Solar panels are attached to the roof in a fairly straightforward manner, although there are some careful considerations that must be addressed to ensure safety and durability. In essence, the panels are simply bolted to the rafters in your roof system. Typically, the actual panels sit in a rack-mount system, which attaches to the roof via bolted-down brackets. (more…)

What are carbon offsets and renewable energy credits, and how are they distinguished from each other? More importantly, how are they beneficial to you?

Carbon offsets are defined as balancing your carbon dioxide emissions with a product that saves, stores, or produces in equivalent amounts to CO2. In other words, they offset your carbon footprint with something beneficial.

Renewable energy credits are defined as the “environmental and economic value of electricity produced from clean, renewable, emission-free energy resources that are safe for our environment and will never be depleted.” To summarize the difference between the two, “RECs are primarily concerned with promoting the generation of clean energy, while carbon offsets are primarily concerned with preventing the emissions that enter the atmosphere.” (more…)

Lately we’ve been discussing the different ways you can use solar power in your home. From the kitchen to the bathroom to the bedroom, we’ve explored how harnessing solar energy is not just about panels and wires. Now, let’s move out of the more private or practical areas of the home and into the living room. That room where we spend time with family and friends, where we spend our hard-earned leisure time, where you’ll find the heart of any home.
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