Renewable Energy

Who Are the SEIA Solar Energy Industries Association

The SEIA Solar Energy Industries Association is an association that is focused on issues surrounding solar power. The SEIA works to promote social awareness of solar power, as well as working with trade and tech companies with a view to improving the environment and is also heavily involved in issues of solar policies, finance, and tax.

 

The SEIA is an organization heavily focused on advocacy. Their aim is to represent the entire industry, working with everyone from small business owners to representatives from multi-national companies. They have members and coalitions of allies that advocate on the behalf of solar energy at all levels, from state policies to the federal level.

Solar power is becoming increasingly affordable and popular and it is now a relatively mainstream thing, but there is still a lot that could be done to make it more affordable and accessible and to speed up adoption. As long as there are barriers to entry for the average homeowner or business, solar power will not become the leading source of energy generation. For this reason, many companies are looking for ways to financially incentivize the use of solar panels, and the companies that make the panels are looking for ways to drive adoption as well as ways to fund research into making panels cheaper and more accessible.

Policies have an important role to play in helping solar energy to grow, and right now there are not enough incentives to make renewable energy the standard for most parts of the country. The Solar Energy Industries Association is lobbying to change this and to support the development of clean energy.

They are working on Federal Clean Energy Contracting, as well as distributed power generation, performance-based incentives for renewable energy, and state-by-sate initiatives.

They host events and offer a number of services to their trade members, and hope to drive the growth of solar power. They are the national trade association for solar power in the US. The solar power industry is quite large – employing more than 260,000 Americans, and the SEIA represents all companies that work with solar – whether they are promoting solar power, making panels, installing them, or otherwise involved in the development of the industry. The SEIA currently has 1,000 member companies, and they support those companies in terms of building jobs, improving diversity in their company, and championing the use of solar across the country. They also work to educate members of the public – because if the public is not on board, then the sector cannot grow.

 

The goal is to transform the whole industry – not just solar electric, but also solar thermal, so that there is more use of clean and reliable renewable technologies. To the SEIA, solar power is the present, not some idea for the distant future – but that goal and dream cannot be achieved if people are not on board with it.

The SEIA is not a new organization, either – it may be hard to believe, but it has existed since 1974, and over the last 40+ years it has done a huge amount of work towards growing the sector. When the SEIA was formed, the idea of homeowners fitting their own panels seemed ludicrous, but now it is something that many people do, and that is accessible even to the working class. That does not mean that the SEIA thinks their work is done, though – there is still a lot to focus on to ensure the long-term health and growth of the sector, and it will take cooperation from everyone who is involved, at every stage, to see the change in the public’s mind and in the minds of the government that would be required to promote a healthy and sustainable future.

Fossil fuels are running out, and our options for long-term power are limited. Solar alone might not power the whole earth in our lifetime, but it is a hugely beneficial source of power and something that we can and should all support. If you are involved in the energy industry in any way, then it makes sense to work with the Solar Energy Industries Association more closely.

How To Choose The Best Solar Panel Installation Business In Texas

The focus on using solar energy has increased substantially over the years. Not only has it become more acceptable to have solar panels installed, but they are also more affordable. You have probably seen companies that are advertising that they can install them for a low cost, or even for free. Those that will offer a free installation are going to charge the cost of the installation on a monthly payment that you will make. As long as you qualify, you can have solar panels not only generating electricity for your home, but you can sell it back to the electric company. Here is how you can find the best solar panel installation companies in Texas that will allow you to take advantage of the benefits of solar energy.

Why Solar Energy Solutions Are So Popular

One of the reasons that this type of technology is so popular is that you can generate free electricity. You are able to produce enough for your home, business, and even have access that can be stored and sold to local utility companies. The businesses that typically provide electricity are always looking for ways to have more, especially during the peak season. They will happily purchase it from you, motivating people to add additional solar panels as a way of generating residual income. The cost of installing them has also gone down, and there are many more options. People are able to have them installed by these companies that will allow them to make payments. This change has prompted many people to have these companies come out to take measurements, provide them with estimates, and ultimately have them installed. Whether they choose to have solar panels on the roof, or entire solar arrays installed to generate the maximum amount of electricity, this is happening more every day.

Where You Find These Installation Companies In Texas?

These companies can be found in Texas very easily by searching in the phone book. You will see several that are listed. There are more today than ever before, which means you will have to get several different estimates. If you would prefer, you can use the Internet where you can find additional information.

