We commonly hear insults hurled at the solar industry, as if solar panels were some kind of pariah sucking the blood out of the poorly financed and vulnerable fossil fuel industry. We do not need to worry about this. Fossil fuels are going to be around for a long time, especially because of cheap natural gas. What we don't get is why in some corners solar is portrayed as the bane of capitalism and the idealistic dream of environmentalists. Solar now represents a miniscule component of our energy generation in the U.S. A healthy economy is one that is not solely reliant on fossil fuels. In this learning article, we respond to the most common arguments against solar energy.

Solar energy accounts for not even one-quarter of one percent of total energy consumption in the US. By comparison, oil and natural gas each account for 30% of American energy consumption. As a new source of energy, solar energy needs the support of federal policy in order for its share in total energy consumption to grow. That is the only way that Americans are going to adopt solar energy and diversify our energy sources. At the moment, however, there are very few economic incentives in place to do so, and no federal policy on renewable energy. In this learning article, we outline five options that are available for creating a national renewable energy policy that would effectively push solar energy to become an important player in American energy supply. These incentives have been proven to work, as there are several countries, such as Germany, with successful solar energy markets that were created thanks to positive federal policies incorporating one or more of these economic incentives.

In our last learning article on homeowners' associations (HOAs) and home solar panels, we reviewed the restrictions that HOAs may place on their residents to install solar panels. In this article, we assume that you have a problem with your HOA and you are looking for a solution to resolve the problem. We explore some approaches that you may want to consider to solve problems with your HOA. If a HOA rejects the installation of a solar system or imposes restrictions that significantly increase the cost of the installation or decrease the efficiency of the installation, a homeowner may negotiate with the association, determine whether state law prevents an association from restricting a solar installation, or seek a court decision.

Homeowners who want to place solar energy systems on their homes face certain challenges. One of these can be persuading their local homeowner association  for the right to install a solar energy system. This article seeks to establish how HOAs may block solar installations. When dealing with the installation of a solar energy system, a homeowner should pay particular attention to the covenants in the CC&R, also called "restrictive covenants," which consist of the promise made by one property owner to limit the use of his or her property so as to benefit others. Restrictive covenants have a termination date, and can be found in an owner's deed, a neighbor's deeds, or in a declaration of covenants agreed upon by the association.  Every CC&R is unique, meaning that some associations make it more difficult than others to install solar systems. In this article, we highlight some common obstacles to installing a solar power system in a planned community.

You just laid out a hefty chunk of change for solar panels for your home. You feel like your new solar energy system is a great deal. Not only has your solar installer told you so, but also you have done your own payback calculations. You receive your solar energy rebates and tax credits but after a year, your job requires you to move to another state and you are not going to take your solar panels with you. Now you want to know whether the solar energy system you installed on your home has added any value to your home. While some argue that solar panels are a tough sell to prospective home buyers, others say solar panels are almost irresistible considering the fragile state of the current economy and the inevitable energy bill savings associated with solar energy. Though houses of course vary by size and location, these studies suggest that solar panels increase the value of your home. SolarTown decided to conduct a study to probe whether solar energy systems add to the sales price of homes.

We introduced you to the general policy underlying net metering in our article about net metering basics. As we suggested in that article, if the homeowner is producing more electricity than he or she is consuming, then the critical question is at what rate should the utility compensate the homeowner for the excess electricity. Not surprisingly, the utility wants to pay the homeowner the lowest amount and the homeowner wants the highest amount. Therein lies the rub for net metering policy options. In this article, we give you a preview of the major policy options available to states and the federal government.

You probably never heard of net metering until you were about ready to install your solar energy system. This article is meant as a primer for those who are considering installing a home solar panel system and who want to know what all this net metering business is all about. Net metering is a system whereby customers who generate their own electricity are able to interconnect with the central grid and monitor their net electricity consumption via one or multiple meters.

When it comes to do-it-yourself projects, a solar energy system is fun, challenging, and rewarding. Among the benefits of a do-it-yourself solar installation are the satisfaction of reducing your carbon footprint, the challenge of laying out your system, and the savings on hiring a contractor. There are, however, a few things to be mindful of while you plan your DIY project. Without a solid understanding of energy incentives, you may be passing up the opportunity for free money. This article may help you be more prepared for your big DIY solar energy project. Knowledge of incentive programs and how they work is a crucial tool in helping you reach your goal of solar power, as cost-effectiveness is definitely the deciding factor when debating a solar installation.

As the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to threaten wildlife and the economy, solar energy has been stepping up to the plate as more and more people begin to see the significance behind renewable energy. More people are buying solar energy products in order to advocate alternative energy, not everyone wants solar energy in their backyards. Across the nation, homeowners' associations (HOA) have been fighting residents' attempts to put up solar panels. When you purchase your home in many neighborhoods, you sign conditions, covenants and restrictions (CC&Rs) that limit how you may use your property. These HOA rules are now the subject of debate and lawsuits across the country.

Distributed solar energy systems are small scale photovoltaic installations that are built near their point of use. In light of recent national dialogue regarding climate change and energy independence, there has been a push for utility companies to incorporate these small scale projects into their energy portfolios. Whether these companies decide to adopt distributed solar is largely contingent on its economic fitness compared to traditional energy sources, including coal, natural gas, and nuclear power. While the solar industry faces challenges, this study found that distributed solar energy systems are cost competitive in states with high retail energy prices and high solar radiation rate.

The greatest challenge to the solar movement is the inability of homeowners and businesses to obtain financing for the often-hefty down payment on equipment and installation of their solar energy systems. In an effort to encourage the adoption of renewable energy and jumpstart the solar industry, federal, state and many municipal governments as well as some utility companies are offering cash or other economic incentives to subsidize the cost of solar system installations. This learning piece offers a general overview of the many types of incentives offered across the country.