rooftop solar
Idaho drops solar compensation rates by 31%
After utility Idaho Power proposed paying 60% less for the energy it buys from rooftop solar owners, the utilities commission landed about in the middle, deciding to cut net metering rates by 31%. Rooftop solar owners will receive 31% less compensation for the excess energy they send to the grid following a final rule by […]
Efficiency first: How commercial real estate owners can thrive with solar
Amid soaring demand and shrinking solar subsidies, taking an efficiency-focused approach to energy management can offer a pathway to project success. America’s commercial real estate (CRE) portfolios are under a two-sided squeeze. On one side, electricity demand is exploding as data centers, reshored manufacturing, and fleets of EV chargers are plugged into buildings never designed […]
The era of cookie cutter solar has come to a close. Did it ever start?
Once shorthand for fast, uniform installs, “cookie-cutter solar” is giving way to site-specific, storage-integrated systems. System design has long been a critical point of differentiation for many solar installers, though some prioritize quicker, cheaper installs by relying on more standardized designs. By now, many solar experts agree that the industry has moved beyond that type […]
How rooftop solar can complicate residential real estate transactions
Many homeowners assume leased or loaned solar systems will boost their home’s value, but outstanding loans often drag down equity instead. Navigating the complexities of the real estate landscape is already tricky; add in the wonky, technical nature of selling or buying a home with rooftop solar, and realtors and homeowners alike can find themselves […]
SunPower adds Sunder Energy to its mounting sales empire
A reformulated, longtime top-tier brand, SunPower says its acquisition of a Utah-based residential solar company will expand its sales presence from 22 to 45 states. A restructured, post-bankruptcy SunPower has picked up its first company in its acquisition drive to return to a leading position in the U.S. solar business: Sunder Energy, a 6-year-old, veteran-owned […]