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Now that we are two months into 2014, we are taking some time to reflect on how 2013 was for the solar industry and what lessons can be learned from the biggest developments.  By almost all counts, it was a big year for solar power.

Across the nation, residential solar installation became more popular thanks to general education of the public about the advantages of the technology and available rebates that help make it more affordable. Additionally, utility companies made a big effort to get large-scale installations up and running (such as Ivanpah in Southern California’s desert).  All of this lead to a surge in solar panel installation and a number of record breaking quarters in 2013.

Looking Back on California’s Solar Growth

Of course, California continues to be one of the leading states for solar expansion.  Our state doubled its total generating capacity for rooftop solar, adding as much photovoltaic (PV) power in 2013 as it had in the 30 years prior. In total, we now have 2,000 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar.

When you consider utility-scale installations such as the California Valley Solar Ranch, the Golden State actually has a grand total of 4,000 MW of capacity. This makes California by far the state with the most solar, and accounts for a little under 40 percent of all U.S. PV and concentrated solar power.

Why Solar Energy is Rapidly Growing

Having established that the solar industry is growing at a rapid pace, it’s worth understanding why this happened and how we can continue expanding:

• Continuing public policy support: Solar power has enjoyed a very favorable public policy climate so far. The state government and power regulators have continued to fund programs and rebates that make this technology more affordable and accessible to families of all incomes. However, utility companies across the country have been pushing back against these efforts by trying to limit the value of net metering benefits. Regulators should resist calls from these corporations to cut back on rebate programs and continue to provide incentives for the adoption of clean energy technology.

• Declining panel costs: By far the biggest driver in the growth of California solar energy is the fact that module prices have fallen dramatically in the last several years. This trend continued well into 2013, when solar panels dropped in cost by over 9 percent. These decreases are the result of a number of factors, including the fact that solar panel manufacturers have made significant gains in streamlining the supply chain.

• Reducing soft costs: Many industry experts are concerned that panel prices can only come down so much before they “hit bottom,” which means that Los Angeles solar installers are going to need to look at reducing soft costs to continue the downward trend. Soft costs are those aspects of solar production that aren’t dictated by panel prices, such as installation, labor, administrative expenses, supply chain inefficiencies and permitting fees. It’s best for the solar industry to address these problems from both a public policy and innovation standpoint.

In order for Los Angeles and Orange County solar to remain competitive in the future, it is essential for the trends outlined above to continue. That way, the state, and the nation, can move closer to a more sustainable and energy-independent future.

This past Sunday, Bill Nye went on the NBC News show “Meet the Press” to discuss climate change with Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, a representative from Tennessee.

Of the popular TV show Bill Nye, The Science Guy, Nye is a respected scientist who has never shied away from controversial topics. During this segment, he makes some strong statements about climate change and what can be done to help reduce it.

While he sprinkles scientific facts throughout the 13 minute long segment, the true gems are Nye’s inspirational call-to-action at minute 11:20. He says, “The longest journey starts with but a single step. We all have to acknowledge that we have a problem…it would be in everybody’s best interest to get going, as they like to say, do everything all at once.”

Nye then lists out actions that we can take that will help us move away from climate change. These actions include having fewer coal-fired plants, producing less energy waste, requiring more efficient transportation systems, and making more reliable electricity transmission systems.

He continues with an important statement where he says “We want to do more with less.” As he begins to touch on solar energy production, he’s cut off by the debate mediator and the segment ends shortly thereafter.

Nye’s comments are a great reminder about why some of us got into the solar industry. Sure, a solar panel installation can save a homeowner or a business a great deal of money. There’s no denying that this is an important benefit of solar energy.

However, relying on the sun for your electricity is undeniably good for our entire planet. For us, one solar installation in Southern California means that we are one step closer to closing a dirty energy plant and helping to reduce climate change.

Watch the entire video of the Nye/Blackburn climate change debate on the NBC News “Meet the Press” website.

Tired of unpredictable utility bills? It often feels like you have no control over rising rates and fluctuating costs. But what if you could generate your own power and slash those expenses? That’s exactly what going solar lets you do. By using the sun for your electricity and water heating, you can seriously reduce your monthly bills and shrink your carbon footprint. Our solar infographic breaks down the different ways you can save. See your potential savings for yourself with our free solar calculator.

If you’re unclear why so many Southern Californians have made the switch to solar, check out our new solar infographic featuring the swashbuckling Three Solar-keteers!

