By Sarah Lozanova, Solar Energy CopywriterThe home solar market is booming right now! Electricity rates are rising across the United States, and the federal solar tax credits recently increased to 30% through 2032. As a result, more solar companies are springing up all the time. Although some are reputable companies with solar energy expertise, others aren’t. If you are thinking about going solar, beware of scams and deals that seem too good to be true. Read the fine print before signing a contract and understand your financial obligations before moving forward. Red Flags Of A Solar Panel ScamHow do homeowners identify a good deal from a solar energy scam? We’ll help you spot the red flags so you can identify quality opportunities.
Red Flag #1: Scam Offers For Free Solar Panels Offers for free solar panels or solar panel systems paid for by the government are likely to be scams or misleading. In many cases, these offers require homeowners to lease or sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) rather than own the solar equipment. By Sarah Lozanova, Solar Communications ProfessionalSolar leases were first pioneered in 2007 and quickly gained popularity in the solar energy industry. One of the biggest hurdles for residential renewable energy systems is the upfront investment, an issue that solar leases help solve. However, leasing a solar system isn’t always the best option for all homeowners, especially if they have the cash to buy the system, they qualify for a solar loan, or they can take advantage of the federal solar tax credit. What Does It Mean To Lease Solar Panels? Solar leases allow homeowners to rent their solar equipment instead of buying it. The solar electricity produced by the solar panels supplies power to the house, and the homeowner makes a monthly lease payment for the solar panels. Even though the solar panels are installed on the property, the homeowner doesn’t own them. Benefits Of Leasing Solar Panels There are some financial benefits of leasing solar panels, which have made them a popular option for certain homeowners. Startup Costs Are Lower On Leases Often, homeowners can get a solar panel system for $0. Because the high upfront cost of solar panels is a common hurdle that makes solar power unaffordable to many, solar lease agreements bypass this issue. By Sarah Lozanova, Freelance WriterMany homeowners install solar power systems because they want to help protect the environment and reduce their carbon footprint. However, solar panels have a typical lifespan of about 30 years and it’s important to consider what will happen to the equipment when it is decommissioned. If solar panels and other components aren’t properly recycled at their end-of-life, this electronic waste will end up in landfills. Some solar modules are considered hazardous waste, which makes this even more concerning. Many sustainability-minded people have started wondering what happens to solar panels after 30 years and if their solar panels will end up in landfills contributing to pollution. Because this is a relatively new issue, there isn’t a robust solar panel recycling infrastructure in place yet in the United States, but this is poised to change in upcoming years. Here’s What Happens As Solar Panels Age When solar panels are first installed, they produce the most power. Over time, the modules begin to degrade and the output slowly decreases. For example, many solar panels produce about 0.5% less energy each year. Although this might not seem like much, it does add up over time. This degradation is normal and is caused by UV rays and adverse weather. Small cracks can form in the silicon and electronics can warp, reducing the solar panel’s output. Solar panels don’t usually stop producing power entirely at the end of their lifespan, they just become less efficient in doing so. Eventually, homeowners typically want to replace them with more effective panels. Luckily, there are sometimes opportunities to reuse these old solar panels in less demanding applications. By Sarah Lozanova, Solar WriterSolar energy installations have skyrocketed in recent years; it’s likely there are some in your neighborhood. One of the reasons solar power has become so popular is the cost of solar systems has plummeted in the last decade or two. As a result, many more households can afford to install solar. But just how much will a solar system cost? Many homeowners want to get a sense of the cost before having a solar company inspect their property or giving away their personal information online. Ballpark Solar System Cost According to Energy Sage, the average solar system costs about $2.77 per watt installed. This price covers labor, permitting, solar panels, the inverter, and other solar equipment, but prices may vary by the installer, solar panel location, and equipment. The size of your solar energy system will be determined by your total electricity usage, available space for installing solar panels, and budget. To determine how much electricity you use, review your electric bills for the past year or more. The average home needs about a 6 kilowatt (kW) solar system, which costs roughly $17,000 before incentives. If you can take advantage of the federal solar tax credit in 2022, you can receive a tax credit for 26% of the total system cost. If you install your system in 2023, then the solar tax credit is 22% of the total cost. Speak with a tax expert to ensure you can take advantage of the tax credit. By Sarah Lozanova, Solar Marketing WriterIf something seems too good to be true, it usually is. If you’ve been shopping for solar panels, you may have seen advertisements for free solar panels. This seems like an amazing offer because the upfront cost of a solar system can be more than $20,000 before incentives. Are these scams or are they the real deal? We’ll discuss whether these offers are too good to be true and explore some alternatives that might provide you better value in the long run. Are Free Solar Panels Really Free? Offers for free solar actually involve leasing a solar system or entering into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with a solar provider. If you read the fine print, you need to make ongoing payments, often for around twenty years. A solar lease involves renting the equipment and making monthly payments for its use. However, having solar panels will typically significantly reduce the home electric bills so the savings might cover the rent for the panels. Although solar leases might be a good opportunity for some households, the panels really aren’t free. By Sarah Lozanova, Solar Marketing ProfessionalTechnological advances continue to transform the solar energy industry. Today’s solar panels are significantly more efficient, producing more power in the same amount of space. Meanwhile, prices have fallen, reducing the cost of solar electricity. But are some solar panels a better choice for homeowners? Which models and manufacturers are the most reliable and durable? Do some models create less pollution in the manufacturing process? Do panel manufacturers use recycled components or provide solar panel recycling options at the end of life? Let’s explore these critical issues in the pursuit of the best solar panels on the market. We compared the efficiency, warranty, environmental performance, and more for the following solar panel models in the comparison chart below. Because LG Electronics recently announced it would exit solar panel manufacturing, its products are not included.
