Solar Systems with Generator Backups: The Ultimate Guide

Introduction:

Solar energy is a clean, renewable source of electricity that can help you save money on your utility bills and reduce your carbon footprint. But what if you live in an area where the sun doesn't always shine? Or what if there's a power outage? That's where solar systems with generator backups come in.

A solar system with a generator backup is a combination of solar panels and a generator that work together to provide you with electricity. The solar panels generate electricity during the day, and the generator kicks in when the sun goes down or when there's a power outage.

In this blog post, we'll take a look at the benefits of solar systems with generator backups, how they work, and how to choose the right system for your needs.

Benefits of Solar Systems with Generator Backups:

There are many benefits to having a solar system with a generator backup. Some of the most common benefits include:

Reduced reliance on the grid: When you have a solar system with a generator backup, you're less reliant on the grid. This means that you're not subject to the same rate fluctuations as traditional utility customers.

Increased energy independence: Having a solar system with a generator backup gives you increased energy independence. This is because you can generate your own electricity, even when the grid is down.

Peace of mind: Knowing that you have a backup power source in the event of a power outage can give you peace of mind. This is especially important if you live in an area that is prone to power outages.

Cost savings: Solar systems with generator backups can save you money on your utility bills. This is because you'll be generating your own electricity, which is often cheaper than grid-supplied electricity.

How Solar Systems with Generator Backups Work:

Solar systems with generator backups work by using a combination of solar panels and a generator to provide you with electricity. The solar panels generate electricity during the day, and the generator kicks in when there's a power outage.

The solar panels are connected to an inverter, which converts the DC electricity that they generate into AC electricity that can be used to power your home. The inverter can also be connected to a battery, which stores the electricity that the solar panels generate.

When there's a power outage or your battery is empty, the generator kicks in and starts generating electricity. The generator's electricity is then used to power your home, and the battery is used to store any excess electricity.

How to Choose the Right Solar System with Generator Backup for Your Needs:

When choosing a solar system with a generator backup, there are a few factors that you need to consider, such as:

Your energy needs: You need to determine how much electricity you need to power your home. This will help you choose the right size solar system and generator.

Your budget: Solar systems with generator backups can be expensive, so you need to decide how much you're willing to spend.

Your location: If you live in an area that is prone to power outages, you'll need a system that can provide you with enough backup power to last for an extended period of time.

Conclusion:

Solar systems with generator backups offer a number of benefits, such as reduced reliance on the grid, increased energy independence, peace of mind, and cost savings. If you're looking for a way to save money on your utility bills, reduce your carbon footprint, and increase your energy independence, then a solar system with a generator backup may be right for you.

For more details on solar with a generator backup in the greater Durango, Colorado area, feel free to call, text or email us for a detailed design and quote.

How the Inflation Reduction Act benefits solar

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 is a piece of legislation that was passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on August 16, 2022. The IRA includes a number of provisions that are designed to reduce inflation, including a provision that extends the solar investment tax credit (ITC).

The ITC is a tax credit that is available to homeowners who install solar panels on their homes. The credit is equal to 30% of the cost of the solar system. The IRA extends the credit for an additional 10 years, through 2032.

The extension of the ITC is a major victory for the solar industry. The credit has been a major driver of the growth of the solar industry in recent years. The extension of the credit will help to ensure that the solar industry continues to grow in the years to come.

The IRA also includes a number of other provisions that are designed to promote renewable energy. These provisions include:

• A provision that creates a new tax credit for energy storage systems.

• A provision that provides funding for research and development of renewable energy technologies.

• A provision that directs the Department of Energy to develop a plan to increase the use of renewable energy in the United States.

The IRA is a major step forward for the solar industry. The extension of the ITC and the other provisions in the bill will help to ensure that the solar industry continues to grow in the years to come.

In addition to the benefits of solar energy that were mentioned in the previous blog post, the IRA also provides a number of financial benefits for homeowners who install solar panels. The ITC can save homeowners thousands of dollars on their taxes, and the IRA extends the credit for an additional 10 years. This means that homeowners who install solar panels in the next 10 years will be able to take advantage of the full 30% tax credit.

The IRA also includes a provision that allows homeowners to sell their solar power back to the grid. This is known as net metering, and it can provide homeowners with even more financial benefits. With net metering, homeowners who generate more solar power than they use can sell the excess power back to the grid and receive a credit on their utility bill. This can help to offset the cost of solar panels and make them even more affordable.

The IRA is a major victory for the solar industry and for homeowners who want to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. The extension of the ITC and the other provisions in the bill will help to make solar energy more affordable and accessible for everyone.

Call, text or email us today to find out more about how solar on your home or business in the greater Durango, Colorado area can benefit you.