The Science Behind Solar Power

It might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but the science behind solar power is actually pretty straightforward. At the core of every solar panel are photovoltaic (PV) cells, which are usually made from silicon. Think of sunlight as being made up of tiny energy particles called photons. When these photons hit the PV cells, they transfer their energy, knocking electrons loose from their atoms. This creates a flow of electrons, which is just a fancy way of saying it generates an electric current. This is the same electricity that you can then use to power everything in your home, from your lights to your laptop. It's a clean, direct conversion of sunlight into usable energy, happening right on your rooftop.

What's truly amazing is the sheer scale of the sun's power. The sun beams more energy onto the Earth in a single hour than the entire world uses in a full year. Tapping into even a tiny fraction of that abundant, free energy is what makes solar such a game-changer for homeowners. By installing a solar system, you're essentially setting up your own personal power plant that runs on a clean, limitless fuel source. This is how you can significantly reduce your reliance on the grid, lower your electricity bills, and gain more control over your energy supply. At AMECO, our entire approach is centered on helping you harness this incredible resource in a way that's tailored perfectly for your home and your family's needs.

How Solar Panels Power Your Home

A rooftop photovoltaic (PV) solar electric system allows you to run your home on sunlight rather than relying solely on power from the grid. By taking advantage of a net metering program, you can earn credits on your bills by selling power back to the grid. In addition, the federal government will cover up to 30 percent of the cost of your system through the Renewable Energy Tax Credit.

With AMECO Solar, you have the option to lease your solar panels or take out a loan for the installation costs. Both options will allow your family to switch to Los Angeles or Orange County solar power without having to make a large upfront investment. And you’ll still save thousands on your electricity bills over the life of the system!

From Sunlight to Usable Energy

It might seem like magic, but the science behind solar panels is surprisingly straightforward. Your panels are made up of photovoltaic cells, which are typically crafted from silicon. When sunlight hits these cells, it energizes the electrons within the material, causing them to move and create an electrical current. Think of it as the sun giving your roof a little nudge to get things flowing. This initial flow of power is known as Direct Current (DC) electricity. It’s the first crucial step in generating your own clean power, but it’s not quite ready to run your coffee maker or charge your phone just yet. That’s where the next piece of the puzzle comes in, converting this raw solar energy into a format your home can use.

The Role of the Inverter: DC to AC

The DC electricity your panels produce needs a translator before your home can use it. This is the job of an inverter, a vital component of every solar system. Your home’s appliances, lights, and outlets all run on Alternating Current (AC) electricity, which is the standard supplied by utility companies. The inverter’s sole function is to take the DC power from your solar panels and convert it into usable AC power. It works silently in the background, ensuring a seamless flow of energy to every part of your home. Our customized approach ensures we select the right inverter to match your system’s size and your family’s energy needs, maximizing efficiency.

What Happens When the Sun Isn't Shining?

This is one of the most common questions we hear, and it’s a great one. Solar panels are powered by light, so they don’t generate electricity in the dark. But that doesn’t mean your home goes dark, too. You have two excellent options for keeping the lights on after sunset or on very overcast days. The first option is to draw power from the traditional utility grid, just as you did before going solar. Thanks to programs like net metering, you can use credits you’ve earned from sending excess solar power to the grid during the day to offset the cost of any power you use at night. This ensures you’re still saving a significant amount on your energy bills.

The second, and increasingly popular, option for California homeowners is adding a solar battery. A battery stores the excess energy your panels produce during peak sunlight hours. Then, when the sun goes down or a power outage occurs, your home automatically switches to using the clean energy stored in your battery. This provides true energy independence and peace of mind, knowing your home is protected from blackouts while running on the power you generated yourself. Deciding between these options depends entirely on your goals, whether they are maximum savings, complete energy security, or a combination of both.

Using Stored Energy with Solar Batteries

A solar battery acts as your personal energy reservoir, giving you control over the power your panels produce. During the day, when your system is generating more electricity than your home is using, the surplus energy is used to charge the battery. Instead of sending that valuable power back to the grid, you save it for later. When evening comes, your home seamlessly begins drawing from the battery. This is especially critical during power outages, as a solar battery backup system can keep your essential appliances running without interruption. It’s the key to achieving energy independence and ensuring your family stays comfortable and secure, no matter what’s happening with the grid.

Drawing Power from the Grid

If you choose not to install a battery, your solar system will still work in perfect harmony with the local utility grid. When your panels aren’t producing power, like at night, your home will automatically draw electricity from the grid to keep things running. But here’s the best part: you’ll likely be paying very little for it. Through a program called net metering, you earn credits for all the excess solar power your system sends to the grid during the day. These credits are applied to your bill, offsetting the cost of any electricity you pull from the grid later. It’s a smart system that ensures you get the maximum financial benefit from your solar investment. You can see your potential savings with our solar estimate calculator.

