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How to Get Grandfathered in to NEM 2.0

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How to Get Grandfathered in to NEM 2.0

NEM 2.0 (Current)

With California’s current (grid-tied) net metering protocol, known as NEM 2.0, solar customers receive a retail credit for excess energy produced by their solar panels which is transported back to the grid. This retail credit is used to offset the homeowner’s bill during times when solar production is insufficient (night-time and winter months) and customer’s draw energy from the grid (utility).

Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2023 – Transitioning to NEM 3.0

NEM 3.0 (Beginning April 14, 2023)

The California Public Utilities Commission has authorized (by law), the existing California utility companies to make adjustments to the current Net Energy Metering billing schedules via NEM 3.0.  NEM 3.0 introduces several changes to the existing net metering program after April 14, 2023 that will dramatically impact a solar customer’s savings and value.

Get grandfathered in to NEM 2.0 before it’s too late

NEM 3.0 IMPACT

One of the major changes is the homeowner’s excess credits will be credited at much lower rates (not the retail value). The expected percentage drop in value for these credits is about 75% of retail rates. This means, that unless a customer can store more solar energy in a battery which they can then run off of at night, the average size system won’t likely be able to produce enough excess credits to provide the standard 100% net energy offset customers have come to expect. Systems will have to be designed larger than normal if a homeowner wishes to have 100% offset – and be without a nasty “True-Up Bill” (reconciliation of their net energy) at the end of each year.

Another ding into customer’s solar energy savings will come as another non-bypass-able energy surcharge in the form of a grid-access fee based upon the size of the customer’s system. This feels like just one more way for the utilities to “maintain a level playing field” and keep control of their power monopoly. The new protocols also limit the system size eligible for net metering, with a cap of 11 kilowatts for residential customers and 1 megawatt for non-residential customers. Remember, they are in the business of making money off of you and I, and not the other way around!

CONCLUSION

Overall, NEM 3.0 aims to more accurately reflect the value of solar energy produced by customers and its impact on the grid, while also ensuring that non-solar customers aren’t unfairly subsidizing solar customers. Regardless, we expect energy prices to climb and solar to continue to be an attractive way to combat this inevitability.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

If you are a current homeowner on SDGE, SCE or PGE electricty, you literally only have weeks (not months) to get grandfathered in to the great NEM 2.0 program which will save you about 40-60% more than a solar system on the new NEM 3.0 schedule. Contact us for a free estimate and solar energy evaluation for your home or business today. Special incentives are available until March 31.

PG&E Customer’s Bill Could Double Its Rate After More Wildfire Incident

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According to a brand-new evaluation prepared for Gov. Gavin Newsom, if The golden state California wildfires remain to be as ravaging as they have been the past 2 years, countless clients’ electrical prices might increase up to 50% and threaten the state’s capacity to execute several of its top tidy power campaigns.

Read more from this latest news here:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/California-electricity-rates-could-surge-50-13757757.php

Energy Efficient Appliances

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Which appliances are most energy efficient and is the extra expense worth it?

Which appliances are most energy efficient and is the extra expense worth it?

A large number of household appliances available to be purchased in the United States are Energy STAR affirmed, which implies they utilize less energy than their ordinary, non-Energy STAR partners. Notwithstanding, Energy STAR machines frequently include a significant price premium, making numerous property holders to ponder: are the more productive appliances justified, and worth paying a premium?

The Energy STAR program was launched and maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 1992.

By and large, most of the resulting test comparisons were primarily positive. The amount of money you’ll save relies upon your power rates (from your power company) as well as the machines you’re hoping to change out, and also the incentives accessible for these new energy efficient items in your home or business.

Energy STAR appliances should lessen your electricity bills in the long term.

By and large, home machines – including clothes washers, humidifiers, dryers, dishwashing machines, refrigerators, freezers, and air purifiers –represent 20% of your home’s complete electricity bill. An Energy STAR apparatus will utilize somewhere in the range of ten to fifty percent less energy every year compared to its non-Energy STAR proficient counterpart.

By replacing the appliances you have in your home with Energy STAR certified machines, you are embarking on a long term investment decision that will lessen your utility bill which is particularly imperative when you perceive that power rates are ever-increasing. It is also to be noted that a few machines utilize more energy compared to others. The sum you spare is likewise reliant on how long you have been using your appliance and the power rates which you are paying.

