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 Calculator

Your Guide to Solar Calculators

By p15 | October 5, 2017

There are numerous factors that affect the cost and production capacity of your residential or commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system, from tax credits and rebates to weather conditions that change your system’s efficiency and output. This means your solar savings can vary greatly depending on your location, roof size, battery storage options, the size of…

Reduce Business Energy Costs

Renewable energy procurement trends: the curse and the boom

By p15 | October 2, 2017

By most accounts, signs are pointing to an explosion in corporate renewable energy procurement. A recent article published by Green Tech Media summarizes these positive trends as well as a cautionary note about what could slow renewable energy demand. Increased adoption of corporate sustainability goals is cited as one indicator pointing to an expansion of the corporate renewables market.  (There are…

Renewable Energy

7 Ways Renewable Energy Can Power Our World

By p15 | September 28, 2017

Have you been wondering what “renewable energy” really means? Renewable energy solutions are literally found in the air, deep underground and in our oceans. Here’s a look at seven renewable energy sources that can be tapped directly or indirectly to help our world go green and fight global warming. From Living Things to Electricity Bioenergy is…

Solar battery storage could increase savings for over 25% of commercial utility customers

By p15 | September 25, 2017

A new study suggests nearly 5 million commercial utility customers in the U.S. are at a financial tipping point that could make adding solar battery storage a good option. At this point in the evolution of energy storage technology, the most sensible application for installing a storage system is when customers are subject to relatively…

WAITING TO GO SOLAR WILL COST YOU

WAITING TO GO SOLAR WILL COST YOU

By p15 | September 22, 2017

Solar Technologies, a Bay Area leader in solar panel technology, announced today that homeowners and business owners should take advantage of the federal solar energy tax credit while they still can. “There’s no better time than the present to invest in solar,” said Jeff Parr, owner of Solar Technologies. “Although solar energy is becoming more…

A new way to market (and realize) the benefits of sustainability

By p15 | September 18, 2017

Companies exploring how to improve brand reputation may be tempted to simply highlight the benefits of sustainability as reflected in their products (or services). But how effective is this approach to actually gaining new customers? Or helping the environment? According to a recent article published by BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), marketing sustainability should be more nuanced and…

Patio of home with a SunPower solar array

How Solar Energy Can Help the Whole Power Grid

By p15 | September 15, 2017

People who are new to how residential solar power works often ask these two questions: What happens when my solar panels generate more electricity than I use during daylight hours? How do I power my home when the sun isn’t shining? Most grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) solar systems today have no way of storing the electricity…

Ramar Foods International solar powered lit parking lot

Choosing the right solar design for your organization

By p15 | September 13, 2017

Introduction As you begin your solar planning process, you may have many questions about which type of commercial solar design would be most suitable for your organization. Is a commercial rooftop solar system or a ground-mounted system more effective? Or is a solar carport a better option? It’s important to carefully evaluate your organization’s property…

SunPower HELIX Roof Image

How Many Solar Panels Do You Need: Panel Size and Output Factors

By p15 | September 10, 2017

Determining how many solar panels you’ll need for your home means first knowing what your goals are. Do you want to minimize your carbon footprint?  Maximize your return on your investment? Save as much money as possible?  Most people want to save money while minimizing their environmental impact. To calculate how many solar panels you…

How Going Solar is Helping California County Save Millions

By p15 | September 7, 2017

Faced with lean budgets and skyrocketing energy prices, a small county in Northern California needed to drastically reduce its energy bills to avoid having to cut services to its residents. So, Yolo County, California, population 200,000, partnered with SunPower and switched to clean, renewable solar energy, achieving national recognition for being the first net positive county…