Solar and Batteries go together like peanut butter and jelly

Solar energy is a clean, renewable source of electricity that can help you save money on your utility bills and reduce your carbon footprint. But did you know that solar panels on your house in Durango can be even more beneficial when paired with a battery storage system?

A solar battery storage system allows you to store the excess electricity that your solar panels generate during the day and use it later, at night or during peak hours when electricity rates are higher. This can help you save even more money, in certain cases, on your utility bills and reduce your reliance on the grid.

In addition, a solar battery storage system can provide you with backup power during power outages. If the grid goes down, your solar panels will continue to generate electricity, which can be stored in your battery and used to power your home. This can give you peace of mind during storms and other emergencies such as snow storms in the Durango area.

If you're considering going solar, be sure to talk to us about battery storage options. A solar battery storage system can make your solar system even more beneficial.

Here are some of the benefits of solar with batteries:

Reduce your carbon footprint. Solar energy is a clean, renewable source of electricity that doesn't produce greenhouse gases. By going solar, you can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and help fight climate change.

Increase your energy independence. A solar battery storage system can help you increase your energy independence by storing the electricity that your solar panels generate. This means that you'll be less reliant on the grid and can power your home even when the grid is down.

Get backup power during power outages. If the grid goes down, as can happen from time to time in southwest Colorado, your solar panels will continue to generate electricity, which can be stored in your battery and used to power your home. This can give you peace of mind during storms and other emergencies.

Is solar with batteries right for you?

If you're looking to reduce your carbon footprint, and increase your energy independence, then solar with batteries may be right for you. To learn more about whether solar with batteries is right for you, call text or email us to find out more about solar with batteries on your home or business in the greater Durango area.

Benefits of Installing Solar

## The Benefits of Solar Energy

Solar energy is one of the most popular renewable energy sources in the world, and for good reason. It's clean, efficient, and can save you money on your utility bills. But what are the specific benefits of solar energy?

In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the most important benefits of solar energy. We'll discuss how solar can help you save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and even increase the value of your home.

## Save Money on Your Utility Bills

One of the most obvious benefits of solar energy is that it can save you money on your utility bills. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, which can be used to power your home. This means that you'll use less electricity from your utility company, which can lead to significant savings.

In fact, the average homeowner who goes solar can save up to $20,000 on their utility bills over the lifetime of their system. And with solar panel prices continuing to fall, the savings are only going to get bigger.

## Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Another major benefit of solar energy is that it can help you reduce your carbon footprint. When you use solar power, you're not relying on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, which produce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

In fact, the average solar panel system can offset the carbon emissions of up to 10 cars per year. So if you're looking for a way to make a positive impact on the environment, solar energy is a great option.

## Increase the Value of Your Home

Solar panels can also increase the value of your home. According to a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, homes with solar panels sell for an average of 4% more than homes without them.

This is because solar panels are seen as a desirable feature by homebuyers. They're seen as a sign that the home is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. So if you're thinking about selling your home in the future, installing solar panels could be a wise investment.

## Increase Your Energy Independence

Solar energy can also help you increase your energy independence. When you have solar panels, you're not reliant on the grid for your electricity. This means that you can generate your own power, even if the grid goes down.

This can be a major advantage in the event of a power outage. If the grid goes down, you'll still have power from your solar panels. This can be a lifesaver in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.

## Peace of Mind

Solar energy can also give you peace of mind. When you have solar panels, you know that you're doing your part to help the environment. You're also reducing your reliance on fossil fuels and increasing your energy independence.

Solar energy is a clean, renewable source of energy that can provide you with many benefits. If you're looking for a way to save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and increase the value of your home, solar energy is a great option.

Virtual Power Plant - Renting your batteries to the utility

Some areas of the country are starting programs called Virtual Power Plants or VPPs. Areas that currently have these programs in place are the northeast, California and Hawaii. The program compensates owners of solar systems with batteries for using their batteries when the grid needs a little support. The batteries are connected to the internet and the local utility can draw power from them when needed to keep the voltage and frequency of the grid in line. For this use of the batteries, the owner is compensated.

6% of solar systems were installed with batteries in 2020 and that figure is expected to rise to 25% by 2025. At the same time, the grid is aging and becoming overtaxed. Being able to support the grid in certain neighborhoods a few days of the year instead of running all new lines to that same neighborhood can save money and resources for the utility.

These programs are still in the pilot phase in some areas like California, but are expected to grow as their usefulness and economic value are recognized. In addition to having backup power in a grid outage, VPPs are another reason to install batteries with your solar system.

Solar Supply chain issues

As it seems with everything else these days, there are supply chain issues with solar panels and other solar system components. Will 2022 bring smooth sailing to the supply chains of the world? According to Wood Mackenzie, “Renewables’ supply chain bottlenecks are expected to ease in 2022 and beyond” Here’s to hoping they’re right!

