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Solar Blog

The most comprehensive solar energy blog - providing solar energy and energy storage articles and videos for businesses and homeowners.

Sara Wolf

Sara is a content writer for Paradise Energy Solutions.

Recent Posts

Solar for Homeowners | 3 min read

The 5 Best Solar Panels For Your Home or Business

If you're trying to find the right solar panels for your new solar panel system, you’ve come to the right place. "What solar panels do you

Solar Financing | 4 min read

Unveiling the Power of Tigo Energy: A Comprehensive Product Overview

Tigo Energy, a leading manufacturer of module-level power electronics for solar systems, has been revolutionizing the industry since 2007.

Solar Financing | 6 min read

How Much Does it Cost to Install Solar Panels in Maryland?

Each solar panel system is uniquely designed to suit its location and the needs of its owner. With that customization comes price

Solar Financing | 3 min read

SEG Solar Review: Are They Worth It?

SEG Solar (known outside of America as Seraphim), has been a global manufacturer of solar panels since 2011. And with over 14 GW of their

Solar Financing | 7 min read

Shedding Light on Home Solar Batteries

Installing solar batteries for your home is a great way to get a little extra out of your home’s solar panel system. It will help keep your

Solar Financing | 5 min read

The Ultimate Guide to the USDA REAP Grant for Solar

What if you could go solar for just 10% of the installation cost?Sounds a little too good to be true. But for certain farms and rural

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Tesla Powerwall vs. SolarEdge Home Battery: Energy Storage Showdown

Tesla Powerwall and the SolarEdge Home Battery (previously known as SolarEdge Energy Bank) are two of the most popular solar batteries for

Solar for Homeowners | 2 min read

Unleashing the Power of AXITEC Solar Panels: Our Comprehensive Review!

AXITEC has been one of Europe’s largest sellers of solar panels for years. They’ve also gained a significant foothold in the American

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Is SolarInsure Worth It?

Installing a solar energy system is a big investment. And as with any investment, you want to do whatever you can to manage risks. From

Solar for Homeowners | 2 min read

Top Solar Energy Tech to Watch in 2023

New equipment and inventions aren’t as common in today’s solar industry as they were five to ten years ago. But there are still plenty of

Solar Equipment | 3 min read

Smart Electrical Panels Overview

Reliable energy backup systems offer peace of mind and protection against power outages. And as battery technology improves, many people

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

5 Common Solar Panel Maintenance Issues

Our 21st-century lives are full of household and business devices and appliances that need cleaning and maintenance. Frankly, we’ve got our

Solar Financing | 3 min read

How Commercial Solar Panel Depreciation Works

Depreciation on solar panels is one of the easiest ways businesses and farms looking to go solar can keep installation costs down, ROIs

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Q Cells vs. Tesla: Which Solar Panel is Best for you?

Q Cells and Tesla Solar are among the leading solar panel manufacturers. But which brand is right for your solar panel installation? In

Solar for Businesses | 5 min read

A NonProfit's Guide to Solar Energy

What do faith-based organizations, charter schools, health care facilities, public schools, affordable housing, and other non-profit

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

Payback and ROI of Solar Energy for Homeowners

Investing in a solar energy system can have powerful financial benefits for your family, putting you in control of a rising expense.

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Your Ultimate Guide to American-Made Solar Panels

As of June 2022, the United States' total installed solar capacity reached 130.9 GWdc — enough electricity to power 23 million homes.

Solar Basics | 3 min read

How Does a Solar Panel Produce Energy?

Solar panels take energy from the sun and turn it into electricity. But how can something so small and regular-looking turn something as

Miscellaneous | 2 min read

Biden Announces Two Year Tariff Exemption For Solar Panels

On June 5, 2022, President Biden announced a 24-month tariff exemption for solar panels produced in Southeast Asia. This calmed the growing

Solar Financing | 5 min read

How Much do Solar Panels Cost in Virginia?

Virginia’s electricity rates are the sixth highest in the nation. That means you could be paying more for electricity than 86% of the

Solar for Homeowners | 3 min read

Net Billing vs. Net Metering For Solar Overproduction

Net metering and net billing for solar energy are essential terms to know and understand. They are the methods used to compensate you for

Miscellaneous | 3 min read

How the New Solar Tariff Could Impact Your Solar System

The U.S. Department of Commerce is investigating claims that solar panel manufacturers in Southeast Asia are circumventing tariffs enacted

Solar for Homeowners | 3 min read

Are Solar Shingles a Good Solution for Rooftop Solar Production?

