Solar Industry News

Understanding Solar Inverter Functions & When to Schedule Repairs

By Solar Technologies | April 4, 2025

Your solar system is only as strong as its inverter. Whether you’re using SolarEdge, Enphase, SMA, or Fronius, your inverter…

The Best Home Battery Storage Options for PG&E Customers in California

By Solar Technologies | April 2, 2025

With California’s transition to the 2025 Net Billing Tariff (NBT), PG&E customers are seeking the best home battery storage solutions…

Solar And Battery Storage Can Protect Bay Area PG&E Customers From Rising Energy Costs

By Solar Technologies | January 10, 2025

If you’re a PG&E customer in the Bay Area, you’ve likely noticed the strain of rising energy costs on your…

Should California Homeowners Switch to Solar in 2025

By Solar Technologies | January 1, 2025

With California’s push for renewable energy and the increasing emphasis on sustainability, many homeowners are wondering whether 2025 might be…

Solar Roof Installation

Removing and Reinstalling Solar Panels: Process and Costs Explained

By Solar Technologies | November 10, 2024

Going solar is a long-term investment with numerous benefits, but maintenance over the years is inevitable. Solar panels typically last…

Understanding PG&E Avoided Cost Rates and Their Impact on Bay Area Solar Customers

By Solar Technologies | October 10, 2024

If you’re a Bay Area homeowner considering solar energy, understanding PG&E’s avoided cost rates is crucial. These rates play a…

How Does PG&E Net Metering Work?

By Solar Technologies | October 3, 2024

Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) net metering program allows customers with grid-tied solar to earn credits for the excess electricity…

Home-Battery-Backup-During-Outage

Navigating PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS): What Bay Area Customers Need to Know

By Solar Technologies | September 30, 2024

Overview of PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) Program PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) program is a critical initiative…

Golden Gate Bridge

Why Now Is the Perfect Time for San Francisco Area Homeowners to Invest in Solar Energy

By Solar Technologies | August 25, 2024

The Bay Area is known for its progressive, eco-conscious community and beautiful natural landscapes. Now, more than ever, San Francisco…

Solar Industry News

Do Solar Panels Use Light or Heat to Generate Electricity?

By Solar Technologies | January 31, 2020

Do solar panels use light or heat to generate electricity? Confusion over the impact of heat and light in solar power starts with the fact that there are different types of solar power. One type of power, called solar thermal, does use the sun’s light to generate heat which can be used for things such…

California is One Million Solar Rooftops Strong

By Solar Technologies | January 17, 2020

California is One Million Solar Rooftops Strong Today is a landmark day for clean energy in California. Former Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown celebrated that one million homes and businesses have gone solar, holding hope for a fossil-fuel free future and cleaner air for all. California generates so much electricity from utility-scale renewables — 12,000 megawatts…

SunPower’s New Path Ensures Customers Continue to Come First

By Solar Technologies | January 3, 2020

SunPower’s New Path Ensures Customers Continue to Come First SunPower, our solar panel provider, recently announced that it is separating into two independent companies: SunPower and Maxeon Solar Technologies. These two new entities will focus on different ends of the photovoltaic (PV) solar market. SunPower will remain one of North America’s leading product manufacturers, innovators and…

Solar at a Megawatt a Minute

By Solar Technologies | December 27, 2019

Solar at a Megawatt a Minute When we introduced Instant Design at Google Next ’19 in San Francisco, we wanted to change how homeowners go solar. Visitors to sunpower.com now use SunPower Design Studio, the first application featuring SunPower’s patent-pending Instant Design technology, to create thousands of home solar designs per week. They’re twice as likely to…

Commercial solar install

Solar Energy Continues to Shift Auto Industry

By Solar Technologies | December 13, 2019

More U.S. car dealers are installing solar energy systems to power a good portion of their entire operations and save money. In state after state, solar is saving auto dealers money. Dealers from Hawaii to Massachusetts are finding that solar provides a net savings that can drastically improve their margins. For some, such as Luther Auto Group in Minnesota,…

Residential-solar-panels

Why Some Governments Offer Rebates and Incentives for Home Solar

By Solar Technologies | December 6, 2019

A quick search for “are there tax incentives for solar panels?” yields tons of results. You’ll see a lot about the various federal and state rebates for going solar. But you might be skeptical. It sounds like a great thing to cash in on the benefits of solar at home and get tax breaks while…

Happy & Bright Holidays

By Solar Technologies | November 20, 2019

Happy & Bright Holidays At Solar Technologies, we know you want the most from life especially as the Holidays draw near. With a SunPower Solar System you won’t worry about going overboard with Christmas lights — turn them on! Cook and bake to your heart’s desire. Turn up the heat! We believe in conservation, but…

Solar installation

What are California’s Massive Power Outages Like?

By Solar Technologies | November 12, 2019

What are California’s Massive Power Outages Like? SunPower, which has multiple offices in California, has many employees affected by the state’s Public Safety Power Shutdowns (PSPS), and the irony of working for a company that helps provide clean energy worldwide while not having electricity for days isn’t lost on anyone. Marin County resident Jon Thompson,…

How a Solar Battery Works During a Blackout

By Solar Technologies | October 16, 2019

How a Solar Battery Works During a Blackout This week Californians are enduring the most widespread planned blackouts in the state’s history as utilities began cutting power to hundreds of thousands of people to avoid wildfires. Flashlight batteries and cases of water are selling out, and gas tanks are being filled as worried residents try to picture…

Macy's Solar Array

What is green building? Explaining eco-friendly construction

By Solar Technologies | August 30, 2019

What is green building? Simply put, it’s the environmentally-conscious construction (and operation) of buildings.  For many good reasons, construction using green technology is becoming more common. Several of these reasons are outlined in a recent article from Smart Cities Dive. But before we get to those, let’s first understand what types of sustainable building practices are…