News

For most homeowners, the biggest motivators for buying into home solar power are the rising energy rates being charged by PG&E, SMUD, and other utilities. This goes double for anyone being transitioned to time-of-use rates. On average, our customers see […]

We’re often contacted by homeowners and business owners who know their solar power systems aren’t working properly, but who don’t know what to do next. Oftentimes, they aren’t sure as to who originally installed their panels, whether they’re still covered […]

Home battery solutions are rapidly becoming more popular in California for a couple of reasons. First, PG&E and other major utility companies are transitioning customers to time-of-use pricing—under which customers are charged a varying rate based on when they use […]

If you’ve decided that a solar power system is in your home’s future, and you’re looking at this article, that means you have already started to do some research about your options. You may have already been bombarded by ads […]

Between 2010 and 2018, prices for high-capacity lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries dropped by 85%.  While the overall savings are lessening over time as prices drop, price reductions have by percentage have remained high, averaging about 22% per year over the […]

PG&E’s electricity rates have been steadily rising year over year, and customers can expect even greater instability in the wake of the company declaring bankruptcy. It’s little surprise that many homeowners have installed solar power systems to lower their energy […]

Homeowners who are considering going solar may not know that it may be necessary to replace their roof before installing a solar system. This is an especially serious concern for homes 20 to 30 years old, with roofs nearing the […]

If you have been thinking about getting a solar power system for your home, you’ve probably wondered how much money you could save each month. Fortunately, there’s a pretty simple way for PG&E customers to find out. By reading through […]

Solar power is becoming ever more popular as homeowners recognize the financial benefits of going solar. There’s no lack of professional installers to choose from, but homeowners who are a little handier than the average person are often interested in […]

As of January 1st, 2020, all new homes built in California are required to have solar panels installed during construction. But many prospective homeowners are buying homes with solar panels purchased or leased by the homeowner. These homes have increased […]

Back in 2018, the California Building Standards Commission approved a mandate that changes Title 24 of the state’s building codes. The code change requires all new homes built in the state of California to have solar power systems installed on […]

Recently, there has been a flurry of ads on Facebook and other social media sites touting offers for “free electricity.” Usually, these ads claim that PG&E, the local county, California, or the federal government will cover the cost of installing […]

In April 2019, online real estate website Zillow released a summary of an analysis of the selling prices of homes with solar power systems versus those with without. They found that homes in the United States with solar power systems […]

Update: On April 22, 2019, SMUD withdrew the Grid Access Charge proposal, which was the focus of this article. SMUD also withdrew their proposed Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2.0 rate schedule. SMUD has stated that they are committing to establishing […]

Whenever news stations and magazine articles cover the topic of electric vehicles (EVs), the conversation is typically centered around Tesla. The automaker seems to be perceived as the only major electric car manufacturer of note. But the truth of the […]

Our customers are often concerned about the upfront cost of buying a solar power system. This hesitation is completely understandable. After all, solar is a significant long-term investment. But that’s just it—it’s an investment. There’s an analogy we’ve used with […]

When customers ask us about installing a new solar power system, they’re often thrilled at the idea of completely zeroing out their yearly energy bill. After all, how great would it be to not have to worry about paying anything […]

Solar power’s popularity has continued to increase for the last several years, despite costly tariffs and other efforts to bolster traditional fossil fuel industries. There’s a key reason for this. With old forms of power, you consume a finite resource […]

On January 14th, 2019, Pacific Gas & Electric announced that it would file Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This action does not mean that the company will stop supplying electricity or be dissolved. Instead, filing for bankruptcy allows them to restructure their […]

When we put together an energy savings estimate for a client, we have to anticipate what electricity will cost in the future in order to give an accurate estimate. Historically, electricity rates have increased, and that’s unlikely to change. If […]

One of the most common questions we hear from customers is, “Who makes the best solar panels?” The manufacturers they typically ask about, such as Panasonic and LG, are often the same ones who made their television or washing machine. […]

At the beginning of 2018, the United States government enacted a tariff on imported solar panels. Essentially, most companies that imported more than 2.5 gigawatts’ worth of crystalline silicon solar cells and solar modules would have to pay a 30% […]

Solar power is a great way for homeowners to save money by generating their own electricity and reducing their reliance on increasingly costly energy generated by local utilities. But there’s a big problem with solar energy: If you don’t use […]

Currently, about 75% of the energy generated in California comes from three private utility companies: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), which serves much of Northern and Central California (including many of our customers) Southern California Edison in Los Angeles San […]

From the moment affordable residential solar power systems gave homeowners the ability to generate their own power, and not have to rely entirely on local utilities, there has been tension between solar cell manufacturers, energy utilities, and homeowners. Energy producers […]

When you have a solar power system installed on your home, not only does the amount of money you spend on electricity change significantly, but how you pay for electricity changes as well. After your system is switched on, you […]

A few years ago, residential solar power experienced a huge boom, thanks to the economic recovery as well as numerous federal and state subsidies that reduced costs for homeowners. Manufacturers and installation companies sprang up overnight to take advantage of […]

Many homeowners express hesitance about having a solar power system installed on their home, simply because they’re unsure as to what the process involves. Will their home be disrupted by installers for days or weeks, with panels and construction materials […]

The California Energy Commission’s update to the state’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards in May 2018 included a big surprise for builders and homebuyers. Most new single-family homes and low-rise multifamily residences built in the state will be required to have […]

On the day that your home solar power system in installed, it’s probably going to work great. Your panels will most likely meet the production estimates provided by your installer for many years to come. But as with anything else, […]

You likely don’t think about which way is the ‘right way’ to face your solar panels—the direction which the flat surface of each panel should face—but solar power system installers certainly do. The energy production of a solar panel depends […]

Back in January of 2018, the United States imposed import taxes of up to 30% on solar energy equipment imported into the country. Many feared that the tariffs would put the brakes on the explosive growth of solar power in […]

Over the past few years, with more than $10 million in rebates, Roseville Electric Utility has subsidized the installation of hundreds of residential rooftop solar power systems. Currently, more than 6% of Roseville residents own solar energy systems, and are […]

Our installers and product specialists are often asked by customers, “Why should I buy solar now, and not wait for better technology? Won’t next year’s solar panels be better than what you have now?” This question is based upon the […]

Residential and commercial solar power systems offer significant financial benefits, especially in the face of rising time-of-use electricity rates. Many system owners see savings of 75% or more on their electricity bills. In order to see those savings, you must […]

Going back decades, energy bills have been incredibly simple to calculate. Take the amount of electricity you use, multiply that by the current price per kilowatt-hour (kWH), tack on some miscellaneous fees and taxes, and that’s it. But in recent […]

The sun is shining, there isn’t a cloud in the sky, and your roof is in full sunlight. But how can you tell if the photons raining down on your rooftop solar power system are actually being turned into useful […]

When shopping for a new car, it’s second nature to compare features like fuel economy, horsepower, price, and so on. But when it comes to buying a home solar power system, consumers often feel confused about how to compare options. […]

We invite you to join us in our Roseville location the third Thursday of every month from 5-7pm. You will have the opportunity to see our solar solutions first-hand and get all of your questions answered by our expert team.

Energy technology is constantly evolving and each year brings new sophistication to the available solutions. With changing requirements for rapid shutdown and code compliance and the desire of consumers to reach energy independence, this year brings a host of changes.

Solar is a booming industry. New companies and contractors are popping up every day to get in on the action. If you use Yelp to search for “solar installation” in the San Francisco Bay area, you’ll get nearly 500 results. With hundreds of hit or miss options, what’s next?