dangerous backflow of electricity. This means that even though your solar panels are capable of generating power during a blackout, they won&#;t continue to do so unless you have a battery storage system or a special inverter designed to operate independently of the grid.
Battery storage systems, such as the Tesla Powerwall, can provide backup power during an outage, typically offering between 10 to 13.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of usable energy per battery. Depending on your household&#;s energy consumption, this could power essential appliances for several hours or even a full day.
For a more robust backup solution, you might consider a system with multiple batteries, though this can increase costs significantly, with prices ranging from $7,000 to $15,000 per battery installed.
This summary is intended to help you understand solar power system purchase options so that you are better educated when shopping.
It is recognized across the globe that generation of power through a photovoltaic system is clean, reliable and environment friendly [14]. It is time to move away from fossil fuels and the commensurate drastic harm to our planet, measured ecologically and politically.
And it is now affordable, paying for itself in utility bill savings over a short period.
References
[1] https://goo.gl/gPCcc7
[2] https://news.energysage.com/5kw-solar-systems-compare-prices-installers
[3] https://goo.gl/Yff3r5
[4] https://electrek.co//04/02/tesla-solar-roof-customer-installation-working
[5] https://goo.gl/MHrn13
[6] https://goo.gl/pxhhLp
[7] https://www.seia.org/initiatives/local-solar-permitting
[8] https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy02osti/.pdf
[9] https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/modeling-and-analysis
[10] https://www.solaranalytics.com/us/blog/are-my-solar-panels-working-properly
[11] https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/underwriters-laboratories-ul.html
[12] http://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/modules/hot-spot-heating
[13] https://www.nrel.gov/news/program//failures-pv-panels-degradation.html
[14] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S
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It&#;s easy to confuse heat energy and light energy since we often experience them in tandem. But when it comes to solar panels, there...
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In the process of designing a home, there are a number of strategies that can be implemented to minimize the amount of energy required to...
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In the wake of US tariffs on non-domestic solar modules, Q CELLS is opening a solar module factory in Georgia. The South Korean company announced...
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We all are familiar with residential and commercial solar panels. They can be found all around states like California, New York, Massachusetts, and more....
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The sun&#;s energy is expressed in different ways, depending on what materials it interacts with. Solar panels are built with materials that physically interact...
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While around 90% of solar panels currently on the market are made out of silicon, adding a new material may soon make existing module design...
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When you make the decision to install a solar panel system at your home, there are going to be several questions on your mind. How...
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You know solar panels as the futuristic-looking black or blue rectangles that soak up sunlight and bring down your energy bills. You might even get...
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Are you inclined to tinker on backyard projects? Is it something you&#;re curious about? Here&#;s a fun DIY solar project (featuring soda cans) that might...
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According to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is on track to install 200 gigawatts of renewable capacity by . The country is fully embracing...
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If you live in an area that experiences extreme weather like hurricanes, hail, thunderstorms, blizzards, heavy winds and more, then you should take the...
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If you have ever driven through a residential neighborhood in states like California, Arizona, North Carolina, or any of the other top states for solar,...
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When you think of solar, you probably imagine a solar panel-lined rooftop. For many homeowners, rooftop solar is usually the way to go. But it...
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Hyundai and Panasonic are trusted brands and they&#;ve both expanded into the solar panel industry. Offering quality products for two different price points, each brand...
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New York loves its Yankees &#; and its Sunpower solar panels. A recent review of the Solar.com platform showed that homeowners in New York state...
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When you hear about installing solar, you’re most likely hearing about PV (photovoltaic) solar cell panels. They’ve become standard in the industry. PV solar cell...
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The increasing adoption rate of solar technology has led to both surprising innovations as well as obvious and practical applications. One such application of...
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Once you&#;ve decided to install a solar panel system at your home, the next thing to focus on is conducting the proper due diligence on...
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If you live in a condo, you may think that solar is beyond your reach thanks to homeowners association (HOA) regulations. After all, they didn’t...
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We at Solar.com already think solar panels are pretty beautiful &#; their cost savings and sustainability alone make them gorgeous in our eyes. However, The...
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For electric vehicle (EV) owners, having convenient access to a charging station is as important as a normal driver having access to a gas station....
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Utility API provides software to accelerate the clean energy movement. They do this, in part, by offering secure data on a homeowner&#;s energy usage to...