You will see comments and star ratings for each of the companies that you find. This information can help you understand how the companies are currently operating, and whether or not they are making their customers happy with the services that they provide.

How Long Will It Take To Have Everything Installed?

In most cases, this is going to be a very fast installation. No more than a few hours. Unless you are installing something very elaborate on a building, or you are having them put in one or more solar panel arrays, this might take a few days to complete. The more estimates that you receive, the easier it will be to determine whether or not you have found the right company. If it’s just a single-family home, once you set the appointment, you will be able to look forward to free electricity generating the same day that they complete this job.

How Long Will It Take To Pay Off Your Solar Panels?

Your solar panels will likely take 5 to 10 years to pay off depending upon the cost, and also the amount that you are paying every month. Some people can pay them off sooner. It is important to compare the cost of this payment against the amount that you are paying for your utilities. It is important to have a payment that is comparable to what you are paying now. This means, after the solar panels are fully paid off, you are literally generating free electricity. Even if it is a little more than what you are paying for your electric bill, it will end up saving you money over the course of several decades.

If you are in Texas, and you would like to have solar panels installed that your home or business, start searching for these companies online. You can look in the phone book, or simply talk to someone that you know that has recently had this done. This will make it easy for you to contact different businesses and get estimates on how much the entire job will cost. You can also find out when they will be available, a factor that might be important to you, especially if you are on a tight schedule. If you are interested in locating solar panel installation companies in Texas, use these suggestions so that you can start lowering your utility costs by using solar energy.

How To Save Money With A Solar Water Geyser

If you have been looking for a way to cut back on your electric bill, you may want to consider investing in a solar water geyser. These are also referred to as solar water heaters, and they are able to produce a substantial amount of electricity specifically for the water heater in your home. The cost of operating a water heater will depend upon the number of people that are there with you. It also depends on how often people shower, wash dishes, and do other activities such as washing their clothes on a regular basis. All of these things can lead to a substantial electric bill, but not if you install a solar water geyser in your home.

How Do Solar Water Geysers Work

These are designed in a similar way to any other solar panels that you may have installed. They use photovoltaic cells to generate electricity when the solar panels are exposed to sunlight. They are going to be positioned on your roof, or perhaps on the ground, pointing in a southbound direction.

This will allow them to absorb as much light as possible, and as it generates electricity, it can be used and also stored in batteries. It is a much better investment to get a monocrystalline solar panel set up because of how efficient these are. The purity of the silicon crystals is much better, leading to a much higher yield when exposed to the sun.

Where Can You Find These For Sale?

You can find these for sale in many different locations. For example, you could find a company online that is servicing your particular community. They may also have those that you can install yourself at a local home improvement store. They will provide you with directions, and they may also tell you what type of tools you will need. Once you have compared prices, and also considered your own expertise level with installation projects, you can choose to do this yourself for hire a professional. It will probably take them no more than two hours to install everything, and connect your hot water heater so that it will be operated using the solar energy.

How Long Will It Take To Pay Off Your Investment?

It’s going to take you a couple years to pay off the total investment. This is determined based upon your usage of the hot water tank that will be connected to this solar panel. In some cases, it could pay for itself in a matter of a couple years. If you are getting a larger solar panel array, one that can generate more than you need, you can pay off everything by selling the access back to the electric company.

Will They Always Generate Electricity?

A common question that many people ask is whether or not they will always generate electricity. During the day, even if it is cloudy, they will certainly produce electricity because they are exposed to the sun. On the other hand, if it is dark, the photovoltaic cells will not be able to produce any electricity because they need sunlight to operate. It should be noted that the longer the days are, the more electricity will be produced. During the winter, even with a south facing solar panel, it’s going to produce less. These are just things to consider as you are looking at the different options that you have available and how soon you would like to pay off this investment.

A solar water geyser system can be purchased at home improvement stores. This will include the solar panels and the hot water heater that will use the electricity that is generated. It is possible that you may be able to purchase a single solar panel that can be connected to your existing electric hot water heater, but it’s sometimes better to upgrade everything so that you are getting access to the highest level of efficiency. After a couple of years, you will no longer have any electric bill associated with your water heater because all of the electricity will be generated by the sun. Just make sure that you are purchasing a highly recommended solar water geyser system that will be as efficient as possible.

Benefits Of Going Solar

As the solar market continues to grow, more and more homeowners are realizing the benefits of going solar. The fact is, going solar has a lot of benefits. Below, we will be discussing some of them.