Clothes Dryers

Dryers are one of the most energy-hungry appliances you’ll find in the normal American home. As per the NRDC, a run of the mill dryer can expend as much energy every year as a clothes washer and dishwasher combined and peradventure you have a more seasoned model, the number can turn out to be significantly higher. Energy STAR dryers utilize 20% less power than a customary model and will spare you approximately $210 in electricity bills through the lifetime of your dryer.

Washers

Peradventure you combine your energy efficient dryer with a energy proficient clothes washer; you’ll see extra reserve funds on your electricity bill as well as your water bills. An Energy STAR guaranteed garments washer utilizes forty to fifty percent less energy and around 55% less water when compared to standard washers.

If you replace your regular clothes washer with a energy effective model, it is possible for you to set aside to $50 every year on your water and utility bills. Energy proficient front-loading garments washers likewise require less clothing cleanser compared to top-loading garment washers, thereby enabling you to spare more cash weekly on detergents.

Refrigerators

There had been huge advances in cooler innovation in the course of recent years, which implies that old fridges are one of the greatest energy hoards in numerous U.S. homes. The Energy STAR affirmed freezers that are available in the market today are almost 10% more energy effective compared to other models which meet the government least energy standard. Peradventure you have a more seasoned fridge, you can spare considerably more on your energy bills with a energy proficient freezer, Energy STAR qualified freezers utilizes about 40% less energy than the traditional models that were sold in 2001.

Dishwashing machines

Dishwashing machines may not utilize the same amount of power as a continually running fridge or even a high-heat garment dryer, yet the power and water which is expected to operate a dishwasher add up. Energy STAR ensured dishwashing machines are 12% more proficient than non-guaranteed models as of now available to be purchased, and using an energy-efficient dishwasher will spare you approximately $25 per year.

Energy proficient machine discounts can build your investment funds

While energy proficient machines can include some significant price premium, they’ll spare you cash on the long run by lessening your power bills. By and large, there are additional states, nearby, or utility discounts that will lessen your daily costs. Also, in case you’re disposing of a more seasoned apparatus, you might be given a discount for reusing it.

When would it be advisable for you to put resources into top energy efficient machines?

When you change out the apparatuses in your apartment with energy proficient upgrades, then you can spare many dollars annually on your energy bill. The reserve funds you accomplish from a solitary energy effective apparatus may appear to be little without anyone else, yet your home machines will keep going for somewhere in the range of 10 to even 20 years, those little months to month investment funds will become very significant with time, and mostly, the value premium you will pay will be quite more than counterbalanced by your energy investment funds.

That being stated, the measure of cash you’ll spare with energy effectiveness measures is subject to the amount you’re willing to contribute. For instance, you can spare a couple of dollars from your bills by using LEDs in the place of glowing lights, but just in case you want to significantly reduce your bills, you’ll need to change out the machines and systems that utilize the most energy.

Considerably more noteworthy returns: introducing sunlight based board system

While energy proficiency measures will help protect your house against increasing power costs, you can make it a stride further by introducing sun powered panels on your properties to produce your own perfect power. When you decide to “go sunlight based,” you guarantee that your power rates will stay stable throughout a period of 20 or more years. The expense of introducing solarhas decreased by in excess of 50 percent in the course of recent years, which implies your sun powered investment funds are more than any time in recent memory.The national governments as of now set gauge proficiency principles for appliances available to be purchased in the U.S., which implies that no products available in the market are “wasteful.” Energy STAR ensured machines, notwithstanding, are more effective than the regular models accessible available to be purchased. Your general profit now depends on the efficiency of your present appliances which is to a great extent the function of how long you have been using it. You’ll see progressively extreme investment funds when you change out your more established ordinary machines with energy effective choices, as opposed to change outing a more current apparatus.

Microinverter or String Inverter?

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Comparison between micro-inverters and string inverters

  • What is a Micro-Inverter – a micro-inverter can also be referred to as a solar micro inverter. It is a piece of electronic equipment used in PV arrays for changing the waveform of current – i.e. changing Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC).
  • What is a String Inverter? – String inverters can also be referred to as centralized inverters. They convert Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) but here the inverter is connected to a string of solar panels, instead of individually as does a micro-inverter.

