Eco-merica was featured on the CalFinder Solar Blog. Our system in Center Valley was featured as a solar success. Let us know what you think of the article.
Eco-merica will be installing a new, 8 kW solar PV system in Pipersville, PA. The residents of Pipersville are excited about solar. Over the next few months, expect to see a lot of solar in Pipersville.
Eco-merica wants to warn anyone thinking about going solar, the current funding level in the PA Sunshine Program is getting low. If you are thinking of going solar, NOW is the time. There is still time to get your rebate reserved, but not for long. We need anyone who wants to get the current funding level to sign on by the middle of next week. To anyone with a pending quote on a system: NOW is the time. If you’re not ready yet, consider putting down a nominal deposit now to secure the current rebate amount for up to a year. The next level of state rebate funding will be at $1.25/watt compared to the current $1.75/watt. At $1.25/watt, solar is a great financial investment, at the current level of $1.75/watt, it is a tremendous investment. Contact us today to take advantage of the current funding level.
Our recent 9.2kW system installed in Pipersville is featured on the website of the mounting hardware manufacturer, ZEP Solar. Eco-merica was one of the first companies in the country to use the new, revolutionary mounting system. We were also the first installer to really test the limits of the mounting system on a challenging installation. This installation required us to lay out the panels in a manner such that they avoided the numerous plumbing vents on the roof. Until now, the mounting system had only been used to mount simple, rectangular arrays. Ours was the first irregular array. We’ve proven the versatility of this system and are very impressed with it.
Overall, we are very happy with the new mounting system from ZEP. It eliminates the need for rails upon which to mount the panels. This eliminates a lot of expensive aluminum from a solar system. Advances like this are helping to drive down the cost of going solar. The system also has an innovative leveling system to allow us to perfectly level the array, eliminating the typical bumps and irregularities in a roof. The final benefit of the ZEP system is its hyper bonding scheme that gives the system a redundant grounding matrix, making solar an even safer technology to integrate into your home. For a quote on a ZEP solar system like this, please contact us today!
In this article, I’m going to discuss some of the ways people incorrectly install solar systems. I will cover common mistakes made by new installers. With solar being a new industry, it’s full of new installers trying to get rich quick installing substandard solar systems. Just last night, a case in Texas was featured on the local news. The video below explains the situation.
The Texas man in this video is the victim of poor solar practices. Every solar system we install requires us to file an “Interconnection Agreement” with your utility company. It’s a fairly technical process that could be arduous for the average homeowner. It involves submitting system design details and technical characteristics to the utility company for their review. If this process doesn’t occur, your solar system would be connected to the grid illegally and the power company could potentially press charges against you.
In this video, it’s not really evident whether or not the man installed the system himself or had a contractor install it, but it is evident that it was done incorrectly. If we assume he had a contractor do it, this was a typical case of a contractor jumping on the bandwagon of solar energy and not doing it properly. Any reputable contractor would have known an interconnection agreement would have to be filed with the utility company. On top of that, they should have made sure that the utility company practiced net-metering. Although it’s a common practice in our area, in many states, all utility companies aren’t required to allow small energy systems to interconnect to the grid and net meter their power. This man has found himself in quite a predicament with a non net metered solar system. The amateur nature of the work can be seen in the shots of the system on the man’s roof. The roof penetrations are made without proper flashings.
These are the types of things that can be avoided by having a competent, skilled installer like us install your solar system. We’re professionals who’ve been doing this longer than most installers in our area. We know what we’re doing and we do everything correctly and to the highest standards. There are reasons we only use the best equipment available. We want your solar system to last a lifetime and the only way to do that is to install it carefully using the best equipment available. You can feel safe knowing that by going with an Eco-merica solar system, you are getting the best solar system available.
Today, we’re launching our new site. We hope you like it. Check out our new improved photo gallery and the monitoring page! Give us your opinions at info@eco-merica.com
We’ve got a new system going up in Warrington. it’s a 5 kW Sharp system. It will feature a Deck Monitoring system once it’s up and running so everyone can see its performance. Call us now to get your system in before the summer season. Our schedule is filling up quick!
Sleepy Hollow Farm is now powered by a 16.8 kW solar power system. It was great to see their meter start running backwards the moment it was turned on. The system performance can be monitored at: Deck Monitoring. Monitoring systems like these are great for keeping track of your system’s production and can sometimes ease the process of selling your REC’s. They can be installed during the main installation or even afterwards as a retrofit.
We will be installing a 10kW solar system in Tom’s River, NJ this spring. This is just one example of many reasons why New Jersey is the second biggest solar state in the country. It’s established, reliable incentive programs really make solar a no brainer for New Jersey residents. If you live in New Jersey and haven’t gone solar yet, what are you waiting for?
We have our first Deck Monitoring installation up and running. The monitoring system uses an additional meter and data collection server to transmit your system’s production data to an online website. The easy to navigate web interface allows you to see current production, a customizable graph of past production, and some real life comparisons of the amount of energy your system has produced. Check out the first one here.
