Tag Archives: residential
Solar Shingles: The Future of Rooftop Solar
With the increase of people’s interest in green technology, there have been many new inventions and improvements made in the field of green technology. One of the fastest growing areas in the green technology field is that of solar technology. And the thing getting the most people excited with solar technology? Solar shingles. Where Have [...]
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need?
How to calculate a quick, easy GUESStimate for sizing a PV system: “How much will it cost to power my XX,XXX square foot house?” “How many solar panels do I need to eliminate my electric bill?” We get questions like this every day from homeowners in the beginning stages of going solar. For all intensive [...]
The $10 LED Lightbulb
Of course, there never really was a “war on lightbulbs,” nor was there ever any ban on incandescents… but there was, certainly, a lot of hype about what a weak substitute Compact Fluorescent bulbs are for good old fashioned, energy-sucking Incandescent bulbs. Finally, it seems a viable and likable alternative has emerged: affordable and attractive [...]
How To: Check Your Home’s Energy Efficiency Online
We love our homes and spend our hard-earned money kitting them out with all the latest mod-cons. But often homeowners neglect their energy efficiency options, even though they could potentially save you thousands in utility bills each year. So take the time to look at these online tools for energy efficiency and see how you [...]
In Focus: The Resale Value of Solar Homes
If your home has a solar energy system, how does this translate into value for a potential buyer when the house is “For Sale”? Today, whenever you purchase a product that uses energy, information provided by Energy Star Label is available to make comparisons. However, there is no standardized approach to assess these features for [...]
George W. Bush Goes Solar
I always thought George W. Bush got a bum rap by people who said he didn’t care about the environment. Actions speak louder than words and when you take into account the geothermal system he installed on his ranch in Crawford before he became President and the solar energy systems he just installed on his new [...]
First Solar Goes Residential
First Solar is diversifying once again, this time into residential rooftop solar. The company started out as the leader in thin-film PV for non-residential applications, but when the solar manufacturing industry hit a wall a few years ago, it moved aggressively into building utility-scale solar projects that use its panels. That was a great move for First Solar, [...]
The Potential of DIY Solar
As permitting gets easier and cities start streamlining the process, the market for simplified Do-It-Yourself solar array kits could grow. That’s a market Florida-based Peak Solar is fully prepared to take advantage of. The company has been selling integrated solar and inverter kits for three years. While they’re marketed on the company’s website as DIY [...]
Going Solar By Paying Your Utility Bill
So far, my experience is that environmentalists and business executives often speak different languages. Take the basic idea of sustainability. To an environmentalist, sustainability, as applied to a business, refers to the amount of environmental damage it will cause over time. To a business person, the term refers to the ability of the business to [...]