The technology and techniques for mounting solar panels on roofs has been around for a surprisingly long time (as early as 1884). Thanks to that history and the improvement of techniques over time, rack-mounted solar panels present the lowest financial barrier to homeowners considering solar. There are, however, many thingsRead More

The integrated solar roof has long been a solar technology goal — combining solar power with a watertight roof covering — but the category (often seen as just “solar shingles”) is perceived as too expensive or too experimental compared to the cost of separately installing solar and a traditional roof usingRead More

This is a continuation of installment III in our Countdown to 2020 series, “Would you like solar with that?”. Will more solar being installed during new construction or roof replacement hasten the shift to solar shingles or other building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) innovations? Tesla’s solar shingles are still mostly a myth,Read More

Solar installers face jobsite annoyances every day. Awkward roof space. Plastic baggies of tiny components. Missed rafters. And so on. Death by a thousand racking cuts. Luckily, for all of these situations, there is a mounting solution out there to make your life easier. The 2020 Solar Mounting Buyer’s GuideRead More

At the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) this week, CertainTeed, a leading North American manufacturer of building materials, will be showcasing its solar product line right alongside its exterior offerings, promoting its ability to comply with California’s updated Title 24 solar mandate, which takes effect in 2020. Title 24 standardsRead More

For our 2019 Module Buyer’s Guide (included in the Jan/Feb issue of Solar Builder magazine) we rounded up profiles on the newest modules on the market and also surveyed solar module manufacturers on the trends they are seeing and some of the new technology to watch. The seven insights areRead More

Solar-covered patios are a niche product worth exploring as part of your solar business. The first step in pursuing these projects is knowing they aren’t for everyone. Many solar customers are interested in cost per watt, so pitching an addition that comes in around $7 per watt will stop conversations.Read More

Even from a young age, Kate Collardson was dedicated to saving the planet. “When people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said I wanted to be a naturalist,” Collardson said. “To me, that meant someone who cares about the environment and works toRead More

Allied Solar Products, a Beacon Roofing Supply company and one of the nation’s largest distributors of photovoltaic panels, inverters, mounting hardware and solar accessories—has partnered with CertainTeed to expand the distribution of its Solstice Solar System. Dave Jenkins, national vice president of solar for Allied Solar Products, noted his parentRead More

Your Solar Builder editor entered the whirlwind of news, numbers and handshaking that is Solar Power International and emerged with a notepad filled with gibberish. What language is this? What secrets does it hold? We sent it to a forensics lab, the archaeological department at Oxford and the guy withRead More