Choosing a contractor to install your solar panels is an important decision. Done right, solar is a fantastic energy source that will save you money for decades and provide a more sustainable future for the planet. A poor installation, however, could cause more problems than it is worth. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the trade association for solar energy, has published a new document that contains a variety of best practices in the field of solar installations. In this post, we’ll specifically discuss the parts related to the qualifications of contractors. The SEIA document gives a list of things that a financier will require when working with a contractor. Knowing these requirements will give you an unbiased look at the types of qualification you should be seeking from a potential installer.

Work History

Experience is one of the most important factors you should consider. A contractor should be willing to provide you with their company’s work history. Look for a company that has 3 or more years of experience in residential solar PV installation. If the company itself does not have that much experience, you should look for 5 or more years of experience as leadership personnel in the same. For example, a contractor might have just started their own company, but have worked in a leadership position at another solar company for a lengthy amount of time. This contractor would be still be considered to have experience. Keep in mind the leadership position qualifier in that statement. You want a contractor who is going to know the ins and outs of the solar industry and how to complete an install safely and effectively.

Of course, anyone who has ever applied for a job is well aware of the catch 22 of not being able to get a job without experience and not being able to get experience without a job. Absent the above experience, there are other ways that a contractor can prove that they have the experience required to do the job.

One of the ways they can do that is to provide third-party quality inspection scores for the last 6 months worth of jobs. They should be able to provide these scores for at least 10% of those jobs. You’ll want to make sure that those reports have a minimum score of 80%.

For a very new company, even that might be difficult to provide. At the barest minimum, you’ll want a contractor whose site supervisor has completed a 30-hour safety course from OSHA as well as 40 hours of solar PV technical training covered by the NABCEP Job Task Analysis.

Financial Stability

A solar finance company is going to want to know that the installer is financially secure. The documents that the financier will ask the contractor for are not things that they are likely to share with you. Because of this, you will not be able to do the same thorough vetting that the finance company can. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask them if they are comfortable providing financial information to a financier. Ideally, you’ll work with a company that offers help providing financing. Not only will you know that they are willing to provide the relevant financial information, but you’ll know that they very likely fulfill all of the other qualification requirements on this list as well.

Health and Safety

You’ll want a contractor that takes safety seriously. The site supervisor should have completed a 30-hour construction industry training course from OSHA. Other site personnel should have completed a 10-hour version of the same. Additionally, all on-site personnel should be wearing any required safety equipment and be trained on potential hazards specific to solar PV installation.

A good contractor will also have a safety manual for employees that go over proper procedures for reporting accidents, potential hazards, and first aid procedures. This will ensure that not only is each employee trained properly, but that the company functions as a whole in a way that is safety oriented.

Insurance

Accidents happen, even to the most skilled of contractors. Although everyone hopes that they do not happen, it is important that your contractor has insurance in case an accident does occur. At a minimum, you’ll want a contractor who has general liability, workers compensation, and automotive liability policies in place of at least $1 million per occurrence each. If a contractor is also designing the system, you’ll want them to have a professional liability policy, also of at least $1 million.

The contractor may be storing confidential customer information. Today, we are frequently hearing about cyber attacks. Large companies like Facebook have had data breaches that reveal sensitive customer information. You want to make sure your data is safe. Ask the contractor what data they will be storing in their systems and if that data is stored securely and encrypted.

Qualifications

The site supervisor or someone else who can be held accountable should have certifications that show you they are qualified to do the job. At its most basic level, this can come in the form of being a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Certified PV Installation Professional and by having a master electrician licensed in the state that they will be performing the work in. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners is a voluntary certification agency for energy contractors. They have a variety of certifications that, along with others, can serve as proof of qualifications above and beyond the minimum.

Some of those certifications are:

• Roof Integrated Solar Energy (RISE), Certified Solar Roofing Professional
• Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Certified PV System Installer
• Proprietary technology training offered by an original equipment manufacturer
• NABCEP PV Associate Credential
• NABCEP PV Design Specialist
• NABCEP PV Installer Specialist
• NABCEP PV Commissioning and Maintenance Specialist

Licenses

Each state has different requirements for solar installation professionals. You will want to make sure the contractor has all of the relevant licenses to operate in your state. This should include both trade licenses and business licenses. The contractor should not have a Better Business Bureau rating of less than a C, however you’ll probably want to have a grade A contractor work on your home. You can find a list of solar licensing requirements at the IERC website that will help you determine what licenses you should be asking a contractor about.

Conclusion

We hope that you’ve found this list informative. As we stated in the beginning, choosing a solar contractor is an important decision. If you have any questions or concerns about the process, please feel free to contact us.

You may also refer to this post for more questions to ask your contractor. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the process of solar installation or about our qualifications.

Clean energy and efficiency is trending. Homes and businesses alike are opting for Energy Star appliances and green energy generation such as solar. The reason changes person to person and company to company. Some have a deep concern for the environment. Others like the idea of self-sustainability. Everyone, though, likes the idea of saving. And that is exactly what solar energy systems do. They require an initial investment, but the return on that investment can be impressive over the long-term. However, if homeowners choose to make a slightly bigger investment, making a few efficiency upgrades along with solar, their Return On Investment (ROI) can be substantially more significant. In addition to the major upgrades discussed below, there are also multiple smaller improvements a homewner can make to further increase efficiency and savings.

Central Heat Pump Upgrade

The Rocky Mountain Institute recently released a study that changes how individuals should invest in solar energy systems. The study looked at four cities across the U.S. Their goal was to analyze home electrification, both in terms of the financial costs and the carbon benefits.

The study found that in three of the four cities, if homes switched to electric heating it could help lower carbon emissions. The reason for this is that the electric grid in those cities is already clean enough. It is only regions that use heavy amounts of coal, such as Chicago, that are not seeing carbon emission reductions with electrification.

The financial costs are another story, though. Electricity from the grid can be expensive. So expensive, in fact, that gas will provide a lower lifetime cost than switching to a heat pump (with the exception of high-end mini-split type units). However, these numbers depend on where the electricity comes from. If the electricity is created from rooftop solar panels, instead of the grid, there is a substantial cost reduction and emissions reduction over the long-term.

