If someone were to ask you which U.S. city—Jacksonville, Fla., or Minneapolis, Minn.—has more sunny days each year with less than 30% cloud cover, which city would you pick? If you picked Minneapolis, you’d be right, as surprising as it may sound.

Did you know that most people who power their homes with solar don’t define themselves as strict environmentalists? Solar power isn’t a movement or a cause, although many who have gone solar appreciate the fact that it’s a clean source of energy and in no way harmful to our ecosystem. 

Solar energy has its fair share of myths. For example, did you know that solar panels convert solar energy into electricity more efficiently in cooler weather? Shocked? Don't be! Many products and services before they reach the saturation point are surrounded by misinformation, which is usually based on assumptions that are of personal opinions, not facts.

The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is a renewable energy incentive program that passed in 2005 then extended multiple times over the years. It currently gives any homeowner
or business that installs solar panelling a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of 30 percent of the cost
of installation.

SMART, set to launch at the end of 2018, will replace Massachusetts’ SREC II solar incentive program. It is a declining block program, which means the incentive levels will decline by prescribed amounts for up to eight blocks per Electric Distribution Company (EDC) territory. This means those who enroll earlier will benefit more.

If you’re on the fence about whether to wait longer for a better deal on solar, you ought to consider a number of compelling reasons experts believe it will never again be this easy and cost-effective to install.

The ROI, environmental impact, and accessibility to your own source of renewable energy provides benefits that far outweigh any initial costs. In other words, the best time to go solar is right now.

Download the infographic,
"5 Reasons To Go Solar",
to find out how you can benefit
by making the switch to solar.  

Considering going solar but not sure how to choose the right installer? Fortunately, there are a number of clear criteria that set the good installers apart from those to avoid.

If you’ve been waiting to see if costs will dip further before you invest in your own solar system, wait no longer. Here are the top reasons why industry experts say conditions may never be this financially friendly to solar again:

The cost of solar energy installation has sharply decreased by fifty-two percent over the last five years, a drop that has only recently started showing sings of slowing. But if you're on the fence about whether to wait longer for an even better deal, you ought to consider a number of compelling reasons experts believe it will never again be this easy and cost-effective to install.

I'm Sue Owen, the Communications Intern here at All Energy Solar. Because I'll return to school this fall and won't be able to continue here, I wanted to write a letter to Congress that I hope will express how over the course of this summer internship, I have been wholly persuaded that solar power is the best way for the country to consume energy. In the letter, I ask Congress to enact a hefty tax on carbon.  Join me in writing Congress in favor of climate action, and as a collective force we can make the changes necessary to preserve our environment. What an inspiring and educational internship this has been!