Tag Archives: solar panels

How To Assess The Field Of Choices In Hiring Your Solar Panel Contractor

by Betty Miller Posted on August 22, 2013

In the case that your home or your business suffers damage during a natural disaster or some other occurrence, you need to find someone who can assess the damage and perform repairs fast. Or maybe you’re finally going ahead with a renovation you’ve planned for years. Either way, following our helpful guidelines can help you find the right solar panel installation contractor to get the job done to your satisfaction.

Deal fairly with your solar panel installation contractor; he/she will of course want to earn profit out of the project. Try keeping yourself in contractor’s shoes and encourage win-win situation.

Verify that the contract you sign includes a clause that financially penalizes a solar panel installation contractor for missing deadlines or getting off schedule. Be specific about the amounts, and if necessary, assign different penalty amounts for greater delays. But don’t be too harsh about it! Errors happen, delays happen through no fault of the contractor’s, and a contractor will be reluctant to work for you if they think they’re going to lose the shirt off their back for making a simple time-management mistake.

Together with the pricing, verify you get a stage-wise delivery plan in writing too. Once it is in black and white, it becomes difficult for the solar panel installation contractor to deviate away from it. If the contractor refuses to give a delivery schedule, it should warning bells and you might be better off by not hiring him.

Unless you are fully satisfied with the kind of work the solar panel installation contractor has done in your project do not sign an affidavit of final release of payment. This is very crucial for if you fail, chances of a lien being placed on your property are very high and it is very likely that you will pay an extra amount than whatever you anticipated.

In many states a solar panel installation contractor is usually required to offer up a limited time warranty on their work. If you’ve come across a contractor charging extra for the warranty then they might be running a scam. Check your state’s laws before agreeing to the extra charge.

Making a large up-front payment can make it difficult to fire a solar panel installation contractor should the need arise. This is why you should not pay a large deposit beforehand.

There are many aspects that go into most projects that require a solar panel installation contractor’s license to oversee. Understand that the contractor you choose will have a big job on their hands and may not have the time to chat with you for long periods of time if you show up on the job site.

You will find some solar panel installation contractors advertising with ‘bonded and insured’ terms. These are contractors who purchase bonds in order to protect their clients from failure to complete the tasks they were hired to. In deed, these types of contractors are the better choice and guarantee satisfaction of you as their client.

Searching for ways to gain your knowledge related to the information presented above? Just type in solar heating solutions when searching online. You can discover some fantastic helpful tips about solar options.

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Create Your Own Solar Panel – To Generate Electricity In Your Home

by Finley Kay Posted on August 22, 2013

To generate electricity in your home it is not a difficult task to make your very own solar panel. If you have no experience you can make one, even. You can make it yourself in your home at the expense of as reduced as $200 when compared with the commercially made solar panel, which would cost you approximately $2000. To develop this solar panel in your home you require a good understandable, reliable guide on how making it.

Internet instructions:

On the internet you can discover great reliable guides on this. On the internet you can discover the best ways to construct the solar panel with step-by-step guidelines and materials. By discovering ways to build your very own solar panel through the web, step by step guidelines can minimize your house electricity bills considerably.

When you are considering the best ways to make your very own solar panel detailed guidelines are essential. These solar panels can be installed on the roofing totally out of the way and they do not use up needed area. You can build solar panels with materials bought at the local hardware store and can be constructed in your basement, garage or yard utilizing common handyman tools.

Lower your electrical power costs:

Lots of people around the planet made their own solar panel to reduce their consumption of house electrical power. You can decrease your house electricity expense by developing your own solar panels and power a few of your home devices making use of solar energy.

There are 2 ways in which you can approach your solar power necessaries:

Make a solar panel that will allow you to remove your home totally from the power-grid. If you make all your own solar panels yourself, the expense is high even.

Select some certain home appliances and plan to eliminate their power source from the power-grid for example TV, pc, DVD player or external lights. After a certain period you can further get rid of things from the grid with the savings that you can obtain by lowering your home electrical power expense. Using solar panels you can minimize your electrical bill by 40 to 60 percent.

Before you make your own solar panel you need to choose whether your home is appropriate for solar energy. The location in which the solar panel is set up, there ought to be sunlight a minimum of a couple of hours daily, otherwise you may not have the ability to create electricity at home. Construct your very own solar panel and produce electricity in your home and lower your bills considerably.