When a micro-inverter might be a better choice than string inverters

Easy to install and use

  1. You don’t need an expert to install it for you. Micro-inverters can be easily set-up by you thereby saving you the cost of paying experts to do it for you.
  2. It does not require any additional hardware or manual configuration. It is Plug-and-play for the most part.
  3. Micro-inverters are connected to an AC source carrying normal household voltages. Whereas, central inverters are connected using multiple strings of thick DC wires from the solar panels to the central inverter through a tunnel.
  4. The installations of central-inverters demand 4-8 categories of high voltage DC wires which need to be connected correctly to the inverter.
  5. In the installations of string-inverters, the installer has to calculate line losses to determine the size of the wire that will be required to connect it to the panels. Also, the panels, central inverters, and the racking all require different grounding components.
  6. Even for the loading of the string-inverters, it requires that the person installing it, design the system to be able to load-balance each strand of panels.
  7. In a central-inverter, when a panel malfunctions, it can be hard to determine which panel exactly in the system is malfunctioning without testing each one of them with a micrometer.

Effectiveness (Total System Output)

  1. Micro-inverters make the best use of the power output of each individual panel resulting in an additional power of 5-15% per panel on average.
  2. Central (String) inverters will not function at 100% if there is shading on even one panel in the array, whereas a micro inverter system will function optimally, and every other panel’s production in the array will not be affected by the one shaded panel.
  3. If a panel malfunction in a micro-inverter system, it will not affect the whole system and the exact panel that is malfunctioning can be easily determined.

Safety

  1. Micro-inverters are safer to use, whereas string-inverters will expose the installer to hundreds of volts of unsafe DC power while micro-inverters do not.
  2. Micro-inverters are safe to handle as they do not produce power when they are not connected to your solar panels. On the other hand, a string inverter needs to be handled safely because they produce power as soon the panels are exposed to light.
  3. A string inverter can be wired incorrectly in a lot of ways which could lead to severe damage or even death of the installer.  
  4. There is virtually no way a micro inverter can be wired incorrectly because it is plug-and-play.

Durability and Cost Effectiveness.

  1. Micro-inverters last for a very long time having an average lifespan of about 32 years and also a longer warranty of 25 years whereas central inverters have a shorter lifespan and a shorter warranty period of 10-12 years.
  2. The cost of maintenance for a string inverter can be more as it will need replacement in 10-15 years.
  3. Be sure to ask your installer if your warranty will cover replacement of the inverters if and when they expire before the 20 or 25 year mark.

The advantages of a string inverter

There is certainly a lot to like about micro-inverters, but when might it be better to use a traditional string inverter?

1.      A string inverter is one connection point, so set up is very straight forward.

2.      When a microinverter fails, you will likely have multiple devices to replace, so this can be a hassle or an inconvenience.

3.      When you’re dealing with only one mounting plane or direction for your array, a single phase, string inverter is a very solid choice.

When to choose a micro-inverter based PV system

There are certain instances where you will definitely want to use a micro-inverter based system.

1.     The advantages of a micro-inverter set-up come into play especially when you have a system that contains multiple roof angles and possible shading as this will increase overall system output and efficiency.

2.     The second scenario is when you plan on expanding (adding panels) your system. In this case, adding extra panels and micro-inverters will be more economical because a string inverter is sized to the total system size, so can only be upgraded to a certain point before a larger or second string inverter will be required.

Reasons Why Time-Of-Use Pricing Method Will Increase Your Electricity Dues

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Decades ago, electricity bills were easier to interpret. This was done by obtaining the magnitude of current used, multiplied by the prevailing cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh), in addition to other non-specific charges stress-free.

Recently, power companies like PG&E have made moves on changing the method of payment for electricity.  The costs of electricity production are higher when demand is high compared to times when demand is low. Take for instance, when most people leave their houses for work, there is low usage and electricity is cheaper than when they come back from work and switch on electrical gadgets. At these times, there is pressure on PG&E to produce more electricity thereby leading to increased energy costs.

This pattern has been seen repeatedly in California. Last year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration wrote an article stating how California’s energy costs have been on the rise yearly during times of increased demand per day.

An Hourly Breakdown of California’s Energy Price

The cost of electricity from 8 PM in 2016 per megawatt-hour was $35which increased to $60 in the subsequent year partly due to the high reliance of its energy companies on redeemable sources of energy like solar power. Of course, there was an obvious decrease in its production cost during times of low demand.

The major concern now is the mode of transformation of the energy market since putting more energy to use as at the time needed is costlier, thereby resulting in rapid increase in prices at both the early and late hours of the day; except for institutions who remit a constant price for electricity since there’s no way electricity providers can recover the costs incurred in rendering electrical services in times of very high demand excluding the general cost of electricity.

