Solar Industry News

How Will California’s Net Energy Metering Policy (NEM 3.0) Affect Home Solar + Storage Customers?

December 29, 2022

On December 15, 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) passed the new net metering policy, NEM 3.0. While the…

Charge Your Electric Vehicle From Home

How Many Solar Panels Do I Need to Charge My Electric Vehicle?

November 14, 2022

Introduction One of the main benefits of purchasing an electric vehicle (EV) is that it allows you to forgo buying…

The History and Evolution of Our Electric Grid

November 7, 2022

Introduction When you plug in your phone or charge an electric vehicle (EV), your are accessing electricity from the grid.…

Pros and Cons of Electric Vehicles

November 2, 2022

Electric cars are excellent for the environment and offer many benefits over traditional vehicles, but they do have some downsides.…

What Are Off-Peak Electricity Hours?

October 27, 2022

Off-Peak Hours: Everything You Need to Know About the Cheapest Time to Use Electricity Electricity is one of the most…

Moving with solar

Moving? How SunPower Helps Homeowners with Their Solar System During Life Changes

October 25, 2022

Buying or selling a home is a big change for any family. There are several things to consider during the…

Understanding Your PG&E Bill, Fees & Rate Schedule

October 15, 2022

If you live in California, there’s a good chance that you’re a customer of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). PG&E…

A Technical Review Of The SunPower SunVault Storage Solution

October 5, 2022

The SunPower SunVault battery storage solution allows you to gain more control over your home energy usage and protect against…

The Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) Explained

October 3, 2022

Solar energy is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, but many people aren’t aware of the tax credits…

What’s the Best Orientation and Angle to Install My Solar Panels?

September 20, 2022

If you’re thinking about installing solar panels on your roof, you might be surprised at how many variables can affect…

Solar Industry News

Solar Installation

Solar is trending as a top renewable energy investment worldwide

By p15 | May 16, 2018

For the first time, global energy markets in many parts of the developing world are registering solar power as the cheapest form of new electricity for renewable energy investment opportunities. The milestone is noteworthy as these lower solar prices do not include government subsidies or other financial support. This trending reduction in the price of…

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Using people power to reach energy efficiency goals in business

By p15 | May 13, 2018

Working toward energy efficiency is most successful when approached collectively. While energy managers may head the team exploring how to reduce energy costs in business, it’s an overall group effort that yields the best results. That’s the overarching message in a recent article published by Smart Energy Decisions, which describes how increasing employee engagement improves the chances of reaching…

Solar Installation

The ever-evolving benefits of commercial solar adoption

By p15 | May 11, 2018

In the not-so-distant past, the main benefit of commercial solar adoption was rooted in affecting environmental change. Early photovoltaic (PV) technology adopters saw it as a potential solution to what had become a global energy crisis.  And for that, they were called hippies, tree-huggers and any number of pejorative environmentalist monikers. But they didn’t care.…

Solar Net Metering

What is Solar Net Metering and How Does it Work

By p15 | May 9, 2018

Many consumers who are thinking about going solar have heard the term “net metering” but aren’t sure what it means. What is Net Metering? Put simply, net metering is a utility billing mechanism available in most states that offers a credit to residential and business customers who are making excess electricity with their solar panel…

Solar Technologies Installation

The advantages and disadvantages of businesses going solar

By p15 | May 7, 2018

Making the decision to go solar isn’t something you do in a day. And it certainly shouldn’t be done without a thorough evaluation and careful assessment of both the pros and cons. To help get you started, we’ve put together three of the top advantages—and disadvantages—of pursuing a path toward investing in a commercial solar…

Solar Panel Installation

Understanding the essential relationship between water and energy production

By p15 | May 4, 2018

“Without enough water, you can’t have power; without enough power, you can’t have water.” The relationship between water and energy production is extremely close and co-dependent. It takes a massive amount of water to generate energy, and it takes a huge quantity of energy to process water that can be utilized by humans for drinking…

Solar Technologies Panels

Is fossil fuel divestment at a financial tipping point for energy investors?

By p15 | May 2, 2018

As the cost of renewable energy becomes more competitive with fossil fuel cost, it may be the perfect time for fossil fuel divestment (aka divestiture). An article in The Guardian argues that energy investors could be at a tipping point when it comes to investment in renewables. Historically, the case for corporate sustainability has focused on improving public…

Solar Panel

The net environmental impact of solar power: Is it helping or hurting?

By p15 | April 30, 2018

At the individual installation level, it’s rather obvious that commercial solar energy systems have positive impact on the environment—instead of using electricity generated by fossil fuels, your business utilizes clean, renewable energy from a limitless resource (the sun). But a recent article in The Atlantic takes a step back and evaluates solar as a whole,…

Hybrid Solar Energy System

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hybrid Solar Energy Systems

By Solar Technologies | April 28, 2018

Introduction When researching solar energy power systems, homeowners have two options to consider: on-grid and off-grid solar energy systems. Both of these systems are helpful if you live in a state like California with ample sunlight. But on cloudy days or at night, these systems alone won’t continue to power your home and you’ll need…

corporate sustainability

Corporate sustainability is the way to go

By p15 | April 23, 2018

Trying to find ways to hit your corporate sustainability goals and reduce costs at the same time? A recent survey tells us that many of your peers are considering lower-cost renewable energy solutions, such as solar power, to help them to do just that.  With energy costs on the rise, facility managers who want affordable…