How Solar Hot Water Systems Work

Solar water heaters are a great option for those who want to save even more money on your energy bills. By providing up to 80 percent of your hot water needs, you can cut your energy expenses by as much as 70 percent.

Government incentives and solar thermal rebates allow you to save money on the installation costs. At this point in time, you can potentially get 50-60% of your money back by cashing in on the available incentives. In addition, these systems typically last 25 to 30 years, which means you won’t have to worry about replacement for quite some time.

Extend Your Swim Season with Solar Heat

Heating a swimming pool is a considerable expense when relying on a gas or electric heater. Even in the summer when the sun is shining, keeping a large pool warm can cost hundreds of dollars a month.

But with a solar pool system from AMECO Solar, you’ll be able to heat your pool to a reasonable temperature while saving all the money you would have spent on utility bills. Plus, once the solar pool heater is installed, there are little-to-no costs to keep it running each year.

The Bigger Picture: The Impact of Solar Energy

Switching to solar does more than just lower your electricity bill; it connects you to a powerful global movement. While the savings are a fantastic and immediate perk, the larger impact of solar energy is reshaping our world for the better. Understanding this broader context can make your decision to go solar feel even more meaningful. It’s about tapping into an abundant, clean resource to build a more sustainable and resilient future for everyone.

The Sun’s Immense Potential

It’s hard to wrap your head around just how powerful the sun is. In just an hour and a half, it sends enough energy to Earth to power the entire globe for a full year. For a long time, the challenge was figuring out how to capture and use that energy effectively. Now, technology has caught up to the sun's potential. Thanks to major advancements, solar has become the cheapest way to produce electricity. By installing panels on your roof, you’re not just generating power for your home; you’re plugging into the most abundant energy source available to humanity.

The Growth of Solar Power in the U.S.

Solar panels are no longer a rare sight. You see them on rooftops in your neighborhood, on carports at the local grocery store, and across large commercial buildings. This isn't just a California trend; solar power is quickly becoming a common energy source across the United States. This widespread adoption shows a collective shift in how we think about power. We see this firsthand in our work with both homeowners and businesses who are ready to declare their energy independence. The growth is happening because more and more people realize that solar is a practical, reliable, and financially smart choice.

Economic and Health Benefits of Solar

The positive effects of solar energy ripple out in two significant ways: it strengthens our economy and improves public health. These aren't abstract benefits; they translate into real-world savings and healthier living conditions for families and communities. When you choose solar, you’re making an investment that pays dividends far beyond your own property line.

Making Energy More Affordable

On a national scale, the economic impact of clean energy is massive. For example, the EPA’s Clean Power Plan was projected to save Americans $155 billion on energy bills over a decade. While that number is impressive, the savings that matter most are the ones you see every month. By generating your own power, you protect yourself from rising utility rates and unpredictable costs. Curious what that could look like for your home? You can use an estimate calculator to get a personalized idea of your potential savings and see how quickly a solar investment can pay for itself.

Creating Healthier Communities

The economic benefits are compelling, but the health advantages are truly life-changing. Generating electricity from fossil fuels releases harmful pollutants into the air, contributing to respiratory issues like asthma. In fact, one clean energy plan was expected to prevent an estimated 90,000 childhood asthma attacks. By switching to solar, you help reduce our collective reliance on polluting power plants. This directly contributes to cleaner air and healthier communities, creating a better environment for your family and your neighbors to thrive in.

Solar Energy in the Context of Clean Power

Ultimately, solar energy is a cornerstone of the global transition to a more sustainable future. It’s a key part of how we will meet our energy needs without harming the planet. For many Californians, it’s also a direct path to greater energy independence and security. Frequent power outages have made it clear that the traditional grid has its vulnerabilities. By pairing a solar system with a battery backup, you can keep your lights on and your essentials running, even when the grid goes down. This makes your home a self-sufficient and resilient part of a cleaner energy landscape.

Which Solar Solution Is Right for You?

Solar energy has grown substantially in the past few years due the incredible savings that families will realize by making the switch.

If you’re interested in finding out how you can benefit from this technology, contact AMECO Solar by calling (888) 595-9570 or emailing us at gosolar@th2.e81.myftpupload.com today. We can perform a free solar evaluation on your property and give you a rundown of the installation and financing processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my solar panels produce more electricity than I use? When your system generates more power than your home needs, the excess energy is typically sent back to the local utility grid. Through a program called net metering, you earn credits for this extra power. These credits are then applied to your utility bill, which helps offset the cost of any electricity you might need to draw from the grid at night or on cloudy days. This ensures you get the full financial benefit of every bit of energy your panels produce.

