Solar panels comprise multiple photovoltaic cells² and are typically installed on rooftops or in open spaces where they can absorb the most sunlight. In addition to photovoltaic cells, solar panels also contain other components, such as an inverter, which converts the Direct Current solar panels can generate into Alternating Current (AC) that appliances and other electrical devices can use.

Solar power is a form of renewable energy derived from the sun’s rays. The sunlight that strikes the earth’s surface in an hour and a half is enough to handle the world’s energy consumption for a full year¹. The basic principle behind solar power is the conversion of sunlight into usable energy. This is done with photovoltaic cells or solar cells.

The amount of energy solar panels can generate depends on several factors, including the amount of sunlight available, the panels’ angle and orientation, and the photovoltaic cells’ efficiency. The conversion efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) cell, or solar cell, is the percentage of the solar energy shining on a PV device that is converted into usable electricity.³ Advances in solar technology have led to improvements in efficiency, making solar power a more viable and cost-effective option for generating electricity.

Call us, Robco Electric. We can handle the design and installation of your solar system. We will help you with all the questions and apply for appropriate permits to ensure you have all the necessary permits before installing your solar panel system.

¹ https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/how-does-solar-work

² https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-photovoltaic-technology-basics

³ https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-performance-and-efficiency

Expanding a solar panel system can significantly increase your solar production and reduce your NV Energy bill. Here are some things to consider when expanding your solar panel system:

• Assess your energy needs. Before expanding your solar panel system, assessing your current and future energy needs is essential. This will help you determine the size and capacity of the additional solar panels you will need. For example, if you plan to add a pool or spa, an electric vehicle, or even expand the number of people in the household.
• Check your current solar panel compatibility. If you add panels to an existing system, ensure the new panels are compatible with your current solar panels. This will ensure that your system runs efficiently and effectively.
• Consider upgrading other components. Expanding your solar panel system may require upgrading components such as inverters. Make sure these components are also compatible with your new solar panels.
• Monitor and maintain your system with the Robco App. Once your solar panel system is expanded, monitoring and maintaining it regularly is important. This will ensure it continues to run efficiently and effectively and can help identify any issues that need to be addressed.

Call us, Robco Electric. We can handle the design and installation of your system expansion. We will help you with all the questions and apply for appropriate permits to ensure you have all the necessary permits before expanding your solar panel system.

A drizzly rainy day is a free solar panel cleaning! Thanks, Mother Nature! Solar panels are typically installed at an angle, which allows rainwater to clean the surface naturally. You don’t need to get on the roof and risk hurting yourself. If there’s no rain, using a garden hose with a sprayer head is perfectly fine to rinse off your panels. DO NOT USE ANY CLEANING SOLUTIONS, and never when the outside temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If rainwater or homeowner cleaning is insufficient to remove all the dirt and debris, you can schedule an appointment with Robco, and we will clean them for you at our regular service rate.

It’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and maintenance and any safety precautions for accessing the solar panels.

Yes, rain and clouds can affect solar panel energy production because they reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the panels. When the sky is cloudy, the sunlight is diffused, which reduces the intensity of the light reaching the solar panels. Both weather conditions can cause a decrease in the amount of electricity the panels produce by as much as 25%-90%. However, this effect depends on the type and density of the clouds, but solar panels can produce electricity on partly cloudy days. Luckily, Nevada has more than 300 sunny days a year.

How many rainy and cloudy days in Southern Nevada?

Las Vegas receives about 4.2″ of rainfall per year. Most rainfall occurs in winter, with February being the wettest month, receiving an average of 4 days of rain.

Does rain affect your solar panels?

Our solar panel systems are designed to be weather-resistant and can continue to produce electricity even under cloudy or rainy conditions.

Does rain clean your solar panels?

Rain does help clean your solar panels, removing dust, debris, and bird droppings.

How does this affect your NV Energy Bill?

If you use more energy than your solar system produces, you may see a slight increase in your bill. If you have built Net Meter credits, the credits may be applied to your account to cover your consumption.

