A rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system is a long-term investment in your property: that the typical warranty on a solar PV panels is 20 to 25 years. One can do a lot over the course of two decades, including change your address. So what happens to that solar home energy system when you sell your house?

The short answer is that it stays with the house. And, depending on the market, your solar home may well sell at a premium compared to non-solar homes. In October of last year, for instance, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) published a study showing that solar homes in San Diego typically sell for 15 percent to 20 percent more than homes without rooftop solar systems.

Why the premium for solar? Well, the monthly cost of owning a solar home is lower than owning a non-solar home. This means more money is available for things like, oh, your mortgage payment. Plus, if electricity prices increase, the solar panel owner’s savings increase, too. This is because a portion of their electricity usage will be locked into a fixed power rate.

If you’re in the market to buy a home, don’t let the higher price of a home with a rooftop solar system discourage you. You’re getting all of the aforementioned benefits and you can apply for an energy efficient mortgage, a program made possible by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The mortgage can be as much as 20,000 more than a mortgage for a home without a solar PV energy system.

Would you take investment advice from a random stranger?

Installing a solar home energy system is a big investment. But, unlike your 401K, this investment involves penetrating your roof, wiring and a bevy of other fun stuff. To get the most out of your investment, it’s important to make sure the person walking on your roof and running conduit to your electrical panel has the expertise to do the job right the first time. Whether you’ve decided to free yourself from high electric bills, or you just want to produce your own power, getting competitive bids from QUALIFIED solar installers is the first step in safeguarding your investment.

So, where do you start?

While we all love having choices, finding a solar installer that’s right for you can feel a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. If you sign up for a free solar home energy evaluation with GetSolar, you can rest easy knowing that our local solar installation partners have demonstrated a strong track record of success. Specifically, we weigh the following before selecting a partner for your solar energy project:

10. Does the solar installer have any certification? Look for NABCEP Certification (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners), by many measures the industry gold standard for solar photovoltaic (PV) installation.

9. Do they have active liability insurance and bonding? GetSolar requests proof of insurance from its partners and we use a third-party to verify this information.

8. How long have they been installing solar power systems? GetSolar requires a minimum of two years’ experience, but most of our partners have been at this for much longer.

7. Is the solar installer familiar with roofing practices? A qualified installer understands proper roof practices and will take care to not void your roof’s warranty.

6. Will the installer design and install a solar energy system that is code compliant?

5. Will they file all permitting and rebate paperwork (if applicable)?

4. Are the PV panels they recommend approved by the California Energy Commission (CEC)? And do the panels qualify for incentives?

3. Is the deposit and payment schedule clearly defined?

2. Will the bid indicate the PV systems capacity in both DC and AC watts? Unless your system uses microinverters, be sure that your solar quote includes both. (The AC number will be lower than the DC number.)

And our number one question is (drum roll please)…. REFERENCES!

We recommend you request THREE references – and yes, follow through on making those calls. That’s what we do here at GetSolar. So if you sign up for a solar evaluation with one of our partners, know that we’ve already asked them the important questions. I should know, since I frequently talk to the customer references provided by installers seeking to join our network. Lucky for me, most people can’t rave enough about their solar energy systems. PV system owners love to describe the joys of running the meter backwards, and the excitement about their vanishing electric bill can be quite infectious!

We know installing solar panels can be a time-consuming and rigorous process, which is why GetSolar is your trusted partner in getting qualified bids from installer. Our network of certified installers meet the highest industry standard so we take the guessing game out of who to call by saving you time and providing peace of mind.

Ready to get started? Then give me a call at 1-800-265-3646 ext 706 and, if we’ve got partners in your area, we’ll do our best to match you with up to three highly qualified installers that have gone through this rigorous process already! We’ve done the homework, so you don’t have to.

There have been conflicting reports as to how much the U.S. military would benefit from using solar energy. RAND Corporation, for example, has been very candid it its assessment that the U.S. military will not benefit directly by switching to renewable fuels.

But the Office of Naval Research disagrees. The office says that using renewables will extend the amount of time U.S. Marines can conduct its forward operations without having to recharge their electronics.When you think about where many of our Marines are today, that’s a huge advantage. It means that the Marines can limit the number of fuel-carrying convoys they have to send to soldiers in super remote areas in the Middle East.

That’s not the only benefit. The federal government has set a requirement for the US. military to scale back its energy use by 30 percent by 2015. In 2025, a quarter of the military’s power has to come from solar energy or other clean fuel sources. What better time to start than now?

In Afghanistan, solar panels are already being used to recharge batteries. Photovoltaic (PV) battery systems have reduced the use of fuel generators by the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines by 0ver 90 percent.

The military’s effort to incorporate more solar energy is taking place at home too. Military bases in Arizona, California and New Jersey have all made efforts to use solar energy to offset some of the military’s dirty energy use. The U.S. military is one of the largest consumers of energy in the entire world, so the switch won’t happen over night. But hey, you have to start somewhere.

There are plenty of ways to be a good neighbor: pick up the mail when they’re out of town, don’t make too much noise at night, return a lost pet. But we think there’s one tactic that stands above the fray: convince your neighbor, or several neighbors, to install a solar home energy system. Here are few ways to turn your neighborhood into a solar generation hot spot, starting with the most obvious.

