Myth: My homeowner’s association won’t allow Solar. If you live in a planned neighborhood or development, chances are you had to join a homeowner’s association (HOA) when buying your property. HOAs establish rules for a neighborhood’s aesthetic and play an important role in raising money for shared amenities. Reality: There is good news. Your HOA should respect your solar access rights!...
Although the most important aspect of a solar panel will always be the wonderful green power it produces from the sun, there is no denying that aesthetics really do matter to many homeowners. ...
Last Wednesday, May 26, 2021, was a great day for the Green Movement and a bad day for Big Oil. The three most publicly traded fossil-fuel companies were all handed big decisions that will force them to clean up their act much more quickly than they had originally planned....
With the recent fires on the west coast and the ice storm in Texas that have shut down electrical utilities in recent years, backup power has come front of mind for a lot of people. Because roof top solar does not work in the event of a power outage adding a battery to a solar system is a great way to maintain solar power when grid power goes down. ...
We all have our comfort levels with the amount of upfront cash we like to have ready to spend on big purchases. “Cash is king” is a common expression, and it’s important to weigh your options before using hard-earned cash to pay for solar panels. Kurt Chhay was born in Cambodia and came to Seattle in 1981. Before joining the solar industry, he worked as a car mechanic. While he still enjoys working on cars, Kurt is happy to have made the switch to solar. I sat down with Kurt to learn a little bit more about his role at Solterra....
Welcome to Solterra’s employee spotlight, where once a month we will interview a member of the amazing Solterra team! This week on the blog, we are highlighting an integral team member who knows the solar industry in and out and always keeps us laughing. Kurt Chhay was born in Cambodia and came to Seattle in 1981. Before joining the solar industry, he worked as a car mechanic. While he still enjoys working on cars, Kurt is happy to have made the switch to solar. I sat down with Kurt to learn a little bit more about his role at Solterra....
The favorite PNW car brand of hikers, cyclists, skiers, dog owners, and many more has entered the EV race! Subaru has unveiled the name of their new all-electric all-wheel-drive SUV. It will be the 2023 Subaru…Solterra. Since we thrive in complimentary vs. competing industries, they won’t be hearing from our lawyers, but the philosophy of combining the Latin for “sun” and “earth” does seem appropriate to Subaru’s ethos, and of course to our own. ...
A year of life in a global pandemic has impacted us all in different ways. In many of our lives, it has been hard to find a silver lining to the clouds. Clouds being less than ideal for the solar industry, we have weathered the storm as a business, and continue to push forward toward more clean energy. In 2020, we installed 1.6 MW of solar over 4,500 solar panels, thanks to our excellent clients and dedicated staff. So far in 2021, we’ve had a record number of homeowners sign up to go solar!...
Being an active part in the fight for positive change is nothing new for Solterra Solar; the current events are no exception. Solterra Solar is vehemently against racism and we openly support the movement to demand justice and accountability. We will not stay silent, choosing instead to make a stand for what is right. We are committing to a significant financial donation in June to local and national social justice organizations who are making an impact. For us, words and actions are different things. This is why we have decided to use our voice and resources to help turn the people’s momentum into funds and action for change. For every solar panel purchased in June 2020, Solterra will donate $20 to one or more of the social justice organizations listed below. Participating clients may elect which organization they wish support, with funds being equally distributed if there is no preference. In addition to the $20 per panel commitment, we will match additional generosity until our goal has been met. We have set aside $10,000 for these organizations to match the donations of clients, employees, and members of our community. It is our intention to raise awareness, as well as encourage generosity with the knowledge that your contribution will be multiplied. Donations will be sent to one or more of the following organizations: Black Lives Matter – Seattle Chapter BLM is a thriving social organization founded by three black women. The group acts as a watchdog on policies ranging from police reform to COVID-19 information, distributes resources, and funds Black artists. Go Fund Me, organized by local Attorney Sade Smith of Smith Law LLC Offering Pro Bono legal support for protestors. Campaign Zero A think-tank advocating for data-backed criminal justice and policing policies. Their latest campaign, #8cantwait, uses data to prove that by adopting eight policies, we can decrease police violence by 72%. Color of Change Organizes social media campaigns and petitions to expose and demand justice on incidents of racial injustice, hold corporate and political leaders accountable, and commission research on systems of inequality. Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Works to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality. EJI provides legal representation to...
Most of us have heard at some point or another that solar power is awesome. It’s the way of the future! Its great for the environment! It makes your home or business look super cool! You will add years to your life!...