Hence, the reason core California power companies are currently introducing a new pricing method for electricity named “Time-of-Use”.

Energy Prices – Time-of-Use Pricing

Time-of-Use Pricing simply means you are charged according to when you utilize power either at home or for business.

Time-Of-Use (TOU) pricing segments hours of the day, with each time frame differing according to dead periods. As of April 2018, PG&E mapped out its plan (applying E-TOU-A) thus:

This may look easy but for the fact that there is a slight change of plan from June to September, with a reduced rate of $0.32 and a high rate of $0.40, while between October and May, the reduced rate is $0.27 when the inflated rate is $0.28. So, seasonal variations also determine prices PG&E customers pay.

The majority of energy users are often faced with the sudden inflated bills of the time-of-use pricing method.

High costs of TOU pricing compared to the traditional or basic method is the main concern. Looking at the basic plan, for instance, the normal prevailing price is $0.21 per kWh, which is lesser than the lowest pricing TOU rate by 6 cents and summertime high rates by 11 cents.

Energy users should be ready for a costlier and flexible pricing system as the time-of-use method is now the standard being set (by PG&E as from 2020).

PG&E is now using TOU instead of the traditional rate. Just like every other working class individual, the house owner is absent from home during early bright hours of the day and comes home every evening except for weekends. This means 70% or 700kWh of energy consumed in May during zenith costs periods (3am-8pm on workdays) and 30% or 300kWh during idle days.

Considering this, their bill would amount to $377 this May which reflects an increase of 78% more than the amount usually paid using the previous pricing system. This should show you a glimpse of what residents in California will experience when TOU is standardized.

The news is that these high costs are just going to increase. House owners have overlooked the fact that the difference between the zenith and off-zenith costs has been on the increase in the last ten years. As PG&E is implementing the TOU pricing in recent years, analyses of PG&E pricing rates have shown that there is an increasing gap between zenith and off-zenith costs. Between June and July 2013 during summer, commercial zenith and off-zenith costs recorded a difference of 3 cents; during the same time in 2014, it became 3.5 cents. Recently, the difference is over 5 cents.

The pattern is very obvious. With the passage of time, the probability of an increase in the difference between zenith and off-zenith costs is high. Energy will become more unaffordable as at the times itis most needed.

California residents and the entire United States will now have to adjust their ways of life to a larger extent so as to put up with this experience. The way you use your electrical equipment at home will be greatly reduced so as to conserve energy. Otherwise, you would have no choice than to pay up the charges.

Increasing Energy Prices – Is There Another Way Out?

A rising proportion of California house owners have started installing solar power systems on their rooftops so as to relinquish dependence on local power utilities. Following the uncontrollable increase in energy prices, the period at which the calculated cost of obtaining a system will be at par with current electrical charges is rapidly approaching.

It is currently calculated that a typical house owner can save enough money (meant for electrical bills) to buy a solar power system between 5 to 7 years, determined by usage and normal charges. Energy prices are on the high side and increasing daily. Therefore, the above stipulated time frame is expected to decrease. This is why we advise house owners to consider installing solar power. This way, you are exempted from financial pains.

Lastly, we suggest storage batteries for a more dynamic and efficient system for both new and old methods which in turn increases your savings.

What is The Difference Between Micro-Inverters and String Inverters?

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  • What is a Micro-Inverter – a micro-inverter can also be referred to as a solar micro inverter. It is a piece of electronic equipment used in PV cells for changing the waveform of current i.e. changing Direct current (DC) to Alternating current (AC).
  • What is a String Inverter? – String inverters can also be referred to as centralized inverters. It also converts Direct current (DC) to Alternating current (AC) but here the inverter is connected to a string of solar panels.

