Category: Solar Education

Marine solar panel installations. Simple, right? Not so much. Installing solar in a marine environment, weather on a boat, near the waterfront or in a coastal zone is drastically different than building a solar power array in other areas. The main difference is that the materials used must be non-corrosive – this includes the nuts, …
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When a grid-tied home gets solarized, the utility company in the pertaining jurisdiction needs to be notified of the change. This is done through an application called an interconnection agreement that when processed and approved by the utility, results in the solar home having Net Energy Metering. While the sun is shining and the panels …
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The announcement of the 2020 solar mandate made quite a buzz and by now, most everyone has heard of it. The mandate will require all new construction and buildings undergoing additions and alterations in the state of California to have solar starting this year. It applies to all single and multifamily dwellings, three stories or …
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How much is the SGIP rebate and how does it work? The Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) rebate is a tiered rebate applicable to grid-tied battery storage installations. To incentivize backup power solutions and reduce peak load demand on the grid, the state of California launched the SGIP program. Though the program has existed since 2011, …
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Did you know that by law solar systems must shut down during a power outage? Here’s why. Grid-tied solar systems are constantly back feeding energy to the grid and therefore require a rapid shut down switch for emergency situations. If we experience a power outage and the utility company needs to send linemen to inspect …
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One of the biggest misconceptions we hear most often is that a home with a grid-tied solar system (without battery backup) will continue having power during a utility power outage. This stems from a misunderstanding of how grid-tied installations work. Although both a grid-tied system and an array with battery backup utilize power generated by …
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While most countries still have some work to do to become 100% green energy reliant, some islands around the world have taken the leap and achieved this goal. From Iceland to Turkey, and Portugal to the South Pacific, these “green” islands dot the globe. Many have reached their 100% renewable energy goals by utilizing a …
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  With advances in solar technology, “solar tracker” has become a buzz word in the industry and we’ve been getting questions about the feasibility of these systems. We thought we’d address the subject at length below. Pros & Cons of Solar Tracking To date, most solar tracking installations have been installed for large corporate projects …
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Your solar system has been designed, installed and is producing, now what? If you’ve had your solar panels for a year or more, they could use a cleaning. We recommend cleaning your solar panels at least once per year. If you notice any kind of debris such as dirt, dust, bird waste, ash from a …
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Fall is the time of year car manufacturers release new models, including Electric Vehicle models. Have you thought about driving on sunshine? Adding an Electric Vehicle charger to your solar home should be done by a licensed electrician and requires a little planning. One of the first things Sun Pacific Solar Electric needs to evaluate …
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