Over the last decade, there has been significant hype around the idea of solar roofs or solar shingles. The primary benefits are their

Solar for Businesses | 6 min read

4 Green Investments That Can Save Your Business Money Now

Reduce overhead, increase profit. That’s one of the key tenets of many successful businesses. However, as you probably can attest,

Solar for Homeowners | 3 min read

How Solar Owners Can Make Money Selling SRECs in Virgina

Virginia and two of its largest electric service providers are getting serious about green. And if you’re a solar owner in the state, this

Miscellaneous | 3 min read

The Best Solar Installation Companies in Delmarva

If you’re looking for the best solar installers near you, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we list the top solar companies

Solar for Farmers | 6 min read

A Farmer’s Guide to Solar Energy | Paradise Energy Solutions

If you own or run a farm, you’re no stranger to the plethora of inevitable expenses it takes to keep things running. And depending on your

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Need Your Solar Panels Cleaned? Here’s What You Need to Know

Anything that stands between your solar panels and sunlight will impact your system’s production.

Solar for Businesses | 3 min read

Can You Have Solar Panels on a Flat Roof?

Yes, you can install solar panels on buildings with flat roofs. A solar panel roof design does not just work; it provides a long list of

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Does Solar Increase Your Property Taxes?

Property taxes can be a significant added cost to owning property, and no one is looking to pay more taxes.

Solar Equipment | 5 min read

What Are Bifacial Solar Panels

If you’ve ever driven past a building with solar panels lining the roof, chances are, they were single-sided or monofacial solar panels.

Solar for Businesses | 6 min read

Payback and ROI of Solar Energy for Farms & Businesses

Installing solar panels requires an upfront investment. The return on that investment and the length of the payback period are often big

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

The Best Alternatives to the Tesla Powerwall

The Tesla Powerwall is one of the most popular solar batteries on the market. And rightfully so. Backed by a big-name brand, this battery

Solar for Businesses | 4 min read

How does Solar Energy Meter Aggregation Work?

Nestled at the base of the Catoctin Mountains just outside of Frederick, MD sits Woodvale Farms—a 150-acre equestrian facility.

Solar for Businesses | 3 min read

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost for a Business?

As electricity costs rise, businesses must find strategies to control this expense. That’s where solar comes in. With a solar energy

Solar for Businesses | 3 min read

Can You Install Solar Panels on a Metal Roof?

In short, yes, you can install solar panels on a metal roof. There are secure installation options for both standing seam metal roofs and

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

How Does a Grid-Tied Solar System Work?

A solar energy system can transform energy from the sun into electricity. With the proper setup, the electricity your solar panels generate

Miscellaneous | 2 min read

Paradise Energy Among Top Solar Contractors in the US

Solar Power World, the leader in news and information for the solar industry, releases an annual list of the country’s top solar

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

SolarEdge vs. Enphase: Which solar inverter brand is better?

Solar panels turn sunlight into free electricity, earning them all the glory in a solar energy system. But without inverters, that

Solar for Homeowners | 3 min read

Solar Inverter Clipping: What it is and when it could be a good thing

Inverters are the brains of a solar energy system. They’re charged with the critical task of converting the DC electricity produced by the

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Axitec vs. SunPower: Which solar panel brand is better?

Ensuring you have the right type of solar panels is an essential step in the solar investment process. However, sorting through and

Solar Financing | 6 min read

The Cost of Installing Solar Panels in New York State

There’s no one-size-fits-all solar system, which makes nailing down the average cost of solar in New York a little tricky. Every solar

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

SolarEdge vs SMA: Which Solar Inverter is Best for You?

Inverters are an essential component of a solar energy system. They convert the DC electricity generated by your solar panels into AC

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

How Does Shade and Bad Weather Impact Solar Panels?

Solar energy takes light from the sun and turns it into free electricity. But shade from nearby trees, roofs, or buildings can dramatically

Solar for Farmers | 6 min read

The Pros and Cons of Solar Energy for Farmers

What if you could get rid of one of your farm’s biggest monthly expenses? What if you could do this without significantly changing your

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Does My Property Get Enough Sun for Solar Panels?

Northern Ohio is one of the cloudiest areas in the country. In any given year, locals can expect thick clouds or rain 55% of the days.

