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You already know that solar power can help you save tons of money on your average monthly home electric bills, but did you know that if you drive an electric vehicle, solar can also help you save big on your fuel costs? Here at Solar Bear Tampa, we want to make sure our clients are using solar power to the best of their ability. Your home solar solutions should help make your life easier—and more affordable to boot!

Here’s how electric vehicle owners save big with solar power. 

Unlike traditional gas-powered cars, electric vehicles greatly decrease your personal carbon footprint and help make a serious impact on our quickly changing climate. Instead of relying on gasoline, which is a non-renewable fossil fuel, plug-in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles rely on cleaner energy to charge their long-distance battery and allow your car to take you where you need to go.

As with any appliance that uses traditional energy to charge, electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles can also utilize solar power to charge overnight, saving you thousands per year on your fuel costs. 

In fact, electric vehicles and solar power are so intertwined that electric vehicle giant, Tesla, also sells home solar panels and storage systems. In other words, it’s a no-brainer to use solar power for at least some of your electric vehicle charge cost. 

On average, charging an electric vehicle costs around a few cents per mile. Gas-powered vehicles can cost up to 20 cents per mile, and as fuel dwindles, that price is only going to go up. If you drive less than 40 miles a day (as is typical for the average American), you’ll only have to spend around $2 a day for fuel costs using an electric vehicle. And with solar power, that number gets even smaller still, dropping by around 40 percent on average. 

If you have an electric vehicle, what are you waiting for? Talk with our team of friendly, smart solar experts at Solar Bear Tampa today and we can get you set up with a quote. 

When going solar, many people look to go “off the grid,” which often means that they want to ditch their utility company. People choose solar energy to be more independent, generate their power, and stop shelling out money to their utility each month. 

Did you know you can accomplish all these things without going off the grid? It is known as grid-tied solar, and it is the preferred type of solar if you have access to power lines. 

Let’s explore the difference between grid-tied and off-grid solar systems. 

Grid-tied Vs. Off-Grid 

The main difference between grid-tied and off-grid solar systems is where you store the energy that your system generates. 

Every solar system needs a place to store energy so it can be used on-demand. Your panels only generate energy when the sun is shining, but you still need to power your home in the evening and at night. 

With a grid-tied system, the energy that you generate is sent to the utility grid. Your panels feed the electricity into the grid and is distributed to other people in your area. In return, you receive a credit for the energy that you have generated, which you can use at any time. This is what allows you to keep the power on cloudy days or at night. 

Off-grid systems are different since they do not have access to the utility grid. You must find another way to store excess energy. In this case, you will need to add a battery bank to your solar system that provides dedicated energy storage. Without access to power lines, batteries are crucial for off-grid systems. 

Go Grid-Tied

While you can go off-grid, it doesn’t cost anything extra to store your excess electricity on the grid, but batteries for energy storage can be quite expensive. Batteries can be the most expensive part of a solar system and can make up 30-40% of the cost of an off-grid system. 

Batteries can be a four to five-thousand-dollar investment. For that reason, we recommend connecting to a grid-tied system if you have the option to. Why spend thousands on batteries if you don’t need to? 

Keep in mind, the cost-effectiveness of grid-tied solar systems relies on being near the power grid and extending transmission lines can be quite expensive. If your home is more than 100 yards from the power grid or remote, an off-grid option may be worth exploring. 

Another consideration of grid-tied systems is that they will not provide power during an outage even if the sun is shining. 

Energy Storage Systems

If you are connected to the grid but still need to store energy, you can install a grid-tied system with a battery backup, or energy storage system. 

These energy storage systems connect to and store energy in the grid, but they also include batteries. This is important if:

• You want to store backup power in case of an outage. 
• You want to store energy to use or sell later

Be aware, the same caveats apply here. Batteries aren’t cheap and adding them to your solar system can lengthen your payback period. But in some places, backup batteries are necessary to add security against harsh weather, outages, and overly inflated energy costs. 

Florida Solar Power Solutions 

Whether you choose grid-tied, off-grid, or a hybrid of the two, all solar systems will give you significant solar benefits. Our pros at Solar Bear will use your energy goals and budget to design a solar power system that is just right for your Florida home.

Ready to get started? Harness the energy from the sun. Go solar with Solar Bear—407-904-7585!

Solar panels are a great investment that can provide you with a reliable renewable energy source to power your home for years to come. You may be wondering: What is the best way to maintain them to ensure that they are efficient? Do they need regular tune-ups to stay in peak condition like your car? 

