The fact is, solar energy systems are very reliable. So reliable that not much is said about what can go wrong. Well, nothing can go wrong…can it? Granted solar panels have no moving parts so there is little that can go wrong. There are no gears to be broken or belts to be torn. Nonetheless, they are not infallible. On the other hand, if your system stops working to its full potential, there is no need to look up emergency numbers in the phone book or to start spreading profanities and lamentations all over the neighborhood. There are a few problems that can arise and subsequently a few ways to troubleshoot them. …continue reading Troubleshooting Your Solar System

There are plenty of ways to save water around the house. Greywater systems are among the best, while simpler techniques include low-flow toilets and showerheads. But what about solar? Energy from the sun proves more useful, in more ways, everyday. Yet can solar help you save water? Solar hot water systems certainly make a sizable dent in water and electricity bills and solar electric systems can power your entire home! But when asked how solar could save water I balked…wondering what? how? Then just as I was in the midst of a good head-scratch, it hit me…

Gaining even a portion of independence from the conventional, fossil-fueled electrical grid has major ramifications for water. More water than I ever fathomed is used just to power a light bulb, let alone an entire home. A few quick facts: …continue reading Can Solar Help You Save Water?

The solar industry is growing fast and provided soon-to-expire rebates are extended, will grow even faster in the foreseeable future. And this rapid advance, naturally, precipitates rapid job growth. In the United States alone, for 2006, over 500,000 people worked directly or indirectly for the solar industry. On a global scale, the number grows to well over 2 million. And it keeps growing.

Aside from helping to solve our current energy crisis, the solar energy industry is a bright spot in our otherwise slow-moving economy. Green collar jobs, or blue collar jobs in the green sector, are blooming everywhere, and solar is playing its part well. Speaking before the House of Representatives, Jamie Resor, CFO of groSolar, used his own company as an example of the industry’s speedy ascent. “In less than two years we have grown from approximately 25 employees to 100 employees.” These jobs include everyone from engineers to construction workers.

Resor also pointed out that many of these new recruits are drawn from across industry lines. Indeed, solar is expected to create nearly 40,000 new jobs and over $8 billion in investment dollars in 2009 alone. This is especially important in lieu of the ever-decreasing job opportunities in the fossil fuel industries. In addition, green collar jobs are typically high-quality jobs that pay well and would be a boon to a struggling middle class. …continue reading Solar Industry Offers High-Quality, Green Collar Jobs