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Carbon Footprint – What Is It?

You’ve likely heard the term “carbon footprint” a lot in the past few decades. What it boils down to is that the choices that you make in your daily life leave a mark on the environment, and your carbon footprint is the way to express that impact.

The size of your carbon footprint depends on several factors, but the heavier the strain on the environment, the larger your footprint will be.

Our team at Solar Bear Orlando discusses carbon footprints and how using solar energy can help offset the effects.

Looking Closer at Carbon Footprints

People, products, and even entire industries have carbon footprints. Your footprint includes emissions from your daily commute, the food you eat, the clothes you wear, what you throw in the trash, and more.

To halt the impact on the environment, we need to shift to a low-carbon economy and protect our natural spaces like forests, grasslands, mangroves, and tidal marshes, which stash away large quantities of carbon.

Drastically cutting greenhouse gasses and thus our carbon footprint will require everyone from individuals to entire countries to vastly reduce their carbon footprint.

How Does Carbon Affect Climate Change

Carbon dioxide traps the heat that is emitted by the sun and the Earth’s surface and then releases that heat into the atmosphere. As we cut down forests and burn fossil fuels, high concentrations of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide, threaten to raise the average surface temperature of the Earth, causing numerous life-threatening impacts.

Since the 18th century, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have risen 40% and climatologists estimate that the current levels are as high as they have been in almost 14 million years.

As carbon dioxide levels climb, the cumulative effects, including ocean acidification, rising sea levels, more frequent and intense storms, mass species extinctions, food scarcity, and economic inequality will be felt worldwide. 

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Here are some steps that you can take to reduce your carbon emissions at home or work. Most are quick and easy to implement, meaning that you can start reducing your carbon footprint in no time at all.

#1. Insulate Your Home

Heating and cooling your living space is an expensive and energy-intensive process. By insulating your home, you can make sure that your home retains heat in the winter and cold air in the summer months.

This means that you’ll use less energy reducing your carbon footprint and your overall household bills.

#2. Switch to Renewable Energy

When you switch to renewable energy like solar, wind, or hydroelectric energy, you can reduce your household emissions and save money on your electricity bills.

Learn more about solar energy below!

#3. Buy Energy-Efficient

Electrical appliances are becoming more efficient every year. Whether you buy energy-saving light bulbs or choose appliances with a high “energy star” rating, you are taking a step to make your home eco-friendlier.

Additionally, it is important to turn off and unplug any electrical appliances that you aren’t using.

#4. Use Less Water

It takes energy and resources to process and deliver water to our houses. It is also quite energy-intensive to heat it once it’s there. By using less water, you can help the environment while lowering your carbon footprint.

Try turning off the water when you brush your teeth, take short showers instead of baths, and don’t water your lawn or landscaping excessively.

#5. Eliminate Single-Use Plastics

While single-use plastics may be convenient, they are terrible for the environment. Not only do these plastics pollute our waterways and ocean, but they also require a lot of energy to produce and recycle them.

Stop using things like disposable coffee cups, bottles, and utensils to help reduce your carbon footprint. 

How Solar Power Reduces Your Carbon Footprint

Solar power reduces CO2 emissions by providing people with a clean and renewable source of energy. The solar panels that are installed on your home collect energy from the sun and convert it into usable energy. This process does not rely on fossil fuels and none of the energy is wasted because it can be stored on the grid for future use.

Further, solar energy reduces water pollutants because photovoltaic panels do not need water to operate as other manufacturing processes do. Sunlight is converted into usable energy without the need for local water supplies and solar energy does not pollute waterways like fossil fuels do.

By switching to solar power, you can drastically reduce your household’s overall carbon footprint. Every kilowatt of solar power installed lowers your home’s carbon footprint by over 3,000 pounds annually.

To put that into perspective, for the average five-kilowatt residential system, that means the reduction of more than 15,000 pounds of C02 emissions every year.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

If you are ready to reduce your carbon footprint, call Solar Bear Orlando today for a solar energy consultation. It will amaze you how just a few small changes plus a solar panel system can make a drastic impact on your family’s carbon footprint.

Get started with Solar Bear Orlando! Call (727) 471-7442 today!

Can Solar Panels Break?

When factoring in the costs of owning a solar panel system, you might be wondering if you need to consider the price of potential repairs. Can solar panels become damaged in the first place? If so, how much would it cost to repair it? The experts at Solar Bear Dallas are here with everything you need to know.

Types of Solar Panel Damage

Solar panels in general are built to be durable. Since they sit directly on top of your property, it’s only sensible for the designers to account for various impacts that may occur no matter how big or small. However, that doesn’t mean you can just buy any set of solar panels from anywhere and expect them to be completely impervious to damage. In fact, there are a few ways your solar panels can become damaged and hurt the effectiveness of your energy-gathering capabilities.

Micro Cracks

The photovoltaic (or solar) cells that are located directly underneath the outer panel are prone to stress-related damage. Increased pressure or consistent hits to the same pressure points can cause a solar cell to cave in and crack, also known as a micro crack. But if the crack is so small, does it really matter? Solar energy uses the available photovoltaic cells as a means to travel down the panel. Even if a single cell is out of commission, it can hinder the solar energy’s ability to make it from one end to the other, meaning that your energy output can see a noticeable decrease in productivity.

Surface Scratches

Even if the scratches only affect the surface panel without touching the cells underneath, they can still block the cell’s view of the sunlight thus impeding your solar energy gathering. These types of scratches can happen from common occurrences such as falling branches, hailstorms, etc.