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

What’s the Cost of a Ground Mount Solar Panel System?

Ground-mounted solar systems are free-standing structures that support solar panels. Because they can be installed wherever conditions are

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Guide to Solar Carports

If you’re looking for covered parking ideas and you’re interested in cutting one of your biggest monthly expenses, a solar carport could be

Solar for Homeowners | 8 min read

What is Net Metering for Solar?

Net metering is a method used by many utility companies to compensate you for the overproduction of electricity (kWh) generated in a given

Solar Equipment | 5 min read

Ballast Mounted Solar Systems: Installation & Roof Requirements

Most of the solar energy systems we see in our community are installed on pitched roofs or as a ground mount, but what about flat roofs?

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

LG Solar Panels vs Q CELLS: Which Panels Are Best For You?

When you’re looking to install a solar energy system, an important step is comparing solar panel brands to find the one that is best for

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Are Solar Batteries Worth It?

There’s no way around it -- a solar energy system requires a significant upfront investment, though it can save you a substantial amount of

Solar for Homeowners | 3 min read

Rapid Shutdown For Solar Energy: What It Is & Why You Need It

The National Electric Code (NEC) sets the standard for electrical wiring and equipment. Solar energy systems fall under the NEC and there

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Axitec vs Q Cells: Which Solar Panels Are Better?

From how much energy your solar system produces to how much you pay, the solar panel brand you choose can have a big impact on your

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Which Solar Panels Are Better?: Axitec vs LG Solar

LG Solar Update - since publishing this blog, LG has stopped manufacturing solar panels. Check out the video below to learn how this is

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

5 Myths About Solar Energy

There’s a lot of misleading information on the internet, and no topic is safe, including renewable energy.

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Can Solar Panels Cause Fires?

It’s extremely rare for solar panel systems to cause fires. However, before installing solar panels on your property you should fully

Solar Financing | 4 min read

Solar Financing for Businesses: Everything You Need To Know

A solar energy system can be an extremely valuable asset for small, medium, and large businesses alike. Not only can solar power

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

5 Things to Know Before You Install a Ground-Mounted Solar System

Are you thinking about installing a solar energy system?

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Is Solar Energy a Good Investment for You? Here's 5 ways to know

We think solar is pretty great. In addition to generating emission-free electricity fueled by the most abundant energy source on Earth (the

Solar Equipment | 5 min read

What Type of Electric Meters Are Used With Solar Panels?

There’s more to a solar energy system than just solar panels. They’re the star of the show, producing emission- and cost-free electricity

Solar for Homeowners | 9 min read

What Solar Panel Incentives Are Available in Your State?

A solar system will produce free electricity for your home, business, or farm for decades. In just a few years, your solar system can pay

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

How to Choose the Best Solar Panels

A lot bit hinges on the type of solar panels you choose to install. High-quality panels from a reputable manufacturer can last decades and

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

What Are the Most Efficient Solar Panels?

If you’re looking for the best solar panels, efficiency can be a good metric to consider. In this blog, we’ll explain what exactly solar

Solar for Businesses | 6 min read

Pros and cons of solar energy for your business

To put it simply, solar can be a fantastic, eco-friendly investment for many businesses, but it isn’t for everyone. Deciding whether or not

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

National vs Local Solar Installers: Who's Better?

When you’re looking for a solar installer, you’re going to want a company that provides great service, does quality work, and offers a fair

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Can a House Run on Solar Power Alone

Whether for economic reasons, ecological reasons, or both, getting 100% of your electricity from your own renewable energy source can be

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Why Are Some Solar Installers Less Expensive Than Others

You’re thinking about installing a solar system. As a savvy consumer, you do your due diligence, research reputable solar installers in

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

What are the top risks of solar energy?

All investments have some level of risk and a potential reward. Any savvy investor needs to have a thorough understanding of both before

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

5 Hidden Costs to Going Solar That You Should Be Aware Of

Solar energy can be a great financial investment for many. System owners can quickly take control of an ongoing expense and save hundreds

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

What’s the Lifespan of a Solar Battery?

Whether it’s to keep critical loads running during a power outage or to strategically offset demand charges for a less expensive electric

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Avoid These 3 Costly Mistakes When Selecting Solar Panels

Solar panels can make up about 30% of your solar system’s cost. As a significant portion of your solar investment, it’s important to

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Is My Roof Strong Enough for Solar Panels?

