Latest articles by The Solar Nerd

Keep up to date on industry news and articles relevant to green living and the solar homeowner.

Trinity Solar logo
Trinity Solar Power reviews (and complaints)
According to Solar Power World, Trinity Solar is the second largest residential solar installer in the United States, having installed over 83 megawatts of solar last year. (Note that this doesn’t include Sunrun, which is the largest but doesn’t participate in Solar Power World’s rankings.) They operate in nine states and are known for doing door-to-door sales and telemarketing, so there’s a good chance that you’ve received one of their pitches to install solar on your home.
Illustration: loan fees
Solar loan dealer fees explained
Installing solar panels on your home is typically a five-figure purchase, so a majority of people take on financing to pay for it. It’s often easiest to get financing directly from your solar installer. The installer will give you a solar installation proposal with a financed price, and you won’t have to deal with your bank or any other lending institution. Simple, right? We're solar nerds, not finance nerds. Be sure to consult with a professional financial advisor before making major financial decisions.
Breaking news
Inflation Reduction Act: what it means for home solar
After the death of the Build Back Better bill, a pared back climate bill that also died, machinations in the senate, and an unexpected last minute back-from-the-dead effort, President Biden signed the Investment Reduction Act this week. It’s being called the largest investment in combatting climate ever and the most significant environmental legislation since the Clean Air Act. The IRA covers a large swath of things intended to lower the cost of energy and prescription drugs, of which are outside the scope of this blog.
Photo of a sign with the words "air con"
Solar powered air conditioning for your home
If you live in a climate where air conditioning is a significant part of your electricity usage, that probably means it’s a good climate for solar energy. Does that mean you can power your air conditioner with solar electricity? You absolutely can, but we should explain exactly what that means. If your idea is to power an air conditioner directly with solar panels - that is, connect some solar panels directly to an AC unit and essentially run it off-the-grid - it is possible.