Here is how the numbers break down: The average homeowner will save $24,900 over the course of 15 years, by switching to a high efficiency heat pump with solar ‚not to mention that carbon emissions can be reduced to zero. This means that even though a solar system and upgraded heat pump can be a $15,000 investment for a homeowner, they will still save nearly $10,000‚and this does not include the potential 30% solar tax credit that homeowners currently get. It also does not include the fact that a solar energy system can power other appliances that used to run on natural gas (i.e. cooking, water heating, etc.).

In short, an electrified home can create noticeable savings when it is done right. The return on investment associated with a solar energy system, especially when combined with energy efficient appliance upgrades, surpasses $10,000 in less than two decades, as well as increasing the value of a home.

Appliance Upgrade

Households across the U.S. use a mixture of fossil fuel and electricity to power their homes. And while the electric grid is becoming cleaner and greener, it is still the fossil fuel use that is creating significant carbon emissions. In the mid-Atlantic in particular, most utility grid power comes from coal and gas. In addition, in Pennsylvania, 51% of homes use natural gas for their heating needs. In Virginia, more than 60% of the electricity is produced with either natural gas or coal. In West Virginia, 95% of the electricity is produced by coal and natural gas. But the truth is, it does not have to.

Homes use gas to power just a handful of heating appliances. Rocky Mountain Institute found that over two-thirds of gas used in a house is for space heating‚the rest is split between water heating, clothes drying, and cooking. Water heating, space heating and clothes drying are all available with high-efficiency heat pump technology. If households made this switch, they could reduce their annual carbon emissions by 25% or more.

However, the financial benefit can be surprisingly large. Because, yes, getting off gas is great for the environment, it is also fantastic for a homeowner’s bank account. The savings start flowing in as soon as a household discontinues their gas service, as many states levy gas connections. In fact, the monthly fixed charge for a connection can be so high that discontinuing it saves a homeowner more than $300 per year‚and that is not including the amount of gas that they actually purchased.

The challenge for households, when they choose to cut off their gas connection, is finding ways complete all the jobs that gas used to power. While it is pretty straightforward to transition a home to all electric, these upgrades will require the purchase of new appliances. For many households, where old appliances are eating up both gas and electricity, this is a very natural transition as they slowly trade out old appliances for new, Energy Star versions. The following are some options for changing over from gas-based appliances.

1. Clothes Drying

The Department of Energy has found that 1% of the nation’s energy usage goes to clothes drying, which shows just how much of an impact switching from gas to electric could be. And this switch is made easier with two new technologies: the ultrasonic dryer and the heat pump dryer.

Ultrasonic dryers were co-developed through a partnership between the University of Florida, General Electric, and the Department of Energy. Instead of using heat, the dryer vibrates water out of fabric with sound waves, which produces a cool mist and allows fabric to be dried in half the amount of time it takes a traditional dryer. By looking at the market and energy usage, the Department of Energy found that over the course of a decade, if U.S. consumers adopted the ultrasonic dryer, they could save roughly $900 million in energy spending.

Another alternative is a heat pump dryer. This electric dryer option uses heat pump technology to generate the heat used for evaporating the water out of clothes and is ventless, meaning no air or heat is pushed out of the home. The dryer extracts the moisture as condensation via the internal recirculating heat pump technology.

2. Cooking

When it comes to cooking, electricity is a different story. Many consumers will hesitate about switching from gas to electric cooking‚ gas just provides more control. And because of this desire to use gas for cooking, they will be reluctant to disconnect their gas. This can then have a snowball effect‚ if they are still paying for a gas connection, is it really worth it for them to convert their water and space heating systems to electric?

The good news is that there is a good alternative to gas cooking‚ electric induction cooking. These stoves heat food by creating an electric field with an electric coil. The electric field that these stoves create is unique because it does not heat the actual cooktop and the air around it‚it only directly heats the cookware via high frequency electromagnetism. In other words, little energy is wasted, making it about 70% more efficient than both conventional electric and gas stoves. Additionally, because it delivers heat more quickly and it offers the user more control, it provides a cooking experience that is very much like a gas stove.

In the past, reducing carbon emissions was an expensive feat‚dropping it down to zero was simply an impossibility. Now, however, with the advent of new appliances and the affordability of green energy, this goal is not only possible‚it is also lucrative.

3. Water Heating

Heat pump water heaters are one of the best improvements in water heating in a long time. Rather than powering a heating element to heat the water the units use a small heat pump to do so in the same way that a central HVAC heat pump uses to heat your home. In fact, where an ordinary electric water heater can use 5000 watts of power during operation, a heat pump water heater can use less than 500 watts for the same job!

From Energy.gov, “Heat pump water heaters use electricity to move heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly. Therefore, they can be two to three times more energy efficient than conventional electric resistance water heaters. To move the heat, heat pumps work like a refrigerator in reverse.”

While a quality electric or gas water heater starts around $500, a heat pump water heater runs around $1300. This price difference can be recuperated in just a few years, but if moving from a gas water heater to a heat pump water heater powered by the sun, the realization of ROI is very short.

Getting Started

Mountain View Solar is your local West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania solar and energy efficiency contractor. Our primary products include solar energy systems and battery backup for critical loads. In addition, our trained team of professionals can discuss efficiency upgrades that in combination with solar can not only reduce your carbon footprint, but substantially increase the overall ROI for your solar energy system. We can even recommend trusted contractors for your appliance upgrades.

mtvSolar has always been a leader in green energy initiatives. We started our journey as premier builders of energy efficient homes before making the shift into renewable power generation. We take energy efficiency and green energy initiatives very seriously and will help maximize the impact of your new solar installation. Contact us today for a free, zero-pressure consultation customized for your home. Our employees frequently test technology before we recommend it. One of our employees in Western Maryland has an mtvSolar ground mount array, heat pump water heater, plug-in induction burner, and high efficiency central heat pump that we can arrange for you to see in person.

The electric car market continues to grow, despite taking a long road in evolving to a time when we’ll all be driving them. That time may soon be upon us, and it’s good news on an environmental level. However, it doesn’t mean it won’t pose some big challenges in how they’ll be charged.

As we’ve recently noted at Mountain View Solar, electric car prices have gone down over the last few years, leading to more people buying them. Features and range have continued to improve at a phenomenal pace.

What’s going to happen when we have to charge so many electric cars every day? Read on to look at three pertinent issues solar technology will have to fix.

