A Guide to Solar Power in the US: Could the Country Be Fossil Fuel Independent?

May 29, 2019

The State of US Solar Power

As has been reported on many other blogs and website, solar power is enjoying a massive upswing in adoption around the world and here in the United States. Thanks to government and other adoption incentives, matured financing options, and steadily decreasing costs coupled with steadily increasing generation and storage capacity, installing solar panels on your home is more popular than ever and only getting more popular.

Big utilities are increasingly getting into the game across the United States, and many big consumers of power – amusement parks, server farms, government installations – are putting in their own utility-scale solar power plants to cut back or eliminate their dependence on conventionally generated power.

Solar power has become a major component of the fight against fossil fuel pollution and ongoing climate change. But, can the US truly become fossil fuel independent? more “A Guide to Solar Power in the US: Could the Country Be Fossil Fuel Independent?” …

5 Things You Need to Know About US Residential Rooftop Solar in 2019

May 15, 2019

The Ongoing Rise of Solar Shows No Sign of Slowing in the Year Ahead

2018 may have been a year of relatively flat growth across the renewable energy sector, but that was largely considered to be good news by most experts. There were many reasons to think that the past year would see solar and other renewables lose some ground thanks to uncertainty surrounding tax and tariff news in late 2017 and early 2018.

Solar remained strong and is only looking to grow further in the year to come. Here’s a look at five things you need to know about solar in 2019. more “5 Things You Need to Know About US Residential Rooftop Solar in 2019” …

Solar Energy Com Energy Photovoltaic Solar

Do Solar Panels Actually Save Homeowners Money?

April 29, 2019

Will Going Solar Help You Save on Your Power Bill?

The short answer to this question is a simple “yes.” Solar power is not just good for the environment, as putting solar panels on your house could also net you considerable savings on your power bill. Depending on where you live and the amount of power your home or business consumes (see below for more information), that savings could be enough to offset the cost of the solar power system you get installed in as little as a few years.

Regardless of where you live, solar power is a terrific way to gain savings while doing a little something good for the environment. In this post, we will start by taking a look at how much you may stand to save if you decide to put solar panels on your home.

We’ll also look at the amount you might save on your power bills, depending on where you live and what size system you decide to purchase. Last, we’ll take a quick look at how solar power incentives, tax credits, and other programs can offset the cost and get you into a position to realize those savings faster. more “Do Solar Panels Actually Save Homeowners Money?” …

Solar Energy Roof Solar Power Generation

Financing My Solar Panels: A Quick Guide to Paying for Residential Solar Panels

April 22, 2019

The Best Ways to Pay for Residential Solar

One of the most challenging things about preparing yourself to go solar, is sorting through all the options you have when it comes to paying for your solar panels, solar storage, and everything else that comes along with a solar power generation system. Weighing the options when it comes to paying for residential solar power can be confusing, but it is worth careful consideration.

After all, solar power isn’t cheap. Though your new solar power system will eventually pay for itself several times over the next couple of decades, finding the best (and least expensive) way to pay for it will only increase your savings and get you to realizing those savings all that much faster.

So, in this brief guide on paying for residential solar, we’ll look at several of the contemporary financing options for solar panels, and provide you with enough information to get you on your way to making the best decision for your situation and your budget. more “Financing My Solar Panels: A Quick Guide to Paying for Residential Solar Panels” …

How Much Will It Cost to Put Solar Panels on My House?

April 15, 2019

A Breakdown of All the Costs Associated With Home Solar Installation

Solar power has gotten less and less expensive over the years, with the average cost of solar panels and the rest of what makes up a solar power system now costing roughly a third of what it did at the turn of the millennium. That said, figuring out how much a solar power system will cost you can be challenging. There are many variables involved, so the short answer to the question in this post is “it depends.”

In this post, we’ll get into some of the variables involved in estimating how much of a system you need and how much it’ll cost to purchase that system and have it professionally installed.

