A Big Announcement From GR Solar Solutions!

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GR Solar Solutions is pleased to announce we’ve been chosen to be the service providers for Home Depot of El Paso regarding solar power systems. In working with Home Depot, GR Solar Solutions will be responsible for solar power system installation services and repairs, helping Home Depot customers convert to solar energy.

Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement retailer. Last year, the company released its Sustainability Report, which stated they’ve been able to reduce supply chain carbon emissions by 35% (over 2008 levels) and to reduce energy use in their stores by 30% (over 2004 levels). They have a continued commitment to becoming even more energy-efficient by the year 2020, with an emphasis on using onsite fuel cell and solar installs as well as offsite solar and wind developments.

As a company, Home Depot is serious about solar energy. It uses solar power systems for its own energy needs and provides solar energy solutions for its customers.

Home Depot generally gives potential solar energy customers a free quote to show them the advantages of solar power. They recommend homes with a mostly-sunny roof facing south, east or west as the best for utilizing solar power systems to save money on energy bills.

Since Home Depot is committed to using local, licensed and insured solar providers and panel installers, it makes sense they’ve aligned with GR Solar Solutions of Texas. With more than 30 years of experience in designing and installing solar power systems, GR Solar Solutions is the kind of company Home Depot’s customers will appreciate.

When working with Home Depot, customers will find that there are a wide range of flexible financing options including the company’s Consumer Credit Card and Project Loan. If you happen to live in the El Paso area, visit your local Home Depot to ask about solar power systems. If you choose to move forward with an install, know that GR Solar Solutions will be the ones doing the physical work to put solar panels on top of your roof.

Do You Need to Clean Solar Panels?

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Solar panels rely on taking in the sun’s rays to convert sunshine into electricity. Solar panels are typically placed on the roofs of buildings, including residential homes. A common question for new solar panel users is this: “How often do I need to clean them?”

Rainstorms are really good at cleaning solar panels; they’re nature’s way of cleaning so you don’t have to. However, if you live in an area that doesn’t get rain often, you may need to get a hose and spray them yourself.

What makes solar panels dirty? Typically, wind-blown dust and pollen are the chief culprits. Occasionally bird poop might interfere as well. Dirty panels’ output may decrease by 5 to 20 percent, so it is a good idea to keep in mind their cleanliness and attend to them as needed.

Basically, how often you should clean your solar panels depends on a couple factors. First, your location matters. If it rains a lot, you’re good. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to clean them more often than not. Next, what does the tilt of the panels look like? The steeper ones stay cleaner than the more horizontal ones. Thirdly, do you live in a windy, dusty area? If so, you’re apt to need a regular schedule of cleaning the panels every couple weeks or months. Also, if the electric rate is high it might be time for a cleaning. Finally, cost factors in– how much is it going to cost you to clean the panel(s)? Can you do it yourself with a ladder and hose or do you need to hire someone else to come do it professionally?

If you want to talk to a professional about cleaning solar panels, please call GR Solar Solutions of El Paso, Texas, at 915-581-0461. GR Solar Solutions is one of the most experienced solar power companies in Texas and New Mexico.

The History of Solar Panels

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Solar panels seem like they’ve been around awhile, don’t they? While the sun has been around since time began, solar panels are a more recent development, getting their start in 1955.

Though you’d almost expect solar panels to have been first developed in a sunny state like Florida or California, the solar panel got its start in… New Jersey. It was there, in the mid-1950s, that scientists from Bell Laboratories came up with the first practical photovoltaic cell. Using razor blade-sized strips of silicon, the scientists found success at converting sun rays into electricity. Soon after that, in 1958, Bell Labs provided solar electric power for NASA’s first permanent satellite.

In the 1960s and 1970s, New Jersey became the leader in solar research thanks to the efforts of a company you’ve probably heard of: Exxon. Labs were set up in Linden and Florham Park, and the company spent more money on solar technology research during that time than the U.S. government did! Exxon was convinced that oil was on its way out and solar was on its way in as reports that society would run out of oil in the coming decades surfaced. Exxon helped make solar energy a viable alternative to oil.

Interestingly, while practical solar panels were a mid-Twentieth Century development, it was way back in 1839 when Alexandre Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect which allows for sunlight to be turned into electricity. Attempts to make this effect work for practical purposes didn’t work out well at the time. Eventually, though, in 1941, Russell Ohl invented the solar cell. From there, Bell Labs utilized solar cell technology to develop solar panels.

Now that it’s 2016, something interesting has happened: solar employment has overtaken oil, gas and coal employment in the U.S. according to an article from Bloomberg.

GR Solar Solutions is one of the companies providing solar power to thousands of people in New Mexico, Texas and beyond. Find out how GR Solar Solutions can save you money through solar panels by calling 915-581-0461.