1. Demand Charges

Charging so many electric cars in one spot will have large energy requirements, and it’s likely going to mean increased demand charges for commercial customers as a result. Demand charges are racked up when large amounts of power are consumed in a short time. Ultimately, too much power usage at once could cause brownouts, something we could see happen once electric cars become the norm. To mitigate this, utilities bill commercial clients based on the load they put on the grid to ensure the transmission lines are up to the task.

Here in the mid-Atlantic area, demand charges are typically charged based on the highest 15-minute average usage recorded within a given month. In other words, if a business happens to use a lot more power in shorter intervals over a month’s time, demand charges are going to become larger. Likewise, more consistent use of power over the month means lower demand charges.

Consider that just a few 200KW DC fast chargers would cost a small fortune in demand charges alone. Having these chargers in front of businesses could add substantial energy cost just to energize them for their customers.

While most residential customers in the West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania service area don’t pay demand charges, the utilities will still have to deal with an overall increase in demand on the grid as people add EV chargers at home. With tens of thousands of EV chargers at homes, the overall demand on the grid will sharply rise.

Larger businesses providing charging stations will simply have to get creative and not use as much power during peak hours. This may have to entail allowing charging only during specific times to make energy bills slightly more manageable. Businesses could also use their existing diesel backup generator to offset some of that demand, but that pretty much negates a major reason for owning an EV. Instead, using solar and/or battery storage technology will help immensely as the power needed for EV chargers can be offset and spread out over time.

Residential customers can also make their EV investment pay back faster with the added benefit of avoided gasoline and electricity costs by charging their cars from the sun at home. This will help utilities keep energy prices reasonable as you can offset your own demand on the grid.

2. Charging Cars With Solar Rather Than Power Plants

Relying on coal-fired power plants is the standard in the mid-Atlantic, and some people insist that coal shouldn’t go away, and it won’t for a long time to come. The problem here is that increasing numbers of EV chargers will make consumption from coal and natural gas plants go up. Because of the demand charges from utilities, businesses won’t want to pay the massive electric bills for use of EV chargers by employees. In some cases, it may mean businesses giving up some of those chargers simply because they cost too much to operate, or billing customers to use them.

Once again, solar energy is a very good solution. Charging cars with solar technology will allow producing energy where it’s needed. Without solar near the location of usage, the utility infrastructure providing the energy for all these charger stations may not have enough ability to generate and distribute that much power. In Seattle, Washington, for instance, tests were done on monitored EV chargers way back in 2012. They determined that 70 MWh of energy were used on the monitored chargers within the city during just one quarter of the year.

With electric chargers growing considerably in major cities since then, the energy load is even greater now. According to statistics as of last year, 16,000 EV chargers exist in the U.S., with 43,000 connectors. As EVs evolve with ever larger battery packs, charging stations are getting more powerful to offer a quick charge, so each charger draws more power.

Solar energy will have to become a major solution to this in all major cities within the coming decade or two. Traditional power plants will always be supplying some of this power, but offsetting usage with solar energy will save businesses exponential money and lead to cleaner air for everyone. Large battery banks at the solar sites can also permit charging while it’s dark and spread out the utility load, so as to avoid excessive demand charges.

3. Charging Electric Cars at Work

For commuters, another issue is how they’ll find a charging station when driving their routes. Due to the energy demands, some places may eliminate these chargers in places where commuters think they’ll be. To accommodate the growing use of electric cars, charging stations are going to have to increase. Trying to find a clean energy solution, though, means inevitably turning to solar to find answers.

One major solution to the commuter problem is to have charging stations at work. Businesses will have to invest in a large solar array to mitigate those demand charges. Some companies may still balk at investing in solar based on worries about cost and ROI. However, prices have come down considerably for solar panels, not including tax incentives and overall savings incurred after the initial investment, leading to much shorter ROI and positive cash flow. Even with financing, businesses in the area have seen fantastic returns.

Here at Mountain View Solar, we’ve installed numerous solar powered charging stations throughout West Virginia. One notable project took place at APUs (American Public University Systems) in Jefferson County. It involved installing a carport solar array with numerous EV chargers back in 2011. We’re extremely proud of our involvement in this, because it provided a new way for a business to gain significant power for their charging stations and offices without facing major electric bills.

Thanks to this project, the parking area provides canopy protection for electric cars and lets them charge all day until employees go home. The project consists of 1,053 SolarWorld 250W mono-crystalline PV modules and 598 SolarWorld 240W mono-crystalline PV Modules on a carport structure. In total, this created an STC peak-rating of 406.8 kW while tied to a Satcon PVS-375 Powergate Plus Inverter.

Helping You Switch to Solar Energy

Serving the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, Mountain View Solar has become a leader in helping businesses and individuals reap the rewards of power from the sun.Since beginning in 2009, we continue to install innovative projects like at APUs, and have also installed numerous mini-solar assisted charging stations. As prices for solar panels have dropped, many businesses and residences are realizing the outstanding ROI in adopting solar energy. Despite all the political tug-of-war on the use of solar, without a doubt it’s reached general acceptance for both residential and commercial use. Solar and/or battery storage will be necessary to spread out the increasing load on the utility grid from EV chargers.

Contact us now to learn more about we can solve your energy challenges with solar, batteries and EV chargers. With mtvSolar by your side, you can be prepared for the inevitable future of electric cars.

Solar panels are seen as a green innovation. They cost a fair bit up front, but last for a very long time. Most manufacturers offer a 25-year warranty, and state that panels should still be above 80 percent of their rated power output after 25 years. However, there is solid evidence that many panels will continue to last past that point. Data is somewhat uncertain for modern modules, but thirty years seems reasonable to expect, and 40 is not beyond the bounds for quality components.

This does not mean, though, that they will last forever. Eventually, solar panels will degrade and have to be removed and replaced. Which is when they may become less green. Solar panels are made with a variety of materials. Most panels are made with silicon, with others containing such materials as cadmium telluride, copper indium gallium diselenide (what a mouthful), as well as platforms made of metal and glass. Many older panels contain lead, more recent ones contain a lot of aluminum in the frame. In other words, solar panels are made of complex materials, including a lot of metal, that we do not want to see end up in landfill.

The big question, then is: Can solar panels be recycled?

The answer, thankfully, is an emphatic “yes.” The global PV CYCLE network offers waste management for PV manufacturers, which allows for high level recycling of solar panels. 85% of silicon and 95% of PV semiconductors can be reused, as can most of the glass. In the future, companies will probably offer recycled solar panels, containing a certain amount of recycled material. Given the cost of refined silicon, it’s likely that old panels will become a valuable source of silicon for new panels down the road. However, PV-panel waste is still marked as general waste in most places, meaning it does not have to be recycled. The EU is ahead of the game, encouraging companies to recycle solar panels.

