Sean has worked in the solar industry since 2010. He is a proud user of a grid-tied solar PV system at his home in Denver, Colorado, where he lives with his lovely wife and adorable dogs, rooting for the Colorado Avalanche and eating approximately 300 bagels per year.
Power outages happen without warning, so it’s important to have a plan in place that can provide backup power when the grid goes down. As a business that supports the development of renewable energy projects, the decision to install a…
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On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. The bill is broad and addresses many things from corporate tax rates to prescription drug prices, but a significant amount of it is dedicated to…
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If you follow news about energy storage systems (ESS) or have been looking into a home battery backup system lately, you’ve probably come across the term “UL 9540”. But what is UL 9540 and how important is it to ensure…
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Solar Queen Amy Beaudet was an outstanding communicator and educator. She made videos that helped both DIY solar enthusiasts and professional solar installers understand a range of solar energy concepts from the broad to the specific. Over the years, based…
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Solar Queen Amy Beaudet was best known to the world as a great educator through her DIY solar power YouTube videos for altE. But those of us who knew her personally knew that her passion for and understanding of solar…
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Solar Queen Amy Beaudet educated and inspired millions of viewers in the 11 years she was making YouTube videos. From researching and shooting to editing, publishing, and engaging in the comments, she was a one-woman show and a fountain of…
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Note that unless otherwise noted, this article focuses on solar panels utilizing crystalline silicon (c-Si) cells – by far the most common type of cell currently used in solar panel manufacturing. It’s no surprise that as solar PV has become…
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Solar panels are so durable and work for such a long time that you may never have considered what to do with them when one breaks or the array finally stops producing power. But nothing lasts forever – and if…
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There are two versions of the Federal Solar Tax Credit: the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit (a personal tax credit) and the Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (corporate tax credit). This article pertains to the residential version. Updated 8/25/22 –…
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It’s now been a full year since altE acquired Real Goods, the California-based purveyor of solar and off-grid living supplies – and what a year it’s been! 2020 has thrown a lot at us all, and the challenge of integrating…
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