Category: Solar Systems

New Hampshire residents face some of the highest electricity bills in the US. The Granite State saw the highest year-over-year increase in electricity rates in June 2023, jumping by more than 30%. To recoup some of those increasing costs, it’s worth exploring whether installing solar panels is the right course of action for you. New Hampshire residents have access to incentives at the state and federal level that make going solar more attractive. The state’s net metering program allows residents to send excess solar energy to the grid and earn…

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Stars shape their solar systems. It’s true of ours, and it’s true of others. But for some massive stars, their power to shape still-forming systems is fateful and final. In their youth, stars are surrounded by a rotating mass of gas and dust called a protoplanetary disk. Planets form in these disks, and the process can take millions of years. But stars have different masses and different radiation outputs that affect how planets form, or if they form at all. New research examines how the powerful UV radiation from massive…

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The police department’s solar energy system will be the first solar canopy on a municipal building in the city. FREDERICK, Md. — The City of Frederick has announced that the city’s police department headquarters will be helping to save over $174,000 in energy costs with a new solar power system. Secure Solar Futures will develop a 384-kilowatt solar canopy at the headquarters with the project being completed by the end of the year. The project is in partnership with Capital Solar Group. Through the power purchase agreement, the facility will…

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The consortium behind the Nautical SUNRISE project has started work to develop the world’s largest offshore floating solar power installation. Source: SolarDuck The € 8.4 million project, supported by € 6.8 million of the Horizon Europe program, started in December 2023 to execute research and development on offshore floating solar (OFS) systems and its components. The outcomes of the project are expected to enable the large-scale deployment and commercialization of OFS systems in the future, both as standalone systems and integrated into offshore wind farms. This project aims to design,…

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While Maine may not seem like a natural fit for solar panels, higher than average energy prices might make rooftop solar panel installation make sense for you. Maine was among the 10 states with the highest electricity rates in August 2023 — and the average price per kilowatt-hour was up 20% from where it was a year earlier.  Higher electricity prices typically means more savings from adopting solar panels, but this goes to show that how much electricity you use is a big part of the equation, too. While statewide…

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France reaches milestone with 20 GW of solar PV capacity in 2023, demonstrating its commitment to renewable energy. Regional contributions and future perspectives are highlighted.France has marked an important milestone in its renewable energy journey by connecting approximately 955 MW of new photovoltaic systems to the grid in the last quarter of 2023, according to the Ministry of Ecological Transition. This increase in solar power capacity brings the country’s cumulative installed PV capacity to an impressive 20.0 GW by the end of December 2023, highlighting a clear commitment to sustainable…

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The ambitious Nautical SUNRISE project is poised to revolutionize renewable energy with its support for the world’s largest Offshore Floating Solar (OFS) power installation. With a budget of €8.4 million, of which €6.8 million is provided by the Horizon Europe programme, this initiative commenced in December 2023, focusing on research and development for offshore floating solar systems and their components. The project aims to facilitate large-scale deployment and commercialization of OFS systems, both independently and as integrated units within offshore wind farms. A pivotal aspect of the project involves designing,…

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Even if you were to get one of the better solar brands out there, it’s important to remember that installing solar panels can significantly decrease your utility bills and raise your property value by an average of $15,000, according to research done by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Getting the correct number of solar panels for your home will help minimize the chance of over- or underestimating your system’s production.  Start your research by reaching out to solar companies in your area.  How many solar panels you need depends on…

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DIY projects have a reputation for saving you money, but DIY solar panels are not something a novice should tackle. Unless you’re an electrician who has experience installing solar panels, we don’t recommend tackling DIY solar panels. Installing your own solar power system without the proper experience and certification is asking for trouble. Solar systems often involve high voltage, which can cause severe electric shock, explosions and fires if you don’t know what you’re doing. Yet if you do have the expertise, then DIY solar panels can save you at…

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