Spring Cleaning for Your Solar Panels
The sun is returning to California… finally. If you want to make sure your solar panels are ready for summer, schedule a cleaning with us or do it yourself. Watch this instructional video to see how it works—it’s easier than it looks! We recommend cleaning your solar panels every one to two years. If your system is due for a scrub (and you want us to take care of it for you), contact us today. Schedule a Cleaning 3 Energy-Saving Tips for Homes & Small Businesses With your solar panels working at peak production levels, the next step to saving money on power is to make your home [...]
Battery Backups, Generators, or Both? Here’s How to Decide
Power outages used to come without warning and wouldn’t last more than a day, but now they’ve become a regular part of Bay Area life. Natural disasters, brownouts, and planned power outages mean we need to be ready to keep our homes running with a backup power source. Battery backups and generators are the two main backup power sources on the market right now. Let us walk you through the benefits of each one. Comparing Battery Backups and Generators Battery Backups Can store grid or solar panel energy Runs on electricity produced by solar energy Can schedule usage Good for [...]
How the New CA Solar Policies Affect Your Savings
On December 15, 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously voted to approve a new Net Billing tariff (NBT), the latest policy for Net Energy Metering (NEM) for solar. If you are or plan on being a California solar owner, you need to understand how the NEM 2.0 and NBT policies affect you. The Purpose of Net Energy Metering Net Energy Metering was introduced to reduce costs for energy companies and to maximize the energy produced by solar owners. A solar array will generate energy during sunlight hours. An owner wouldn’t need that energy until getting home from work, [...]
How Does Winter Weather Affect My Solar?
Fall is in full swing, and our days are getting shorter—even in sunny California. That means your solar panels are likely generating less energy. And that’s perfectly normal! Why? Instead of our typically bright 15-hour summer days, we’re barely seeing nine hours a day in the winter. Plus, many of those daylight hours are dampened by overcast skies and rain. Less sunlight means less solar power. (That’s the basics of solar power production, of course.) The good news is, because your panels are generating so much energy during the summer hours, your true-up bill at the end of the year will [...]
Pointing Your Solar in the Right Direction
There are many factors to take into account when planning out the placement of your solar panels—and at Synergy Power, we consider every factor under the sun. That’s why we often arrange your solar panels in a south-facing direction. Why south? We live in the northern hemisphere. That means the sun’s peak is always slightly south of center. And although west-facing panels get more intense sunlight in the afternoon, south-facing panels generate electricity all day long—even at the height of summer. In fact, studies show that south-facing panels produce about 20% more power than those that face directly east or west. However, depending [...]
Customizing Your Solar
Your energy needs are unique. So when it comes to getting solar for your home, it’s important to get exactly what you need—and nothing you don’t. That’s why at Synergy Power, we always create custom design proposals instead of a small, medium, or large generalized proposal that may not suit your family's needs. Whether you’re powering a small home in the hills or a bustling business in the city, we want to ensure we build a system that is correctly sized for you. And when your needs change, we can adjust for that too. Plus, when creating your custom proposal, we use cutting-edge solar design [...]
Summer Weather Brings Peak Solar Production
The seasons are changing—and in California, that usually means warmer, drier, and sunnier days. But as the sun goes down on winter weather, it’s time to remember what this means for your solar system and how to keep producing energy efficiently. How does the change in weather affect solar power production? It’s simple: Solar performs best from spring to fall. Like it says in the name, solar panels convert solar radiation (sunlight) into electrical energy. Therefore, when there are more hours of sunlight, the panels will generate more energy. Dirt, dust, and other seasonal debris obscure your panels. Just like on the windows of your [...]
Get the Facts on Your True-Up Bill
DON'T BE LEFT IN THE DARK If you’re invested in home solar energy, you know that one of the best perks is not having to deal with a monthly power bill. And while going solar is easy, understanding your annual true-up bill can be intimidating. The true-up bill is an annual statement from PG&E showing how much grid power you used over the past 12 months—and how much power you put back into the grid. Depending on the difference, you may have to pay PG&E a reduced rate for the times you used their electricity… or, if you’ve sent excess power to them, they’ll [...]
The Pros and Cons of DIY Solar in 2022
“I can do it myself.” It’s a phrase repeated since childhood; a mantra for independent thinkers and DIYers. But is it the right mindset when it comes to installing a solar energy system? There are advantages and drawbacks to going solo for a solar installation. Make sure you’ve got the big picture before you decide for yourself. The Draw of DIY Every professional construction project comes with considerable added labor costs. DIY enthusiasts seeking to keep those costs in check often learn trade skills through online tutorials or experienced friends and family. Instead of putting up funds, they invest “sweat [...]
Pros And Cons of Going Off the Grid
As electricity costs rise higher and higher, the idea of completely cutting ties with your electric company may sound more and more attractive. Going solar is a big step toward greater savings on your utilities, but for some, going off the grid is the ultimate goal. If you’re a home or business owner who’s made the switch to solar, is going off the grid the right choice for you? Freedom from electric bills and being totally autonomous when it comes to energy needs are worthy goals, but there are factors you may want to consider before making an informed decision. [...]
The sun is returning to California… finally. If you want to make sure your solar panels are ready for summer, schedule a cleaning with us or do it yourself. Watch this instructional video to see [...]
Power outages used to come without warning and wouldn’t last more than a day, but now they’ve become a regular part of Bay Area life. Natural disasters, brownouts, and planned [...]
On December 15, 2022, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously voted to approve a new Net Billing tariff (NBT), the latest policy for Net Energy Metering (NEM) for solar. [...]
Fall is in full swing, and our days are getting shorter—even in sunny California. That means your solar panels are likely generating less energy. And that’s perfectly normal! Why? Instead [...]
There are many factors to take into account when planning out the placement of your solar panels—and at Synergy Power, we consider every factor under the sun. That’s why we often [...]
Your energy needs are unique. So when it comes to getting solar for your home, it’s important to get exactly what you need—and nothing you don’t. That’s why at Synergy Power, [...]
The seasons are changing—and in California, that usually means warmer, drier, and sunnier days. But as the sun goes down on winter weather, it’s time to remember what this means for your [...]
DON'T BE LEFT IN THE DARK If you’re invested in home solar energy, you know that one of the best perks is not having to deal with a monthly power [...]
“I can do it myself.” It’s a phrase repeated since childhood; a mantra for independent thinkers and DIYers. But is it the right mindset when it comes to installing a [...]
As electricity costs rise higher and higher, the idea of completely cutting ties with your electric company may sound more and more attractive. Going solar is a big step toward [...]