Recycling solar panels is difficult because they have to be dismantled first, given they contain a number of disparate materials. Also, at this point, the demand is so small that setting up recycling systems is not particularly cost-effective as at this point, most panels being recycled are ones that were damaged in a storm or similar so the numbers aren’t very large. Therefore this requires that government step in to ensure that these systems are ready in time. Californiahas already put in a legal framework to help develop recycling systems in time.

Companies are, however, already starting to set up programs to allow consumers to return worn out panels for recycling. What shape these will take as they become larger in scale is uncertain, but you should consider talking to your solar module’s manufacturer and asking how they plan on handling things when your panels reach the end of their lives. Another potential complication for return and recycle programs is that many solar installations will no longer be in the hands of the original purchaser. If you purchased your array, then when you sell, make sure that the new owner gets the original purchase paperwork, especially if the panels are still under warranty. This will allow the array to be tracked.

Another good way to handle things would be to put it in the hands of the installers, who may well be installing an upgrade and hauling away the old panels at the same time. Setting up a system to allow installers to dispose of the panels at a central recycling location, regardless of manufacturer, might be the best idea. As silicon and thin film panels each have to be handled differently, though, they may have to be separated into different recycling streams. The industry is also working on educating commercial recycling companies on how to dismantle and recycle solar panels, and starting to share data on what is being processed. The biggest current obstacle to recycling is finding a place to take them.

The other problem developing is that the resale value of many solar panel components is low. Glass, for example, is easy to recycle, but low in value due to the sheer amount of glass being recycled in a year. More expensive metals such as copper are slowly being replaced by lower cost materials. This means that again, the government might have to step in to provide incentives to recycle solar panels. In Europe, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive requires producers to finance recycling and end-of-life treatment, but the climate in the U.S. makes similar regulations unlikely in the near future. With the likely increase in solar panels that need recycling looming in the next decade, it is more likely that action will be taken at the state level. The use of general recycling facilities that may be able to better afford to process large amounts of low value material, such as glass, may also be helpful.

It is going to take work to keep solar energy green from “cradle to grave,” and most of it is outside the hands of individual consumers and installers. However, there are still a few things you can do. Most arrays have been installed in the last 10 years or so, meaning they have decades of life left in them. However, if you have an older array that is starting to reach the end of its life, making plans early is wise. Contact your module’s manufacturer to see if they have a recycling program for expired modules. If you are upgrading to a new system, you can also look at issues which may have decreased the life of your old one, such as placement (exposure to wind, for example, can cause panels to degrade more quickly). This is also the case for a new system – talk to your installer about the best placement to not only maximize output but extend the life of your panels.

The first step to keeping solar green is to have low carbon debt modules installed by a qualified contractor.Your local WV, VA, MD and PA contractor, Mountain View Solar, only installs high quality components intended to last. Contact mtvSolar now for a free consultation and to discover the best solar solution for your home energy needs.

“We have a technological problem; it demands a technological solution.”

So wrote Donald R. Sadoway, a materials chemistry professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and co-founder of the battery company Ambri, Inc., in a letter to the editor of The New York Times this past February. The topic of Dr. Sadoway’s letter was the “intermittency” of solar power generation ‚Äì that is, the fact that solar panels produce electricity when it’s light out, but not when it’s dark. Intermittency is the “technological problem” Dr. Sadoway identified. But, what is the “technological solution”?

For homeowners, conventional sealed lead and lithium battery storage systems are generally the most cost-effective way to store and release excess solar-generated energy (with the possible exception of solar-heated water storage tanks). But, commercial-scale solar utilities that generate electricity from solar on a large scale can take advantage of alternative energy storage systems to smooth out their power delivery to meet demand even when the sun isn’t shining. In this article, we discuss some of those existing and emerging alternative storage technologies. (More detailed discussions of each of these technologies can be found on the website of the Energy Storage Association, from which the information below is drawn.)

Pumped Hydroelectric Storage

Pumped hydroelectric storage has been in use in the U.S. since at least the 1920s. It relies on the basic principle that water sitting at a higher elevation releases its potential energy when it flows to a lower elevation. A solar installation that produces excess electricity during daytime hours can use that extra energy to power a pump that pushes water uphill. Some of that energy can then later be recovered by releasing the water to flow back downhill, powering a hydroelectric turbine. Picture a hydroelectric dam with a reservoir that’s being constantly refilled by water from below the dam. A drawback of pumped hydroelectric storage is that it requires an available water resource and plenty of space in which to move it back and forth. There can also be a fair amount of energy lost in this sort of system, both from evaporation and in running and maintaining the hydroelectric turbines.

Compressed Air Storage

The basic principle behind compressed air energy storage is similar to that of pumped hydroelectric storage. Excess solar energy is used to power a pump that compresses air in a pressurized storage vessel (large-scale compressed air facilities use caverns for storage). The energy can later be recovered by releasing the pressurized air to drive a turbine. In another similarity to pumped hydroelectric, the efficiency of these systems can be diminished by the “moving parts” associated with pressurizing air and running turbines from it, and in the need for a storage vessel large enough to store meaningful amounts of energy under pressure.

Flywheels

A flywheel is a form of solar energy storage that employs kinetic energy. The basic concept is that excess solar energy can be used to power a motor that spins an ultra-low-friction heavy rotor at a high rpm. The energy used to spin the rotor can later be recovered by connecting the rotor to a drive system that turns a generator. In some cases the motor that spins the flywheel can also act as the generator. Today’s flywheels are made of strong and light carbon materials and rest on almost frictionless bearings in a vacuum. Like pumped hydroelectric storage, flywheels represent a durable and time-tested technology, although meaningful improvements in efficiency through weight and friction reduction come with a steep price tag.

Flow Batteries

Another technology that’s been around for a while but is constantly improving, a flow battery is a hybrid of a conventional flooded battery and a fuel cell. Like a conventional battery, a flow battery stores and releases chemical energy through the interaction of a cathode and an anode via an electrolyte. But, in a flow battery, excess solar energy is used to dissolve cathode and anode materials in an electrolytic solution that can be pumped to and from larger storage tanks. That chemical energy can be recovered by circulating the fluids through a system that places them in proximity to each other, causing the electrochemical reaction that creates a discharge of electricity. The benefit of flow batteries is that they can be recharged instantaneously by circulating new fluid through the system. The storage capacity of flow batteries mostly depends upon the size of the tanks holding the electrolytic solutions, and anode and cathode material available for the chemical reaction.