When a micro-inverter is better than string inverters

  • Easy to install and use
  1. You don’t need an expert to install it for you. Micro-inverters can be easily set-up by you thereby saving you the cost of paying experts to do it for you.
  2. It does not require any additional hardware or manual configuration. It is Plug-and-play for the most part.
  3. Micro-inverters are connected to an AC source carrying normal household voltages. Whereas, central inverters demands connecting multiple strings of thick DC wires from the solar panels to the central inverter through a tunnel.
  4. The installations of central-inverters demand 4-8 categories of high voltage DC wires which need to be connected correctly to the inverter.
  5. In the installations of string-inverters, the installer has to calculate line losses to determine the size of the wire that will be required to connect it to the panels. Also, the panels, central inverters, and the racking all require different grounding system.
  6. Even for the loading of the string-inverters, it requires that the person installing it design the system to be able to load balance each strand of panels.
  7. In a central-inverter, when a panel malfunctions, it is going to be hard to determine which panel exactly in the system is malfunctioning without testing each one of them with a micrometer.
  • Effectiveness
  1. Micro-inverters make the best use of the power output of each individual panel resulting in an additional power of 15% per panel.
  2. Central inverters will not function as it should if there is any shading whereas a micro inverter system will function optimally.
  3. If a panel malfunction in a micro-inverter system, it will not affect the whole system and the exact panel that is malfunctioning can be easily determined.
  • Safety
  1. Micro-inverters are safe to use, unlike string-inverters which expose the person installing it to hundreds of volts of unsafe DC power while micro-inverters do not.
  2. Micro-inverters are safe to handle as they do not produce power when they are not connected to your solar panels. On the other hand, a string inverter needs to be handled safely because they produce power as soon the panels are exposed to light.
  3. A string inverter can be wired incorrectly in a lot of ways which could lead to severe damage or even kill the installer.
  4. There is no way a micro inverter can be wired incorrectly because it is plug-and-play.
  • Durability and Cost Effectiveness.
  1. Micro-inverters last for a very long time having an average lifespan of about 32 years and also a longer warranty of 25 years whereas central inverters have a shorter lifespan and a shorter warranty period of 10-12 years.
  2. The cost of maintenance for a string inverter can be more as it will need replacement in 10-15 years.

Is Switching to Solar Panels The Way to Go?

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Most solar companies have different ways of promoting their products, such as “do you know that having a solar panel can help you save lots of money?” They make it look really light, truth be told, if solar is a relatively long time investment for you it relies on some major agents. Before jumping at the opportunity, we advise that you try making use of the simple guide and make your way through the sales pitch and know if the solar panels are really worth spending your money on.

Determining if solar is worth it

When going through the solar choices, here are some questions you can ask to ascertain if solar is the way forward for you, including:

What is the cost of your electricity bill?

The present state of your electricity bill is a major determinant of the amount you can save by installing solar. You pay the bill per unit of the electricity you make use of and the amount usually differs based on the part of the country you live in. In some sections of the country, electricity bill can be as low as 8 cents per kWh; while some you could as much as 20 cents or higher.

When going solar, you install a small power plant on the roof of your house to substitute the main source of your electricity. Therefore, it means that homeowners with large utility bill will opt for solar installation which helps them save more.

What is the cost of the solar panel system?

Installation of solar does vary depending on the solar company of your choice and the type of equipment you install. Though cheap solar panels could seem worth it for 20-years savings not to be a waste it is best you invest in quality equipment even though it might seem more expensive. It best you take your time and review all the equipment and the prices to determine which suits you and your home best.

Also, remember to make inquiries about solar rewards and abatement available wherever you stay. They can cut the price by 50% or even more. The federal government normally offers about 30% solar tax discount and most states and cities have some added financial advantage for the citizens. Some companies help customers go solar by giving them financial aids.

How do you intend to finance the solar panel system?

solar panel system

Whether you decide to buy or rent your solar system for long-term use, the best means of purchase still remains by cash. It will help save cost even though the money needed will till run in tens of thousands. While solar leases and the power-purchase agreement does not need down payment of cash and it comes along other solar benefits of free maintenance and trade-off; the amount needed could just be about 10-30%of the utility bill of electricity. How workable is this in the real world.

What is the essence of having a solar panel when one is not staying in the sunny Southwest?

Though solar panels enjoy sunlight, you will be amazed to realize that you don’t have to be based in sunny Southwest to enable you to save. Most of the states like New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey is known for the cold which is in the Northeast of the country tend to make use of solar panels more because the rate of the electricity bill is high and there are available for them.

Solar Canopy Installations: Producing Shade and Also Clean Energy to Your Garage

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The benefit that solar has is actually a terrific one especially the financial as well as an environmental one. Industries wanting to install photovoltaic panels can benefit from the chance to conserve. Businesses in the country are developing a solar garage that produces shade for the vehicles while developing renewable resource together with as well as saving electricity costs as well as great deals of dollars in the process.