Structure solar panels for a certain use is something that you can do likewise. You will discover that the one specific appliance you are developing the panel for will be powered by it when you do this. You certainly won’t require to be worried about its illustration power off the grid or even increasing your electric bill. An exceptional gadget that numerous individuals may provide some idea to constructing a solar panel for being a pool pump, which can extremely easily draw a lots of electricity.

Selling the solar panels that you make is an additional thing that you need to consider. You could even be able to do that to make added income or launch your very own business. Thinking about that you are making the panels by yourself, the chances are very good that you will have the ability to offer them for a lower quantity of money than other people which might result in you earning a lot of income.

Lots of people want to conserve money on their electricity expense. If you understand the benefits of developing solar panels you will recognize that it is rather simple to save lots of cash. Some of these benefits include producing your very own electrical power, conserving cash monthly on your power costs, selling back excess electrical power to your power company, and you can even offer your solar panels to other individuals.

Are you interested in how to make solar panels? Be sure to visit solar panels for sale

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The Solar Industry’s New Dirty Secret

by NielPostma231 Posted on August 19, 2013

Mother Jones

It’s no secret that manufacturing solar panels often requires toxic heavy metals, explosive gases, and rare-earth elements that come from shoddy mines in war-torn republics. But here’s a surprise: The solar industry is actually getting dirtier in some respects. The latest Solar Scorecard from the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), released last week, reports that the industry has slipped on several key environmental metrics, with many solar-panel manufacturers now refusing to provide any information about their manufacturing practices at all.

In terms of market share, only 35 percent of the solar-panel industry responded to this year’s SVTC survey, compared to 51 percent last year. According to SVTC, several major solar companies have provided almost no meaningful information about their environmental performance—stats such as the toxicity of their panels, the use of conflict minerals, or the sustainability of their supply chains—through reports to the group or on their websites.

“If they are not providing the information, we have to assume the worst,” says SVTC executive director Sheila Davis.

Solar companies that do provide sustainability stats are in some cases scaling back their environmental commitments. This year, Arizona-based First Solar started giving customers in most countries the option of buying its panels without participating in its recycling program, reducing the number of solar companies with mandatory recycling programs in the United States to zero. Also, fewer companies this year told SVTC that they would commit to supporting a program to take back and recycle their used solar panels.

Davis blames the poor scores on a global glut of photovoltaic (PV) panels. Huge Chinese subsidies for solar companies have driven down global PV prices (and helped boost sales) but have forced many companies to cut costs. Some major European- and American-based manufacturers (and a few Chinese ones) that abide by strict environmental standards have lost market share or gone out of business and stopped responding to the surveys.

The environmental opacity of the PV industry stands in ironic contrast to that of the PC industry, which, after years of pressure from SVTC and other groups, now routinely discloses a wide range of information about the environmental lifecycle of its products.

“My gut feeling is that solar companies need pressure just like the electronics industry does,” Davis says. “They are not going to rise to the top on their own.”

Original source:

The Solar Industry’s New Dirty Secret

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Homemade Solar Panels – Can We Really Build Them?

by Quincey Stine Posted on August 12, 2013

Making your very own homemade solar panels saves you a large amount of money on costly energy costs. Instead of making the complete repayment for your electrical power, you can opt to pay just 20 % of what you used to, or not at all. The choice depends on you.

Instead of buying your solar energy panels from retail outlets, you can develop your very own. As opposed to shelving out thousands of dollars to engage professionals, you can quickly learn to do it yourself.

Do It Yourself work might seem complexed to you initially, however it is not. Like discovering any other ability, this involves a little willingness to grasp simple concepts and realities. In reality, building solar power generators merely involve signing up with different modules together. The complex technical information are currently completed at the maker’s factory. There’s no need to fret about proficiency. You will be capable of finishing it once you roll up your sleeves to begin building your solar energy panels.

You’ll discover that you’re not alone if you would care to connect with other residents. There are many others who are extremely thinking about utilizing economical energy from the sun to power their homes. Lots of state governors have actually added to this trend by providing rewards to homes that utilize renewable energy.

After your solar power generator is properly set up, you will not have to worry about energy expenses again. Solar energy is likewise a very clean source of power.

However before you start, you have to call an specialist who has actually currently developed his own solar panels. He’ll be able to assist you avoid 99 % of the risks that a first-timer makes. This is not constantly possible. Even if you call an expert online, he might not have the time to be with you personally.

