Posts by West Coast Solar

The price of California residential solar continues to fall, according to a new report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, located at U.C. Berkeley. The annual study found that the average cost per watt for installing small photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems (less than 10 kilowatts [kw] of capacity) went from $6.40 in 2011 to $5.70 in 2012,…

If you’re like most people, your top priority is ensuring that you and your family are living in a safe and healthy environment. You reduce, reuse and recycle. You buy organic and choose the foods you feed your family with care. So, when it comes time to choose what type of energy will power your…

We sometimes talk about utility-scale solar projects on this blog and how these are helping the state increase its reliance on California solar energy. But that begs the question of whether they’re a better way for the state to expand its solar resources or if the future lies instead with distributed generation and the residential solar energy solutions…

Solar energy has been an enormous success in California. The state leads the nation in solar generating capacity and solar industry employment, and it also has the most friendly legislative climate for renewable energy. But according to a report by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF),…

Assembly Bill 327 has passed both houses of the California legislature and now awaits Governor Jerry Brown’s signature. The landmark legislation will make changes to California’s solar energy policy that should make it easier for residents to take advantage of net metering and switch to renewable energy. The bill will lift a suspension of net metering that…

The U.S. Department of Energy has made renewable sources one of the main focuses of its agenda and regulatory framework. As a result, the agency that regulates the nation’s energy infrastructure has made it a priority to bring the cost of going solar to a level that would make it competitive with conventional fossil fuel…

One demographic that has a lot to gain from going solar is that of seniors and retired persons. Solar panel systems save their users thousands of dollars in the long run, which is important for anyone on a fixed income looking to reduce expenses wherever they can. Additionally, because retirees typically stay in the same…

When it comes to renewable power, there are a handful of Hollywood celebrities who are leading by example by living sustainable lifestyles and investing in solar energy solutions for their homes. Let’s take a look at some stars who put the environment first: Bill Nye – This well-known scientist and TV host lives in a green…

Despite the fact that residential solar energy solutions present significant benefits to electric utility customers and the state economy, there is a lot of misinformation being circulated about this technology. Consequently, many citizens remain uninformed about Bay Area solar energy. To address this problem, let’s review some of the facts about solar power, courtesy of CleanTechnica, a…

There has been some exciting news happening throughout the United States in regards to renewable energy. For example, a recent report published by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) revealed that nationwide solar power capacity grew 76 percent in 2012 compared to the previous year. As these initiatives continue to gain momentum,…

Most people who are familiar with the benefits of solar power are aware that they can save thousands of dollars over the life of the system through rebates and tax incentives. It’s also well known that solar energy is clean and produces no carbon footprint, meaning that the more people use this technology, the less they…

Hiring contractors for any type of work, whether it’s plumbing, heating, air conditioning or installing a Bay Area solar energy system, can be a bit overwhelming, especially if it involves reconstruction. There are thousands of contractors out there to choose from, and picking the right one can seem like trying to find a needle in…