Solar energy is more in-demand than ever. In the last ten years, the solar industry has grown at an average rate of 49%. Federal policies, like the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), have served to decrease costs for consumers and increase demand.

As a result, there are currently more than 85 gigawatts of solar capacity installed throughout the country – enough to power more than 16 million homes.

If you’re considering installing solar power, you probably have many questions about the process.

Typically, homeowners will meet with a solar consultant (or “solar salesperson”) to evaluate the costs and benefits of going solar. An experienced solar consultant will discuss your future energy needs, evaluate your electric usage, briefly survey your roof and your home’s electrical connection to the grid, and assess a number of other factors to determine how many solar panels you’ll need to produce a specific amount of energy.

We’ll cover “How to Shop for Solar” in a separate blog post, but people often ask, “What happens after we sign up for solar – during the solar panel installation process? What can we expect from your installation team? And how long will it take?”

We’ve compiled all the answers to your questions in this complete guide.

When the power goes out in your area, what are your options? Unless you have backup power at your home, it’s likely you’ll be sitting in the dark.

Fortunately, dozens of backup power options are available to choose from – including propane, diesel, natural gas-powered generators, and solar battery systems.

When you find the right solution for your home, you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing your household will keep running, even if the grid goes down.

Here at Sandbar Solar & Electric, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners turn to solar and battery backup on the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast in California, so we know a thing or two about the value of a good backup system.

In this post, we’ll discuss the differences between solar battery backup systems and generators and help you understand which is right for you.

Let’s dive in!

When you choose to go solar, your relationship with PG&E will change. One of the biggest changes is that you’ll start getting an annual statement called a true-up bill. This bill summarizes your annual electricity charges and credits for each month and distills them into a single invoice.

For many property owners, the true-up bill is confusing to understand. In this article, we’ll outline what the true-up bill is, why it can be so high, and what you can do to decrease or eliminate yours.

In August of 2018, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 901 (also known as SB901).

This bill, designed to address the wildfire liability of public utilities, will dramatically increase the cost of electricity for customers throughout California.

As climate change continues to extend the severity and duration of the average fire, costs for ratepayers will only go up.

Here’s what you need to know about SB901, and how it may impact your bill in the coming months.

Energy delivery systems aren’t as reliable as they used to be. Utility giants like PG&E are implementing rolling blackouts, and the grid itself is increasingly subject to natural disasters and outages.

As such, customers throughout California and the country are turning their attention to innovative renewable energy sources that can provide electricity both day and night – particularly microgrids.

Microgrids are one of the few energy solutions equipped to address the changing face of energy delivery. In addition to providing energy stability, they promote a more reliable, resilient and green grid.

Here’s what you need to know about microgrids and their projected impact on residential and commercial energy use in the coming years.

In 2018, historic wildfires ravaged California. The Camp Fire destroyed the city of Paradise. It also caused an unprecedented 85 deaths and a widespread power outage.

Investigators found that equipment owned by California utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) (faulty equipment along the Caribou-Palermo electric transmission line) likely started the blaze. That line has since been permanently de-energized.

The admission generated a dramatic drop in PG&E’s profits. The company eventually filed for bankruptcy protection, citing $30 billion in liabilities.

Since then, PG&E has been taking an aggressive approach to fire safety in hopes of preventing a similar disaster. Their new plan, the Public Safety Power Shut-Off Program (PSPS), implements rolling blackouts throughout the state of California.

Although California has been using outages to decrease wildfire risk for years, PG&E’s new program has much broader implications than any program in the past.

Here’s what you need to know about the PG&E rotating outages and how they’ll impact you.

On December 13, 2018, California utility giant PG&E submitted its 2020 General Rate Case (GRC) to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

This far-reaching GRC proposal has several stated goals: to support wildfire prevention, risk monitoring, and response efforts, to add stringent new safety measures (including vegetation management) and to increase resilience to further wildfire risk.

