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Solar Panel Tariffs Have Not Shaken The Industry As Predicted

By mtvSolar | January 2, 2019 | Category mtvSolar

Despite the president’s goal to level the playing field between US and international solar panel manufacturing, the solar energy industry is not feeling the effects nearly as harshly as initially predicted. Foreign manufacturers often undercut American prices for competing products to break into emerging markets, exactly as foreign solar manufacturers have done with solar. With… Continue Reading Solar Panel Tariffs Have Not Shaken The Industry As Predicted

The Benefits of Powering Your Farm With the Sun

By mtvSolar | November 7, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Sustainable farming has been growing in popularity for many years now, and solar powered farming is the next major step. Solar on the farm has great potential to reduce or eliminate electricity bills, directly adding to the bottom line. In other cases, an off-grid solar installation can provide power where it’s not feasible to run… Continue Reading The Benefits of Powering Your Farm With the Sun

How To Calculate Off-Grid/Backup Needs

By mtvSolar | October 25, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Those of you who’ve realized the energy savings involved in using solar technology may be wondering how you can use your system to keep the lights on when the power goes out, or to go completely off-grid. To accomplish this, you will need to store solar energy in a battery. How do you determine the… Continue Reading How To Calculate Off-Grid/Backup Needs

Solar Installation Best Practices: Contractor Qualifications

By mtvSolar | October 16, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Choosing a contractor to install your solar panels is an important decision. Done right, solar is a fantastic energy source that will save you money for decades and provide a more sustainable future for the planet. A poor installation, however, could cause more problems than it is worth. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the trade… Continue Reading Solar Installation Best Practices: Contractor Qualifications

The Future of Solar: Technologies and Thriving Above Politics

By mtvSolar | October 5, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

If you haven’t paid attention to what’s happening in the solar industry, you’re missing out on substantial growth that’s on its own fast-paced path. Despite political tug-of-wars over using eco-friendly energy sources, solar technology continues to thrive above the political fray. Recent statistics show the growth of solar panels has continued on a steady growth… Continue Reading The Future of Solar: Technologies and Thriving Above Politics

Electricity Rate Hikes Planned in Appalachia – How You Can Fight Back and Save Money with Solar

By mtvSolar | September 20, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

If you live in certain parts of West Virginia, chances are that your electricity rates may be about to increase. In a recent application to the state Public Service Commission, the Appalachian Power Company requested a revenue increase of $114.6 million. While the commission has 300 days to consider the request, should it receive approval,… Continue Reading Electricity Rate Hikes Planned in Appalachia – How You Can Fight Back and Save Money with Solar

Solar + Efficient Heat Pump = A Faster ROI

By mtvSolar | September 12, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Clean energy and efficiency is trending. Homes and businesses alike are opting for Energy Star appliances and green energy generation such as solar. The reason changes person to person and company to company. Some have a deep concern for the environment. Others like the idea of self-sustainability. Everyone, though, likes the idea of saving. And… Continue Reading Solar + Efficient Heat Pump = A Faster ROI

A Hurricane in West Virginia? How to Prepare For An East Coast Hurricane

By mtvSolar | September 10, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Most people don’t associate a hurricane with West Virginia and surrounding areas. While states like Florida are more prone to hurricanes, the Mid-Atlantic region is no stranger to the heavy rains and high winds associated with tropical storms. One of the many destructive patterns from such storms is the loss of electricity. Ironically, it is… Continue Reading A Hurricane in West Virginia? How to Prepare For An East Coast Hurricane

The Commercial One-Two No-Lights-Out Punch: Solar with Natural Gas Generator

By mtvSolar | August 29, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Many businesses already have natural gas connections for heating or backup generators. Not only are whole cities piped-in at once, it has also been a popular alternative source of energy for over a century. Natural gas is great for providing heat and powering a local electric generator, however another major advantage is that it doesn’t… Continue Reading The Commercial One-Two No-Lights-Out Punch: Solar with Natural Gas Generator

The Electrical Challenge of Mass EV Adoption: Three Major Issues to Consider

By mtvSolar | August 22, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

The electric car market continues to grow, despite taking a long road in evolving to a time when we’ll all be driving them. That time may soon be upon us, and it’s good news on an environmental level. However, it doesn’t mean it won’t pose some big challenges in how they’ll be charged. As we’ve… Continue Reading The Electrical Challenge of Mass EV Adoption: Three Major Issues to Consider

Do Solar Panels Work in Winter?