1. Install a solar PV system yourself.

Start by practicing what you preach. It’s going to be hard for you to convince neighbors to install a rooftop solar energy system if your roof is missing one. So install one atop your home before trying to convince others to do so. You’ll save money on monthly electric bills and, having already gone through the process, you can help your neighbor get the best price, apply for solar energy incentives and find a trustworthy installer.

2. Show off your system.

Once you’ve installed solar, don’t keep quiet about it. Talk to your neighbors about the money you’re saving by using solar energy. You may be familiar with how solar photovoltaic (PV) panels produce energy, but many folks are not. In fact, the system will look foreign to many people in your area, and you’re probably going to get a lot of questions. Take the time to answer them and demystify solar for them. The more they know, the more likely they are to install a solar energy system.

3. Convince the HOA to Install Solar

If you live in an area overseen by a Homeowner’s Association (HOA), you may need to convince the rest of the HOA that solar panels aren’t scary or ugly or loud. So present the idea at a meeting and clearly explain why the neighborhood should encourage solar. If the HOA is going to be difficult, you’re going to have to bring out the law books. Ready? They’re called solar access laws. In some states, these laws include provisions that prevent an HOA from saying no to solar, including: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. Your HOA may have restrictions on where and how solar panels may be installed, but it can’t block you or intentionally delay you from doing so.

Check out the Solar Bill of Rights to see what the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is doing to make installing solar energy easier for everyone.

A number of factors impact the performance of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, namely: (1) the size, number and efficiency of your solar PV panels, and (2) how much sunlight you get throughout the year. But there’s an even more obvious factor that can impact a system’s output: cleanliness.

Simply put, it’s not just nearby trees that can reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches your solar panels. Dust and dirt, too, can be a drag on system performance. Sometimes referred to as “soiling,” the accumulation of dust and dirt is a common issue in areas (like the southwest) where dust abounds and rainfall is a rare occurrence.

Here’s more from National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), which runs PV Watts, a well known solar energy performance model:

… soiling accounts for dirt, snow, and other foreign matter on the surface of the PV module that prevent solar radiation from reaching the solar cells. Dirt accumulation is location- and weather-dependent. There are greater soiling losses (up to 25% for some California locations) in high-traffic, high-pollution areas with infrequent rain.

What does this mean for you, the interested solar buyer? Well, chances are good that you receive enough rain to keep soiling to a minimum. If you live in an arid, dusty climate, however, you’ll want to look into other solutions to make sure that dirt doesn’t build up on your panels. Some homeowners are able to stand in their driveway and rinse their solar panels down with a hose. This is particularly easy if you choose to istall a ground-mounted system. Failing this, you may find yourself paying a modest amount to have your panels washed from time to time. Be sure to ask your solar installer about the best solution for you.

In the end, the required maintenance of solar PV systems is relatively minimal — indeed, one of their best advantages is that they’re silent and don’t have any moving parts. But taking a few small steps will help ensure that your panels perform well. With the above information in mind, you may find it helpful to invest in a monitoring device. If you find that you’re producing less energy via your solar PV system, it’s time to have those panels cleaned.

If you’re a regular reader of the GetSolar blog, you’ve probably noticed that we like to keep you up to speed on the latest electric vehicle (EV) developments. But what do EVs have to do with solar energy, you ask? In short, everything.

If you don’t own a photovoltaic (PV) solar energy system, we’re not trying to discourage you from from buying an EV. We’d rather see more EVs than Hummers on the road any day of the week. But, from an environmental standpoint, the EV is only as clean as the electricity that powers it. The fact remains that about half our electricity comes from coal, the dirtiest source of energy out there.

An EV does give you the option of running your ride on clean energy. That’s why we’re starting to see “solar carports” and other solar EV charging stations pop up in public places. In October 2010, San Diego, California-based Envision Solar agreed to build solar carports for the new Chevy Volt. In December of last year they really caught on and started popping up coast to coast. What are they? They’re carports equipped with solar PV panels. They keep the cars cool and charge EV’s at the same time.

Elon Musk, Chairman and CEO of Tesla Motors, explained the relationship he sees between solar and EVs when he announced that his company is working on an electric-powered SUV. Among other things, Musk said he wants to help expedite the move from hydrocarbon to solar electric.

We’re starting to see this trend develop, particularly with solar carports. It’s a trend that we’ll be following into the new year.

You may have noticed that President Obama gave solar shingles a shout out in his State of the Union Address last night:

Already, we’re seeing the promise of renewable energy. Robert and Gary Allen are brothers who run a small Michigan roofing company. After September 11th, they volunteered their best roofers to help repair the Pentagon. But half of their factory went unused, and the recession hit them hard. Today, with the help of a government loan, that empty space is being used to manufacture solar shingles that are being sold all across the country. In Robert’s words, “We reinvented ourselves.”

I’m all for reinventing ourselves. I’m also all for creating American jobs and the promise of renewable energy. But it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room — namely, that most residential solar energy systems installed today don’t use solar shingles.