Water Infiltration

The outer panel acts as a shield to protect the integrity of the solar cells that are essential to solar energy absorption, but even that won’t be able to protect your system against water leaks. The surrounding frame exists to prevent such an occurrence, but a worn-out or poorly installed frame can still let in sources of water such as rainfall or the garden hose. Once water finds its way inside, the electrical components become compromised, and the entire grid can shut down.

How to Prevent Solar Panel Damage

The best way to prevent damage to your solar panel system is to set yourself up for success from the beginning. Before you go running to just any solar panel company, think about the importance of finding solar panels that are less prone to cracking under pressure or taking in water leakage. This is only possible with high-quality solar panels that are built to be durable and installed by licensed professionals to ensure that your solar energy system is stable and dependable.

Get Durable Solar Panels from Solar Bear Dallas!

For the best solar panels in Texas that stand a better chance against the elements than other solar brands, be sure to go with Solar Bear Dallas! We’ll do everything in our power to make sure your solar panels are built to last. Call us at (727) 471-7442 for a free quote!

Can I Replace Just One Solar Panel?

Although solar panels can last 25 to 30 years on average, you might be wondering what happens if one of your panels encounters an issue or breaks down. Can you replace just one solar panel?

Our team at Solar Bear Orlando is here to outline some of your options! Let’s go!

Replacing Individual Parts

If you have a defective panel, replacing an individual part may be the best bet. This can often be accomplished easily by your original installer, who can help you get the parts that are the best fit for your system.

However, you’ll want to be aware of some of the potential issues that might arise if you try to switch out an individual solar panel.

If you have a solar system that is more than two years old and did not go with a big-name brand, it is likely that the exact panel model is no longer available. But don’t panic! You can possibly use a different model and manufacturer as a replacement. But it might not be able to be used as a drop-in replacement though. More on this is below!

Replacing Just One Solar Panel: Possible Issues

You might need to replace specific panels if they have microcracks or wear and tear has lowered their output. The first issue that you might run into with swapping out one panel is the availability of substitutes. With older panels, the manufacturer may not have the same model in stock, or they could be obsolete.

You can sometimes use similar panels, but you will need to match the electrical specifications, such as wattage, number of cells, and physical dimensions, of the new panels with your old ones, which can be tricky.

Additionally, standards and requirements such as fire ratings, groundings, cable housings, etc. have changed over time, meaning that you could run into problems finding a new panel that can configure with your system.

Finally, if the installation company that you are working with now is different from the one who installed the original system, they might be reluctant to switch out any panels on your existing system, as they cannot guarantee the quality of the original installation.

Replacing Inverters

The same thing can be said for solar system inverters. If you notice any performance issues with your solar system, you might need to replace your inverters. While microinverters last about 25 years, string inverters only last for 10 to 15.

There are potential issues that can arise here too. If your inverter falls within its warranty period, the manufacturer will replace it, but if the warranty period has passed, you will have to pay for the replacement yourself, which can be expensive.

Availability might also be an issue. Just like panels, the original inverter may be obsolete. However, you may be able to get around this by installing an inverter with the same specs. Just make sure to contact your installation company before doing so.

How Often Do Solar Panels Need to Be Replaced Anyway?

Though there are exceptions, solar panels generally need to be replaced every 25 to 30 years. This means that many of the solar panels that have been installed in the early stages of the solar panel revolution are getting close to the end of their lifespan. 

To avoid breakages or issues during their lifespan, solar panels should be cleaned and maintained periodically. They should also be inspected from time to time to ensure that they are still producing energy at their peak efficiency.

Central Florida Solar Installations

If you need to upgrade your solar panels or install a new system, call on our team at Solar Bear Orlando! With years of experience, our team is Central Florida’s trusted team for solar installations, repairs, and roofing!

Get started with Solar Bear Orlando today by calling (727) 471-7442!

Is It Better to Have a Battery or Extra Solar Panels?

To solar battery or not, that is the question…we’re pretty sure that is the saying. In most cases, it acts like a solar jackknife to increase energy independence, store energy and further reduce carbon footprints. However, is it better to have a solar battery or simply install additional solar panels to your existing system? Well, it depends on your energy needs. Solar Bear of Tampa explains more below.

Not long ago, solar batteries were insanely expensive and thus, unattainable for the regular joe. This obstacle allowed utility companies to supply energy through their grid stations. But with the rising popularity of solar energy, technology has evolved to produce more affordable and accessible options. Still, the most important questions when considering whether to add a battery to your system are: has your usage increased, and do you have space for additional panels?

Solar Bear of Tampa offers a complimentary energy evaluation that helps you decide which option makes the best sense for your home. In the comprehensive inspection, we review current energy consumption, identify any energy leaks the home may have, and share energy-saving recommendations before installation. If your energy consumption skyrockets after installation, it may indicate that more panels are needed to meet your home’s energy needs. This option is contingent on the available space and budget to do so.

If you are tight on either of the above, adding a battery may be your best option. Not only does it increase energy independence, but it also allows homeowners added security should a power outage or inclement weather occur. The best time to add a battery to a solar energy system would be during the installation phase. This allows homeowners to save on installation costs while also synchronizing financial benefits. Increasing energy accessibility and storage, creating an efficient system, and earning a sizable return on investment may keep you going and going and going.

Ready to learn more about solar batteries? Call Solar Bear of Tampa at (727) 741-7442 to schedule your complimentary energy evaluation today!