You’ve made the decision to go with solar energy for your energy needs. In going solar, you need to know who is who. Let’s take a closer look.

Who is Who?

Companies in the solar energy industry come in two main forms. One set provides the systems you need to produce solar energy on your own. A much smaller subset will sell you a form of clean energy.

If you want to skip putting solar panels or shingles on your home, you need to find a company that will sell you power just like a utility. Unfortunately, there isn’t any nation wide company that solely provides solar electricity to customers. If you’re willing to look a bit broader, Green Mountain Energy Company may be for you.

Green Mountain Energy Company is a “cleaner electricity” company. It only buys power produced from wind, solar, biomass, water, geothermal and natural gas. The power is then fed into regional power grids and you tap it from there. The advantage of Green Mountain is you are using cleaner power than a typical utility company, but not completely clean as you find when generating solar power yourself. The biggest downside to Green Mountain is you are still paying utility bills, often more than you would pay to the utility company in your area. That being said, Green Mountain is really the only company of its type.

When people refer to providers, more often they are discussing manufacturers and installers of solar energy systems. In the case of solar energy, there are a few big industry leaders.

BP Solar is one of the largest producers for solar energy solutions for residential, commercial and industrial platforms throughout the world. The company is a true leader in the field and provides simplified solutions for homeowners by combining the sale of solar energy systems with full installation. A very popular company with many homeowners.

Somewhat surprisingly, General Electric is one of the biggest producers of solar energy solutions. The company offers high end commercial solutions and custom made solutions using crystallized silicon solutions. It also offers pre-packaged systems for residential homes.

On the other end of the scale, Uni-Solar is the creator the new solar roof shingles that are gaining popularity with consumers, businesses and government agencies. The shingles sit flat on homes like regular roof shingles, getting rid of the bulky solar panel appearance. The Uni-Solar product is considered a fairly major break through in solar power.

Solar companies come in all types and forms. You can visit our site in the byline of this article to find companies in your area that provide the particular solar solutions you need.

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While California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for his action films, few knew of his affinity for the sun. Turns out he is hell bent on converting California to solar.

3.2 Billion Dollar Plan

This past week, the State of California became the undisputed biggest proponent of solar power in the United States. Faced with a growing population, limited energy sources and the occasional rolling blackout each summer season, the state really had no choice. With backing from Governor Schwarzenegger, the state has just implemented the biggest solar industry subsidiary every undertaken by a state in an effort to quell the energy crunch.

On January 12, 2006, the California Public Utilities Commission voted 3 to 1 to adopt a plan to encourage the use of solar roof systems by residents through a 3.2 billion dollar rebate plan. Known as the California Solar Initiative, the goal is to convert as much as six percent of the peak energy demands in the state to solar platforms. Put in practical terms, the goal is place solar systems on roughly one million homes in the state, particularly new homes. Approximately 15,000 homes in the state now have solar systems for energy generation.

When in use, the residents will receive an astonishing rebate of $2.80 cents per watt on their utilities bill. On top of this subsidy, state residents will be able to claim tax credits from the federal government as well as direct subsidies.

In turn, California is hoping to both reduce the stress on the current electrical grid system while also avoiding the costs associated with building and running massive new power generating stations necessary to feed the energy crunch associated with a growing population. It is estimated the power generated through California Solar Initiative will be sufficient to replace the need for five massive, expensive new power generation complexes.

In addition to the economic benefits of the new plan, Californians going solar can reap significant benefits through net metering laws. Under such laws, residents will be able to tie solar platforms into utility electric grids and effectively sell power back to the California utilities. Depending on the size of the solar platform, net metering can result in reduction of electrical bills from 50 percent to complete elimination.

For a state suffering growth problems, the California Solar Initiative is a major move. After a crushing defeat at the polls in late 2005, the Governor has something to cheer.

British Petroleum was once known for their petroleum products. How times have changed. BP is now one of the biggest producers of solar products.
British Petroleum – Solar Products Manufacture
Solar power is the way of the future. Whether you are interested in saving the environment or just saving money, solar products can provide you with the power you need to run a household while not using traditional fossil fuels or supplied electricity. Solar power can also be a great investment for your home’s future and your family’s well being.
BP solar products are backed by BP’s thirty years of experience in the solar energy industry. The company started out as Solarex Corporation in 1973, and has led the industry in solar power since that date. BP has been a world leader in petroleum based energy sources since 1901, but in the latter half of the 20th century took the opportunity to turn to solar energy as a means of supplying the world with power. Currently, BP Solar operates the largest fully-integrated solar power plant in the United States which is located in Frederick, Maryland. BP solar products are also sold by BP as one of the products made with the many solar cells produced annually by BP.
BP solar products, sold as part of BP Solar Home Solutions, are available in California, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They are sold in these states through the Home Depot and other independent dealers. Non-residential customers (large businesses) can obtain BP solar products in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Jersey and New York. Some states offer rebates up to 70 percent of the purchase price of a BP solar energy system, and others offer tax credits to homeowners that choose solar power.
BP contractors and independent dealers will assess your home and roof for the best options available to give you a solar powered house. They will assess the shape and pitch of your roof, as well as any potential shady spots, in order to ascertain the amount of BP solar products you will be able to accommodate. They contractors will also be able to take a survey of your house to see how much energy you need to run your household.
Choosing BP solar products to supply energy to your home is a cost effective and green way to help the Earth. You can help to save the environment for future generations as well as making a great monetary investment for the future. Solar energy is going to become more important as time goes on, so getting started now will help you to advance the cause of cleaner energy before it’s too late.