PV Solar Installation…made safe
[metaslider id=”2896″] As the winter is in full swing, solar installations must go on!!! Its important to recognize safety, more now so than ever. Fingers are cold, black ice exists and lets face it…who doesn’t want to jump from a roof into a snow drift… Ok Ok Ok…ha ha ha, not so much. Take […]
Net Zero Buildings 101
Imagine being able to live your life in a modern dwelling, in an urban or rural setting, that produces zero carbon emissions. This is essentially what it means to be Net Zero. A Net Zero home produces its own renewable energy. The home also relies on energy conservation and efficient energy usage to avoid burning […]
A Brief Introduction to Micro-Inverters, String Inverters, and Optimizers
Like any electrical system, a solar array needs a way to manage the flow of electrical energy. In order to avoid damaging your household electronics, the electrical grid, and your solar panels themselves, a system of electrical inverters and optimizers need to be in place. Inverters change the DC current produced in solar panels to […]
How Does Solar*Rewards Work?
Xcel Energy’s Solar*Rewards incentive pays annually at 8 cents per kWh produced by your solar photovoltaic system for 10 years. In addition to the annual incentive payments, you lower your electricity bill as your array produces power. If you produce more than you consume in any given month, excess kilo-watt hours are credited on your bill. […]
How Do I Pay For Solar?
Solar gives you energy independence, greatly reduces your carbon footprint, and saves you money over the long term. Even though the cost of solar power has come down a lot in the last few years, it is a significant upfront investment. Luckily, in Minnesota there are several incentives in place to reduce this cost. The […]
Independence, Stewardship, and Solar
[metaslider id=1410] As we drove up to the Johnson farm near Hinckley, we were greeted by several large, exotic-looking speckled birds that glared at us reproachfully, and proceeded to trot away, shrieking loudly. Guinea fowl, who are native to Africa as we were told by Kathy Johnson, eat ticks. They’re helpful additions to the 192-acre […]
Now is the Time for Solar – Federal Investment Tax Credit Dropping by end of 2016
In the next 18 months, the U.S. will see more solar installations than ever before. The federal investment tax credit (ITC) is a 30 percent tax credit for residential, commercial and utility scale systems. Tax credits work by reducing dollar-by-dollar the taxes that would be paid by the owner to the federal government. Please note […]
The Big Picture: TruNorth Solar
In order to kick off our summer installations, we thought it would be a good idea to reiterate who we are and what we stand for at TruNorth. Who are we? We are a Mission driven construction company with 15 employees committed to making a meaningful difference in our future energy recipe through solar […]
How Minnesota Farmers are Getting “Hurricane Ready” Ground Mounted Solar Power
When I was a kid, my parents would take me to the Minnesota State Fair. My favorite part, was climbing around on all the farm equipment and huge trucks at Machinery Hill. Our family car was a brown Plymouth Duster, so climbing out of that and onto a massive tractor at the fair – was […]
Top 7 Reasons to Install Ground Mounted Solar PV
Solar is growing quickly across Minnesota. As more people from rural areas, farmers and businesses get solar, the question of what is the most cost effective and best value for their home, business or farm is what people want to know. So here is a list of 7 reasons why a ground mounted solar array […]