Thermal Storage

There are various ways to store excess solar energy using temperature change to drive a generator. In one solution, electricity drives a heat pump to remove heat from one storage vessel and deliver it to a different storage vessel (similar to the way a refrigerator operates). To recover the energy, the pump is reversed and the heat is harnessed to generate electricity and/or re-heat the cold vessel. In another setup, excess solar electricity can be used to drive a pump that cools oxygen to its liquefied form, then recovered by allowing the liquid oxygen to warm and return to its expanded gaseous state, driving a turbine. A third technology can store energy by converting electricity to hydrogen and back through electrolysis. As with the technologies above, moving parts and energy conversions result in some energy loss.

Molten Salt

Molten salt energy storage relies on the principle that salts heated to a molten (very hot liquid) state take a long time to cool. The solar energy employed to heat salts to their molten state can later be recovered by using the heat to power a steam generator. A distinguishing characteristic of molten salt systems is that they do not rely on photovoltaic technology to supply the energy to be stored. Instead, these systems capture the sun’s heat energy directly by using highly engineered mirrors to reflect and focus sunlight on a “concentrator” tower that contains the salt to be heated to its molten state. Once heated, the liquefied salt can be used to deliver power immediately or later depending upon demand. Molten salt facilities require fairly massive initial investment and a stable, dry, sunny climate conducive to making use of and maintaining hundreds of precision mirrors.

About Mountain View Solar

At Mountain View Solar, we stay abreast of storage technologies, in part, to be sure we’re up to date on the latest methods of energy storage on a small scale. Even though the storage methods described above are not currently practical for storing the excess electricity your residential solar array generates, we’re constantly looking for insight into improving existing storage solutions to ensure you get the most out of your system.

To learn more about your options for storing solar energy you generate at home or at your business, contact us today for a free zero-pressure consultation. mtvSolar is your licensed and experienced local contractor, specializing in quality installations expected to last decades.

Most people know what a solar panel is, and they know that it appears as a flat, generally dark bluish unit with a glass surface. However, a large percentage of people do not understand how these panels are made, be it the complex factories needed to create them or the relatively simple inputs that become the panels that give us free, long-term renewable energy. Solar modules (often referred to as panels) have a few key ingredients that make them capable of turning the sun’s light into usable electricity for your home or business. What follows is a description of the basic ingredients that make up a solar module, as well as some ways that engineers are continuing to innovate and improve solar technology.

Recipe for a Solar Panel

Silicon Layers

The basic ingredient in a mono-crystalline solar cell? That would be sand. According to How It’s Made, sand is the key raw ingredient that starts the production of the silicon layers used in traditional solar cells. The sand is heated to incredibly high temperatures to become a molten liquid, which is then purified and grown into a silicon ingot. This is part of why the solar cell creation process is labor and energy intensive.

The ingots are then sliced into thin layers. These layers allow the flow of energy that begins with photons exciting the surface layers, releasing loose electrons through the inner layers to create an electrical field. At its heart, a solar cell is based on these thin layers, created using proprietary processes but yielding unassuming rectangles of semi-conducting material. These cells on their own are extremely fragile.

Metal Backing and Conducting Strips

Most silicon solar cells then receive a metal backing and conductive metal strips that “receive” and transport the electrical current that is generated from the released electrons in the silicon. Each individual solar cell is a small square or rectangle, but these flat pieces are assembled together with silver strips that connect and conduct all the electricity to a central location. Typical solar panels today are comprised of either 60 or 72 of these cells connected together. From there, the electricity travels away from the panel, toward other parts of a solar energy system such as battery storage or an AC/DC inverter.

Anti-Reflective Layers

An anti-reflective film is applied to the top of each solar cell. Without this, the cells would be much less efficient: more of the light would reflect away rather than be absorbed straight into the silicon. This layer is often made of silicon nitride or titanium oxide. Anti-reflective layers make solar panels much more efficient and have been refined over time as scientists continue to develop solar power technology.

Glass and Frames

To protect the panels, a layer of glass is added over the panel’s collection of linked up cells to protect them from chipping and other kinds of damage from the elements. Different kinds of glass can be used to create this protective layer, and it is important to invest in the best quality glass possible, since lower-quality materials can cloud or be susceptible to damage. Frames are also standard, since a sturdy frame makes it possible to mount the solar panel easily and therefore makes installation and maintenance less labor intensive. The frames are often made of aluminum and interface with the rest of the mounting structure needed to create a sturdy solar power array.

Recent Innovations in Solar Technology

Glass Solar Modules: As described by Energy Sage, there are now solar panels that don’t include the dark, opaque backing materials and instead use the same technology as described above while also allowing light to pass through the layers. This means that windows, skylights, and other clear glass walls and panels can potentially generate electricity. These have not yet been widely used in most commercial and residential panel systems in the United States, but the aesthetic potential of them is interesting.

Solar Roof Tiles: Designed to look and function like roof shingles, solar roof tiles present an exciting new frontier for solar power. While quality ones are prohibitively expensive right now, the idea of combining ultra-strong solar squares with the typical covering for a roof presents a new aesthetic option. Innovations like this help people to see that there are ways to build solar cells into the standard elements of one’s house, like the roof or windows. For now and likely the foreseeable future, the self contained solar module remains the most cost effective way to generate power from the sun and reach ROI quickly.

Frameless Modules: Designs for solar panels have innovated substantially, and you can expect to continue to see changes in the look of solar panels as people realize that they can have a solar panel system and still focus on beauty and design of their homes. For instance, frameless solar panels are less common but do have a beautiful slim profile that some prefer over the framed versions. Some frameless panels are also slightly flexible and make for good applications on RVs and trailers. Framed solar panels still dominate the industry however because of their less labor intensive installation process, durability and cost, but frameless panels are another aesthetically pleasing design we expect to see more of as prices fall.