Solar panels and micro inverters produce a small amount of heat that needs to be dissipated. Solar panel arrays are mounted a few inches above the roof, and microinverters are mounted in the shade under the solar panel. Air circulates, convection, between the roof and panels removing heat and lowering the temperature of the roof and panels.

Pigeon guards need to be installed

Pigeon guards need to be installed on all solar panel arrays because pigeons can nest under the panels, and their waste causes damage to your panels and your roof.  Robco uses a solid flashing guard instead of netting or mesh for stronger protection and a cleaner look.

Robco’s pigeon guard is designed to look solid and completely flush with solar PV panels from the ground. However, there are 1/4” air gaps along the guard’s edge where it meets the roof tiles and where it is attached to the panel skirting. The gap is enough for rainwater and heat to escape but not let in pigeons.

Robco has used this guard design for more than eight years, and several punishing Las Vegas summers have shown no issues.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with other questions; our Solar Consultants are always here to support you during and beyond installation.

If you previously received quotes from installation companies for your solar project and request new ones today, it is likely you’ll see notable price increases or be informed that the company isn’t able to commit to completing your install due to a lack of materials.

With companies facing pinch-points and rising component prices, many have no choice but to pass on these expenses to you, the end customer. Perhaps what makes this shift so abrasive is the fact that people have become accustomed to the trend of solar prices decreasing every year as the industry grows and technology improves. This is the first time that the industry has seen prices increasing quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year across all market segments. Taking it a step further, Rystad Energy analysts estimate that shipping conflicts and rising material costs could result in 56% of 2022 solar projects worldwide being postponed or canceled completely.

So, where in the solar supply chain are these disruptions happening?

There are two main points of disruption in the solar supply chain: port delays and material costs. Both of these issues feed into one another and serve to create a downward spiral for the industry’s supply chain as a whole.

With shipping backlogs at virtually all ports, product shortages and price increases are a given. Currently, shipping a container via a primary U.S. port takes three times as long as normal. At the Port of Los Angeles alone, roughly 200,000 shipping containers are still onboard ships along the coast due to the current gridlock. Additionally, with the peak holiday season in full swing, the situation is set to face even greater pressure as demand increases even more. Current projections predict that port delays, and the resulting product shortages, will continue until mid-2022.

 On top of the increase in shipping prices and related conflicts, there have been drastic increases in material and manufacturing costs for solar panels. These price increases are the result of the bullwhip effect, which was triggered by the halting of production during the pandemic. Prior to manufacturers being shut down, there was a surplus of polysilicon available. However, once restrictions lifted and production began again, the economic bounce-back occurred faster than anticipated. As a result, demand exceeded what manufacturers were prepared to handle and prices skyrocketed.

With an increase in the cost of polysilicon by over 300%, the manufacturing costs for modules have increased by nearly 50% between 2020 and the end of 2021. Other necessary raw materials have also seen price increases that have added pressure to the manufacturing costs and, in turn, increased the prices of panels themselves.

Now that we understand what’s going on, what is Robco doing to serve you despite the disruptions?

Providing concierge style customer service is significant to everything we do, and an aspect of that is anticipating the pain points of our customers before they even have a chance to reach you. Knowing supply disruptions were only set to get worse, we ensured we secured enough inventory to cover our installations for the next six months.

That’s right. When you sign your contract with us, you can rest assured knowing we are more than ready to complete your project.

With that being said, even with our preparedness, we aren’t immune to the inflation of material costs. In response to the increased prices of our manufacturers, you will see our quoted project costs increasing in January.

So, if you know you want solar, don’t wait.

We strive to be forward-thinking and customer focused, we will continue to actively seek out ways to minimize any negative impact on our customers. We hope that this post has provided clarity surrounding the solar supply chain and assurance that we are doing our due diligence.

If you still have questions regarding this topic, or any other, please reach out. We are always here to help!

In the mood to dive deeper into all things solar? Check out the rest of our blog posts here!

High Upfront Cost

It’s only natural to see the upfront cost to install a solar system and view it as one of the disadvantages of solar power, it’s a big investment! But it’s important to remember that last keyword: investment. The current payback period for a solar system in Nevada is between 9 and 10 years, and after that time you really cash in on those sunny savings. In the meantime, however, you’ll still see savings on your electric bill. A correctly optimized system could eliminate your need to purchase power from the grid, meaning you’ll only have to pay around $14 a month for the mandatory connection fees.