Benefits Of Going Solar:

1. Save Money.

The biggest benefits that you are going to get from going solar is the ability to save money. You will be able to save a lot of money by going solar because it is going to help you cut down significantly on your energy costs. Because you will be generating your own energy through your solar pv panels, it is going to make it so you don’t have to spend money to generate electricity. Also, because a lot of states are offering rebates for clean energy, you should be able to get further savings from your tax for helping transition to clean energy.

2. Low Payback Period.

Because of the incredible savings that you are going to be able to generate, there is a very low payback period that you will be able to get when you make the decision to invest in solar energy. A lot of homeowners might shy away from the high installation costs, but the payback period is actually very low considering you save a tremendous amount of money every single month. This is especially true if you are someone that utilizes a lot of energy every day.

3. Increase Your Home Value.

Because solar technology is the future, it effectively ‘futureproofs’ your home which can make your home’s value increase along with it. Because your home is going to be much more marketable if you have solar panels, it is going to make your home much more likely to sell on the open market as well.

You should be able to increase your home value exponentially by investing in solar panels because not many homes on the market are going to be able to compete with it. Thus, you should be able to charge a premium for your home due to the lack of comparisons on the market.

4. Incentives.

As noted above, a lot of states are offering significant incentives. You generally will get these incentives in the form of solar renewable energy credits. This alone makes investing and switching to solar energy much more financially appealing.

5. Secure Investment.

Because solar energy is the future, it is one of the best ‘bets’ you can make on your property. The utility companies are well known for having fluctuating prices when it comes to electricity. Therefore, by investing in this kind of energy, not only will you be able to rest easy knowing that it is not going anywhere in the future, but you are going to have a much better protection against rising energy costs and you will not be forced to pay exorbitant prices because utility companies force you to.

6. Good For The Environment.

Another benefit that you are going to get when you make the decision to invest in solar energy is the ability to switch to a form of energy that is going to be much better for the environment. We are all responsible for the health of the environment and we must all do our part. By switching to solar energy, you are going to really be benefiting the enviornment because you are going to be generating your energy in the most clean way possible.

7. Better Performance.

Another benefit that you get when you make the switch is the ability to have guaranteed performance. Utility companies are unreliable. When everyone has no power because the company went down or because of powerlines going down, you are going to be sitting there with power because your energy comes from the solar panels above or around your home. This alone is worth it to a lot of people because it means that you are going to have guaranteed power throughout the year.

Overall, there are plenty of benefits to switching to solar energy. Not only will you be making a solid investment in your property that can increase your home’s long term value, but you will be able to get a lot of other benefits along with it. To ensure that you are getting reliable panels, you should buy from one of the 5 biggest solar installation companies in the USA.

Overview Of Solar Leasing Programs In New York

Have you ever heard of solar leasing programs? If you have, you might be interested in taking part in these unique programs that can provide you with solar energy. They are also called power purchase agreements. This simply means that, instead of having to pay for the cost of the products and installation, you are simply going to pay a fixed amount from the very beginning. This makes it easier for people to invest in solar panels where they could not before. These can cost thousands of dollars. Therefore, to find solar leasing programs that are in New York, the following tips will lead you to some of the best ones.

Why You Should Consider Getting Solar Panels?

Solar panels are unique devices that were created decades ago. They were once thought to be a novelty. However, they have slowly become something exceptional, a way for people to generate electricity off of the grid, and they are less expensive than ever before. You can usually have enough solar panels installed for low five figures. They are also much more efficient using monocrystalline silicon which is very effective at generating electricity. It is possible to lease solar panels today, making it possible for virtually anyone to have them, regardless of the budget they are currently on.

How Do Solar Leasing Programs Work?

If you have ever leased a car before, then you should understand how leasing solar panels will work. Instead of owning the solar panels, you are simply leasing them to use them. Once they are installed, they will generate all of the electricity that you will need in order to use every appliance an electric device in your home.

 

You will be able to power the lights, garage door opener, and you may even make enough to sell back to the electric company. When you lease these, there are so many benefits to doing so that many people should consider getting this done as soon as possible.

Why Leasing Is Better Than Buying

One of the benefits of leasing something is that the people that are leasing it to you are responsible for the care and maintenance of what they have installed. If you have something go wrong with the solar panels, or if one of them inadvertently breaks as a result of damage, they will come out to fix the problem. This could actually save you a substantial amount of money because they are now responsible for these different homes. If you lease from a company that has a good track record, you should consider doing this for every house that you own. You may pay a little bit more, but in the end, this is going to be the best option. It is a maintenance-free way of getting solar panels installed on your house without having to come up with the upfront cost.

