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How is the American Jobs Plan Affecting Solar?

What is the American Jobs Plan? US president Joe Biden has reached a bipartisan agreement with democrat and republican senators on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan.   The American Jobs Plan is a new investment plan from President Biden and the White House, focusing on infrastructure, the core economy, climate, and job creation.   While recent stimulus plans focused on short-term responses amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Jobs Plan is geared towards long-term recovery and rebuilding, and a competitive U.S. economy.  ...

[Battery Series] Enphase vs. “Others”

As energy storage with solar installs becomes more popular and mainstream, we are seeing more companies entering the residential battery storage market. With increased competition, technology will progress more quickly and pricing will improve (spoiler alert, it already has come down drastically in the past two years). ...

Summer Solstice in Seattle

The Summer Solstice in Seattle is a day of notoriety for numerous reasons to many people across our region. Whether it be rising early for an extended day of outdoor activities or aligning your chakras with the sun, the day is always a bit special. One thing that might not (yet!) be high on people's list, though, is a high amount of solar production possible on this long day. ...

Solterra Client Spotlight: Meet Karen T.

When Karen first became interested in solar energy, she was looking to offset her electricity consumption after adding AC to her home and switching to an electric heat pump over the winter.  “Solar is a long-term investment that I know will eventually pay off monetarily, but for sure will pay off in doing my part to reduce my emissions. I love my new solar and tell everyone about it.  Of course, the question is, ‘What are the payoffs in investment?’.  In my opinion, if you love where you live, and are going to stay for a while, solar is a no-brainer.” ...

HOAs and Solar: Myths vs. Reality

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!...

[Battery Series] An Overview on Backups

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. ...

Why Choose a Loan Over Paying Cash?

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....

Solterra Staff Spotlight: Meet Kurt Chhay

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....

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