Bifacial Solar Modules: Remember that all-glass, see-through model for solar panels? Solar panels without the dark coating on the back have the option of receiving input on both sides of the panel, for instance if the panel is placed above a white reflective surface. Rather than only catching photons when they originally hit the surface, some of them will pass through the glass, hit the reflective surface below, and bounce back, increasing the total energy yield. These bifacial solar panels are still being evaluated to determine just how efficiently they can be used and what kinds of factors create the optimum installation conditions. The creativity needed to develop such a product shows that increases in solar energy efficiency are continually coming.

Solar panels may only have a few simple “ingredients” but they can be assembled together to completely eliminate your electric bill for decades to come. Mountain View Solar specializes in industry standard rigid frame module installation using top quality equipment.

Please fill out our free consultation form now and a consultant from our zero-pressure sales team can explain the options available. mtvSolar is your local West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania contractor, with NABCEP certified employees and all proper licenses and insurance.

Have you ever found yourself lamenting your energy bill? If you operated alarge organization likea business or school, you are well aware that this comes with an equally large cost for power. Facilities large enough to house all your employees, clients, and functions require many cubic feet worth of illumination and climate control, not to mention the numerous appliances used throughout. All this power turns into an industrial-sized bill every month, one that most business strive to reduce in a variety of ways. Enhancing energy efficiency is one of the least expensive routes you can take. You can turn lights off when you’re not using them, turn down the HVAC when no one is in the building, and even install sleep modes on every appliance but there will always be that basic cost of literally keeping the lights on during business hours. When you’ve replaced every bulb with an LED, cleaned every HVAC filter, and use only energy-efficient appliances, there is still one more way to reduce your energy bill without bringing down your power burn below practical levels: Solar power.

Solar More Affordable Than Ever

Solar power, once the purview of only the most technically or environmentally dedicated, is now accessible to anyone who cares to invest with minimal hassle and installation cost. The modules (often referred to as panels) themselves, along with the necessary components to convert photovoltaic energy into usable form that can powerlights and appliances, have essentially reached the price bottom with little room to go much lower. This means that the amount of energy generated can very quickly counterbalance the cost of installation. Modern inverter technology and module level optimization have made solar power safe and super efficient for both private consumers and modern businesses alike.

Solar Power is Infinitely Available and Renewable

How much sun hits your building each day? Every time your walls or windows heat up with its brilliant rays, this is an opportunity to be generating free energy. Depending on how much you want to invest and what parts of your building catch the best sun, you could be looking at hundreds of kilowatt-hours generated each sunny day. Even cloudy days still contribute at a diminished rate. Mounted rooftop panels are your lowest cost option, but they can also be installed on the ground or on a carport canopy structure with additional investment. With an expected lifespan of over 40 years, the system will have paid for itself many times over.

Straight Grid-Tied or Self Consumption with Storage

There are two primary ways to use the solar power you collect. One involves an additional investment in a battery bank to store up the solar energy during the day and release as-needed directly into your building’s electrical system. You are both creating your own power and storing it for offsetting some of your building’s load while the sun isn’t up. This approach yields savings in the mid-Atlantic area only if you have time of use charges. Another big advantage you gain with batteries is demand charge reduction, via a technique called “peak load shaving“. The last major benefit of battery storage is backup power for critical infrastructure, such as computers, security, communication gear and POS equipment.

The other more common and less costly option is to connect your solar energy directly to the local power grid via a process called net metering. A straight grid-tied system does not have batteries that wear out over time. Net metering means that your building is powered by a constant flow of energy from both utility and solar, but the power company tracks both your usage from the grid and what your solar panels push back to the grid while the building uses less power than is generated. The power you use from the grid will raise your bill as usual but the power your solar panels contribute directly lowers your bill with energy credit. It is entirely possible to net-zero over the course of a year, meaning that your utility consumption costs are near zero after a 12 month billing period. In the West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania service area, net metering is done at a true 1-to-1 ratio, meaning you are credited at the same rate you are billed.

Getting Started

If you’re starting a new business, one of the best ways to keep operation costs low is to roll your solar array into your startup cost analysis and loans. There are numerous other financing options available as well. Until the end of 2019, the Federal income tax credit stands at 30%. Your business can reduce its tax liability substantially and also reap the rewards of accelerated depreciation.

Now all you need is an licensed and experienced contractor. mtvSolar is your local contractor, specializing in quality installations expected to last decades. We can work with you, your accountant, and any other decision makers to determine how energy efficiency, solar and optional battery storage can benefit your business. The first step is to fill out our free consultation web form, and a zero-pressure solar business consultant will be in touch promptly.

In the region of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, many homeowners and business owners are turning to solar power systems to both invest and to create sustainable, price-stable power. In this area, the process of purchasing a solar power system, maintaining it, and using it pays for itself within 10 to 12 years, which means that for decades after that, you’ll be putting money in your pocket each month in the form of “avoided cost of electricity”.

However, there are other ways in which adding a solar power system can replace other costs or put more money back in your pocket.

A battery back-up system instead of a noisy generator that requires fuel.

When a conventional power grid experiences an outage, most people choose one of two options: they live without electricity, which is both inconvenient and occasionally dangerous (such as in instances of extreme heat or cold), or they must purchase and power a generator. Back-up generators require installation costs, fuel costs, and cost thousands of dollars for the system itself.

By adding a battery back-up system to your solar power system, you create a stable supply of electricity in the case of an emergency, and whatever energy is depleted during the night time of a power outage can be replenished when the sun returns. In addition, the costs of fuel for generators and the inconvenience of having a noisy power supply are now things your home or office doesn’t have to deal with.

Having solar power with battery storage may seem like it buys only something abstract like “energy independence,” but just like businesses that rely on cooling systems to maintain scientific samples or other supplies, or homes that have a freezer full of food or sump pump, there are real losses during a power outage. Having a supply of reliable power during a blackout results in money back in your pocket while others will be shelling out money to replace anything ruined by lack of refrigeration or flooding.

In the case of price spikes in fossil fuels, your costs remain stable.

Because of generally stable energy prices in the United States market, many people don’t consider how their electric bills can vacillate in response to demand and supply. However, it is entirely possible that, in the next 20 years, energy surpluses and shortages in various areas can create changes in electricity rates. In addition, there have been moves to add surcharges on electricity bills that result in higher costs. The future of electricity costs from fossil fuel sources is indeed uncertain and likely to rise over time.