By mtvSolar | August 15, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

As the days have started to grow noticeably shorter, thoughts of the coming winter creep into mind. In the mid-Atlantic area, winter can be a dreary time of year. It gets dark earlier, and temperatures get frigid. Many people wonder what effect this has on solar production. Do solar panels even work in the winter?… Continue Reading Do Solar Panels Work in Winter?

What Is PEARL Home Solar Certification And Why You Should Have One

By mtvSolar | July 31, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

There is no way around it, maintaining a home is a massive undertaking. It takes patience, hard work, and considerable planning. However, if certain aspects of home upkeep are handled routinely, significant advantages can be seen at the time of sale. This can include everything from getting regular maintenance, such as power washing or repainting,… Continue Reading What Is PEARL Home Solar Certification And Why You Should Have One

Benefits of Solar Power for Rural, Suburban, and Urban Homes

By mtvSolar | July 18, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

With the help of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and continuing advances in solar power technology, the price of installing solar has decreased by 70% since 2010, according to SEIA data. This is one of the main reasons why solar power has become a viable power alternative for residential homes. Over the last decade,… Continue Reading Benefits of Solar Power for Rural, Suburban, and Urban Homes

Can Solar Panels Be Recycled?

By mtvSolar | July 12, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Solar panels are seen as a green innovation. They cost a fair bit up front, but last for a very long time. Most manufacturers offer a 25-year warranty, and state that panels should still be above 80 percent of their rated power output after 25 years. However, there is solid evidence that many panels will… Continue Reading Can Solar Panels Be Recycled?

Alternative Energy Storage Technologies

By mtvSolar | July 5, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

“We have a technological problem; it demands a technological solution.” So wrote Donald R. Sadoway, a materials chemistry professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and co-founder of the battery company Ambri, Inc., in a letter to the editor of The New York Times this past February. The topic of Dr. Sadoway’s letter was the “intermittency”… Continue Reading Alternative Energy Storage Technologies

The Anatomy of a Solar Panel

By mtvSolar | June 28, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Most people know what a solar panel is, and they know that it appears as a flat, generally dark bluish unit with a glass surface. However, a large percentage of people do not understand how these panels are made, be it the complex factories needed to create them or the relatively simple inputs that become… Continue Reading The Anatomy of a Solar Panel

Saving Business Energy Costs by Generating Your Own Power

By mtvSolar | June 26, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Have you ever found yourself lamenting your energy bill? If you operated a large organization like a business or school, you are well aware that this comes with an equally large cost for power. Facilities large enough to house all your employees, clients, and functions require many cubic feet worth of illumination and climate control, not to… Continue Reading Saving Business Energy Costs by Generating Your Own Power

Battery Storage: How it Works and the Different Types

By mtvSolar | June 19, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

As more people choose to add solar panels to their home or office locations, the issue of storage is coming up more often. After all, if a storm knocks out the grid power, but the sun continues to shine, clients want to know if their solar energy can be stored and used later in an… Continue Reading Battery Storage: How it Works and the Different Types

3kW Array Donated To The Laurel Center in Winchester, Virginia

By mtvSolar | June 18, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

This 3kW array in Winchester, VA consists of 10 SolarWorld 300w modules tied to SolarEdge optimizers and inverter. mtvSolar donated this system as part of our community giveback program. The donation was covered in this segment on LocalDVM.

Why We Recommend SolarEdge Inverters

By mtvSolar | June 14, 2018 | Category mtvSolar

Established in 2006, SolarEdge developed the DC optimized inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge intelligent inverter solution maximizes power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system, for improved ROI. Mountain View Solar recommends SolarEdge based systems for the reasons… Continue Reading Why We Recommend SolarEdge Inverters

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