Even though leasing is a little more expensive than buying the solar panels out right, you are going to have no problem seeing why this is beneficial. To imagine that you can have these installed and operational within the next few weeks without having to come up with thousands of dollars is hard for many people to understand. It is not until they see the solar panels on their house, and they are producing electricity, that they will realize that this was a fantastic deal. You can find many different solar leasing programs in New York that will be willing to work with you to help you start generating electricity courtesy of the solar panels and the sun.

How Can We Create Electricity From Sunlight?

Creating electricity from sunlight has been done for many generations. It’s far easier than many believe and thanks to today’s modern technology, it’s far less costly than it was originally.

To begin, you’re going to need some solar panels to collect the electricity. These work by absorbing the suns rays and then transferring this energy over into batteries that are connected to the units.

Most people choose marine life batteries as these are strong and will store the energy for indefinite amounts of time. The batteries are then connected to an inverter that converts the energy into electricity for use in the home, office or wherever it’s required.

 

While all of this may sound rather complicated, it really isn’t. Consider what happens when a water bottle is left out in the sun. When it’s opened up, the water is warm to hot depending on the strength of the sun. Even on a cloudy day, that water is going to have some degree of warmth to it.

The electricity that is created from the sunlight works in much the same fashion. The solar panels in the solar installation are situated so that they will absorb as much of the suns rays as possible.

This may vary from one day to the next and it may also vary by region. A good example would be a state like Alaska that is plunged into darkness for longer periods of time seasonally due to the location of the equator.

Those particular solar panels aren’t going to get as much sunlight as someone who resides in Florida or Texas. However, the few hours of sunlight that they do get will be helping to generate electricity.

The sunlight absorbs into the solar panels and many people believe that the more solar panels they have, the better. This isn’t always true and it may be dependent on the quality of the solar panels and how much electricity is required for the needs and requirements of that particular household.

Storing this energy in the marine life batteries will go far in ensuring that the homeowner has plenty of power when it’s required. The inverter will convert the power from the batteries into a usable form of power for the household.

Not all solar systems are the same and some are more complex than others. Thanks to modern technology these systems have come down in price and some are even readily available used in lieu of brand new which drives the cost down even farther.

 

Additionally, the electricity that is generated from the sunlight can often be resold to the local power company when there is an excess. This will result in a profit for the homeowner that often pays for the entire installation itself within the first year of operation.

People have been using sunlight to produce electricity for many years. The sun is also used to heat homes and other buildings. Consider how warm a room can get in the summertime when the sunlight is pouring through a window.

The window intensifies that heat and the room is warmer than other areas of the building. In much the same fashion, the solar panels are absorbing the energy from the sun and the batteries are then storing that energy.

 

The inverter unit will take the energy from the stores in the batteries and when the unit is turned on the home will be fully powered. The entire system is a genius and will help to keep a home comfortable and livable all year around.

Many people worry that on cloudy days they won’t get enough energy. However, the UV rays are still present and absorbed by the solar panels and the energy that results is still stored in the batteries.

In other words, the powerful rays of the sun are still able to penetrate the cloud cover and be converted into electricity to power the home.

Thanks to modern technology, this process is constantly being refined and the cost is constantly dropping. More homes than ever before are converting to solar power to enjoy a lower electric bill and more comfort at home. Electricity from sunlight is the wave of the future and a great way to enjoy lower energy costs.

Solar Geysers Are Environmentally Friendly and Can Reduce Energy Bills

Heat from the sun is constant, free and an endless resource that will not depreciate. When you tap the sun’s rays you consume no energy and are able to heat water in solar geysers that have the required technology to take advantage of this.

 

A solar geyser will have a container that stores water. This container is much larger than the containers seen in conventional geysers. This geyser has an attached solar collector that requires to be mounted in the open, mostly on roofs, to be able to collect the heat from the sun’s rays that fall on the collector. This gathered heat is transferred to a transfer medium that is often glycol that will not freeze even in cold temperatures. You can also directly heat water that circulates to the container, in geographical areas, where freezing is not expected.

