It’s hard for 1876 Energy not to be a little bit zealous when talking about all the benefits ‘going solar’, but there’s something you ought to know if you’re considering joining the clean energy revolution: there are some tremendous benefits to going solar! We’re...

Austin recently ranked the #1greenest city in America, according to Listshack.com

As far as the cleaning of the panels is concerned, it certainly doesn’t hurt to give them a good hosing down every few months, but it isn’t a requirement. Most panels are designed to stay relatively clean as long as they’re exposed to a little rain now and again.
If you live in a particularly dusty area or the local birds just really hate renewable energy devices, then you might consider more periodic cleaning. The more debris or gunk that lives on your solar panels, the less energy they’ll be able to produce from limited sunlight.
Other than that there’s no maintenance required for residential solar panels. There are no moving parts involved in the system, and most modules come with a 30+-year expected lifespan.

There has recently been a lot of buzz about which direction solar panels should face. It seems the initial conversation was prompted by a Pecan Street Inc. report that looked at output from real solar arrays and found those facing west tended to have better power...

< Return to the Solar Tax Credit Example Am I eligible to claim the solar tax credit if I lease the system or have a PPA? Unfortunately, you have to have purchased your solar power system in order to be eligible for the tax credit. In the event of a solar lease or...

You probably already know there’s no greater financial incentive to go solar than the 30% federal Investment Tax credit, but when it comes to claiming it on your taxes, it never hurts to have a refresher. We don’t want you to have any solar related stresses in your life, so we’ve put together this helpful example below to take at least some of your tax-related stress away before April 15.

How Solar Panels Work

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Austin, Texas. There's not a cloud in the sky, and a cool spring breeze is whistling through the blossoming trees. But as any good Texan knows, the weather can change in a matter of minutes, and it's best to be prepared for any...

Did you hear the news? Going green in the workplace is the new hot trend in the business world. Turns out that using environmentally-friendly practices in and around the office benefits both the planet and your business’s bottom line. But I’m not going to lie to you —...