November 2016

We’ve all heard it before: “The problem with solar and wind power is that the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow.” Enter energy storage, the answer to that often-cited variability problem. Basically, as its name suggests, an energy storage device uses batteries or other technology to store excess power generated by [...]

Both utilities and distributed generation (DG) solar companies are competing to provide electricity to customers. Utilities have their incumbent business models to protect, whereas DG solar companies are applying new solar and storage technologies so that customers can generate their own power. Unfortunately, this competition between utilities and DG solar companies has the potential to [...]

You probably didn’t get into the solar business because you love lead generation. However, all solar businesses, especially residential solar providers, need to operate and thrive on their lead sources. With the explosion of the Internet, online channels have become a clear starting point for solar installers to find the residential leads they need. It’s [...]

Early distributed generation (DG) models inspired us to believe that we could all participate in the mission to democratize and decarbonize our energy infrastructure. Yet, for a long time, that was really only true for a quarter of U.S. households and businesses. For the other 75% or so, putting a solar PV system on their [...]

Without question, solar is one of the fastest-growing energy technologies in the world today. Its rapid growth, fueled by substantial investments and greater market penetration, has led to major advancements on the hardware and installation fronts. Adhesives have played a big role in the development of both; they are literally the glue that holds it [...]

On April 20, 2010, a single device called a blowout preventer (BOP) led to one of the worst environmental and financial disasters ever recorded. The BOP failed to seal a well shut after the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, resulting in 11 deaths and millions of gallons of oil flowing into the Gulf [...]

32,000 Nevada Solar Customers Can Breathe A Sigh Of Relief The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) has unanimously approved a measure to grandfather in pre-existing solar customers under the state’s previous, more beneficial net energy metering (NEM) rules. The decision is a welcome win for the solar industry, which has been fighting Nevada’s notorious [...]

Start-Up Announces Rooftop Solar Tracker Although tracking systems are prevalent in the ground-mount solar market, a California-based start-up has announced a new dual-axis solar tracker designed and built specifically for the commercial and industrial rooftop sector. Edisun Microgrids Inc., a company created at technology incubator Idealab, has launched its new PV Booster tracker system. Edisun [...]

Calif. Regulators Reject Utility Challenge To NEM 2.0 The California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) is promoting another solar policy victory, as the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved a resolution denying all legal challenges to the recently adopted net energy metering (NEM) rules for solar customers. In January, the CPUC issued a decision [...]

Solar Comes To San Francisco ‘Painted Lady’ Home Sunrun has announced that one of San Francisco’s famous Painted Lady homes – recognizable from the opening scenes of TV sitcom “Full House” – has gone solar. The house, which sits on a row of classic Victorian homes, is one of the city’s most photographed locations, the [...]