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Solar water heaters are very old and proven technology, with roots in ancient times. Modern solar water heating collectors can capture about 85% of the available solar energy in a given area. That’s far above the ~20% harnessed by commercially available solar electric panels. A question often asked is whether someone should buy a solar water heater or a solar electric system, but the answer is not always obvious. One of the solar water heaters we sell has a rating of 12.5kWh/day. This rating is based on a particular climate and rating category (relative water temperatures). What this rating tells us is that the collector isRead More →

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I received a question from a potential customer today about power production guarantees for Photovoltaic (PV) Systems. I realized that I hadn’t covered that issue on my blog, so I thought I would copy the question and response here (revised for clarity). Question: Is there a guarantee on the percentage  power output of the proposed photovoltaic system? Answer: The Canadian Solar CS6P-250P modules themselves have a power production warranty that states basically that they will put out a minimum of 97% of rated power at test conditions during the first year and degrade no more than 0.7% per year thereafter through a total of 25 years. ThisRead More →

Solar Pool Heating Panels last a long time!

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Professionally installed Solar Pool Heating panels are an investment, and most people want to know how long Solar Pool Heating panels last. That’s a great question! Most major manufacturers provide a 10-12 year collector (panel) warranty that covers manufacturer defects. That shows you how confident the manufacturers are in the quality and longevity of a typical solar pool heating panel. Considering that over 100 million gallons of water can pass through a typical solar pool heating system in its lifetime, it truly is amazing how well solar panels stand up to the rigors of pressure, chemicals, sunlight, wind, and all of the other elements thatRead More →

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SunPower Corp. announced a groundbreaking warranty today at Solar Power International. SunPower’s Maxeon cell photovoltaic modules will now have a full 25 year power output AND product warranty, an industry first. Highlights of the warranty: Material defects & workmanship warranty increases from 10 years to 25 years. Power output will be at least 95% of the minimum peak power rating for the first 5 years, and decline by no more that 0.4% per year for the following 20 years. Limited warranty covers transportation costs (both ways), removal costs, and reinstallation costs. The new warranty is backdated to July 1, 2012 for customers who recently hadRead More →

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The most complex financial analyses that solar dealers need to perform are for grid-interactive solar electric systems. The number of variables makes an accurate and reliable analysis difficult to provide to potential customers (investors). However, there are plenty of models out there to give us an idea of the realistic investment returns a system owner can expect. Some are simplistic, while others are tremendously sophisticated. The key is to ensure that the inputs are realistic and accurate. The first kind of analysis, the one that most people ask for, is the payback. Many people, myself included, are critical of this metric, primarily because it isRead More →

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Commercial flat roofs in Southwest Florida come in many forms. Asphaltic/bituminous roofs are the most popular, with rolled roofing seen most commonly. TPO and EPDM membranes are becoming more popular. Using the right attachment method is key to a successful leak-free solar energy system. One product that is great for flat roofs comes from  EcoFasten Solar. In this flat rolled roof solar installation we used EcoFasten base plates with a through-bolt attachment method to achieve extraordinary wind uplift capability. After drilling holes for threaded rods we placed a healthy dollop of sealant between the base plate and existing roof material. Custom patches were cut fromRead More →

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After years of seemingly nothing but tile roofs being installed in Southwest Florida, metal roofs are getting popular again. The longevity, durability, and energy efficiency of metal roofs are great selling points, and they look great, coming in many profiles and colors. The metal roof is known for protecting roofs against leaks, and minimizing penetrations is very important for roof warranties and customer peace of mind. There is an aluminum clamp called an S-5! that attaches solar panels to the standing seam of metal roofs without penetrating the metal. The strength of these clamps is amazing. Test results on many roof profiles indicate that theyRead More →

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My employer has installed lots of Canadian Solar photovoltaic modules, and now the company is improving its already great warranty. New solar panel buyers will get a 10 year workmanship warranty (up from 6) and a 25 year linear power guarantee. Many module manufacturers offer a 10 year 80% power output guarantee and 25 year 90% guarantee. Canadian Solar was on par with this standard, but the linear warranty guarantees that you will now have at least 97% of rated output after one year, with only 0.7% degradation each year after that. This is a great upgrade that more and more companies are offering asRead More →