Today’s solar systems require a more robust communication architecture to manage significantly more data points and in-field software updates, and this need was the driving force behind APsystems’s newest microinverter, the QS1, which is now shipping in the U.S. Despite being the most powerful microinverter you’ll find on the market,Read More

The solar division of Horne Brothers Construction is hitting its stride in today’s hot market. Based in Fayetteville, N.C., the division has expanded from around 30 employees to over 400 in just three years. The highly specialized company handles everything from driving piles and installing racking and modules to landRead More

The latest advancements in solar + storage systems have been a departure from the history in this category — mainly, doomsday preppers and hippies getting off the grid, man. No, the solutions of tomorrow are grid-tied but built to reduce a home’s dependency on the grid, using time of useRead More

Installing a protective barrier or skirt with a rooftop solar system should no longer be considered an add-on or upgrade but rather an integral part of the design. The argument why is self-explanatory once you play out the scenario. So, let’s play it out. A protective barrier provides pest protection.Read More

The solar industry had a so-so year because of the tariffs, but the Solar Builder offices are busier than ever. From calling out local jurisdictions on lax solar policies to understanding the current bifacial module market, this collection of features, live coverage, podcasts and downloadable reports sums up the year that wasRead More

While the federal government still somehow can’t see the economic argument for pursuing a robust renewable energy strategy, for-profit corporations are procuring it in droves, setting a new single-year record for new capacity of announced wind and solar deals in 2018. According to the deal tracker at the Business RenewablesRead More

Jan. 1, 2019, is almost upon us, which means the National Electric Code (NEC) 2017 is almost in effect. Not all jurisdictions will be up to speed (hell, some aren’t even up on NEC 2014 yet), but around 24 states will require compliance immediately. We asked a variety of manufacturersRead More

As we enter the holiday season, the retail industry is facing challenging times. Business Insider reported that electronics, grocery stores, department stores and drug stores are among the sectors threatened by online retailers such as Amazon. Businesses that were considered “too big to fail” such as Toys ‘R’ Us andRead More

The promise of lower utility bills is a key motivator for most prospective solar customers, but time of use (TOU) rates — which charge different electricity prices depending on the time of day — add complexity to finding the best deal for the customer. Luckily, there are several strategies solarRead More

Resilience is a hot topic in solar industry conversations these days because of how it and other distributed energy strategies can protect critical infrastructure from natural disasters. Resilience can be hard to quantify, but solar industry leaders and regulators should extend the valuation of energy resilience to man-made disasters too,Read More