Solar Information

Access solar power information:

• Grid-Connected Renewable Energy Systems: This gives a basic overview of a grid-connected renewable energy system from the requirements from your installer to addressing safety and power quality to contractual issues for grid-connected systems.
• Installing and Maintaining a Home Solar Electric System: For a list of questions a homeowner should ask themselves and what they should ask their installer about their experience and qualifications and the system they will be installing.
• Listen Up - Combining Solar and Storage for Commercial Buildings: Talks with CEO of Green Charge Networks - talks about his technology/software
 compensating the utility for the peak generating capacity
• Listen Up - Filing for Your Solar Investment Tax Credit: Educates the listener about the rules for applying for their Solar Investment Tax Credit and how to fill out the IRS Form Number 5695.
• Listen Up - Financing Options for Your Rooftop Solar System: This podcast talks about financing options and goes through cash purchase, home equity loans, ordinary bank loans, leases, Power Purchase Agreements and Property Assessed Clean Energy Loans.
• Listen Up - How Often Should I Clean My Solar Panels: Information for the homeowner on the upkeep of solar panels and what factors go into how often they should be cleaned.
• Listen Up - Let’s Talk About Safe Solar Equipment: With a guest from the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards, this podcast talks about the new standards for PV modules, racking and inverters for 2014.
• Listen Up - Let’s Talk Rooftop Solar Safety with Fire Captain Matt Paiss: With a Fire Captain as a guest, this podcast talks about the compromises that must be made when addressing firefighter safety, property protection and clean energy usage when having roof mounted solar panels in a house fire emergency.
• Listen Up - Let’s Talk About Solar Reliability: A podcast with a guest residential and commercial installer talking about the reliability of rooftop systems and the reputation of the solar industry itself.
• Listen Up - Residential Solar Financing Options: Financing options are important. Here are the differences between solar loans and solar leases.
• Listen Up Update - What Solar Panels Should I Buy: Advice on navigating the confusion on picking out the panel that is best for you out of a selection of different choices.
• NYS Model Solar Energy Law (PDF)
• Planning a Home Solar Electric System: Orients the homeowner to the questions to ask before shopping for solar, including overall energy consumption and the ability to reduce it, building orientation and condition, and economics of various options.
• Small Solar Electric Systems: Helps to lay out the basics about a PV system, what types of solar cells there are, and what materials are used. The article also goes over small solar electric modules, solar electric arrays, and energy performance.
• Truth - Rooftop Solar Capacity Benefits All Ratepayers: PV solar can lead to lower peak-hour energy prices for everyone. Learn how this happens.