Solar, BATTERIES and Trucks

The world of solar is always interesting and evolving. I was looking at the new Ford electric F150 the other day and noticed that they plan to allow you to power your house from the truck. Not only is this a great idea, but it could change the dynamics of estimating how many batteries you need with your solar system to power your house. Traditionally, you size your battery bank to allow for the number of days of autonomy that you desire. If you have a truck parked in your garage with a large battery in it that you can power your house with, how does this change the equation? Do you assume that you want to leave your truck fully charged in case of emergencies or do you allow your house to draw down your truck battery in the hopes that the storm will clear and your solar system will charge the house battery and your truck battery when needed?

However the equation changes with trucks and cars that can power your house, it’s an exciting time for solar, batteries and electric vehicles. Will there come a time when it will be easy to defect from the grid? Will we even need a back up generator with a vehicle or two in the garage with enough stored energy to power your house for several days?

Happy Earth Day Durango

April is earth month and tomorrow is Earth Day. With all the snow melted already off the mountains, now is a great time to think about the earth, our home. There’s never been a better time to invest in your future and the earths future with solar panels producing clean electricity from the sun.

Spring is near

Spring is near and it’s a great time to get your summer plans lined up for a solar installation! The tax credit is still available for the purchase of solar panels and the construction boom and ‘COVID migration’ means that this summer will be busy, busy. So call us today for a free, no obligation quote on a solar system for your home or business in the greater Durango area.

SoLar with battery back up in colorado

I think people generally think of batteries when they think of solar. Fairly often I get asked about installing battery back up with a solar system. Almost always my clients opt for a back up generator rather than batteries. As with all things solar, the public generally doesn’t have a good feel for the cost of solar or batteries which is completely understandable as they are fairly new technologies.
Unless you live somewhere with mandatory time of use and/or demand charges that are fairly high, financially you are better off with a back up generator hooked to your propane tank or natural gas supply. On the other hand if you want backup power and are opposed to a generator for whatever reason, batteries might be a good option for you; as long as you’re willing to spend significantly more on your back up solution.

I don’t think this will always be the case. I think that batteries will continue to have a larger capacity and to be lower in price per unit of storage. There are also hurdles for this part of the world in terms of altitude and temperature that people are unaware of. Some battery manufacturers require their batteries to be installed at elevations below 2000 m for example. All of the new lithium ion batteries like to be at around room temperature so not outside in Colorado. Hopefully this will change in the future with new battery technologies that work at colder temperatures and higher elevations.

Solar all the time?

I usually comment on something I found online, either an article about solar or something solar related like electric cars or energy-efficient homes. Today I’m just going to talk about my thoughts. A thought I had today, was what would it take to have the whole world powered by Solar all the time. We know there’s enough energy reaching the earth every day from the sun the power everything many times over. It seems like the problem is distributing the energy around the globe and collecting it in all the sunny spots. What will the future look like? Will there be massive underground wires? Undersea cables ferrying electrons across oceans to other continents? Will the world be connected in one giant grid of electricity and data connections? That seems to be the ultimate answer in my eyes. No batteries needed as long as the sun is shining somewhere on the globe. Of course I’m not an electrical engineer so I don’t know if this is even feasible or not, but it seems like it could be.

Time will tell. Will Solar continue to be distributed on individual buildings or only connected to larger arrays in the desert? Will certain countries dominate and export electricity to the rest of the world like they do now with nuclear plants? Or will it continue to be a mix of residential, commercial and utilities scale projects?

Batteries will improve. They will get smaller, cheaper and hold more energy. Some people and businesses will have batteries, or maybe everyone will. Maybe the grid will go away and we’ll each have our own battery pack to power our homes. Who knows?

Federal Tax Credit Extended for solar

It’s official, the 26% federal tax credit for renewable energy investment has been extended for another two years. This is great news for solar and the environment as it will hopefully spur more investment in clean energy. There’s never been a better time to invest in a little clean energy for your home or business in Durango. Contact us today to find out more about the benefits and affordability of solar panels for your home or business in the Durango area.

EV's at Tipping point?

According to a recent article by Andy Stone in Forbes magazine, Electric Vehicles are on the cusp (or maybe already in) the mainstream. I know, people have been saying this for over a decade now, but to be honest, EV’s are catching on even faster than I predicted and I’m a huge proponent of them.

Here are a few indicators that point to the tipping point theory:

• Tesla has made a profit the last five quarters and is worth roughly four times the big three combined.

• GM has abandon sedans and will introduce 20 EV models over the next two years.

• Volkswagen, the world’s largest automaker, will stop making internal combustion engines within the next five years.