One of the hidden benefits of solar power is that you receive sunshine for the same rate every day: FREE! Your initial investment in the solar power system is a stable cost, not something that varies based on market pressure once you’ve purchased it, so as long as you continue to use electricity from your solar array, you are essentially getting a stable rate. If electricity rates rise, you can actually see that change as a faster ROI for you, since you’d be paying those higher rates if you weren’t on a solar power system.

For businesses, it is often worthwhile to learn more about peak load shaving, as well, a trick that involves combining solar power, battery reserves, and the grid to reduce the facility’s peak power draw and therefore lower demand charges.

Instead of paying when you’re out of town, build power bill credit.

While this is a small boon, it can be galling to know that, even when you are out of town or out of the office, the basic systems to run your building draw power from the grid and charge you money. This process is reversed when you have a solar power system: your system continues generating power while you are out of town or out of the office, and though some of that energy goes to power your basic systems at work or home, a larger percentage of it builds a power bill credit via net metering.

This same thought can be applied to the installation of energy-efficient lighting, smart thermostats, and multi-pane windows: rather than just lowering your energy bill, they actually add to the energy cost generation that you receive from your solar panels. Energy efficiency saves money over time, and with solar on top of that, your overall utility bill is lower still.

Lower or get rid of your gasoline costs.

With a solar system on your home or business, you now have a way to commute without gas – electric cars have come a long way and some models have hundreds of miles of range, eliminating range anxiety. If your own home and the company you work for both have solar and EV charging stations, you’ll really come out ahead. Our article “5 Great Electric Cars and How to Charge Them With Solar Power” details some great electric car options and its sister article details how charging them with the sun is money in your pocket.

Local and National Incentives reduce initial cost, giving you money back

Much has been written about the Federal Investment Tax Credit, which gives 30% tax credits on solar investments before tapering off after 2019. This means that 30% of the cost of your solar panels comes right out of your tax bill, amounting to a huge discount that takes years off the payback period for attaining ROI from your panels.

Since tax credits are set to be reduced in upcoming years, it is an unusually good time to choose solar and invest. There are even ways to spread out the system’s installation or roll-over one’s tax credits to multiple years so that you receive the full 30% benefit even if you have a very low tax liability at the Federal level.

There are additional business incentives in each nearby state, which are tailored to the local communities. Knowing these programs before you choose a solar power system can greatly increase your ROI: for instance, if you are in an area with steep property taxes in Maryland, the Property Tax Exemption for Solar and Wind Energy Systems may reduce your property tax bill even if the value of your home or office has gone up, which will over time create a substantial savings while increasing your property’s value when it eventually goes on the market.

These reasons create a variety of sources of long-term savings or actual money in your pocket as a result of the capital improvement to your building or home. With a quality solar system installed by a qualified contractor, owners should expect to see monthly energy savings, raised property values, and confidence that their solar panels will be an advantage if it’s ever time to sell. Are you ready to learn how to put money into your pocket with solar? Contact us for a free consultation and to discover the best solar solution for your investment needs.

Starting a new company always comes with a few understood expenses like office space, computers, employees, and any special supplies or equipment required for your specific industry. Often these costs are calculated long before the founders start seeking the capital needed to actually start the company so that their plan can be explained to interested investors. When the amount of investment capital reaches your planned budget, the wheels start to move, the location is rented, and soon your company will be open for business. But are you sure you’ve really created the most efficient use of your startup capital? For instance, how much of that money will wind up going to your power bill while you build customers and revenue during the first year or two?

Your Startup and The Power Bill

The average small business in the Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania area pays from between $500 to $700 every month just to keep the lights on and the amount can be much higher depending on your company’s equipment type. That means every year you’re potentially paying over $8,000 for power and over the course of your business’ lifespan, this could easily rack up to a quarter million or more over thirty years of business. While you may not be sure you’ll last that long yet, it’s never too early to make decisions that will save you money in the future. Having solar on your building can reduce this bill for decades via net metering, and with enough solar your business can be ‘net-zero’ which means that you produce as much as you consume over the course of the year.

In addition to your standard electricity consumption charges, there can also be demand charges. In the mid-Atlantic area, demand charges are based on the highest 15-minute average usage recorded within a given month. If the facility tends to use a lot of power over short periods, the demand charges will comprise a larger part of the bill. If the facility uses power at a more consistent rate throughout the month, the demand charges will generally be a smaller part of the bill. This is especially important for buildings with more than just lights and computers. Manufacturing equipment, machine shop gear, and other larger tools and equipment can also draw an incredible amount of power. Energy storage in batteries can be used to mitigate the cost of demand charges for your new business.

Bringing In the Investors

Potential startup investors come in all shapes, sizes, and walks of life. They are business owners looking to invest in new industry, bored millionaires looking for something interesting, careful financial managers who want sure-return investments, and even friends and family willing to throw in a little to help your business dreams become reality. No matter who you are or what your business does, there’s an investor out there willing to take an interest. However, your biggest fish are angel investors who often have special causes they try to promote like women in tech or, as you may have guessed, green business practices.

When solar energy is part of your initial startup plan, the one you pitch whenever you get the chance, you’re likely to catch the eyes and interest of any ‘green’ investor in the industry. By planning this way, you’re guaranteeing that their investment will at least partially run on renewable energy, something that very few other businesses can promise. This is not just engaging for eco-concerned investors, it’s downright tempting. They may even be willing to throw in several extra thousand just to help you achieve this uniquely environmentally friendly state.

The Perks of Joining the Green Movement

By putting so much of your startup effort into renewable energy, you will be joining the ranks of thousands of other businesses conforming to an enlightening new policy of green business practices. While eco-aware investors are sure to love your 100% energy efficient strategy, so will customers and other businesses. Being eco-friendly is much more than a trend, it’s a widespread school of thought, movement, and niche market all wrapped into one. Even in West Virginia, heart of coal country, green businesses are emerging and thriving.

Customers who care about the environment will be automatically positively inclined toward your company simply because of your dedication to solar power and some green companies have sworn to only work with partners who also conform to green business practices. While you may be small at first, soon both customers and other companies will be knocking down your door to welcome you into the eco-network with patronage and partnership offers.

Including Solar in Your Startup Budget

Every business needs an edge, something to give them a leg-up on the competition and an advantage in the open market. While you may have a superior product, a niche market to serve, and/or excellent customer service, why stop there? Between your power bill savings and the increased business from the green community, how can you afford not to incorporate solar panels into your initial startup budget? It’s possible with solar and battery storage to almost completely eliminate your electricity bill adding thousands to your bottom line long after the initial investment pays off.

