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 a stack of needles. The first thing to understand is that you are in control of the situation. You’re the…

While there are many benefits of going solar, including reducing your environmental impact, the biggest draw for homeowners across the greater San Francisco area continues to be lowered electricity bills. With bills piling up for everything from your wireless service and subscriptions, to your mortgage, it’s time you got a break — right? Thankfully, switching to solar can provide you with the savings you’re looking for. It’ll be much more satisfying to see those bills drop…

By now you’re likely familiar with all the benefits going solar can offer. You’re interested in saving money and reducing your carbon footprint while also providing your household with greater energy independence. But where do you start? Is my home suitable for solar? How much will installing solar cost? No-Cost Home Solar Assessment All your initial questions can be answered during a no-pressure and no-cost home solar assessment. This process includes a comprehensive evaluation of how viable…

Homeowners living in regions of the country such as the Bay Area often have to deal with mold and mildew growing in their walls and attic. Frequent rain fall, moist air and a lack of ventilation combine to create the perfect environment for spores to foster and grow, posing a health hazard to your family, not to mention a structural threat to your house itself. Over time, mold can deteriorate walls and result in significant…

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve used this blog to talk about how a surging demand for solar power is sweeping not only the United States, but the entire world. Since the manufacturing price for solar panels has declined by almost 100 percent over the past 30 years, consumer demand has risen and investors are looking at solar in a whole new light. According to CNBC News, “The Next Solar Power Boom Is Coming,”…

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released its quarterly report on the U.S. solar industry, which surveys solar activity in 28 different states to provide a picture of how photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power are growing. Their third quarter report, which came out December 9, paints a very positive picture of the industry. The country added 930 megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity between July 1 and September 30, bringing the nationwide total…

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced on August 27 that it would be awarding 22 contracts to solar companies to provide renewable energy, specifically solar power, to the nation’s armed forces. The total value of the contracts is over $7 billion, and they represent a model for how institutions and companies can make the switch to solar energy. The DOD has signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with dozens of solar installation companies that will…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on December 11 that it would be distributing $13 million in grant funds to five companies for use in deploying new solar manufacturing technologies and methods. The goal of the grants, which were funded by the DOE’s SunShot Initiative, is to make solar module production more streamlined, efficient and inexpensive so that this technology can become even more widespread in both the residential and utility scale markets. The…

PV Magazine, a solar industry news site, reports that the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is getting ready to begin auctioning off Solar Energy Zones, which it defines as areas “well-suited for utility-scale production of solar energy where BLM will prioritize solar energy and associated transmission infrastructure development.” The auctions will begin with two sites in Colorado on October 24, and will likely continue as more areas, including two in California,…

Anyone who has followed the Northern California solar industry may be aware that there is growing interest in community solar gardens, which allow those who live in homes where rooftop solar PV systems are not an option to take advantage of the financial benefits of this technology. In an effort to promote investment in community solar gardens, Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado has introduced the Solar Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) Act, a bill that would grant…

Recently, the U.S. military announced that Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, would be installing a $120 million solar panel array with a 20 megawatt capacity, providing 14 percent of the base’s electrical needs. But something unique about the system is that it will be financed using a power purchase agreement with El Paso Electric, who will be building the array in exchange for an agreement that the base will buy the power it generates.…