• California has outlawed the sale of gas and diesel powered vehicles starting in 2035.

• China has required that EV’s account for 25% of domestic sales by 2025.

• Several European countries have bans similar to California that will come online between 2025 and 2040.

• The range of EV’s is increasing and the charging network is being built out.

Looking at the bullet points above, I would say that the market for EV’s is up. The manufacture of gas and diesel vehicles doesn’t look so rosy. Why not get your solar system now so you’re ready for your next car that will probably be an EV? Solar inverters are now available with built in EV chargers so you can charge your car or truck directly from the sun.

Solar now cheapest source of electricity in history

According to the International Energy Agency, photovoltaic solar energy is now the cheapest source of electricity in the history of man made electricity; lightning is still free. Solar energy is covering the entire demand in areas such as Australia, and over 40% of demand in Germany and the UK. Things are looking up for solar and I hazard to say that its here to stay. Solar plus EV’s will make a big dent in pollution around the globe and will make the world a nicer place to live. If the UK can produce over 40% of their energy from solar, Durango should be able to do better; we have a lot more sun! Why not get a little low cost electricity for yourself today?

Wind powered ocean freight

Wallenius Marine, a Swedish ship builder, is now building a wind powered ship to transport cars across the ocean. When it is built is will be the largest wind-powered vessel ever built! And we all know that wind power is just another form of solar power since wind is created by the sun warming different parts of the earth. So really it is a giant solar powered ship that can transport cars (or other things down the road I imagine).

It will have rigid sails that are 260 feet tall off the deck and the total ship height will be 328 feet. It will still use some fossil fuel to navigate close to the harbor, but will produce much less CO2 than conventional ships of a similar size. Current diesel powered ships of this type produce around 120 tons of CO2 per day and this new sailing ship will produce only 3-12 tons/day.

I can’t wait to see this massive ship sailing the oceans.

Solar Agriculture?

A new way to farm both the land and the sun? Some farmers are looking in to a new dual use model that incorporates solar with more traditional farming practices that has in some cases increased farm production by 160%.

This innovative use of existing agricultural land is breathing new life into existing small farms in Europe and the USA. According to the study linked above, there are lots of crops that do well growing under solar panels such as wheat, potatoes, beans, kale, tomatoes, Swiss chard, and others. The solar panel canopy can also extend the growing season by creating warmers microclimates in the spring and fall and cooler temperatures in the summer.

So why not add some solar panels to your farm in Durango? Even if you don’t grow kale or have a drove of donkeys to feed, you can still farm a little sunshine!

COVID-19 = Cleaner Air = More Solar Power

A recent study in India has determined that shutdowns because of the COVID-19 virus has resulted in an 8% increase in solar power production because of a decrease in air pollution. Finally a bio feedback loop that works in our favor!

The study was conducted in Delhi after the pandemic halted factories around the city and cleared the air enough to allow more sunlight to reach the solar panels in the area. The increase in output is expected to be similar around the globe as the air has less particulates in it that deflect and absorb photons before they reach solar panels used in solar systems for homes and businesses. More solar production means less burning of coal necessary; a welcome development for the Durango area so near the four corners coal burning power plants.

Generate water from solar panels

A new startup out of Tempe, Arizona has commercialized a solar panel that pulls water out of the air to produce drinkable water for a building. Although the panels have a small solar photovoltaic panel integrated into them in order to be self powered, most of the panel absorbs sunlight that is used to suck moisture out of the air, even in an arid desert environment.

Seems like these types of panels might pair well with a home with solar panels and battery backup. Now you can have “solar water backup” too!

Gemini Solar Project

The Gemini Solar Project was approved by the Department of the Interior and when constructed will be the largest solar installation in the United States. At a cost of $1 billion, the 690 MW project will be installed on 7,000 acres of federal land about 30 miles northeast of Las Vegas. When completed, the solar array will be able to power 260,000 homes. Nevada has made a commitment to produce 50% of its power from renewable sources by 2030 and this project will help it meet this goal. This particular solar project is unique in that it will use batteries to supply power to the grid during the night.

Why not have a little solar project on your own property with solar panels on your roof or the ground? The shorter the distance between the solar panels and your house the better because there will be little or no line losses between the two.

Less driving = clear skies

With vehicle traffic levels down about 90% in places like New York and Los Angeles, residents are seeing something they probably have never seen; clear blue bird skies over their cities. Air pollution is at levels not seen in 70 years and the real nasty stuff coming out of tailpipes such as NO2 levels are 30% lower than their four year average levels. Talk about a silver lining!

The question is how long with this clean air remain? Maybe Angelenos and New Yorkers will love the clean air so much that they trade in their car for an electric one? Maybe they will install solar on their house to further clean the air? We can only hope and wait and see.