A new report by analyst firm Frost & Sullivan projects that in 2017 solar PV will attract more investment than coal, gas and nuclear power combined.

The report, titled the Global Power Industry Outlook 2017, examines power market trends, including investment and regional growth. The report deduces that this year, renewable power investment will reach $243.1 billion globally, with solar PV investment comprising $141.6 billion of that total, followed by wind.

Although solar prices continue to decline, as does the cost of wind power, renewable investment is booming at the expense of traditional power generation because clean energy increasingly offers more profitable project costs and benefits from stable regulatory support across the globe, the report finds.

By 2020, say the analysts, non-hydro renewable energies will account for 65% of all power generation...

Our solar installers in Charlotte, NC often get asked a lot of different questions about the solar panel systems we offer. One of the questions is whether these systems are capable of working at night or not. Since the sun shines bright during the day, it makes sense that the solar panels are busy absorbing all of those rays and powering up your home with the energy it needs. But, what happens when the sun is no longer available to provide that power? Can these units still work like they did during the day?

Solar and the Overnight Hours

Since there isn’t exactly a whole lot of light at night, your solar panels aren’t going to be able to produce a lot of energy overnight. That is unless the moon is really bright. Then, you might get just a small amount of power from your system. Yet, your appliances are still getting adequate power. How is all of...

The statement that solar energy is not currently economical is a lie. It is oil, gas, and coal that are not economical. The recent Solyndra debacle has nothing to do with the viability of the feasibility of solar power and everything to do with the risky nature of startup companies. Conversion to solar power does not require any government assistance. It only requires that society sets its mind to switching to this energy source.

Getting started with solar power is easy and relatively inexpensive. For as little as $700 you can purchase a “starter kit” that provides 235 watts. My own power bills dropped by $50 a month almost immediately when I switched to solar. By staying connected to the power grid, you can sell your excess electricity to the power company during the day and buy it back at night. Power companies are happy to do this because they make a profit on the...

There’s a new No. 1 solar-powered city in the U.S., with San Diego replacing Los Angeles as the top city for installed solar PV capacity by the end of 2016, according to a new report from Environment America and the Frontier Group.

U.S. solar power grew at a record-breaking pace last year, and the report says the country’s major cities have played a key role in the clean energy revolution and stand to reap tremendous benefits from solar energy. As population centers, the cities are big sources of electricity demand, and with millions of rooftops suitable for solar panels, they have the potential to be key sources of clean energy as well.

The report, titled “Shining Cities: How Smart Local Policies Are Expanding Solar Power in America,” says San Diego overtook Los Angeles, which had been the national leader for the previous three years. Notably, Honolulu rose from...

Our solar installers in Kansas City, MO deal with all sorts of solar panel installations and repairs day in and day out. While we work hard to keep your system in top shape at all times, there are certain things that simply cannot be fixed. One of the things that many worry about when it comes to their new system is what to do in the event one of the solar panels gets cracked. Even though some might try to tell you that you can easily fix the panel, reputable solar installation companies will tell you otherwise.

Exploring the Damage Within

Our solar panel installers are extremely knowledgeable and well-versed in all things solar energy. The chemical reactions occurring inside of the panels installed on your home requires the cells to be completely sealed to maximize overall performance. After moisture has penetrated the panel from the crack, you can...

At first blush, solar energy is perhaps the most elegant solution to our energy needs. The sun blasts our planet’s surface with more than enough energy to keep us going forever.

The United States government estimates that the Earth receives over 173,000 terawatts of energy every year, which is more than 10,000 times what humanity needs. The challenge has always been collecting that energy. Even though most people are aware of photovoltaic cells, solar panels have been expensive enough to keep them firmly in the luxury bracket. For years the low efficiency of solar panels and the high costs per square inch of these panels made solar power economically unviable.

That has now changed. In the five years between 2008 and 2013, the cost of solar panels fell by over 50 percent. Between 2015 and 2017, experts estimate the cost will fall another 40 percent. Researchers in the...