Look on the rooftops of some residential neighborhoods and you’re likely to see solar panels. In the last few years, solar panels have become increasingly important in offsetting the rising costs of electricity. If you haven’t considered installing solar panels in your home recently, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn just how low prices have gone. Competition & Economies of Scale Reduce Costs Remember economics class? As technology changes, industries change, and as it becomes easier to produce items at a larger scale, their production actually becomes cheaper. This is called economies of scale. Much like big screen TVs, producing more solar panels over time reduces production costs. Competition among solar panel providers is also driving costs down. But, more than that, competition is also leading to innovation within the industry. Now, greater, more powerful, more efficient solar panels are becoming available at a lower cost. The overall improvement in solar power technology and the manufacturing process is making solar power more widely available, a great thing for the environment and for our wallets. $53 Million for Next Generation Technology… Read more

Many homeowners faced with ever-escalating electric bills have decided to go solar, and for good reason. Solar energy is clean, renewable and growing less expensive as new technologies bring down the cost. If you’ve decided to go solar, there are a number of things you can do make you home solar ready. Taking these steps will ensure that the installation of your solar system will be as easy and inexpensive as possible. 1. Make Room for Your Solar Panels You’ll need several solar panels to provide enough electrical power to offset their cost in the long run. Typically, you’ll need about 260 square feet (24 square meters) of sunlit space on your roof. This area should be unobstructed by TV antennas, trees, chimneys and other buildings or structures for most of the day. If you lack roof space, you can opt for fewer, more efficient solar panels. Also consider mounting some of your solar panels on your patio cover, if possible. 2. Choosing the Right Roof Direction Solar panels need to face the sun directly to most efficiently turn sunlight… Read more

If you’ve recently had solar panels installed on the roof of your home or are considering installing them, there are some things you should know about their care. But first, a little background on how they work. Converting Photons to Free Electrons Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic (PV) cells, are usually made of semiconductors like silicon and convert sunlight directly into electricity. The solar modules placed on your roof are merely groups of electrically connected cells packaged into solar panels. When sunlight strikes these cells, they absorb some of the light. This dislodges electrons in these semiconductors so they can flow freely. The electric field in each PV cell forces these freed electrons to flow, creating the electric current that powers the various devices in your home. The more direct sunlight each PV cell can absorb, the more power you get out of them. The Good News Solar panels have no moving parts, so they don’t require a lot of maintenance. Once properly installed, solar panels will provide years of service, rain or shine—yes they even work on overcast days,… Read more