Category: Solar Systems

This article is part of a series exploring regional energy cooperation in the Gulf and is published in cooperation with Istituto Affari Internazionali. Since the inauguration of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai in 2013, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has become home to an increasing number of solar power installations. Emirati leaders have so far invested the most in large utility-scale solar in the region, but their peers in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain have also begun to set up new solar parks…

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When Jim Selgo moved to his home in Goodyear, Arizona in 2019, he quickly had rooftop solar installed, having had a positive experience with solar at his previous home. Less than a year later, motivated to take more action to address climate change, he said, Selgo bought his first electric vehicle, a Nissan Leaf. He hasn’t paid for electricity or gasoline since. With solar, “You take advantage of what you’re producing at your own house,” he said. “Adding an EV just increases your savings and adds to the value of…

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When Jim Selgo moved to his home in Goodyear, Arizona in 2019, he quickly had rooftop solar installed, having had a positive experience with solar at his previous home. Less than a year later, motivated to take more action to address climate change, he said, Selgo bought his first electric vehicle, a Nissan Leaf. He hasn’t paid for electricity or gasoline since. With solar, “You take advantage of what you’re producing at your own house,” he said. “Adding an EV just increases your savings and adds to the value of…

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Silicon Valley Power has launched a program offering grants up to $100,000 to qualifying nonprofit organizations for the installation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system at facilities located in the city of Santa Clara. The program is intended to help nonprofit organizations offset up to 80% of their electric costs so those funds can be used on programs and services to support the Santa Clara community. Grants may cover up to 100% of the system cost, and up to 10% of the grant may be used on qualifying building repairs…

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Tied for best overall: Canadian Solar and Maxeon  The most efficient solar panels available to residential customers come from two companies: Maxeon (sold through SunPower) and Canadian Solar. Both companies have solar panels with maximum efficiency ratings of 22.8%, but other companies are close behind. Prioritizing efficiency when you’re shopping for solar panels may not make sense for most people, but if you want to set up the most efficient system, here’s where to start. What is solar panel efficiency? Solar panels may all seem basically the same, but they’re different…

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Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! In the United States, there are some people who have less financial means and therefore have reduced access to technology. Around the year 2000, the term “digital divide” was floating around to reference this gap. For consumers today, there is something of a clean energy divide, in that home solar power is not affordable for every homeowner. Fortunately, there are some government programs that provide support to homeowners to solve this problem. The state…

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Producing solar power for an off-grid homestead has advantages related to cost and independence, but when that system goes down, you’ve got to be equipped to deal with it. When Cody Lettiere found out it was going to cost about $50,000 to dig a trench and run a connection to the electricity grid his cabin in the mountains near Dubois, he decided to explore a solar-powered alternative. Lettiere bought his own independent solar power system and now seven years later, he’s one of a few Wyoming residents who isn’t subject…

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Florida is known for its sunshine — and its hurricanes. Both of those make a compelling case for putting solar panels on your home, and perhaps a battery to provide you with backup power. But the choices don’t stop at deciding to go solar. You’ll need to pick a solar installer and figure out what that energy system should look like. We’ve put together a guide to some of the top solar panel installers in Florida, along with other information you’ll need to know as you choose to go solar. …

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If you live in Michigan, you have a few reasons to consider taking your electricity into your own hands and installing solar panels. The state has frequent power outages, including during winter storms and other moments when the temperature can hit extremes. Michigan may not have been at the forefront of the solar energy boom, but recent legislative changes and ambitious energy goals have the state primed for solar growth. Interested in being part of it? For you, the hard part might be choosing a solar installer. We’ve compiled a…

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