What is a solar canopy?

Solar canopies are high-structures that bring photovoltaic panels as well as produce color. These photovoltaic panels are mounted on raised structures found in the parking spaces or led locations.

Actually, the solar canopies corresponds to solar carports and also a ground-mounted solar panel. Each of these choices when a roofing system is not able to host or carry solar panels or if the family makes use of much more power than the solar roof panel can give. Plenty of firms has actually provided electric automobile billing stations to ensure that chauffeurs can recharge their electrical automobiles with solar power when parked.

Solar parking canopies Benefits

solar parking

Solar panel benefits are remarkable: when a solar power system is set up, electrical bills are lessened. It gives protection against climbing prices in energy as well as decreases the result on the environment. The solar garage has little extra advantages than the conventional roof-mounted and ground-mounted photovoltaic panel systems.

Solar canopies can be an efficient way to manage area

Parking spaces are used as an opportunity for solar setups throughout the nation. As specified by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, paved locations make up about 35-40 percent of the overall area in cities and 40 percent of the led locations are parking spaces. Effective use of room can be done when a garage is installed with a solar canopy as opposed to setting up a standard ground-mounted system. A solar canopy can include added use to the already existing functional framework and there is no need to produce even more room.

Photovoltaic panel garage alongside creates shade

One big benefit of utilizing a solar parking canopy is the effect the sun rays carry a parked car can truly be unpleasant by assisting to decrease the rate of warming in the cars and truck. Another included advantage is that the fuel economic situation of the parked cars and trucks is made better.

According to FuelEconomy.gov, the significant cause of the reduced economic situation in heat is making use of an auto cooling (Air Conditioner) system. Under high temperature (an instance when your vehicle has been under warm sun rays) using your car air problem (Air Conditioner) can cause a common reduction in the fuel economic situation by up to 25 percent. The effect can be higher for hybrids, electric cars and trucks, and also plugged-in crossbreeds. Photovoltaic panel aid to maintain lorries on cool on extremely warm days and also help reduce using air condition on such days.

To obtain increased manufacturing canopy car parking can be optimized

The roof solar base has some limitations such as the type of roofing that it is being set up to, the angle of the roofing system, the post the roofing system deals with and also if there are buildings like chimneys, skylights or vents obstructing the solar then the solar variety will certainly be less efficient. The solar panel of the solar canopy can be concentrated in such a way that the electrical energy produced can be sufficient and this can cause much savings.

What quantity of cash can be saved from solar car parking canopy setup?

The size of the solar system and the amount of electric bill you pay are factors in determining the economics of solar canopy. Some things to remember are:

● The optimum degree of creating solar energy is typically in the mid-day, specifically when the need is extremely high. It also reduce your bill by decreasing the usage of electrical energy at such times.

● The installation of a solar garage will certainly be extra pricey than the normal solar roofing system panel setup due to the fact that more labor will be required, consisting of tools that will certainly be used to develop the canopies that will certainly carry the photovoltaic panels. Although as we have earlier stated the ecological advantage, it will certainly likewise generate even more electrical energy to the space restriction of the roofing system solar panel.

● The tax break chances open to enterprises that develop solar canopies or that utilize any type of other photovoltaic panel systems. The worth of their solar energy system can be written off with the Changed Accelerated Expense Recovery System. (MACRS), by reducing service tax obligations as well as levies as well as increase returns on solar investment. The cost recovery is about 5 years for qualified solar power equipment. Boosted depreciation can drop your internet system price by another 30 percent.

City of Santa Cruz

● A solar canopy installed in Santa Cruz City over two of its typ had parking lots. In addition to producing electrical power and also producing color, the carports have billing stations for community electrical cars and trucks.

The two systems develop an ordinary yearly financial savings of $73,000 and create more than half of the power demand for the area where they are mounted. The amount of financial savings for the 25-year life span of the system is more than $4 million.

University of Colorado, Boulder

The College of Colorado, Boulder mounted a solar carport at their Mountain Research Center. Much like the City of Santa Cruz, CU Boulder’s carport is also wired for electric auto billing terminals.

The university’s solar garage uses an average annual cost savings of $21,740, which is equal to an 8 percent return on the beginning financial investment. In the two years after the original system was set up, CU Boulder created two more solar carports on the university school, assisting to accomplish the LEED Platinum standing to the framework.

