If your solar panels require repair, replacement, or if you just prefer a comprehensive cleaning, contact Gurr Brothers Energy. Their solar experts can fix any system issues, and they offer professional cleanings with surface-safe cleaning products.

Now that you know your roof will not only be unharmed by solar panels, but that they can actually make your roof last longer, the decision to go solar has never been easier. 

If you still have concerns about the installation process or other potential benefits, give Gurr Brothers Energy a call today for all the info you need on rooftop solar panels!

Whether you are considering going solar, or are a new system owner with concerns about energy production during cloudy conditions, remember that there are surplus mechanisms in place to ensure that you are energy secure through periods of low productivity. 

During sunny days, your panels will likely produce excess energy. If your panel system is connected to a grid — as most residential solar panel systems are — you can benefit from net metering, which credits surplus energy to the power grid for later use when your panels are less productive. This comes in handy during periods of bad weather, or if your panels require repair. 

Another option to offset cloudy weather is battery storage. Solar battery technology is improving exponentially, and many solar users prefer to go completely off grid. Lithium-ion batteries are the most common batteries for residential systems. Rather than sending surplus energy back to the grid, it can be stored for use when your panels are not producing energy.

Silicon, the foundational material of photovoltaic panels, could be replaced by organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells and halide perovskites. Scientists are hopeful in these materials for their efficiency and low cost.  

Some benefits of OPV and Halide Perovskites include: 

• Low manufacturing cost and material abundance 
• Wide range of applications / flexibility 
• Lightweight and easy to install

With the average business owner’s monthly power bill coming in at just under $2,000 per month, commercial solar panels have been shown to reduce that by 75 percent. It is important to remember that solar is a long-term investment. It may take a little time to offset initial costs, but the pros of converting your business to solar are worth it. Some of the immediate benefits include, but are not limited to:  

• Tax Credits: You can get some money back at the end of the tax year thanks to the extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC).  
• Energy Independence: You are no longer at the mercy of the power company, and with billing mechanisms like net metering, they may end up owing you energy! 
• Reduces Overhead: Installing commercial solar panels can substantially reduce regular maintenance and operating costs.

Increases Value: Commercial buildings that are already equipped with solar panels are in high demand.

The 30 percent rate will run until 2033, so there is plenty of time to take advantage of the incentive. In 2034 it will drop to 26 percent and phase out by 2035. There is, however, potential for another extension, which is likely as this policy has been wildly successful at creating new jobs and expanding the solar industry.

The power company sending you actual money is a common misconception about net metering. As nice as it may sound, there is unfortunately no monetary exchange for excess energy. However, the more surplus energy sent to the power grid from your net-metered system, the more your meter runs backwards and accumulates credited energy. This will more often than not result in your net energy usage being less than what is produced and sent back to the grid, and therefore, bye bye energy bill. 

Another misconception about net metering is that it is federally regulated. While NEM is federally mandated, there are state-level variations in regulations. Some states require customers to haggle with utility companies while other states are actively developing alternative strategies that favor utility companies.   

Additionally, many homeowners with solar systems are under the impression that net metering is the only form of surplus solar solatium, but several states — Hawaii, New York, and Louisiana to name a few — have other renewable remuneration solutions that do not involve NEM at all.

While several factors have influenced a decline in overall solar installations — most notably supply chain issues related to the pandemic, unemployment rates, and an era of international inflation — the increase in residential installations is invigorating and statistically signifies a people’s enthusiasm for renewables. Newly-passed legislation is also set to support the renewable energy industry going into the first quarter of 2023, and the future of solar is looking bright!