Solar panels are a weather-dependent technology. Although solar electric panels will generate electricity in all weather, the amount is highly dependent on the irradiance, temperature, visibility, and other factors. It should be no surprise that solar panels work better when it is sunny and not so great in cloudy weather. The good news is we have tons of historical data …
Hire a Local Solar Contractor
The solar energy industry has exploded in the last several years. At the turn of the century, there were a handful of local solar contractors in Southwest Florida, and a decade later, that remained the same. But since 2010, the number of solar energy companies in the area has increased to dozens of local dealers. More impactful has been the …
2024 Will Be The Year Of The Battery
Modern lithium ion batteries for solar with battery backup have been around for years now. The early adopter stage is ending, and 2024 is shaping up to be the year for battery backup in Southwest Florida. There are major developments in the industry, and now may be the time to buy solar with batteries or add batteries to your existing solar …
Enphase IQ8 Commercial Microinverter Beta Program
We were selected to participate in the Enphase Energy IQ8 Commercial Microinverter beta program. Only a handful of contractors nationwide participated in this important Beta test to allow Enphase to gather data on the installation process and microinverter performance. We were luck enough to be under contract with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to install solar panels on our fourth …
Photorealistic Solar Panel Layouts | Solar Panels Superimposed on Imagery
For mission-critical solar energy projects, when visualizing the outcome is critical, we have you covered. We have the in-house capability to take aerial imagery with drones and superimpose photorealistic solar panels on the imagery. We can even do this with motion video. What can’t we do?! For those of you that don’t know, our solar contractor is an avid commercial …
Enphase Bi-Directional Vehicle Charging (V2H) and Air Conditioning
This is going to be a pretty short article. Unfortunately, it might burst your bubble. The promise of bi-directional Electric Vehicle use for homes, also known as Vehicle to Home or V2H, is great. The idea is that you can plug your vehicle into the house and power everything you need. And you can charge your vehicle battery with solar …
Enphase 5P Battery Released
As part of the Enphase IQ family of products, the company has released its Enphase IQ Battery 5P. This battery offers some improvements for select clients in Southwest Florida, all at a similar price to the existing 3T and 10T batteries (for equal storage capacity). The Enphase 5P battery has just half of the battery capacity of the existing 10 and …
NABCEP Certified PVIP Photovoltaic Installation Professional In Southwest Florida
People engaged in skilled trades seek certifications to show the public that they are vetted as competent persons in their craft. For example, air conditioning has NATE, auto mechanics have ASE, and electricians can become Journeyman. In the solar energy industry, NABCEP is the de facto standard for certifications. But they offer a wide array of certifications and it’s important …
Commercial Solar Panels (Solar Electric) in Southwest Florida
If you’re wondering why it’s been a while since our last post, we’ve been insanely busy. We were fortunate enough to earn the business of some commercial customers and have been engaged in adding solar panels to some businesses and non-profits. These organizations are all committed to sustainability and the for-profit businesses realize the return on investment potential for solar …
Pentair Superflo VS Pool Pump Updated With New Automation Options
The Pentair Superflo VS is being re-released with some new automation functionality. We previously recommended against this pump for a couple of reasons, primarily due to the analog automation options and 1.5 HP rating. The new automation options make it a good choice under certain circumstances. We have always recommended “oversizing” variable speed pumps so you can get the advantages …
Coronavirus Response Information
Florida Solar Design Group wants to let our customers know how we are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. This page will provide up to date information regarding our operating schedule, precautions, and procedures for servicing clients. July 13, 2020 This will be our last COVID-19 update unless something changes drastically. We are taking all reasonable and recommended precautions. We are …
Enphase Ensemble Battery Solution Coming Soon!
Enphase, the leading manufacturer of microinverters, has started training dealers for its upcoming Ensemble battery system. This is an exciting new entrant to the budding Lithium battery industry for use in homes. Enphase has a unique approach that improves reliability, serviceability, design, and monitoring capabilities. In Southwest Florida we are mainly concerned with battery backup. The Enphase battery will fit …
What the 2020 Solar Tax Credit Changes Mean To Consumers
The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit has been a popular credit that has driven growth in the industry. Since it’s inception it has been a 30% credit on the total investment that comes right off the bottom line of your taxes. That is set to change in 2020. The bottom line is the credit is being reduced to 26%. An …
Where Is Solar Pool Heating Most Popular
Southwest Florida is one of the best markets in the nation for solar pool heating. Why? Because it works SO WELL here! But where in Southwest Florida is solar pool heating most popular? We took a random sampling of 500 recent solar pool heating installations we have done and mapped them. The results are pretty telling. Now they may be …
Enphase MyEnlighten Updated For Per Module Monitoring
Enphase is the world’s leading microinverter manufacturer, and they have always been at the forefront of solar panel monitoring. One of the most revolutionary benefits of microinverters in solar electricity systems is the ability to monitor each individual panel. Now Enphase is expanding its consumer monitoring offering to include this per-panel monitoring. The ability to monitor the energy production performance …
Sonnen Certified Partner for Battery Backup
Florida Solar Design Group is now a Sonnen Certified Partner. We can now sell and install Sonnen’s Lithium Ion battery backup systems in Southwest Florida. Sonnen is a leading manufacturer of battery systems that integrate with solar photovoltaic systems, providing seamless and unlimited battery backup power for emergencies and utility outages. Battery technology has come a long way in the …
Solar Electricity For Your Home at Babcock Ranch
Babcock Ranch is a solar city. But what does that really mean, and how can you benefit from solar energy at your home? The short answer is that there is a giant solar field near Babcock Ranch that is intended to provide enough electricity for the needs of the community. It is owned and operated by the local utility company, …
Babcock Ranch is Heating Up With Solar
Babcock Ranch is known as the first Solar City for its centralized solar electricity energy source. But did you know that it’s shaping up to be a hotbed for solar pool heating, too? Solar pool heating is over 5 times more efficient than solar electricity at converting the sun’s energy to usable energy. While about 20% of solar energy can …
New Product Announcement: Solaria PowerXT Solar AC Module
February 1, 2019 We are pleased to announce that we are offering the Solaria PowerXT solar module now. This premium solar module combines a cutting edge microinverter from Enphase with a high-efficiency solar module into a factory assembled AC module. Household AC power is produced right at the panel with no separate power conditioning device to convert DC to AC. …
Enphase Microinverter Advantage: Fire Safety
Among the many advantages of microinverters, fire safety is a real selling point. And I recently had the opportunity to see first hand how a traditional, non-microinverter based solar energy system can result in a fire. High voltage DC wires found in traditional string inverter systems have the potential for high-intensity arc faults. Operating at voltages of up to 600 …