Posts by West Coast Solar

It’s hard to argue with the benefits of Bay Area solar energy. The fact is that a household can stabilize its financial health and help improve air quality by installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system above their home. But many utility companies are worried that more homeowners will decide to go solar, because doing so…

Researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland have developed thin-film, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) that achieve efficiency rates of 15 percent, putting them on par with conventional silicon-based cells that are used in commercially available photovoltaic panels (PV). The school announced in a press release on its website that the researchers were able…

The year 2013 was an exciting one for the renewable energy industry in California, which saw a massive amount of development throughout the state, including a significant number of solar installations. As Rewire, a KCET.org energy blog, notes, these numbers must be looked at in context. The fact is that, although solar power continues to grow at exponential…

The Golden State is widely recognized for its firm stance on sustainability, but now it seems like even the airplanes are going green in California! The first solar-powered plane capable of flying at night is preparing for its first cross-country flight this week, reported the Washington Post. The plane is called the Solar Impulse, and was…

It’s a fact of life that many contractors will present potential clients with unrealistic bid proposals when they’re trying to win a new job. The incentive to lie or mislead customers is too great for many Bay Area solar installers to resist, even if it has the potential to blow back in the form of…

While the technology behind solar energy is quickly becoming more advanced, basic issues like efficient installation and cleaning are hindering its progress. Fortunately for solar panel companies and consumers interested in renewable energy, robots are working hard to make installation easier and bring down labor costs. The New York Times reports that Alion Energy, a small…

Upgrading to solar energy solutions for your home doesn’t just benefit the environment, it can also help you save a sizeable amount of money on your monthly utility bills and increase the value of your property. Plus, in spite of initial installation costs, solar panels usually wind up paying for themselves – sometimes in as…

Folks who reside in the Sacramento, California, area and who are hoping to invest in solar energy systems may be able to take advantage of a new initiative that makes this and other energy-efficient upgrades more cost-effective. In a March 28 press release, Ygrene Energy Fund, a leading developer and administrator of clean energy financing programs,…

Although many areas of California are fortunate enough to experience a significant amount of sunshine and warm weather compared to other parts of the United States, there are still certain times of the year during which the temperature gets cooler and the skies are more likely to appear overcast. With these inevitabilities in mind, people…

Recently on this blog, we’ve written about a number of steps the city of Sacramento, California, has taken to adopt solar energy solutions. Over the past month or so, Ygrene Energy Fund formed a partnership with the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to help individuals within the county purchase renewable power and two influential green technology companies announced a…

It has become clear over the years that green technology solutions are more than just a passing fad. In fact, the National Association of Home Buyers (NAHB) recently released a study entitled “What Home Buyers Really Want,” which reveals that, first and foremost, prospective property owners desire energy-efficient features. However, there are some factors that…

One of the main reasons homeowners choose to have solar energy solutions installed – aside from the fact that these systems help them save money on their utility bills and pay for themselves over the course of several years – is for the environmental benefits. In recent years, reports Media Matters for America, a progressive…