How Much Does Electricity Cost from Solar Panels vs. Your Local Utility?
Our customers are often concerned about the upfront cost of buying a solar power system. This hesitation is completely understandable. After all, solar is a significant long-term investment. But that’s just it—it’s an investment. There’s an analogy we’ve used with customers on occasion: Imagine that back in 1994, when gas was about $1.15 a gallon […]
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need For Your Home?
When customers ask us about installing a new solar power system, they’re often thrilled at the idea of completely zeroing out their yearly energy bill. After all, how great would it be to not have to worry about paying anything but your utility company’s monthly maintenance fees? But deciding how much roof real estate to […]
Building Solar Panels is a Dirty Business – Why Sustainability Matters
Solar power’s popularity has continued to increase for the last several years, despite costly tariffs and other efforts to bolster traditional fossil fuel industries. There’s a key reason for this. With old forms of power, you consume a finite resource every time you need electricity. Every time you flip on the light switch, you burn […]
How PG&E’s Bankruptcy Will Impact Solar Customers
On January 14th, 2019, Pacific Gas & Electric announced that it would file Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This action does not mean that the company will stop supplying electricity or be dissolved. Instead, filing for bankruptcy allows them to restructure their debts and shed some of their financial obligations. This is an extremely significant decision, reflecting […]
How We Use Historical PG&E and SMUD Rates to Project Your Future Energy Costs
When we put together an energy savings estimate for a client, we have to anticipate what electricity will cost in the future in order to give an accurate estimate. Historically, electricity rates have increased, and that’s unlikely to change. If your average monthly bill this year is $200, next year it’ll increase by a few […]