Exactly how to obtain your very own solar parking space

Solar parking spaces are a lot of financial investment with numerous untapped abilities for substantial cost savings. To be able to figure out a far better choice for your solar canopy for your property is to make a comparison between all your readily available competent solar installers around you.

Who Has The Most Efficient Solar Panels?

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Solar panels are the most essential component of a solar power system. There are other components that make up the system; however, the solar panel dictates the efficiency of the entire solar power system. The sun has enough energy to provide the electricity that we need. But the sun has always been there with this potential yet it did not automatically provide uses for electricity. There is a need to develop a system to tap from the sun’s energy. Not until recently, this fit seemed far-fetched. Research in this line that gave us solar panels which is the main source of tapping solar energy. The solar panel is the component that is designed to capture the UV (Ultraviolet) rays that are generated by the sun. This is then converted into an electron that generates the direct current (DC). The direct current (DC) is then converted into an alternating current (AC) using an inverter. The AC current is the electricity that is consumable. However, not all the sunlight will be converted to electricity by the solar panel; some will be left unconverted, which means, there is still some potential energy been unused. In other words, a signal panel is limited in the amount of solar energy it can convert to electricity. If you, therefore, need to produce electricity in a large quantity, you will have to combine solar panels so that one can make up for the other. This is where the question of panel efficiency comes in.

Solar panel efficiency: what you need to know

solar panel efficiency

When we talk about the efficiency of a solar panel we refer to its ability to convert sun ultraviolet rays into electricity. All things being equal, when the same amount of sunlight shines on two solar panels, for the same time duration, the better efficient one will produce more electricity than the less efficient one. What this means is that if there are two panels A and B of the same size, subjected to the same condition of sunlight and it is found that panel A has an efficiency of about 21% while panel B has efficiency of 14% then panel A will produce 50% more electricity in kilowatt per hours than panel B which has a 14%. A higher efficiency rate means the panel has the ability to use or convert more solar energy. The more solar energy a panel can convert the less the number you will need to power your building.

Solar panel development has gone through many stages. The first set of panels produced were of little efficiency which means they could scarcely be used to produce electricity. They were not only of little efficiency, but they were also very expensive. This added to the difficulty of them having substantial commercial value. Many in the solar industry associate the efficiency of the solar panel to be the most important factor to assess a solar panel. As much as this is true, it is not the only factor. There is a need to consider the ability of the panel to convert at a low cost and supply at a high rate.

Most efficient solar panels:

With the realization of this fact, manufacturers have invested time and resources into doing proper research in order to increase the efficiency of the solar panels produced by them. As it stands this year, 2019, the solar panel with the highest efficiency rate is at 22.2%. Let’s see some of them and what rate of efficiency they have to offer:

  • SunPower (22.2%)
  • LG (21.1%)
  • Panasonic (20.3%)
  • Solartech Universal (20.2%)
  • Silfab (20.0%)

The majority of the solar panel manufacturers out there offer an efficiency rate that is less than that of the top five. They offer between 15% to 17% efficiency rate solar panels. The top five solar panel manufacturers led by SunPower offer within the rage of 20% to 22% and this is the latest development. The challenge with the solar panels offered by the top five manufacturers is that they come with a higher price tag than that of the majority manufacturers. These top five will often be the favorite of anyone more concerned about efficiency over cost. The truth is that no matter the cost you moderately spend on the installation of a reliable solar system, you will eventually break even. And this will be in the early years of the life span of the solar system especially if you stay in an area where the cost of electricity is high and keeps rising.

Companies produce solar panels in large quantities. There will, therefore, be a disparity in the efficiency of the panels across the board. Most solar manufacturers produce solar panels in several models which will cause ranging in the efficiency of the solar panel. It is important to know that there is a difference between what we call the maximum efficiency rating of solar panel manufacturers and consistently maintaining the record across boards, meaning across the solar panels that were produced in mass. You need to know that for every manufacturer, there is the maximum efficiency record as well as the minimum efficiency record, and we have the average efficiency record which is the efficiency rating that the manufacturer consistently maintains over time. For example, LG has a maximum efficiency rating of 21.1%, however, the minimum efficiency rating for LG is 16.80%. From these two ratings, we have an average rating of 18.78% which is still a leading efficiency rating among other manufacturers, excluding SunPower which has an average rating of 19.96%. 

How Much Does Solar Cost?