Installing a solar system on your roof is a great way to take advantage of underused space. While roofs provide the obvious benefits of

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

4 Steps to Ensure Your Home Is Ready for a Power Outage

You heard the alerts all day. Severe weather is predicted in your area for this evening. You keep an eye on the dark clouds as they creep

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

Solar Energy Vs Wind Power: Which is Better?

Coffee vs. water. Renting vs. owning. Hitting snooze vs. Getting up on time.

Solar for Homeowners | 7 min read

Benefits of Investing in Solar Before Retirement

To start, Paradise Energy Solutionsis not a financial institution. While we are knowledgeable of the financial benefits of investing in

Solar for Homeowners | 9 min read

How to Calculate Solar Production

Choosing to switch the power to your home or business to solar can be an exciting time. One of the most important things you’ll see when

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

What Kind of Solar Inverter Do I Need?

Inverters are an essential component of a solar system. These complex bits of technology are what turn the raw DC power generated by your

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Can I Install Solar in the Fall or Winter?

When most people think of solar energy, they picture their panels churning out kilowatt-hour after kilowatt-hour under the summer sun on a

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

How to Prepare for a Solar Installation at Your Home

Installing a solar energy system at your home is an easy way to stop paying for electricity and start having a positive impact on the

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost for a 1,000 Square Foot House

One of the first questions anyone has when they’re considering installing solar panels is how much they’ll cost. But solar is not a

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Can I Sell Solar Power to Generate Income?

It’s absolutely true that solar energy can be a great financial investment. But it isn’t because of the money you make, it’s because of the

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

DIY Solar - Can I Install Solar Panels Myself?

Whether it’s to save money, flex our weekend warrior skills, or savor the sweet accomplishment of building something with our own hands,

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

How to Keep a Grid-Tied Solar Energy System Working When the Power Goes Out

All it takes to generate electricity is a properly functioning solar system and some sunshine - so many would think that they would still

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Will Solar Panels Be Cheaper in the Future?

While the technology that transforms sunlight into electricity has been around for decades, it wasn’t until the 2000s that solar power

Solar Equipment | 5 min read

How Green is Solar Energy?

A healthy bit of skepticism is important these days. From outrageous news stories with sketchy origins to grandiose claims made by

Solar for Homeowners | 7 min read

Is Solar Right for Your Home?

Who couldn’t benefit from one less bill to pay? Especially one as substantial as your monthly electricity bill.

Solar Equipment | 3 min read

Can Solar Panels be Recycled?

Solar ownership is a long-term investment. Many manufacturers guarantee their solar panels up to 25 or even 30 years. And it’s very likely

Solar Equipment | 3 min read

Tier 1 vs Tier 2 Solar Panels

If you’re investing in solar panels, you want to pick a product that is built to last for 30+ years. You want reliable panels that you

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

How Much Can You Back-Up with Solar Energy Battery Storage?

It’s a snowy Saturday afternoon. You’ve caught up on all your household duties and errands. It’s finally time to sit down on your couch in

Solar Equipment | 4 min read

Will Solar Panels Work During a Power Outage?

What does solar energy mean to you? Saving the environment? Saving money? Or maybe it’s independence from the electric utility. Solar

Solar for Homeowners | 7 min read

How Does The Federal Solar Tax Credit Work?

For years, the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) has been a valuable incentive for individuals and businesses interested in investing in

Miscellaneous | 4 min read

How Solar Panels are Attached to Your Roof

Roofs have an important job. They keep warmth in and keep everything else out. However, they can’t do much else - and unless you have a

Solar Equipment | 3 min read

Batteries & Generators: Can They Work Together With Solar?

No one likes to be unprepared. Whether it’s severe storms, downed trees, or even a car accident, power outages are unpredictable, and they

Solar Equipment | 5 min read

LG Solar Panels vs. SunPower Solar Panels

Update: Unfortunately, LG has decided to stop manufacturing solar panels. Watch the video below for a recap of what this means for the

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

6 Reasons Why Solar is a Safe Investment

The great thing about investing is that we’re using our money to make us more money. The worst part about investing is that it doesn’t

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

The Difference Between Off-Grid and On-Grid Solar Energy

Off-grid vs. grid-tied solar. Ground mount vs. roof mount. Polycrystalline panels vs monocrystalline.

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

How Much Electricity Does A Solar Panel Produce?

