Posts by Scott Gordon

Leveraging Solar and Marin Clean Energy Who wouldn’t want to sell something at 37 and buy it back at 5?  Answer:  Everyone, regardless of whether we’re referring to dollars to cents. Here in Marin County, residents can do just that with a Solar System, Net Metering, and Marin Clean Energy.  The towns participating in the…

Is going solar NOT right for you? While is there is a plethora of information available today both on and off the internet to help customers decide if a decision to install home solar will be right for them, there is little information about what to do if you’re looking to reduce your electric bill…

Looking for some ways to save energy this summer? Here are some tips to help you keep control of your electric bill whether you already have solar or are considering installing solar on your home. Be cool about air conditioning – Set your air conditioner to 78 degrees or higher. Changing your A/C thermostat from…

San Bernardino Solar Moratorium What you need to know… On July 24, 2013 the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted to extend a moratorium new solar development for an additional ten months to give the county time to develop its overall solar development policy. If you live in San Bernardino County and are wondering…

Are Home Solar Panels right for me? How do you know if you’re a good candidate for home solar panels? Here is a list of things to look for if you’re evaluating solar for your home: Do you have a south facing roof? While east and west solar roofs are ok, nothing beats a good…

How to Determine Home Solar Potential – by Matt McPherson – 7-17-2013 There are many factors that determine if a home has good solar potential or not. As an energy consultant for HelioPower Solar in Thousand Palms, CA part of my job is to look at the different variables that create this potential and determine…

I never doubted my decision to go solar back in 2006. It’s hard to argue with being cash flow positive from day one, but there are some times when the wisdom of generating my own electricity really hits home. Now is such a time. SDGE has announced large rate hikes for many of its customers effective September…

Everyone we interact with in the public sphere likes to let us know that the cost of solar will continue to decline over time. While this trend has held steady for the last several years, the ultimate answer is a bit more complicated than that. Consider that solar panel prices can’t realistically fall much further from here. Consider also that copper (used quite extensively in…

Most customers already get this one, but for those that don’t, please read on. The low bid installer that is proposing to pack the front of your roof with silver frames, white backsheet, and black rounded cell solar panels configured in an assorted array of portrait and landscape blocks is doing you and your neighbors…

The truth about solar system costs Homeowners often assume that a large portion of their solar system costs come from the solar panels. But this assumption is a bit anachronistic. As little as four years ago, solar panels made up more than 50% of the cost of a turnkey solar array. Today (2013), panels make up less than…

It’s tempting to accept the premise that something has become a commodity and by extension to believe that there is little difference between one commoditized item and another. What are some examples of commoditized home improvements you might ask? Let’s use windows as an example. You might be tempted to rationalize that because Company A and Company…

Not everyone is a candidate for solar panels… And they may not be for you. Why? You may live in a condominium complex or other type of attached home and the HOA owns the roof and won’t let you install solar on it. You may be a renter. You may have an electric bill under $100 per month. You may live…

It’s true. Unfortunately some solar companies sell only a couple of system sizes, yet these systems (often on the smallish side of things) will eliminate 100% of everyone’s electric bill 100% of the time. And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. Here’s the thing, if a solar company has told you a 2KW system will…