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Go solar:

There are so many reasons why you should go solar. From environmental, financial and then to personal reasons, there seem to be numerous justifiable reasons why you need to go solar. To go solar means to tap from the solar energy generated by the sun to provide electricity. Besides the fact that solar energy is environmentally friendly, it has a direct effect on your finances. Whether you are a homeowner of you own a business of your own, the cost of electricity has a way of affecting your finances. Since solar energy can be used for both individual and commercial purposes and investment in a solar system for electricity generation is a once in decades investment, this has an influence on electricity bills. Going solar can help eliminate the bill you pay on electricity completely. Using solar power alongside the public provided electricity will help reduce the amount you pay on the electricity bill.

Also, you tend to save a lot when you go solar. This is because savings is equal to the amount of money you avoid paying as a result of going solar. You save more as the electricity rate in your area gets higher and this will continuously happen throughout the 25-plus-year lifespan of the solar facility. As a business person or a homeowner, it makes your budget planning really easy to do. This is because the rate of electricity is unpredictable. It might, therefore, be difficult to do a forecast of your expenses for managerial purposes. The benefit of going solar cannot be overemphasized. There seems to be little or no disadvantage to the choice of going solar. It is the modern day idea and it seems totally welcomed. Now that we know the benefits of going solar, an important aspect is to know how much it costs to come on board. How expensive or affordable is the cost of solar system installation?

Cost of solar system Installation:

solar system cost

The cost of solar panels is the major determinant of the overall cost of a solar system. Solar panels do not work alone; they work alongside some other components. These components are not as expensive as the total cost of solar panels that you will need. Most times, you will need more than one solar panel to fully power your facility. It is also important to note that, no matter the cost you incur as a result of going solar, you will break even within its lifespan and begin to earn or save money over the rest of its life span. The lifespan on a solar system is expected to be over 25 years. Those who take the solar panel financing scheme usually finish paying their loan within about 5 to 6 years. The rest of the years are used as a time for savings on the electricity bill. In summary, a solar system is a fixed asset that eventually puts money into your pocket in the long run

Cost determinant for a solar system:

Now, to determine the cost of the solar system you will need, the size of the facility you are trying to power with solar is paramount. This will determine the quantity of electricity you will need to generate, which will determine the number of solar panels you will need and the cost of the solar system installation. The more electricity you need to generate the bigger the number of solar panels you will need and the number of labor that will be needed to install the system. All these amount to the cost of installing the system.

ystem you will need, the size of the facility you are trying to power with solar is paramount. This will determine the quantity of electricity you will need to generate, which will determine the number of solar panels you will need and the cost of the solar system installation. The more electricity you need to generate the bigger the number of solar panels you will need and the number of labor that will be needed to install the system. All these amount to the cost of installing the system.

It is also important to note that the number of solar panels needed varies across geographical locations. This is because some places experience more intense sunlight than others. Some places are cloudier and experience lesser days of sunshine. The number of solar panels needed in places like these will be more. California has no problem in this respect. However, if you do a quick research about sunshine in California, you’ll find that sunlight differs according to places in California. For example, the record has it that Redding, California, experiences 88% sunshine yearly, while Sacramento, California, experiences about 78% sunshine yearly. This show a disparity in the amount of sunshine that is experienced in places across California. However, this would not have much effect in that the two places experience quite a high amount of sunshine, therefore, there might not be much difference. In places with a substantially low quantity of sunlight, this does not mean they cannot install a solar system. It only means they will need more solar panels to compensate for this. One very wise way to do it is to know how much a complete solar system will cost in your area is to compare the price of quotes from homeowners if you intend powering your house with it. If you intend powering your business with it, you compare quotes for commercial buildings.

Another great determinate of solar system cost is the solar panel manufacturer brand. Some brands are more expensive than the other. Some brands attach quality of the product brand to price. But this is not always the case.

Cost of DIY installation Vs. Solar company installation

Some people who will like to take the solar system installation as a personal project would want to know how much a single panel cost.s The simple way to answer will be that, it depends on how much leverage you have as a buyer, the type of the panel you are trying to buy and the size of the system you need. However, because solar companies have a direct relationship with those who sell the solar panels and they buy in bulk, they have the opportunity to buy the panels at a much lower price than an average customer. They also know where to purchase quality solar system components. This is why you need solar companies to handle your solar system installation. Get as many solar quotes from companies and compare your choices. This way, you will be sure to get the best solar system installation cost.