Solar power is a great way to offset your energy bills. But just how much electricity do solar panels produce, and how many panels will you

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

How Reliable is Solar Energy?

Apple, Amazon, Target, Walmart - what do these tech revolutionaries and retail giants have in common? They run on solar energy. As the top

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

The Cost and Frequency of Solar Maintenance

Do solar panels or PV solar systems need maintenance, and if so, how often and how much will it cost? If you’re considering installing a

Solar for Homeowners | 6 min read

4 Ways to Tell If Solar Is Right for You

Solar energy isn’t for everyone.

Solar Equipment | 4 min read

Solar EV Chargers: Power Your Car with Sunshine

13,476 miles. That’s how much the average American drives each year, according to the US Department of Transportation. To put that in

Solar Equipment | 5 min read

How to Size Batteries for a Solar System

Grid-tied solar doesn’t work when the electricity goes out. While it is frustrating, having a grid-tied system gives you many other benefits

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

How Safe Are Your Solar Panels in Severe Weather?

On September 11, 2018, a hurricane with 1-minute-long gusts of wind at speeds of 150 mph raged off the coast of North Carolina. As the

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Third-Party Energy Suppliers: Do I Need One?

Many states in the country allow you to sign up for a third-party energy supplier. While these companies introduce competition into the

News | 10 min read

Top 10 Counties in Maryland for Solar

In May of 2019, Maryland passed the Clean Energy Jobs Act, mandating that 50% of the state’s electricity be produced by renewable energy

Solar Basics | 3 min read

How Does Weather Affect Solar Panels?

Each hour, 430 quintillion Joules of energy from the sun find their way to Earth. That’s more energy than the entire planet uses in one

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

Should I Expand My Solar System?

Sunshine Inc. installs a solar system that meets 100% of their electricity needs. They’re thrilled with the initial tax savings, and

Solar Equipment | 4 min read

Do Solar Panels Need to be Cleaned?

Pollen, dust, sea salt, or pollution - if it’s in the air, it’ll eventually end up on your panels. And as a solar owner, you know that what

Solar for Farmers | 4 min read

Solar’s Impact on Your Farm’s Land and Animals

The Parrys own and operate an 80-acre poultry farm in Hartly, DE. Like so many farmers, they were facing high electricity bills that ate up

Solar Basics | 5 min read

How Long Do Solar Panels Last?

There are plenty of things that get better with age - like cheeses, cast iron skillets, high-quality leather, and 401Ks. However, this

Solar for Businesses | 6 min read

Should My Business Go Solar

Maybe you’ve noticed a lot of businesses in your area covering their roofs with solar panels or heard how so many fortune 500 companies are

News | 5 min read

What Is New York’s VDER Value Stack?

Sunlight strikes your solar panels, science does its magic, and power is instantaneously generated in the form of kWh. Your business, farm,

News | 3 min read

What You Need to Know About NEC 2017’s New Solar Code

If you’re looking to install solar panels, you may have heard some buzz around the changing National Electric Code and its impacts on PV

Solar Equipment | 4 min read

The Best Batteries for Solar Power Storage

Whether you’re looking for a way to keep the lights on when the grid goes down or you want to help offset demand charges, continued

Solar for Businesses | 3 min read

Demand Charges with Solar Energy: How They Work and What You Can Do

If you have a solar system or are thinking about installing a solar system, it’s important to understand what your electric bill will look

Solar for Homeowners | 3 min read

Designing an Attractive-Looking Solar System

So you’ve done the research on renewable energies and are considering installing solar. The ROI and low electricity bills sound great, but

Solar Basics | 3 min read

How to Take Care of Snow on Your Solar Panels

Snow. Some of us love it and some of us hate it, but if you live in the Mid-Atlantic States, it’s often an inescapable part of the winter

Solar Equipment | 4 min read

Can You Add Batteries to Your Existing Solar System?

For years, batteries have been a way to store excess power for solar systems. But until recently, they only made sense for a few, mostly

Solar for Homeowners | 4 min read

How to Lower Your Electric Bill This Winter

Less daylight, cooler weather, more time indoors. When winter comes around, it seems like there are countless reasons to draw on extra

Solar for Homeowners | 5 min read

Leasing vs. Buying Solar Panels: What’s Better?

You want solar panels. Whether to go green, save green, or a combination of both, solar panels offer homeowners the opportunity to make a