It’s also important to keep in mind that electricity is an ‘anyway’ expense: no matter what, you have to have it. So, as you’re looking at that upfront cost, don’t forget to look at the bigger picture and consider how much you’ll be paying to your utility provider during that same 9 to 10 year payback period. Also consider the upward trend of the cost of electricity from utility providers, going solar serves as a way to ‘lock in’ your rate and protects you from rising prices.

Finally, make sure your solar consultant takes the time to go over and thoroughly explain your financing options. The process can be daunting, and it’s not one-size-fits-all. A qualified consultant should be capable and willing to answer your questions and ensure that you make the right choice for your financial behavior. Do you prefer to pay off your loans as fast as possible? Or do you tend to go for the slow and steady approach with the lowest monthly payments? Either way, there should be a financing option that suits the behaviors you already have and meets your needs.

Intermittent Energy Source

The sun doesn’t shine at night, so how are you going to generate energy to power your home during that time? This seems to be one of the major disadvantages of solar power. Of course, it’s true that solar panels will not generate power at night. However, because your home is still tied to the grid even with a solar system installed, this will not result in a lack of electricity simply because there’s a lack sunshine.

With net metering and a properly optimized system, these hours of darkness still won’t cost you like they would without solar. Net metering allows you to have a connection to the grid that goes both ways. This means that at times when your system overproduces, generating more power than your home needs at that moment, the excess is sent to the grid. The energy you send back to the grid acts as a ‘credit’ on your bill. So, later that day when the sun is no longer shining and your system isn’t producing, you can draw back against that credit from the grid.

Check out this net metering page from NV Energy for a more in-depth look at what it means and the current rates.

Additionally, these credits carry over from month to month, just like rollover minutes from old cellphone plans! So, in a location like Las Vegas where 50% of energy needs occur during those three hottest summer months, you can count on the credits you built up over winter and the rest of the year to counteract what would otherwise be a brutally expensive electric bill.

Added Obstacle If You Sell Your Home

It’s undeniable that a certain stigma surrounds having solar installed on a home you plan to sell. However, it’s important to understand where it stemmed from and what the reality of the current situation is.

When choosing to install solar, there are two primary options: buy your system or lease it. While leasing a system seems like a great way for homeowners to get the benefits of going solar without having the out of pocket cost, this option has several key cons that make it the sub optimal choice for the majority of people and have led it to become one of the main cited disadvantages of solar power.

With a leased system, not only do you miss out on the current tax credit that is given to owners of solar systems, your system becomes a liability should you choose to sell your home. As with any other lease, a leased solar system is a contractual arrangement for a set period of time during which payments must be made by the lessee to the lessor. So, in the situation that you want to sell your home, any potential buyer must also agree to accepting the liability of continuing to pay the lease.

However, when you own your system, it adds value to your home. The new homeowner will receive all of the sunny savings and be able to utilize the net metering agreement attached to your home, without having to take over a lease for the system. As the residential solar industry continues to grow, appraisers continue to get better at assigning appropriate value to homes with solar systems and ensure that you’re maximizing the significant asset on your roof.

When you do find yourself preparing to sell your home, reach out to your installation company for a recommendation about who to use to properly appraise your system. For a full breakdown of the pros and cons of buying vs leasing, check out this article.

So, those are the top 3 disadvantages of solar power.

Hopefully, we were able to conquer some of your fears today by walking through the graveyard of the most commonly claimed disadvantages of solar power. If you’re still feeling the Solar Scaries, don’t be afraid to reach out! As solar advocates, there’s nothing we love more than answering any and all questions to help you be the most educated you can be on your solar journey.

In one year, the sun produces 1.23 x 10 ^ 35 Joules of energy.

Today’s big question: is solar energy renewable? And just HOW renewable is it?

Until the day the sun stops shining, it will continue to produce more energy in a year than we even have use for on Earth. And on the day that it does stop shining, we’ll certainly have bigger things to worry about than the usefulness of our solar panels!

