Once you've made the decision to go solar, your first step should be finding a local dealer/installer to help you achieve your renewable energy goals. This might be easier said than done: with the solar market getting more competitive, you may have quite a few companies to choose from.

Choosing the right solar company to work with can seem like a challenge—you need an installer who can give you an understanding of how different solar systems work, help you make an informed decision, and ensure that you understand the installation process so you don't encounter any surprises along the way. If you're starting out on your solar journey but aren't sure what to look for in a solar specialist, read on for the top characteristics to keep in mind.

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Topics: Solar System Issues and Considerations, Types of Solar, Residential Solar, Consumer, Solar Installation, Going Solar

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

One of the biggest priorities of the US solar industry has been to increase the power production of systems and reduce the cost of modules, inverters, components, and manufacturing processes. However, as the industry matures and the volume and age of installed systems increases, it has become clear that solar operations and maintenance (O&M) is an integral part of the equation for the long-term viability of any system.

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Topics: Solar System Issues and Considerations, Cost of Solar Systems, Selling Solar, Solar Maintenance, Solar System Design, Solar O&M, Consumer, Dealers

The first step in understanding the role and importance of a solar operations and maintenance (O&M) agreement is to define what it really means. For many, solar O&M has become a generic term that expands and contracts depending on whether you are the one paying for it or the one providing it.

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Topics: Solar System Issues and Considerations, Solar Maintenance, Solar System Design, Solar O&M, Consumer, Dealers