Electric vehicles + solar: an idea whose time has come

Electric vehicles + solar: an idea whose time has come

You’ve likely heard about the partnerships springing up between electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and solar (PV) system providers. Most recently, Honda and SolarCity announced a plan that allows Honda customers to install solar with a low upfront cost and see an...
Tilt vs. flat-mount PV: does it really matter?

Tilt vs. flat-mount PV: does it really matter?

Have you ever wondered if PV system orientation really makes that much difference to the amount of power produced by a PV system? As the map below illustrates, the answer is typically yes, but to varying degrees. This ‘Energy Gains’ map depicts how tilting solar...
Get smart about FiTs: get SmartFiT

Get smart about FiTs: get SmartFiT

As effective as FiT programs have been in promoting solar in countries such as Germany and Spain, they have sometimes become victims of their own success, leading to boom/bust cycles and political targeting. The SmartFiT is an alternative solution that has the...
Solar incentives start strong in 2013

Solar incentives start strong in 2013

Ringing in a new year generally means a busy time for our PowerClerk® Incentives customers, as it often coincides with the opening of new incentive funding. 2013 has been no exception. In January, Imperial Irrigation District (IID) in California, and Rocky Mountain...
Top 2013 trends part 2: the NEM debate

Top 2013 trends part 2: the NEM debate

Last week we identified the first of three big trends for the solar industry in 2013: soft cost reduction. This week, we look at the next big trend: a re-evaluation of net energy metering (NEM). While discussions about NEM aren’t new, they’ll be accelerating in 2013....