We’ll look at the effect your location can have on pricing, as well as the variability of equipment option pricing, and even what you may be able to count on for price offsets in different places across the country. But to truly get your head wrapped around what you need and what it will cost, you’re going to want to consult a local solar installation professional. more “How Much Will It Cost to Put Solar Panels on My House?” …

What Are the Basics of Net Metering Before I Switch to Solar Power?

April 8, 2019

Everything You Need to Know About Net Metering Programs Before you Go Solar

Depending on which state you live in, or in some locations, on your local utility company, net metering may represent one of the biggest incentives, one of the biggest cost offsets, for going solar. Installing solar panels on your home allows you to set up your own electric utility, just for your needs.

Net metering, however, allows you to sell the power you generate back to the grid you’re connected to, offsetting the cost of the electricity you draw from the grid when you can’t produce your own and run out of stored power. In some cases, this may even earn you money.

But of course, it’s not quite that simple. Net metering isn’t available everywhere, and net metering programs differ a bit from location to location, state to state, and utility to utility. In this post, we’ll go over the basics of net metering. more “What Are the Basics of Net Metering Before I Switch to Solar Power?” …

Solar Panel Solar Energy Solar Photovoltaic System

Solar Plus Storage: A Guide to Solar Power Storage for the Homeowner

April 1, 2019

Solar Power Generation Plus Storage for a Complete Solution

For many people considering taking the plunge and going solar, examining the staggering array of options available these days may be an early and high hurdle. At first glance, it may seem like solar power should be a relatively simple thing – if you leave out how the solar panels work themselves. You put the panels on your roof, pointed toward the sun. They generate electricity, and your house uses that power to run your lights, your appliances, your television, etc. Roughly speaking, that is certainly how it works.

Going solar will also require all of the necessary modifications to your home’s circuit breaker. There will also be additional equipment needed to convert the power that the cells generate into power that can be used to turn on your appliances, lights, and other electrical things. more “Solar Plus Storage: A Guide to Solar Power Storage for the Homeowner” …

What Are the Basics of Solar Power for the Interested Homeowner?

March 27, 2019

What Homeowners Need to Know About Solar Power

The results are in and the overwhelming majority of scientists agree that climate change is a serious problem. A recent study suggested that if something is not done, there will be catastrophic consequences to the environment within 12 years. Fortunately, there is one easy thing that every homeowner can do right now, which is installing solar panels.

If you have been holding out on installing solar panels for your home because you’re not really clear how it all goes together, here are the basics. more “What Are the Basics of Solar Power for the Interested Homeowner?” …

A DIY Guide to Installing Home Solar Panels

March 20, 2019

Thinking About Installing Your Own Residential Solar Panel System?

More and more homeowners are making the switch to solar power, and with good reason. Going solar is great for the environment, which is more important than ever with the effects of climate chance posing a looming threat. Having a solar panel system can also save you a great deal of money on energy costs.

Some people try to save even more money by installing their home solar panels themselves. It is recommended that you hire a professional installer to put in your solar panels for your safety and to make sure the job is done right. If you insist on doing it yourself, though, here’s a handy guide. more “A DIY Guide to Installing Home Solar Panels” …

Understanding How Residential Solar Power Works

March 13, 2019

Understanding Solar Power

You’ve made up your mind to switch solar power, but now you’re wondering, “How does solar power actually work?” Glad you asked! Understanding how it works is a good place to start when you’re thinking about how and to go solar. And lucky for you, it’s simpler than you think. Read on to learn more about the ways in which solar power works in a residential environment.

Solar Energy 101

One of the main methods of converting solar energy into solar power is direct or photovoltaic (PV) conversion. In this case, you would use solar panels (or solar PV) for generating electricity. A solar PV system consists of solar panels, an inverter, a meter, and a few other components such as mounting, cabling, etc. more “Understanding How Residential Solar Power Works” …