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If you are thinking about installing a solar panel system at your home, one of the first things you must consider is how much...
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Flying cars have captured society&#;s imagination as a far-off possibility for decades, but that dream is quickly nearing reality. Earlier this month Silicon Valley startup...
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There are many reasons why a consumer may want to purchase their solar panels from an American manufacturer or from American Solar brands. They want...
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Solar panel mounts are a common component of almost every solar panel array. Although there are newer solar panel technologies coming out that do not...
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In February , BMW introduced its new sub-brand, BMW i. This sub-brand&#;s purpose was to focus on marketing and selling a new line of plug-in...
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Solar panels are a fairly familiar concept and many of us have an idea on top solar panel manufacturer, but inverters are a little...
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Curious which solar panels are selected most on the Solar.com platform? As an online marketplace connecting quality solar companies to customers, we stay neutral...
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Each year, there are newer and more powerful solar technologies made available for individuals and consumers. These solar solutions are not just limited to rooftop...
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SunPower and LG are two of the top companies making solar panels. You&#;ve probably come across them in your research, and you&#;re wondering which will...
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Did you know that 30 percent of San Diego&#;s power comes from renewable sources? Contributing to that growing number is easier than ever. Switching to...
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After much deliberation, California&#;s Pacific Gas & Electric has begun rolling out its updated residential and commercial rates. As there is little opposition to the...
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Many would consider to be the year of cryptocurrency. Coins like Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ripple and dozens of others have shot up 1,000%+ and do...
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Solar technology has been in existence since when William Grylls Adams and his student researcher discovered that you can produce electricity by exposing selenium to...
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Solar energy is taking shape across industries and geographies. Engineers at top solar panel companies are hard at work developing innovations making solar even more...
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After picking the best solar equipment and design for your home, it&#;s time to pick the right installer. A good installer will make installation a...
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Solar is now more affordable and practical for the consumer than ever before, and because of this, it is starting to make sense to think...
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As the fundamental technology behind solar improved, a number of new consumer devices started hitting the market. One such device was the portable solar panel....
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We sat down with Heather Hochrein, CEO and co-founder of EVmatch, to learn more about her Santa Barbara company and the opportunity of EV charging...
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With all of the advances in the solar industry, it is getting more practical and affordable to start using solar. In fact, the price of...
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The following post is a testimonial from a user of Solar.com&#;s Solar Savings Calculator. I never thought I would be someone to search for solar...
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Whether or not you&#;ve made the decision to go solar, knowing exactly where your electricity is used can help you save on energy bills by...
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The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has teamed up with Solar.com and local nonprofits Self Reliance and the Marion Institute to officially launch Mass Solar...
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Over six decades ago, New Jersey scientists announced their invention of a practical silicon solar panel. Solar panels have come a long way since then,...
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Solar energy, unfortunately, is still viewed as an alternate power source. However, in spite of this designation, it is quickly becoming the primary source of...
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Working in the energy sector in America can be fast paced. It is primarily focused on reducing homeowners energy bills. Cost is king. My days...
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There are so many details to take into account when choosing the right solar system for you. One of the most important factors is,...
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Not all solar panels are created equal. Power ratings, efficiency ratings, and degradation rates are just a few of the qualifications that set solar panels...
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There&#;s no question that the Tesla Solar Roof is among the best looking rooftop solar systems on the market. When it was unveiled in ,...
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Spanish tile refers to the style of the tile, not the material. Spanish tile is usually made of either clay or concrete. Installing a solar...
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We have come a very long way from the first line of solar panels. Despite their sustainability, the first solar panels were not the most...
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Tesla has finally made its solar roofs open for ordering. The smooth and textured tiles are the only roof types currently available with the Tuscan...
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Uncertainties are given when making a big ticket purchase that lasts 30 plus years. Whether that is a home, a vehicle, or financial investments. How...
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The purchase of a boat or a yacht is a coveted purchase for many people. While it certainly adds a new dynamic to one&#;s life,...
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Back in , Greenpeace did a sophisticated research project on the sustainability of the top tech giants in the United States. It covered many areas of sustainability,...
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Every time the name Elon Musk is thrown around, most people will think of either his connection to PayPal, SpaceX, or Tesla cars. But now...