Why? The solar shingles available on the market today aren’t nearly as efficient as polysilicon-based solar panels like the ones shown in this picture. This means you need to install solar shingles on a much bigger area to get a decent amount of electricity out of your system. Because many homes have limited roof space, the natural choice is to install a higher-efficiency solar panel that generates more power per square foot. As it stands today, solar shingles don’t fit that description.

To be sure, this doesn’t mean that solar shingles are never a good option. Nor does it mean that solar shingle technology won’t improve. Indeed, efficiency rates of solar shingles are already increasing — thanks, I’m sure, to the hard work of people like Robert and Gary Allen. All we’re saying is: don’t get too excited about solar shingles… at least not yet. When you get a free solar home energy evaluation, chances are the solar installer will recommend installing a higher-efficiency panel that maximizes your roof’s potential.

As SolarCity expands, so too does the number of residential solar installations.

Why? The California-based company offers a 20-year, zero-down solar lease deal to homeowners. Translation: You pay a monthly fixed rate for using the solar photovoltaic (PV) system atop your house. That rate won’t fluctuate, like prices of conventional electricity. And even though that fee can vary depending on your region, SolarCity claims the savings you’ll see the very first month you use the system will exceed your payment.

The program is already in play in California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado and, most recently Oregon. Now the company has announced plans to expand eastward.

Beginning in February, SolarCity will offer its solar lease in Maryland, where the state’s energy administration is giving homeowners grants of up to $10,000 at a rate of $0.50/watt (W) to help with the cost of installing a solar PV system.

To boost solar power in Maryland, SolarCity has acquired the solar energy installation branch of Clean Currents — an independent solar energy company with an office in the Baltimore area. Soon thereafter, the company plans to venture into the Washington, D.C. market. It’s all an extension of SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive’s belief that people anywhere will install solar, “as long as it won’t cost them an arm and a leg.”

So far, there’s really no reason for SolarCity to believe otherwise. A total of 1,500 communities have bought in to the program so far. We’ll keep an eye on how things shape up on the east coast.

We hear it all the time: “A new solar energy plant has been built.” Or, “A local utility company has entered into a solar power purchase agreement.” Even, “More solar energy will be added to the electric grid.” But the bottom line is, how does any of this affect how much you’re going to have to pay for solar energy?

First off, it won’t affect the price of installing a solar energy system. Whether you own a home or business, a utility company buying solar power is completely independent from you installing a system yourself. But utility-scale solar projects can create the opportunity to purchase clean energy from your utility.

If you’ve opened and examined a utility bill in the last, say, ten years, you may have noticed an option to pay a little more money on top of your utility bill each month for green power.Depending on where you live, the purchase option may be called “green tags.” This is where these new solar energy plants — and other renewable energy projects — come in to play. If you opt for the green power purchase option, your utility company will charge you a bit more for your electricity. Clean sources of electricity, like wind and solar, are a bit pricier than conventional sources, like coal, after all.

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) in Arizona is taking its green purchase option a step further. The utility recently built a new solar array and is selling its power to customers in blocks of 150 kilowatt-hours (kWh). The utility adds $3 to the home or business’ monthly utility bill for each block purchased. What makes TEP’s program unique? It’s allowing homeowners to lock in a fixed price for their solar energy blocks, which could save them money if the price of conventional electricity goes up in the future.

Keep in mind there’s really no way to make sure that your home is using clean energy when you pay this extra fee. There’s only a single power line, so how do you get the green energy and others don’t? Here’s the deal. The power you’re getting isn’t any different from that of your neighbor’s. The “green tags” are like certificates that subsidize the cost of adding clean power generation. So the more “green tags” purchased, the more clean energy the utility can add to its grid.

Happy Monday everyone. The beginning of the final week of the month brings us great solar energy news from the south, as the University of Central Florida (UCF) has announced the completion of a new energy research facility. UCF has added an energy efficiency testing lab to its Florida Solar Energy Center — a 20-acre complex that already holds a solar research library, a photovoltaic (PV) materials lab and a solar thermal testing lab.

Its newest facility — made possible by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) four-year research grant — will focus on finding energy-efficient improvements for new and existing Florida homes. It features two homes, side-by-side, that the University’s researchers will use to try to figure out where the best improvements can be made.

Why the need for such a lab? According to Solar Novus, over 60 percent of the homes in Florida were built before 1975. So, as you can imagine, most of these homes are in serious need of some energy efficiency upgrades.

If there’s any place in the Sunshine State fit to find those measures, it’s UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center, which has over 40 patents licensed to industry and a whole host of awards in the alternative energy sector. In 1996, the center was already recognized for its excellence in architecture by the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects. It also won the Energy Star for Homes Outstanding Achievement Award from 2003-2005. It’s unknown how much money the DOE grant is worth. But  U.S. Department of Energy Director of Residential Building Programs David Lee has high hopes for the University’s research:

“As we address greenhouse gas emissions, we have to look at retrofitting existing homes. This facility will be instrumental in researching the impacts of home energy efficiency improvements in hot climates.”

If the research goes as well as expected, it could lead to an overall reduction in residential energy use by 30 to 50 percent throughout Florida.