Therefore the most typical method individuals begin is to consult a DIY solar panel instructional guide. These are quickly readily available online. Good guides provide you with basic, detailed, directions on constructing and installing your homemade solar panels. They include engaging videos together with building strategies. Video clips likewise make sure there is minor space for error as you build your project.

After installment, you will be satisfied to have an alternative source of clean energy for your house. You’ll likewise conserve hundreds of dollars in energy expenses every year.

If we have no prior experience making one, those of us who ambitious to construct a basic homemade solar panel can do so within a weekend even. This is offered we have standard DIY abilities to produce easy parts as described above to house the elements.

There are, nonetheless, a couple of pitfalls that can trigger our homemade solar panel job to come to a screeching halt. It is useful to get advice and supervision from various other hobbyists who are more skilled. Alternatively, you can also get a dependable overview of show you the risks and steps to constructing homemade solar panels.

For making our planet a cleaner and greener place to live, everyone must opt for small solar panels

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Advantages Of Investing In Green Energy

by Robert Michaels Posted on August 12, 2013

Industries across the world require a lot of energy to meet the demand for their products and services. Steady source of power is the best enabler to keep these running and satisfy the market demand. This raises the concerns about global warming through the emitted pollutants. Supporters of green energy and environmentalist have put these on notice in a bit to reduce the destruction of the ozone layer and he entire environment.

The solution to problems of using natural gas and related products is opting to green energy which offers continuous power supply and unlike others, it is never interrupted. Some of the best known sources are solar, geothermal and wind as well. These forma are not only beneficial in the manufacturing sector but also to the home user. This is a renewable form of energy and is affordable compared to fossil generated energy.

The existing demand for coal and oil has led to destruction of the environment and these natural resources are getting depleted very fast and might not be sustainable in the future. Environmentalists are campaigning and winning the on cheap and affordable solar panels and wind turbines so as to increase usage of the alternative energy.

The price of fuel continues to rise making the operational cost of manufacturing to follow suit and this affects the price of virtually all products to rise as well. These price changes affect the global economy and the developing countries are the most vulnerable. Investing on renewable energy is seen as the only reprieve the small economies can benefit from. It might be expensive to set up the required facilities but the results are better and more sustainable.

The future of sustainable energy is the solar, water and biomass sources and these can be harnessed. These alternative sources of energy are non-stop and uninterruptable and do not originate from a source that can be depleted through usage. This type of energy is user friendly and does not harm the environment.

This though might not work well with OPEC affiliated nations, is the only make their products cheaper and reduce the emission of gases into the environment which affects the ozone layer leading to global warming. With these adverse effects, ignoring the benefits of green energy will continue putting pressure on convectional energy sources and rising the cost of production and living.

The increased research more effective ways of harnessing the abundant natural resources has led to the demand for alternative energy accessories like the wind turbines and solar panels among others. Governments are also supporting the go green initiative by offering tax relieve to those ready to embrace the new technology. With these reduced prices, it is envisaged the more businesses and individuals will shun the traditional natural gas.

There is enough awareness created through the go green initiative and is aimed at highlighting the benefits derived from green energy towards sustainable environmental and economic performance. On the other hand, the alternative adds value to the existing energy quotient and will eventually improve the quality of life to many people across the world.

Would you like to know more about wind turbines. Click here for some informative articles.

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Assemble Solar Panels If You Already Have No Experience

by Elva Diller Posted on August 7, 2013

Having inadequate money to cover all the costs at home can be very discouraging. So, you have to make certain that you will find out the art of budgeting well. But how can you do that? The technique is to utilize solar power due to the fact that it is among the best ways that can slash your expenses regular monthly especially if you are having problem with your energy usage. If you likewise want to resemble your neighbors who have residential solar energy homes, then you too can be like them.

The only method on how you can do that is to develop our own solar panels. Since they will catch and change the sunshine into functional electric energy, the panels are the number one pieces of devices that you require to have. In this short article, you can know the methods on how you can construct the panels properly even if you have no experience.

Primary step

In order for you to know if your residence is qualified to utilize solar panels, you need to understand the adequacy of your place when it comes to getting the right amount of sunshine. Since you can ascertain that the panel is truly right for you, that is the first step that you need to do. Do not stress about them due to the fact that they can still be slow powerhouses with the wind turbine if you are questioning about those homes that are not certified.

Second Step

Upon understanding that your residence is one of the many qualified homes in the world, then you need to look for the solar kit that contains all the things and materials you need for building, wiring and setting up the panels. There are a number of considerations in choosing the right kit. Keep in mind that the success of your whole project will depend on it.

