Listen to episode 1 of Direct Current – An Energy.gov Podcast, then subscribe on iTunes or wherever you download podcasts! EVER CONSIDERED GETTING SOLAR PANELS FOR YOUR HOME? IF SO, YOU’RE NOT ALONE. Rooftop solar is growing at an incredible rate, as more and more Americans look to save on their energy bills using clean, free power from sunshine. Sounds great, right? Problem is, bureaucratic red tape and added costs can make going solar a lot more expensive and time-consuming than it needs to be. We explain why — and what the Energy […]
Low-carbon power depends on climate-unfriendly metals By John Matson on October 1, 2013 Because electricity and heat account for 41 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, curbing climate change will require satisfying much of that demand with renewables rather than fossil fuels. But solar and wind come with their own up-front carbon costs. Photovoltaics require much more aluminum—for panel frames and other uses—than other technologies do, according to a 2011 study at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Alloys for wind turbines demand lots of nickel. Those metals are carbon culprits because they are […]
Updated Oct 24, 2019; Posted Oct 24, 2019 Jeff Goldman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com A solar panel company with a history of aggressive and misleading door-to-door sales tactics has agreed to pay a $122,00 penalty and change its ways, authorities said. Utah-based Vivint Solar Developer said it will train employees not try to trick customers by promising savings it couldn’t deliver and agreed that it will go to arbitration to resolve future disputes, the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) announced Tuesday. Consumer affairs received complaints from homeowners in New […]
Highlights Global installed PV reached around 400 GW at the end of 2017 and is expected to rise further to 4500 GW by 2050.• The worldwide solar PV waste is estimated to reach around 78 million tonnes by 2050.• The current status of the EOL PV panels are systemically reviewed and discussed.• Policy formation involving manufacturer’s liability to inspire recycling of waste solar panels.• R&D needs acceleration allowing researchers to resolve issues in PV module recycling. Abstract End-of-life (EOL) solar panels may become a source of hazardous waste although there are enormous benefits […]
A closer look at solar panels opens a wide array of questions that need answers. Monday, November 18, 2019 Photo by Andreas Gücklhorn on Unsplash Bill Wirtz A Popular Choice Solar panels have been heralded as the alternative to fossil fuels for decades. Most readers have likely seen exciting headlines claiming we could power the world’s energy demands multiple times were we simply to cover the Sahara Desert with a solar farm the size of China. The fact that such endeavors would be unsustainable due to their size and the […]
By Susan Salisbury Posted Jul 28, 2017 at 12:01 AM Updated Jul 28, 2017 at 12:44 PM Complaints about solar energy sales and used car leasing are among the new consumer problems to watch, a report released Thursday by the Consumer Federation of America and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators found. “Solar energy is good for the environment and for consumers’ pocketbooks, but there are starting to be complaints concerning misleading sales practices, confusing contracts and shoddy installation,” said Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy at CFA. “Consumers should check out the company and make sure they understand the terms of […]
Benji Jones Nov 9, 2020, 8:46 AM Powerhome Solar, a fast-growing solar company in the US, has been accused in lawsuits of misleading customers into buying solar-energy systems. The company has exhibited a pattern of inflating the benefits of its products, interviews with a dozen current and former employees, a review of legal records, and internal documents suggest. A Powerhome representative said in a statement that the company would never allow its employees to engage in misleading sales practices. Do you have information about Powerhome Solar? Reach out to this reporter at bjones@businessinsider.com or through […]
Following Monday’s incident in Woburn, National Grid has been ordered to halt all work, except for emergency and compliance work, across the company’s entire service territory By Alysha Palumbo, Marc Fortier, Michael Rosenfield and Perry Russom • Published October 8, 2018 • Updated on October 9, 2018 at 12:01 am What to Know 300 gas meters in Woburn, Massachusetts were shut off following an overpressurization issue on Monday. No evacuations were ordered and officials said there was no cause for concern. National Grid officials said the incident was “completely unrelated” to last month’s gas overpressurization issues in […]
Robert Anglen The owners of a Phoenix solar company admitted bilking customers on the sale of energy systems that they promised would reduce utility bills and protect them from steep electricity rate increases. Going Green representatives targeted senior citizens in violation of the federal do-not-call list and told them their energy costs would rise from %24200 to %241%2C500 over the next 20 years without an energy system. Going Green is the second solar company in the past month to settle fraud claims with the attorney general’s office. Both cases are […]
Alyssa Hardbower October 10, 2020 Solar This article was originally published August 10, 2018 and has since been updated for 2020 & 2021. The North Carolina solar industry is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. Since the Duke solar rebate was launched in 2018, we’ve seen many unfamiliar faces join us in the NC solar market. Whether these solar installers are from out of state or are newly formed, a new dynamic has been introduced to our area’s solar industry. As an established local North Carolina solar installer, we’ve been witnessing […]