Storage containers can be placed on the roof along with the solar collectors but you need to make sure that your roof is able to stand this additional weight. Alternatively, this container can be inside the home, though its size is often a deterrent. Solar collectors are often metal tubes that may be housed in a glass-fronted enclosure. A glycol solution is circulated in these tubes, and it gets heated after constant exposure to the sun. The heated solution is then circulated in pipe circuits that are immersed in the water container. The heat is then transferred to the water. It is essential that water containers be adequately insulated so that the heat is retained and not lost. It can also help if such containers are painted black if they are positioned on the roof, as this can help with heat absorption of the sun’s rays and help to maintain the temperatures inside the container.

Solar geysers will not produce very high temperatures of hot water, and it can help if the feed water of conventional geysers is obtained from solar geysers that have raised the water temperature substantially. This can help to reduce the cost of heating in these geysers and yet give water to the required temperatures. Reduction of energy can vary from 50 percent to a high of 80 percent. When solar geysers are installed on rooftops, these are often passive systems where the water circulates in the system through gravity. When containers are located inside homes or at other locations you may need to install circulating pumps.

Solar geysers will have no moving parts and once installed require almost no maintenance other than keeping the collectors free of dust. Besides the savings in energy costs that do accrue from these installations, a solar geyser is also environmentally friendly, as the resource used is renewable and does not affect the environment in any way, through pollution, waste or by-products. Efficiency will reduce on days that are cloudy, and the heat from the sun is also not available in the nights. However, these lacunae can be addressed by having large capacity containers that are properly insulated, so that the heat in the water is available at any time of the day or night.

 

The widespread use of the sun’s energy to heat water through properly designed solar geyser systems can go a long way in saving the limited natural resources of a country. This can also result in going green and reducing the increase in global warming, that the use of other fossil fuels to produce power for heating will entail. Installation costs of solar geysers are a one time cost, and there is no recurring cost required for any maintenance, as may be required for conventional geysers.

The Top 3 States For Solar Power In The USA

The solar energy industry in the USA has continued to grow at an impressive nationwide rate of about 4.4 times over the past five years. However, details on solar hot spots in the USA can be quite elusive.

While several states are known to have plentiful sunlight including Arizona, Florida, and California, many states are leading the solar revolution but are flying under the radar.

The following is a discussion about the top three solar states in the United States by cumulative capacity, solar jobs, and actual installed capacity.

The 3 Best States for Solar Power in the USA

1. California

 

The Golden State reigns supreme when it comes to the solar market in the United States. California boasts 18,296 Megawatts of cumulative solar capacity that can power an estimated 4.732 million homes, which is about the equivalent of the next 9 states combined.

California is clearly head and shoulders above other states when it comes to solar energy in the USA. It has about 100,050 solar jobs and an installed solar capacity of 5,096 Megawatts, which are both higher than any other state.

Besides its strong and consistent sunlight totals, California has enjoyed the perfect mix of high energy prices, progressive culture, and strong solar incentives because of its long list of solar-friendly utilities that ultimately make it the perfect place for impressive growth in solar.

2. North Carolina

 

North Carolina might have been and continues to be one of the top 5 states for solar in the United States, but it is worth noting that it is the quickest growing in the country. The State has moved from number 4 to its current position at number 2 and it is one of the top 10 states in terms of solar jobs.

North Carolina not only has an impressive cumulative solar capacity of 3016 Megawatts that can power 341,000 homes, but it is also creating a good number of solar jobs that currently stand at 7,112. It also has an installed solar capacity of 923 Megawatts.

The success of North Carolina’s solar industry is driven in part by the excellent financing options provided in the state such as the revolving loan program offering some of the most competitive interest rates for homeowners that wish to purchase solar panels systems using loans.

3. Arizona

 

The Grand Canyon State has been in the top 10 states for solar for a while now, but Arizona is now a proud member of the top 5 club especially after witnessing some of the most dramatic growth in the country especially in 2017.

Arizona is currently third in the country and boasts an impressive 2,982 Megawatts cumulative solar capacity that can power 446,000 homes. It comes in at number 3 in the states with an installed solar capacity of 657 Megawatts. The state has about 7,310 solar jobs.

Arizona has managed to come out on top even after the Arizona Corporation Commission tried to restrict the use of distributed solar in recent years. Thankfully, its state solar tax credit has allowed Arizona homeowners to get the benefit of both their federal and local tax subsidy and now they enjoy some of the best rates for solar installations in the country.

The Bottom Line

The reality is that solar is here to stay. It is becoming more affordable and producing more energy as technology keeps advancing. The 3 states listed here are currently the top states in the US in terms of solar. However, other states are quickly catching up and it won’t be surprising if some of the states are dethroned by others in the coming years.