By Sarah Lozanova, Solar Energy CopywriterAs solar energy deployment increases, solar farms are becoming bigger than ever before. Large-scale solar farms have ground-mounted solar panels. Therefore, the way developers plan and manage those impacts wildlife and local ecosystems. How can solar professionals minimize the ecological impacts of solar farms? It is essential to examine this question throughout all phases of solar farm development, from the initial planning phase to decommissioning. Alternatives to Mowing It is critical to minimize or eliminate shading on solar panels to boost electricity production. Therefore, many solar farm managers mow around the solar panels with gas-powered mowers and use herbicides. Unfortunately, these produce carbon emissions, burn fossil fuels, and contaminate air quality and water quality. Using sheep to graze around the solar panels reduces or eliminates the need to mow and apply herbicides. Sheep are excellent at removing vegetation, even between solar panels. This prevents shading without chemicals or gas-powered equipment. By Sarah Lozanova, Solar Writer The United States now has enough installed solar energy capacity to power 17.7 million homes. Although this is fantastic for air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, it means there is a looming e-waste issue on the horizon. At some point, the photovoltaic panels will no longer generate enough energy. Is it possible to recycle solar panels when they have reached their end of life? The design life of solar panels is 25 to 30 years. Over time, solar modules become less efficient in converting sunlight to electricity due to degradation. Most of the solar panels in the U.S. were installed in the last decade. The efficiency of the panels will decrease and need to be replaced. Broken solar panels are good candidates for a refurbishing program. Currently, only a small fraction of solar panels are recycled. The lack of governmental policies, infrastructure, and foresight in the module design process makes solar panel recycling expensive and arduous. For solar energy to truly produce clean energy, we must recycle solar panels effectively. What materials are in solar panels? When exploring recyclability, it is helpful to consider the components that make up a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel. Silicon-based modules are comprised of glass, plastic, aluminum, and silicon. Unfortunately, they also contain trace toxic compounds, such as lead, which can leach into groundwater if not properly disposed of. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is found in thin-film solar and is toxic and a carcinogen. Because thin-film currently constitutes less than 5% of the global module market, it is a smaller-scale concern. By Sarah Lozanova, Solar Energy Writer A big concern with large-scale solar farms is the impact on land use. Solar developers often site projects on agricultural land that is taken out of production. Also, the vegetation around solar panels needs to be maintained to prevent shading. In some cases, herbicides are used, contaminating waterways, and mowing generates pollution. If the developer applies gravel or plants turfgrass, the land has little wildlife value. As the local food movement gains steam, isn’t it counterproductive to turn productive cropland into an energy plant? How can the solar energy industry embrace biodiversity while producing clean energy? Is dual use of a solar site possible? Solar farms can be managed to increase pollinator habitat, improve soil quality, and even for livestock grazing. Innovative land management approaches enable solar projects to serve multiple purposes, benefitting the local economy. Keeping honeybees, grazing sheep, and even cultivating mushrooms can all complement a solar energy project. Native Wildflowers Boost Pollinator Habitat Researchers with the Argonne National Laboratory are examining the economic benefits of establishing native vegetation, including wildflowers and prairie grasses, on nearby cropland. Native vegetation attracts crucial critters like bees, flies, bats, birds, wasps, moths, and butterflies, which can be beneficial to crop yields. Researchers with the Argonne National Laboratory are examining the economic benefits of establishing native vegetation on nearby cropland, including wildflowers and prairie grasses. A diverse array of native plants benefits wildlife diversity, especially pollinators. These crucial critters include bees, flies, bats, birds, wasps, moths, and butterflies, and can be beneficial to crop yields. Read More... Image Credit: Danny Piper of Sundog Solar This 36-unit community may be the nation's first planned development built around Passive House green building standards. By Sarah Lozanova Even from the layout of the homes, visitors can tell something is unique about Belfast Cohousing & Ecovillage. “Where are the driveways?” one guest asks. “How strange, these houses don’t have any driveways!” Belfast Cohousing & Ecovillage (BCE) is a 36-unit intentional community on 42 acres in Midcoast Maine. Members designed the community from 2008 to 2011, before breaking ground in 2011; GO Logic, a Belfast-based design-build firm that specializes in sustainable building, designed the units and site plan and served as general contractor. The homes are clustered, and a pedestrian path, not a road, runs through the six-and-a-half-acre built area. Despite being a rural property, all the homes are located in two- to four-unit buildings and range from 500 to 1,800 square feet with one to three bedrooms. The community layout encourages social interaction, offers safety for children, and provides open space for food production, wildlife and recreation. With PV solar systems, these highly efficient homes are near net zero. PASSIVE HOUSE DESIGNS When one enters the homes, it becomes obvious that the lack of driveways is only one of many differences between these houses and the average code-built home. Despite being located in Midcoast Maine, the houses have no furnaces. Read More... |