Why You Should Oversize Your Solar Array

Posted by Danny London on 8/1/2020 to Solar Tech Tips

Oversizing a PV array can be a valuable tool for system designers seeking to deliver the maximum amount of energy at the lowest possible specific cost.  For a seven step succinct rundown on this subject, click the "More" button below.

oversizing a PV array diagram

Is Your Smartphone Depriving You of A Good Night's Sleep?

Posted by Danny London on 6/2/2019 to What I Learned Today #WILT
Is Your Smartphone Depriving You of A Good Night's Sleep?
In a recent study on Smartphone Usage, Felex Richter of Statista, found that millions of Americans have turned their smartphone into their favorite bedside companion, depriving themselves of a peaceful, restful night's sleep.

Why The Cost of Shipping Solar Panels Has Increased

Posted by Danny London on 4/24/2019 to Solar News
As a Master Shopaholic of everything solar, I have become increasingly frustrated at my inability to come up with good shipping deals for my customers. Trusted freight brokers who formerly offered a wide selection of price points for a particular shipment, now offer a very limited range of price points from fewer companies. 

U.S. Trade Relations: What Americans Think

Posted by Danny London on 7/23/2018 to What I Learned Today #WILT
President Donald Trump has imposed a 25 percent tariff on $34 billion of Chinese goods, which prompted Beijing to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports. The tit-for-tat tariff frenzy is likely to escalate even further after Trump threatened to add more tariffs to $200 billion of Chinese imports including fish sticks, fruit, vegetables and coal. The Chinese government have threatened to take "firm and forceful measures" if Trump follows through on his threat.

Huge Increase in Nevada Solar Applications After Reinstatement of Net Metering

Posted by Danny London on 5/15/2018 to Solar News
If there was ever any question about the importance of Net Metering to the adoption of roof-top solar, Nevada's experience with the issue lays the question to rest.

The rooftop residential and commercial solar industry in Nevada is booming following reinstatement of net metering in 2017. The state's major utility, NV Energy, noted a very large increase in solar roof-top applications.

SolarMax Spring Specials Solar Panels

Posted by Danny London on 5/14/2018 to Solar News
SolarMax Spring Specials Solar Panels

Spring has Sprung, The Grass is Riz, SolarMaxStore is where the Specials Is!

New Rechargable Water-Based Battery Prototype Stores Solar and Wind Energy

Posted by Danny London on 5/3/2018 to Solar News
Stanford University researchers have developed a prototype water-based battery they believe can one day store solar and wind energy on an industrial-grade level to feed into electric grids.

Nevada Rebuffs Buffet's NV Energy - Reinstates Net Metering

Posted by Danny London on 2/19/2018 to Solar News

Nevada Rebuffs Buffett's NV Energy - Reinstates Net Metering  

Nevda Gov Sandoval has signed a "Solar Bill of Rights" that reinstates net metering for residential and commercial solar system owners. New law is a rejection of Warren Buffet's NV Energy sponsored legislation that ended net metering in 2015

Impact of Trump's Solar Tariff

Posted by Danny London on 2/12/2018 to Solar News
Impact of Trump's Solar Tariff

Impact of Trump's Solar Tariff

On January 22, President Trump approved tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. Although expected, it was disappointing nevertheless for most of the U.S. solar industry.

Solar and Wind Provide Most New Power Capacity in 2016

Posted by Danny London on 4/14/2017 to Solar News

Solar and Wind Provided Most New Electric Power Capacity in 2016

Solar and Wind, the two power-houses of renewable energy, were the leading source of new electricity in 2016 delivering 55% of new capacity world-wide.

Sundrop Farms
Last year, solar in Chile set a record low global price for unsubsidized
electricity by any technology. CREDIT: ACERA

FarmBot… Your Solar Powered Backyard Gardener

Posted by Danny London on 4/10/2017 to Solar News

FarmBot… Your Solar Powered Backyard Gardener

FarmBot Genesis is humanity's first open-source CNC farming machine designed for at-home automated food production
Meet FarmBot

Solar Powered ‘Sewer To Brewer’ Machine Turns Urine Into Beer

Posted by Danny London on 4/3/2017 to Solar News
A team of researchers at Belgium’s Ghent University have invented a solar-powered machine that turns urine into drinkable water, which is then being used to make beer. 

Futuristic Solar Panel Farm Produces 37,000 lbs of Food Per Year

Posted by Danny London on 4/1/2017 to Solar News

World's First Farm Using Solar Power and Seawater Opens in Australia

Sundrop Farms, a tomato production facility that is the first agricultural system of its kind in the world, celebrated its grand opening in Port Augusta, South Australia, last October.

Sundrop Farms

Recycled Old Solar Panels $15 Billion Business by 2050

Posted by Danny London on 3/3/2017 to Solar News

In a new study released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), recycling of old solar panels world-wide could exceed $15 Billion by 2050 if the estimated stock of 78 million tons of raw materials are injected back into the economy. The recovered raw materials could potentially be used to produce 2 billion new panels.

Las Vegas Now Running On 100% Renewable Engery

Posted by Danny London on 1/15/2017 to Solar News
Las Vegas Now Running On 100% Renewable Engery
The city of flashing lights is now the largest in America to run on 100% green energy. Las Vegas, Nevada is now running all its city utilities on 100 percent renewable energy. It took a ten-year plan, and threats to leave the grid, but the goal to be running the city without oil has now been realized.





U.S. First Solar PV Panels Cheaper Than China Made

Posted by Danny London on 9/15/2016 to Solar News

U.S. First Solar PV Panels Cheaper Than China Made Panels

September 15, 2016
Danny London

First Solar, Inc., a U.S. Solar Panel Manufacturer, is now making solar panels for less than Trina Solar, Ltd, China’s biggest producer, according to Chris Martin of Bloomberg News. The company which has been very successful in the utility-scale segment has more than justified the $3 billion in loan guarantees from the U.S. Government.


Solar Power Tree Offers More Energy In Less Space

Posted by Danny London on 9/9/2016 to Solar News
Solar Power Tree Offers More Energy In Less Space

Indian scientists at the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute in Dirgapur, India, have come up with a unique solution to the amount of space that a solar system requires - A Solar Tree that can actually compete with more traditional methods of solar installations!

Flower Power

Posted by Danny London on 7/18/2016 to Solar News

“Flower Power” Increases Solar Cell Efficiency by 12 Percent

A team of scientists at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany are giving new meaning to the 1960’s Hippie mantra “Flower Power.”   According to an article in Solar Daily, a KIT team of scientists “…reproduced the epidermal cells of rose petals that have particularly good antireflection properties and integrated the transparent replicas into an organic solar cell,” which has resulted in a 12% efficiency gain.