Other elements you are visiting want to consider when setting up solar power panels include how huge the area is where you are visiting be setting up the solar panels and just how much sunlight your location gets. You are visiting as well wish to consider which location on your home gets the maximum sunshine and find the very best angle to install your solar panels in such a way that lets them to obtain the maximum light from the sun. To get the most electrical output as you can out of your panels, you should perform these things.

You are visiting wish to find out the variety of solar power panels you are going to need to generate ample energy for your residential property, after you have actually found some clear detailed guide on the best ways to install solar panels. To find out this, you are visiting need to divide the quantity of energy in watts you make use of in one day by the hours of sunlight your area gets every day.

The result you get is visiting let you know the quantity of watts you need to produce in one hour, which is visiting provide you the amount of solar panels you require. After that, you can at some point start setting up solar panels with the instructions you have discovered.

It is extremely crucial that you check out the testimonials first before you buy a particular solar kit from the online world. It is a extremely important device that wise purchasers ought to have so they will always get fulfillment.

When you have actually currently found the right guide, ensure that you will follow the directions very well.

For more information on solar panels, please visit solar panel cost

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This Solar Backpack Can Charge Your Tech

by Lubomyr21t Posted on August 2, 2013

BirkSun’s Levels backpack comes with a built-in 4.5 watt solar panel. Photo: BirkSun

BirkSun, a new company based in San Francisco, makes solar-powered bags and backpacks that make it possible to charge your small electronics while on-the-go. Earth911 staff writer Katie Sukalich recently had the opportunity to test out BirkSun’s Levels backpack ($150), which features a 4.5 watt solar panel and can charge your phone, music player, iPad and a handful of other gadgets.

My initial observations about the backpack were that it looked attractive and functional. The solar panel isn’t huge like some panels, so if I wore the backpack while walking down the street, people probably wouldn’t stare at my back wondering what I was wearing. The backpack also has pockets for holding a water bottle and laptop and it has a bungee cord on the front, which BirkSun suggests could hold wet items. The Levels backpack’s design makes it versatile, so it could be used in a variety of situations.

Click through to learn more about how the Levels backpack works.

earth911

Link to article – 

This Solar Backpack Can Charge Your Tech

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The Best Place for Solar Power is… New Jersey?

by 2343b4u4u Posted on July 30, 2013

Solar panels hang over a New Jersey Parking Lot. Photo: Flickr/Armando Jimenez, U.S. Army Environmental Command

Written by John Platt, Mother Nature Network

The Arizona desert may enjoy nearly endless sun, but is it the really best place for solar panels? Maybe not.

A new study suggests that cloudier New Jersey is actually the state that will get the most value from switching to photovoltaics, not because of the amount of sunlight in the Garden State but because adding solar power capacity there would result in the greatest reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and dangerous pollutants.

The same might hold true for wind turbines: the most value could come not from the places with most wind but the areas that have the dirtiest air. “A wind turbine in West Virginia displaces twice as much carbon dioxide and seven times as much health damage as the same turbine in California,” explains Siler Evans, a Ph.D. researcher in Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Engineering and Public Policy and the lead author of the new study, published earlier this month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A wind turbine in W Virginia displaces 2x the CO2 as the same one in CA.

The difference in West Virginia’s case comes from reliance on coal as its current source of energy. Transitioning from coal to wind in West Virginia would generate electricity while also improving residents’ health and help to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

The Altamont Pass wind farm. Photo: California Energy Commission

In addition to health and climate concerns, the paper also addresses the economic factor. The researchers argue that the federal Production Tax Credit, which subsidizes wind energy, would have a greater social impact if it varied by location, instead of being implemented in the same manner across the country. “It is time to think about a subsidy program that encourages operators to build plants in places where they will yield the most health and climate benefits,” co-author Ines Lima Azevedo, executive director of the Center for Climate and Energy Decision Making, said in a press release about the new study.

Outside of federal subsidies, state subsidies have resulted in the rapid growth of solar and wind power in the Southwest and Midwest. The authors argue that these might not be the best places. Using their criteria of providing the most social value, they say the best sites for future wind and solar would be Ohio, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, all of which rely heavily on coal.

The Carnegie Mellon study is accompanied by a related commentary by authors from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and other organizations who say the “co-benefits” of using solar and wind to reduce CO2 and sulfur dioxide emissions present “a compelling narrative” for policy makers. The authors argue that there are “synergies between renewable energy policy and health and climate protection” that governments could put to good use both in the U.S. and the European Union.