Do solar panels work when it's cloudy or raining? Yes, solar panels can still produce electricity on overcast days, though their output will be lower than on a bright, sunny day. Panels are activated by light, not heat, so even diffused sunlight will generate some power. For days with heavy cloud cover or at night, your home will seamlessly draw power from the utility grid or, if you have one, from your solar battery.

Will I still have power during a blackout if I have solar panels? If you only have solar panels, your system is designed to automatically shut down during a grid outage. This is a safety measure to protect utility workers who may be repairing power lines. However, if you pair your solar panels with a battery backup system, you can maintain power during a blackout. The battery stores your excess solar energy, creating an independent power source that can keep your essential appliances running until the grid is restored.

How is a solar water heater different from solar panels for electricity? While both use the sun's energy, they serve different purposes. Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels convert sunlight directly into electricity to power your entire home. A solar water heater, on the other hand, uses a technology called solar thermal. It uses collectors to absorb the sun's heat and transfer it to the water stored in your tank. This system specifically targets your water heating costs, which are often a large part of a home's energy bill, and can work alongside a PV solar system.

How long do solar energy systems last? Modern solar energy systems are built for durability. Solar panels typically come with a performance warranty of 25 years and can continue producing power long after that. Key components like inverters usually have warranties ranging from 10 to 25 years, depending on the model. Similarly, solar water heating systems are very robust, often lasting 25 to 30 years with minimal maintenance. It's a long-term investment designed to provide clean energy and savings for decades.

Key Takeaways

• Solar power is a direct energy conversion: Your solar panels use photovoltaic cells to turn sunlight into DC electricity. An inverter then changes this to the AC electricity your home uses, creating a personal, clean power source right on your roof.
• You have options when the sun isn't shining: At night, your home can either draw power from the utility grid, often using credits you’ve earned, or it can pull from a solar battery that stored your surplus energy from the day.
• Solar offers more than just electricity: Beyond powering your home, solar technology can also heat your water and swimming pool, which significantly reduces your reliance on gas or electric heaters and cuts down on utility costs.

Related Articles

• Understanding Solar Panel Components And How They Work | AMECO Solar
• The Ultimate Guide to How Solar Panels Work
• Energy Saving Solar Panels: A Homeowner's Guide

As electric vehicles become more mainstream, consumers are making the connection between electric vehicles and solar energy. It’s an easy marriage: both technologies save you money on energy costs while also reducing your reliance on dirty energy.

In the last couple months, we have kept our eye out for news on the combination of these two technologies. To date, the idea of using an electric vehicle as solar battery backup and Ford’s solar concept car have proved to be the most interesting.

Electric Vehicles Moonlighting as Battery Storage

A year ago the University of Delaware introduced a fleet of retrofitted Mini Coopers that act as a mini power plant. The electric cars can be plugged in to get charged, but they also have the ability to send electricity back to the grid.

Many solar experts see the university’s experiment as a solution to the battery backup woes of solar owners across the nation. Ideally, an EV owner could charge their car with solar energy during the day and then use any excess energy to power their home at nighttime.

Getting approval is undoubtedly the largest obstacle in spreading this innovative idea across the nation. In order to receive authorization, the vehicle-to-grid project relied on the help and support of many different companies and organizations. It may not be as easy to get approval from utility companies and local cities based in Southern California.

Ford’s New Solar Powered Vehicle

Though we are partial to our Chevy Volt, we’ve had our eye on the Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept Car that is powered by solar panels. Engineers adapted the highly-efficient SunPower solar panels that are typically installed on homes and businesses to make special, thin-film panels for the car.

On its own, the solar panels need a week’s worth of sun in order to charge it completely. However, Ford has partnered with the Georgia Institute of Technology to help solve this problem with a special parking canopy. Essentially, the canopy magnifies the sun’s rays so that the charge time is condensed into a 6-7 hour time period.

The solar vehicle is still in development, and much work still needs to be done to make the car more affordable and efficient. With consumer demand and a push for car companies to become more sustainable, we’re hopeful that the concept car will become a reality sooner than later.

Online news articles sourced for this blog post: CES 2014: Ford to debut C-Max solar concept car, Let the Sun In: Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept Goes Off the Grid,  Electric cars may hold solution for power storage, and Technology milestone reach on UDaily