Get the answers to these solar panel maintenance questions and more from our solar team at Solar Bear! 

Solar Panel Maintenance FAQ 

Here are some frequently asked questions that we get about solar panel maintenance here at Solar Bear:

Do Solar Panels Need to Be Maintained? 

Generally, solar panels require minimal maintenance to function properly, though they will need periodic cleaning to ensure any debris such as dirt or eaves, aren’t obstructing the sun’s rays. 

The only time you may need more extensive maintenance is when your panels’ energy output starts to decrease or if a storm like a hurricane has rolled through. 

How Do You Maintain Solar Panels?

If your solar panels are tilted, rainfall will clear away most of the debris that accumulates on them. During the dry season or periods without rain, you will need to clean them manually. 

We recommend cleaning your solar panels between two to four times a year. The good news? This is easily done. All you need is a quick spray with a garden hose, and your solar panels will be clean and ready to collect the sun’s rays. 

During cold weather, do not use hot water to clean your solar panels. They are made of tempered glass, and they could crack. 

How Does Weather Affect Solar Panels? 

Solar panels are designed to withstand all kinds of weather from wind to rain, and even hail. They can even survive hurricanes! 

Of course, solar panels are not 100% indestructible and can suffer damage from tail, tornadoes, hurricanes, or lightning. As long as you have a good warranty, or if your panels are covered by your homeowners’ insurance, you should have no trouble getting the panels repaired or replaced. 

Ironically, the weather that most commonly affects solar panels is heat. When the temperature rises over 90 degrees, your solar panels will lose their efficiency by about 1% a degree. Elevating your solar panels a few inches above your roof or the ground, allows air to circulate properly, which can help cool them down and maintain efficiency.

Is there a Maintenance Difference Between Ground Vs. Roof Panels? 

The only true difference in maintaining ground-mounted and roof solar panels is that ground-mounted panels are easier to access, therefore easier to clean. 

If you notice a buildup of debris, you can simply sweep it off with a broom; not the case with a roof-mounted system! 

What is the Standard Warranty for Solar Panels? 

When going solar, make sure you have a good solar panel warranty in place. This is important because as your solar panels’ efficiency decreases over the year, you will need professional maintenance performed, which could potentially cost you thousands of dollars throughout the years. 

At Solar Bear, we offer a competitive 25-year production and performance warranty as well as a 10-year workmanship warranty. 

Can I Monitor the Health of My Solar Panels? 

To track how much energy your panels produce, integrating a solar panel monitoring system can be beneficial. By monitoring your system, you can see how different external factors are affecting your panels’ performance and how well they maintain their efficiency throughout their life. 

The monitoring system will also alert you of any malfunctions or issues so you can repair or replace your panels promptly. 

How Do I Repair or Replace Solar Panels? 

If your solar panels need to be repaired or replaced, it is best to hire a professional from Solar Bear. We will be able to assess the issue and fix or replace your panels. If your panels have sustained damage, they may be covered under the equipment warranty or your homeowners’ insurance. 

Don’t attempt to install or repair solar panels yourself unless you are experienced with home solar systems. 

Florida Solar Panel Installation and Maintenance 

As you can see, maintaining your solar panel system is easy. Just be sure to choose a reputable company like Solar Bear for installation and maintenance, and don’t forget about a warranty! 

Enjoy solar-powered renewable energy in your Florida home. Call Solar Bear today: 407-904-7585!

Having solar power for your home not only keeps your monthly energy costs down but can also help you weather rolling blackouts and other power outages. Outages can wreak havoc on your home–you could lose groceries when the fridge gets too warm, for instance. Or worse – your heat or A/C could go out during harsh weather.

If you or your loved ones rely on electricity for medical equipment or other healthcare supplies, losing power can often literally become a matter of life and death. At Solar Bear Tampa, we want more than anything to keep you and your family comfortable and safe. And with home solar power, your household is much more equipped to handle rolling blackouts and power outages. 

Here’s how having solar power—and more importantly, solar storage—can help you get through rolling blackouts safely. 

Solar panels are designed to soak up rays from the sun, all day, every day, as long as there is not too much cloud cover. Most days, especially in Florida, the sunshine outweighs an average home’s energy use by far, which means that there is a lot of excess energy collected by your solar panels, day in and day out. 

As long as your home solar power solution comes with a solar battery or other kind of solar storage, any excess energy can be stored and used for a later time, like, for example, when your house or neighborhood is experiencing rolling blackouts. 

For more information on this and other ways that your solar home solution can serve you, please give us a call at Solar Bear Tampa today.