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Solar photovoltaic panels are created to absorb the sun&#;s energy and convert it to usable AC energy in your home. You may be wondering then,...
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LG is a brand you may already be familiar with. They are a South Korean multinational manufacturer that makes televisions, mobile devices, tablets, smartwatches and...
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On October 28, , Elon Musk unveiled Tesla&#;s solar roof product &#; a line of roof tiles and shingles with embedded photovoltaic cells. To an...
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John Smith is a homeowner in California looking to reduce his electric bill by going solar and he decided to call an installation company that...
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If you are considering installing a solar system at your home or place of business, then you have many factors to consider. The paramount factor...
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You&#;ve heard of SunPower, LG, SolarWorld, Q CELLS, and maybe even Canadian Solar, but which one is the right fit for your home? To figure...
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A common decision you&#;ll have to make when designing your custom solar system is whether to use microinverters or string inverters. The basic function of...
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Solar panels contain cells of semiconductive material, usually, silicon usually encased in a metallic frame and tempered glass. When subject to sunlight, photovoltaic cells create...
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When deciding on solar equipment it&#;s important to know what options are available. Different equipment suits different situations better. A power optimizer is ideal...
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Solar.com is launching another solar Group Buy Program in specific targeted markets in order to aggregate latent demand for residential solar power systems and provide...
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Driving an electric car charged by solar panels on your roof sounds like the dream &#; you are now driving to work in a vehicle...
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Elon Musk once again shook up the energy industry with the unveiling of solar roofs by Tesla and SolarCity on October 28th. Building Integrated Photovoltaics...
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The election of Donald Trump to the office of President of the United States is expected to have a profound impact on the future of...
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We&#;ve seen this before. Last year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that his electric vehicle company would branch out and start supplying a home battery...
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The solar market is expanding as homeowners are installing rooftop solar panels in an attempt to reduce their electric bills and their carbon footprint. However,...
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This paper highlights the importance of power tolerance when choosing solar panels. Power tolerance is a measure of how much electrical power a solar panel...
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The entire world is going green and moving toward cleaner sources of energy. California hosts a flourishing solar industry with a burgeoning number of solar...
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Home to Michigan&#;s largest solar panel array of 1.1 MW and one of the top green research universities in the country, Ann Arbor has a...
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One of the most important steps before installing home solar is figuring out how much energy your home uses, and how big your solar energy...
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Every solar installer has an opinion about how to choose a solar installer. Those with the most service time under their belts and those who&#;ve...
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Tip 1 &#; Ask Friends, Families, and Neighbors If you live in California then there&#;s a good chance that you know somebody who has already...
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At Solar.com, we have a lot of experience in the solar panel industry. Every day we help people to install panels on their homes, and...
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Floating solar panels utilize the same technology as the panels that you put on your roof. The main difference is that they&#;ve been adapted...
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At Solar.com, we believe in supplying quality equipment for our customers. In the last twenty years, solar technology has grown exponentially, costs have plummeted, and...
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With daylight savings recently ending, it is that time of year again to reflect on why &#;falling back&#; is a really bad idea. In the...
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All solar installations today should be thinking ahead to the not-so-distant future. The main question to be asking is whether your solar system will seamlessly...
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We all know why people go solar: investment purposes, immediate savings, environmental concerns, and grid independence. But who are these people? One of Malcom Gladwell&#;s...
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Buying a solar system for your home can be a confusing process. At Solar.com we&#;re committed to helping homeowners sort through it all and...
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Installers who sell high-efficiency panels love to flaunt that point when selling their system. But in most cases, panel efficiency doesn&#;t count for much, except...
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The quality of work put forth by your solar installer is the most important aspect of your solar installation. An inverter malfunction or dirty...
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The following letter is from a very reputable company in Solar.com&#;s installer network to a homeowner who was unfortunately taken advantage of by an installer...
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Homeowners who are considering solar typically overlook the manufacturer of their solar panels, despite this being one of the most important factors for the longevity...
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The U.S. Department of Energy invests in new technology to revolutionize the landscape of solar data. Reliable solar grid data, the true performance of solar...
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Here at Solar.com, we want to see solar panels on every compatible rooftop in the U.S. And while our plans for expansion are ambitious,...
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Are you interested in learning more about 72 Cells Solar Panel Custom? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!