Solar is a sound business investment; and there are multiple additional perks for your business in addition to lower electricity bills. Federal tax credits, accelerated depreciation and more can eliminate much of the initial cost of investing in solar for your startup, even if financed via a loan.

Getting Started is Easy

Now all you need is an licensed and experienced local contractor and enough solar capacity to offset some or all of what your business can use on a daily basis. With solar and optional battery storage, you can be coasting along as one of the first net-zero businesses in the mid-Atlantic area. People may come to your door just to look at your solar installation or ask you how the unique power system is working for your company. As a fresh business startup, you need every advantage you can get and solar power is more affordable than it has ever been before. From the investors to the customers, the positives of going solar from day one are massive.

mtvSolar is your local contractor, specializing in quality installations expected to last decades. We can work with you, your accountant, and any other decision makers to determine how solar and optional battery storage can benefit your new business. The first step is to fill out our free consultation web form, and a zero-pressure solar business consultant will be in touch promptly.

One persistent myth about alternative energy is that solar panel degradation makes solar installations uneconomical. Like lots of myths, there is a kernel of truth to this criticism. Solar panels do, in fact, degrade over their lifespan. But, the rate at which they degrade tends to be so small that even at the end of their (typically) 25-year warranty period, quality panels still produce 80-90% of their rated power. General industry consensus is that high quality solar modules will continue producing useful power for 40 or more years.

In this article, we discuss the factors that contribute to solar panel degradation, how they can be mitigated, and why, despite degradation, investing in solar panels still makes good economic sense for mid-Atlantic homeowners even when financed with a low interest loan.

Why do Solar Panels Degrade?

Solar cells, typically made primarily of silicon, generate electricity when photons from the sun are absorbed by the solar cell material, causing electrons in the cell material’s atoms to move between quantum energy states. One of the key benefits of solar power over other forms of energy generation (both fossil and renewable) is that panels of solar cells don’t have moving parts. It’s not over-simplifying to say that all you need to do to generate electricity with a solar panel is point it at the sun. There are no gears to maintain, no engines to tune. The system is, by and large, completely passive.

That upside comes with a downside, however. As anyone who has ever left patio furniture outside for a whole year knows, the elements are not kind or gentle. The static, passive nature of their operation is also the long-term Achilles heel of solar panels. To operate predictably and consistently, they have to endure rain, wind, debris, and temperature fluctuations. Of course, the real elephant in the room is the sun itself, beating down on the panels every day.

As this article from PVEducation.org explains, virtually all the ways solar cells can fail (“failure modes”) relate to moisture incursion into panels and stresses on panels from temperature fluctuations. These failure modes are, by and large, unavoidable. Rain will fall and dew will collect on solar panels, and that moisture will eventually find its way into even the most well-constructed solar installation, causing corrosion and material breakdown that inhibits both generation and flow of electricity. And, even in the most temperate climates, panels that are intentionally oriented to capture maximum direct sunlight will experience wide swings in temperatures from day to night, causing deformation and warping over time, which can not only damage electricity-generating materials but will also tend to accelerate incursion of moisture, causing more corrosion, and so on.

How Fast do Solar Panels Degrade?

Fortunately, well-constructed, quality solar panels do not degrade very fast. In 2012, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (“NREL”) published a comprehensive review of solar cell degradation rate studies over the past forty years finding that the median rate of performance loss for solar cells was 0.5% per year, and the average was 0.8% per year. The vast majority of reported degradation rate studies showed a decline of less than 1% per year. Although the study noted some variation among different solar cell technologies and climates, given the long-term nature of the study and the pace of improvement and evolution of solar products, it is safe to assume that a quality solar panel installation in the mid-Atlantic area will degrade between 0.5% and 1% per year.

The NREL study also makes the important distinction between degradation and “failure” of solar cells. Solar panel warranties usually guarantee that a panel won’t degrade below 80% of rated power by the end of the warranty period. But, that doesn’t mean solar panels that produce below 80% of rated power will be unusable. Quite the contrary, a highly efficient solar array may deliver ample electricity generation even at 50% of rated power. Before installing a solar array at your home, we can help you calculate your expected long-term energy needs and the amount of degradation a system could experience before it needed replacing.

How Can Solar Panel Degradation be Slowed?

At this time, there’s no practical way to shield solar panels completely from the vicissitudes of weather and climate. But, there are some things you can do to help maintain the output from your solar installation. First, it’s important to choose the right panels for your site, and the right installer for the job. As this article from Solar Power World observes, not all solar panels are made the same, nor are all solar installers equally careful about avoiding the sort of mistakes that can accelerate a decline in energy output. At Mountain View Solar, we have the experience and track record to help you select the appropriate solar panels for your location and to install them with the care necessary to ensure their long-term productivity.

Next, some basic maintenance can go a long way to eliminate conditions that will obviously hurt solar cell performance. Remove debris and dust from solar panels. They reduce the amount of light that can be converted and can work their way into the tightest of seals, hastening corrosion. Cut back tree branches that may both shade the panels and become damaging debris in a wind storm. And, if you clean dust from your panels with a garden hose, do so on a day when any excess moisture will quickly evaporate instead of seeping into seams. These measures won’t stop your solar panels from degrading, but they will help ensure that you aren’t speeding up the process. That said, however, solar modules are largely maintenance free and even without manual cleaning are expected to last decades.

Does Degradation Make Solar Panels Uneconomical?

Absolutely not. The economic calculation of whether it makes sense to install quality solar panels takes degradation into account. In our experience, a solar panel installation from Mountain View Solar takes 10 to 12 years to pay for itself in energy cost savings and credits. That’s only half as long as the typical warranted life of the solar panels we sell, and only about a quarter of their expected useful life. So, while it’s true that all solar panels currently sold will suffer a decline in output, they will have produced decades of essentially “free” energy before they need replacement. 25-40 years from now, solar modules will be magnitudes more powerful and efficient, and less expensive. That said, it’s like buying a car; you’ll use it for a period of time and then upgrade down the road. Unlike a car, your solar modules will pay for themselves and beyond even if replaced every 25 years, putting more money in your pocket.

Mountain View Solar sells top quality solar panels expected to produce adequate electricity for your home long after they pay for themselves. Contact us today to start a conversation about selecting solar equipment for your home that will produce power, and pay dividends, for decades to come.