Tag Archive: solar power systems

DIY emergency preparedness solar power system

A Small, Inexpensive DIY Solar Powered Emergency Backup System

Winter is Coming, Solar to the Rescue. You know what winter means for those of us in non-tropical locations. Power lines downed by snow and ice can wreak havoc on the power grid, knocking out power for days or even…
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Remote Monitoring a Solar Power System with Outback Power’s OpticsRE

Outback Power has created a nice tool for remotely monitoring and configuring your solar power system from any Internet connected PC, tablet, or smartphone. OpticsRE allows you to log in to your system to view real time data, as well…
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New Solar Power Bill filed by Governor Baker in Massachusetts

Massachusetts’ previous Governor, Deval Patrick, had set a target for 1,600 megawatts (MW) of solar power in Massachusetts by 2020. We are currently at about 86MW. However, there is currently a restriction on installing any new solar power systems in…
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Micro Inverters, Optimizers, and String Inverters, Oh My!

The technology for grid-tied solar systems has changed rapidly since its start around the turn of the century. With many choices now available, it can be a bit confusing to decide which is right for you.

The Solar Lease vs. Buy Debate; A Question of Math

In an earlier blog, Financing Your Renewable Energy System, we made the statement, “The lure of no money down for leasing is tempting, but the economics show that owning your system offers much better payback over the life of the…
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Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC): Tick Tock, Time’s Running Out

The 30% Federal Tax Credit, the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), is scheduled to retire on December 31, 2016, dropping commercial incentives to 10%, and residential to zero. The ITC was first enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act…
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Solar Power System Incentives Update – June & July 2015

Local solar and renewable energy incentives offered by states, municipalities, and electric companies are continuously changing. They can be rather difficult to understand, so we’re going to update you on a few programs we’ve heard about recently.