Archives: Resources

Batteries and Generators (Part 2): Inverters and Battery Brands

Time to read: 11 minutes Welcome back to our two-part post on batteries and generators! In our last post in this series, IES PV Design Engineer Kevin Marceski gave us a look at how important batteries and generators are in a Solar Powered System. In part 2, Kevin helps us explore the kinds of batteries that IES Texas Solar uses in addition to the incredible Enphase inverters that go with them.  What types of batteries and inverters does IES Texas Solar use? “Enphase is our workhorse here. That’s what we depend on for a lot of our installations. Microinverters are…

CPS Energy Rebates and Solar Power

Time to read: 4 minutes If you’re like most Texans, then you’ve been dealing with the high heat from this past summer in addition to the high electric bills that came with it. Now that fall and winter are just around the corner, temperatures are bound to drop. Though the heat may be dropping soon, surging electricity rates associated with higher prices for natural gas and costs for maintaining the grid will remain. While the eventual drop in temperature might not mean that your pricey electric bills are going away anytime soon, it also doesn’t mean that you can’t do…

Reducing your Carbon Footprint

Time to read: 3 minutes Happy Zero Emissions Day! Climate change is a very big issue, and today we’re going to be covering ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint! Like the saying goes, reduce before you produce! Ways to reduce your carbon footprint Drive less While it seems self-explanatory, driving your car less is a great way that you can help reduce your carbon footprint. Instead of driving your car, take public transportation, ride a bike, or even walk (if it’s feasible of course). Another way you could cut down on driving is by carpooling. You could even…

Fall and Solar Backup Power

Time to read: 3 minute read With fall fast approaching, temperatures are finally starting to drop ever so slightly. Before long, Texas will (hopefully) have chilly weather and overcast skies. What does this mean for solar owners? It means that backup power for your home or office is going to be much more relevant when the sun isn’t shining.  When you make the switch to a Solar Powered System, installing backup batteries and/or a Generac® generator is one of the best decisions that you can make to use your own power to stay warm and avoid blackouts. In this post,…

New Construction and Solar Powered Systems

Estimated time to read: 5 minutes We’ve covered the topic of Solar Powered Systems in residential and commercial buildings in many other posts, but have you ever wondered if a system can be installed during the construction of a building? While IES Texas Solar installs Solar Powered Systems in already existing homes and businesses, they also install them as a new building is being constructed. As expected, this comes with some considerations that are unique to this type of installation. In this post, we’ll be taking a look at what goes into installing a Solar Powered System into a building…

Wind Loads and Storms

Time to read: 6 minutes When it comes to solar panels, we’ve already gone over how they get onto the roof during the installation process, but what goes into making them stay there when the weather takes a nasty turn?  Strong winds, storms, snow, and hail are all weather events that every home has to withstand, and the Solar Powered System installed in such homes need to endure these conditions as well. In this post, we’ll be covering some common concerns over rough wind and weather and what you need to know about how your solar panels deal with them. …

Backup Batteries and Generators (Part 1): An Introduction

Time to read: 3 minutes Estimated time to read: 9 minutes At some point, most people spy a house with the tell-tale black gloss of a solar panel that’s basking in the sun on the roof of someone’s home or business. But how often do they think of everything beneath that shiny, high-tech energy producer? Do they consider what happens during a power outage and think that those panels will keep the power running when the grid goes down? While solar panels are easy to spot, the equipment that customers need in order to get the most out of their…

What you Need to Know About the New Climate Bill and Solar Tax Incentives

Time to read: 2 minutes Now that the Inflation Reduction Act is officially here, current and future owners of Solar Powered Systems are asking “what does this mean for me and my family?”. The new bill has a lot of big benefits in it for anyone who currently has or intends to make the switch to a solar powered system, and we’re here to tell you about some of the big ones. In this post, we’ll be going over some of the big takeaways from the Inflation Reduction Act and how this historic bill provides an incredible opportunity for those…

The Cost of Maintaining the Grid

Time to read: 4.5 minutes In our recent posts, we’ve increasingly covered the reasons that energy prices have been going up across the state of Texas. So far, we’ve gone over the cost of natural gas prices as well as environmental factors such as the extreme heat and weatherizing grid infrastructure. Today, we’re going to be exploring something related to the increased demand for energy and how it has been affecting Texans over the course of the summer. Texas has been fortunate enough to avoid a massive, rolling summer blackout by taking additional measures to provide electricity. This is because…

Grid Failure Checklist

4 Min Read IES Texas Solar cares about the Health and Safety of our community of Solar Energy Readers. Below are a few tips to stay safe. With the heat in Texas hitting historic highs, the grid has been pushed to the limit. ERCOT has been calling on Texans to conserve power while the power plants are skipping scheduled maintenance in order to meet the demand for power. With the power plants running non-stop, the skipped maintenance is bound to add up and experts are saying that the more that maintenance is put off, the longer the next outages will…