More from Mother Nature Network:
Sebastopol is second Californian city to require solar on new homes
20 amazing wind farm photos
9 ingenious wind turbine designs
Researchers develop world’s most accurate solar potential software

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The Best Place for Solar Power is… New Jersey?

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How To Assess The Field Of Choices In Hiring Your Solar Panel Contractor

by Jane Adams Posted on July 26, 2013

You have tasks that have to be completed even if you have an ailment so you need a solar panel installation contractor to complete it for you. You can be aided in choosing a great contractor with this list of guidelines.

Did you see a solar panel installation contractor on a billboard and think they must be great because they are on a big shiny billboard? Think again! Do not select a contractor based on flashy advertising. Only hire someone after you have reviewed them carefully.

Be cautious of solar panel installation contractors who try to solicit you in a door-to-door fashion. They usually unlicensed and don’t have the proper bonds or insurance. A warning sign of this is when a door-to-door soliciting contractor offers you an unrealistic discount.

When you agree to work with a solar panel installation contractor ask when an appropriate time to call would be. Since they are busy they might have different available hours than you. Agree on set times in which you are allowed to communicate so you are not disrupting each other.

Does the solar panel installation contractor require his workers to be drug tested? Hiring a contractor with untrustworthy workers can be devastating. These workers are going to be on your job on a daily basis so you need to know they are tested.

Always conduct a written agreement for you and your solar panel installation contractor to sign regarding each phase of improvement that needs to be met in your project. This prevents the contractor from purposely taking extra time on the project and unfairly charging you for it.

Enjoy your work. You won’t enjoy every aspect of your job, but if you are generally in a good mood and enjoy your work, your solar panel installation contractor will notice and will start to inherit this mind set. The end result is a good positive relationship.

It is important to hire someone who thinks like you, if they do something that you don’t like, you are stuck with it. Check their old jobs and references to see if their aesthetic standards are similar to yours.

Pressure and strain are inherent when embarking on a big project which requires a solar panel installation contractor. You should expect to encounter unfamiliar circumstances but always consult your contractor for possible assistance. This will warranty you a smoother navigation through the process without worn out by the situations.

Be cautious when hiring a solar panel installation contractor. Most contractors are upstanding people but, there are many people who have been caught portraying a contractor just to scam clients out of money.

Go to any large search engine and type in solar energy installation into search box. You can find a few interesting ideas about green energy options you can use soon.

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Big Oil sued for destroying wetlands around Gulf of Mexico

by Margurite Axley Posted on July 24, 2013

Big Oil sued for destroying wetlands around Gulf of Mexico

By John Upton

Alicia Lee

Natural flood control in Louisiana.

Coastal Louisiana would like its wetlands back. It needs them to protect itself from rising seas and raging storms.

The agency charged with protecting New Orleans-area residents from floods is suing Big Oil, claiming it should repair damages that it caused to wetlands that once buffered the region from tidal surges.

The oil companies have recklessly torn out the marshes and plants that ringed the Gulf of Mexico as they laid pipelines and other infrastructure to serve their decades-long oil- and gas-drilling bonanza. From The New York Times:

The lawsuit, to be filed in civil district court in New Orleans by the board of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, argues that the energy companies, including BP and Exxon Mobil, should be held responsible for fixing damage caused by cutting a network of thousands of miles of oil and gas access and pipeline canals through the wetlands. The suit alleges that the network functioned “as a mercilessly efficient, continuously expanding system of ecological destruction,” killing vegetation, eroding soil and allowing salt water to intrude into freshwater areas.

“What remains of these coastal lands is so seriously diseased that if nothing is done, it will slip into the Gulf of Mexico by the end of this century, if not sooner,” the filing stated. …

Gladstone N. Jones III, a lawyer for the flood protection authority board, said the plaintiffs were seeking damages equal to “many billions of dollars. Many, many billions of dollars.”

Mr. Jones acknowledges that the government, which has strong protection against lawsuits, might bear some responsibility for loss of wetlands. But, he noted, Washington had spent billions on repairs and strengthening hurricane defenses since the system built by the Army Corps of Engineers failed after Hurricane Katrina. By taking the oil and gas companies to court, he said, “we want them to come and pay their fair share.”

That seems only fair.

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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Big Oil sued for destroying wetlands around Gulf of Mexico

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