The plan also promises to upgrade utility technology, including electric and gas infrastructure to enhance the utility’s overall ability to offer safe, reliable service.

Beyond those things, though, the PG&E GRC also has some impact on consumers. Here’s what people living in California need to know about the PG&E rate increase of 2019, and what they can expect their bills to look like in the coming months.

More California homeowners than ever are taking advantage of the tax credits and positive environmental impact offered by solar panel installation. In fact, California is No. 1 in U.S. solar energy capacity. According to data from the California Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), more than 3.7 million homes can be powered by the solar energy produced throughout our state.

If you’re one of the millions taking advantage of solar energy or considering a solar panel installation, you may be curious about how solar panels actually produce electricity. So how does solar energy work? It’s a fascinating process. Keep reading to learn how solar panels harness energy from the sun and convert it into usable electricity.

Today, commercial buildings and businesses need to focus on energy security above virtually all else.

With weather patterns becoming more drastic and unpredictable all the time, and the risk of outages increasing, it’s critical for businesses to understand what they can do to protect themselves and their customers from disruptions and intermittency.

In a world where grid-tied power is increasingly unreliable, commercial solar battery backup systems are some of the most efficient methods of protection and insurance for companies and organizations.

Meant to provide industrial backups and ongoing security for commercial operations, battery backup for commercial solar can help a company save money, increase output and deal more gracefully with energy uncertainty.

Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of these backup systems:

So, you’ve decided you want to install solar panels, but your home or business has a flat roof.

Can you still install solar panels?

The answer is yes!

Installing solar panels on a flat roof is a great way to get as much value as possible from your available surface area and make smart energy decisions. In fact, Consumer Reports states that flat roofs are some of the best for solar panels to power your home.

That said, there are some special considerations you’ll have to take as you install your panels.

Here’s what you need to know.

If there’s one thing we all know about birds, it’s that they poop.

There’s no way around it.

While this might not seem like a big deal in everyday life, it can wreak havoc on your solar panels. While a passing bird or two won’t damage your PV system in the long-run, pigeons nesting under solar panels can and will.

Because of this, it’s essential to keep birds out of your home solar system housing and ensure they take their nests elsewhere.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.

After all, solar panels create a nice shady spot that’s protected from the elements and offers convenient rafters and backings for birds to build their nests in. It’s no wonder they love PV systems so much.

If you’re experiencing problems with birds nesting in your solar panels, or you want to prevent it from happening down the road, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Can you install solar panels on a metal roof?

The answer is a resounding yes.

In the world of solar installation, metal roofs have many benefits. In addition to being light, durable, and fire-resistant, they’re also some of the best roofs for solar panels.

Because they’re easy to work on, eco-friendly, and fully recyclable, metal roofs offer several distinct perks households interested in installing PV systems.

Here’s what you need to know about installing solar panels on your metal roof.

If you’re considering installing a residential solar power system, you’re likely planning to put the system on your roof. While ground-mounted solar panels are an excellent option, not many people have enough extra space to install a system in their yard. Because of this, roof-mounted panels remain popular. If you’re going to invest in a roof-mounted system, though, you need to be sure you have the right roof to sustain it.

How do you know if yours fits the bill? Here’s a helpful guide.

When you decide to transition to clean energy by installing a home solar system, you have more than just an opportunity to make an investment that typically outperforms stock market index funds. You also have a chance to make a lasting difference in your local community here in Santa Cruz, CA and on the Central Coast.

Are you thinking about installing solar panels? It’s up to you how you want to spend your money, but there are plenty of compelling arguments for keeping things close to home by choosing local solar energy companies.

Installing home solar panels is an exciting process, but how long does it take?

While that answer varies from job to job, there are a few recurring factors that influence installation time. Understanding these can help you get a better feel for the time commitment of your solar project, and estimate when you’ll get to enjoy your panels and take that extra step toward going green at home.

Here’s what you need to know.