Category: Solar Power
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Xcel Energy’s 5–9 PM Peak Rates: Why a Flat Rate Plan Makes Sense for Many Colorado Homes
Xcel Energy has recently shifted its peak electricity pricing window to 5–9 PM on weekdays, a change that’s catching many Colorado homeowners off guard. While time-of-use (TOU) plans were originally designed to reward customers who could shift energy use to off-peak hours, this new peak window makes that harder than ever—especially for working families. At…
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Massive Discounts on Energy Storage for Qualified Customers
Are you interested in getting discounts on your solar energy system and storage? XCEL’s Solar Rewards program is now offering significant discounts for Income qualified and disproportionately impacted communities program for both solar systems and energy storage systems. The Program: For batteries, Xcel will pay for $800 per kW of equipment installed, or up…
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Maximize Your Solar Energy with Xcel’s Renewable Battery Connect Program
Are you ready to contribute to a sustainable electric grid while earning significant incentives? Xcel’s new Renewable Battery Connect program offers an opportunity for homeowners and small businesses to contribute to a reliable power grid by installing batteries at a largely discounted price. With this program, Xcel will pay for $500 per kW of…
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XCEL’s Summer Time of Use Rates
Are you looking for ways to save on your electricity bill? The team at Golden Solar Electric is here to help you find more ways to save. All you need is an AMI meter, also referred to as a smart meter, which the majority of XCEL customers possess. One of the easiest ways to save…
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50% REAP Grants for Ag Producers and for Rural Businesses Make Solar Panels a Good Investment
Here is a link to a useful seminar from the University of Nebraska’s Center for Agricultural Profitability. It covers the economics of solar in rural areas especially where electrical coops are the electricity providers. It is worth watching if you own a farm or ranch where food is produced or have a business in a…
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Congress Has Extended the Solar Investment Tax Credit
Started back in 2005, the popular Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) would have dropped from 26 percent to 22 percent this year, and then eliminated altogether. But Congress has just agreed to extend it for four more years on residential installations, and permanently on commercial installations. Used to offset the cost of installing solar electric…
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Can solar panels be recycled?
In recent years, the solar industry has not been a major contributor to landfills because of the long life expectancy of solar panels. However, as solar continues to grow rapidly and systems reach the end of their useful life, recycling will become increasingly important in the coming decades. In the future as much as 96%…
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Resilient power systems and the cost of solar energy
Sometimes advanced solar plus energy storage systems do not appear to be cost-efficient under traditional cost-benefit calculations. However, if costs incurred from future power outages are considered, this balance can change very quickly. These costs could include the loss of essential services such as air conditioning and water pumps, medical equipment failure, liability incurred because…
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The Importance of Solar Panel Maintenance
One of the beauties of solar power is that, once installed, solar panels require little maintenance throughout their rated lifetime. The initial startup cost of installation can be a deterrent for many homeowners, but in reality, the monthly energy savings pay back the installation costs relatively quickly. With limited maintenance costs, solar panels really are…
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With limited funds, should you buy residential solar panels or an electric car?
Considering the cost of car ownership and depreciation and the ideal solar climate of Colorado, solar panels are likely to provide greater financial benefits. A small EV can lose about $7,500 a year in value, whereas the solar unit should last for 25 years or more, only losing a small amount of power each year.…