Power Switch News

Solar is no longer something to put off into the future. Today, hundreds of thousands of Americans are investing in solar photovoltaic systems – in fact, there are enough installations in the United States to power approximately 3.2 million homes today.i Solar is now and the market is taking off. Do you want to know why you should consider jumping on the band wagon today? Solar energy is free – Once you’ve purchased and installed your solar system, you are essentially generating elect …

You’ve done your homework and know that solar is a good investment for you, so now you’re ready to pull the trigger and purchase a solar photovoltaic (PV) array? Selecting the right solar contractor is incredibly important, so being informed about what to look for and what to look out for when selecting a vendor is critical. Here are a few things to consider when shopping around for a solar contractor:1. Look for credentials – Don’t make your decision on price alone, as the quality of wo …

Not all solar photovoltaic (PV) cells are made alike. Generally speaking, there are four different types – those made out of monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or amorphous silicon. And while there are a number of differences between these cells, they mostly differ in the extent to which they carry out three main functions – how well they absorb light produced by the sun; how they separate charge carriers;and how they carry electricity to an external circuit;Put al …

In our previous installment Powered By The Sun #1: The Rosetta Mission - Part 1, we provided a brief synopsis of the European Space Agency's Rosetta Mission that has rendezvoused with a comet and will attempt to drop a lander onto that comet's surface.  In this segment, we'll take a look at what Rosetta is doing today and will be doing in days ahead as it nears the most exciting part of the mission, the descent of lander Philae which, for the first time in human and space exploration his …

Hello and welcome to the first installment of our new series Powered By The Sun, exploring the ways solar energy is being used in our time as we progress towards a future powered by the light and heat generated by the sun.  Occasionally, this series will cover live events where soar and other renewable energy sources are either the focus or play an important role in the story. We begin this series with just such a live event which will actually be unfolding over the next couple of week …