Monthly Archives: November 2019

Whether you are thinking about a solar system because you want to reduce your personal carbon footprint as an environmentally-friendly step, or you are in the market because you’re tired of paying the high (and ever-changing) rates for electricity from your local power company, solar systems have become a popular choice. The biggest question most people face when they’re ready to put in a solar system is whether or not to install a battery backup with their system. Battery Backups and Grid-Tied Systems Before we get into a discussion of pros and cons for battery backup systems, it’s important to define “battery backups” and compare that to the alternative, which is a “grid-tied system”. When batteries are installed with a...

You have probably seen “wind farms” with giant turbines at the mouth of a canyon or out on the plains, and perhaps wondered if wind energy would be a better investment than solar to power your home. While both offer renewable energy for residential areas, they’re not exactly created equal. It’s important to understand the pros and cons of each before you decide which is best. The Pros & Cons of Wind Turbines Two of the benefits of wind turbines are the ability to capture energy any time of the day or night, and to generate power on a very large scale. However, any renewable energy source is potentially unpredictable, and wind can be particularly so. Even if it seems...

One of the primary goals for most homeowners interested in solar power is the desire to have a renewable source of energy without being tied to the cost fluctuations and monthly bills of your local utility company. Unfortunately, many people have a misconception that in order to do that, they need to go “off the grid” and get a battery installed with the system to store solar power. For most people, the option to have a grid-tied solar system will achieve the goals of generating your own power and ditching the utility company, but without the huge expense of battery storage. Here’s a quick overview of what that means and whether it’s the right choice for you. How Solar Systems...