Simply put, it isn’t just a renewable resource, solar energy is the largest renewable resource we have access to.

Currently, solar is responsible for providing just over 4% of electricity in the U.S. and the remainder of the grid relies heavily on nonrenewable fossil fuels, such as coal. Goals are set for the solar industry to grow faster than it ever has in order to increase that number to 40% by 2035. Of course, achieving this goal is highly dependent on the implementation of the right policies, but the growth of the solar industry would be beneficial for people on all fronts.

The Difference Between Renewable Energy and Nonrenewable Energy

So, why is it so important to make the switch to renewable resources rather than the nonrenewable ones we’ve become so accustomed to? It’s in the name. Nonrenewable resources are unavoidably finite. While the lifespan of their usage can be prolonged with new technology, there will always come a point when they are no longer available.

Additionally, the process of using nonrenewable resources to generate usable electricity requires more complicated steps. First, the material must be extracted, often using mining or drilling techniques that cause their own problems. Then, the material must be refined. Once refined, that material can then be burned in order to heat water to boiling and create steam. This steam spins turbines, and those turbines generate electricity.

What Makes Solar Energy Renewable and Easy

In contrast, solar harnesses power directly from the sun. The only step between that energy being collected and becoming usable electricity is the conversion from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current), which is done by the inverters installed along with your solar panels.

Finally, we can’t talk about the drawbacks of nonrenewable energy sources without talking about carbon emissions. All fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide when they are utilized, and nuclear is the only non-renewable energy source that doesn’t emit carbon dioxide because it uses fission rather than the burning of the refined material.

The Carbon Cycle and Carbon Emissions

These carbon emissions are perhaps the source of the greatest urgency for transitioning to renewable energy sources. Carbon emissions are shown to have adverse environmental and health effects. These gases impact climate by absorbing solar energy and trapping it close to the Earth’s surface, preventing it from simply escaping into space. As a result, the world has witnessed shifts in weather patterns and climate systems. Extreme weather events, wildlife extinctions, and even rising seas have been shown to be connected to the rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. With regards to human health, high levels of carbon dioxide displace oxygen in the atmosphere and contribute to air pollution.

While it is true that the atmosphere has processes to naturally regulate the concentration of CO2, the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere has increased at a growing rate since the 1950’s and has caused levels to exceed the capacity of these natural processes.

So, whether you’re motivated to benefit the environment by reducing your carbon footprint, help the economy by supporting a promising and lucrative industry, or even just to lower your utility bill by gaining energy independence with a renewable energy source, making the switch to solar is sure to be a choice you won’t soon regret. If you’re still not convinced, check out these reasons our past customers gave for going solar.

For a more in-depth explanation of the global carbon cycle and the impact of carbon emissions, check out this article from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

You know that old saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” In the case of pigeon proofing a solar array at install, it will save some unlucky person from shoveling many pounds of stomach-turning mess!! If the birds decide to nest under your panels, the results can be absolutely disgusting! The photos above are from a recent pigeon clean up we did on a non-Robco installed solar array.
These pictures are why Robco Electric includes solid metal pigeon proofing with every new flush roof mounted solar install. When you choose Robco Electric for solar, pigeon proofing is not “add on cost” or an “optional feature”. We don’t treat it as an “afterthought”, either. We install solid metal, powder coated pigeon proofing by default on every flush mount solar install to prevent the problem before it ever happens. This small cost included in your solar panel purchase price can save you thousands of dollars down the road. The truth is that our solar install crews dread getting assigned to do pigeon clean up jobs, but much more important to us is the peace of mind this offers you as a Robco solar customer.

You will never have to worry about this common issue with solar arrays that are not pigeon proofed. Our solid metal solar pigeon proofing is the same roof flashing that is already present on your roof. It is meant to last for decades. It is both attractive and very functional. Because it is solid metal, there are no gaps in the mesh or holes for the bird’s beaks to grab onto to pull the flashing loose as they can do with the mesh type. It’s also covered by our 10 year workmanship warranty.

When you get solar from Robco Electric, we think about the long term and keeping your system performing at it’s best for years, not just the quick sale at the lowest price.

That’s Solar Built on Trust.