A common concern for potential solar buyers in northern climates is snow: how effective are solar panels when it's snowy, and will they be efficient enough during the winter to be worth the investment? In areas with significant snow accumulation and inclement weather throughout the winter months, it might seem like going solar isn't an option. However, with the wide range of sophisticated solar technologies on the market, even people in the snowiest of climates can make the change to solar energy for their home or business.

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Topics: Solar System Issues and Considerations, Solar Maintenance, Energy Efficiency, Maximizing Power Production, Residential Solar, Consumer, Dealers

The benefits of dual-axis solar trackers are clear, especially when it comes to maximizing power production: they are the single most effective way to increase the energy output of a PV system, with the exception of increasing project size. By consistently maintaining the optimal PV-array-to-sun angle throughout the day, trackers can improve a system's output by over 40% compared to fixed solar. While fixed systems rarely reach maximum power, the tracker maintains full power output from dawn to dusk.

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Topics: Solar System Issues and Considerations, Solar System Design, Maximizing Power Production, Consumer, Dealers

When considering any investment in solar it is critical to look beyond the simple math of the installed cost of the system. In business, an investment is assessed not on the upfront capital expenditure but rather on the longer-term return on investment. In a similar fashion, when assessing the value of a solar installation, it is critical to look beyond the upfront installed cost and focus on the long-term energy production.

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Topics: Sizing a Solar System, Cost of Solar Systems, Types of Solar, Maximizing Power Production, Consumer, Dealers

As a solar installer, you want to find a solar solution that performs well, lasts for a long time and, perhaps most importantly, produces a strong return on investment for your clients (and, in turn, your business). To help you make your decision, we've taken a deep dive to compare the ROI of fixed-mount and solar tracker systems.

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Topics: Types of Solar, Maximizing Power Production, Return on Investment, Residential Solar, Consumer, Dealers

One of the best ways to get the most bang for your buck in a small commercial solar project is reframing the way you think about project value and moving beyond the traditional dollar per watt measures. Although a fixed-mount system might have a lower cost per watt, dual-axis trackers provide a higher production capacity, are more versatile when it comes to siting and land usage, and ultimately cost less when it comes measuring dollar per kilowatt-hour, creating a much better overall value for the project.

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Topics: Commercial Solar Systems, Cost of Solar Systems, Types of Solar, Small Commercial Solar, Solar System Design, Maximizing Power Production, Consumer, Dealers