It’s been a few weeks since power outages devastated Texas, but a lot of questions remain. Here’s why it happened — and how to prevent it from reoccurring. After a devastating polar vortex sent temperatures in Texas plummeting, the state’s energy grid was severely overwhelmed by the mass amount of heating demand. Despite producing more…
Solar has taken off in America, with more homeowners and tenants benefiting from clean energy and utility bill savings than ever before. But landlords and property owners have taken a more tentative approach to the market, given the extra effort and investment required to put panels on the rooftop and the lack of readily apparent…
As solar panels continue their rapid rise as an energy supplier, there are bound to be questions about their faults and drawbacks, both perceived and real. In the last twenty years, solar panels have quickly become one of the most efficient, inexpensive, and most accessible ways for everyday people to lower their carbon footprints and…
Since the turn of the 20th century, a succession of outspoken voices has warned of an imminent crisis referred to as “peak oil”. The idea is that once we’ve reached the apex of available oil reserves, oil production can only plateau or decrease, causing energy prices to skyrocket and limiting the development of modern society.…
When families choose solar–whether it’s rooftop panels or community solar–they’re making a decision that will have a long-term effect on their pocketbooks and the environment. But just how long will these solar panels last? The Life Expectancy of Solar Panels Unlike cars, solar panels are still highly productive after 30 years with little-to-no-maintenance! Because we’ve…
Since the advent of solar energy, one factor in particular has fueled criticism and prevented even the most enthusiastic would-be solar customers from “going solar”: the upfront cost. Despite the fact that panels ultimately pay for themselves through electric bill savings, high initial costs have historically meant that only a few could afford to install panels…
As we’ve highlighted in the past, there is plenty of misinformation out there that blurs the truth about solar energy. While it’s broadly considered one of the cleanest sources of electricity available, rumors about toxicity and local environmental contamination have caused many Americans to wonder just how solar panels are made. You don’t have to…
While environmentalism isn’t explicitly codified into Solstice’s five company values, it is a guiding light for our team and the work we do. And over the last few years, thousands of conversations have taught us that environmental stewardship is a value that we share with our customers. We’ve faced tough questions in our conversations with…
New Yorkers have been hit hard by shady energy companies known as ESCOs. We spend a lot of our time on the phone with people from around the state, raising awareness about local community solar gardens–and based on that experience, we can tell you two things: 1. If you’ve been burned by an ESCO, you’re…
Community solar is one of the newest and most innovative avenues for everyday people to support renewable energy. Solar gardens provide significant savings on electricity costs to the households and small businesses that subscribe to them, even as they generate revenue for the towns where they’re located. It can sound too good to be true:…