![]() ![]() Its BluePower Plus+ plan (exclusive to Blue Raven) mimics the flexible structure of a lease while still providing the greatest benefits of owning your system.Įligible homeowners enjoy 18 months of solar power before having to pay their first bill. The results speak for themselves, as Blue Raven Solar is now one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the nation and was recently acquired by SunPower. We like Blue Raven Solar because it understands that, for most homeowners, the cost of solar presents the biggest barrier to entry.įor that reason, Blue Raven Solar developed an innovative solar financing plan that offers in-house, flexible, zero-money-down options. However, its powerful panels are workhorses that make up for the initial cost with more backend production (think about this like spending more money for a car that gets more miles per gallon). SunPower’s biggest downside? Its high-efficiency panels are considerably more expensive than most of its competitors’ products. This means that your panels, solar cells, inverters, battery and EV chargers are designed to work together and are all covered under the same warranty. If that weren’t enough, SunPower systems come packaged with products all manufactured in-house by its sister company, Maxeon. All the while, SunPower pioneers sustainability efforts within the industry. SunPower earns its position as the top national installer on our list for a handful of reasons: It installs the most efficient solar technology on the residential market, offers the most expansive service area and backs its installations with a warranty well above the industry standard. With a storied history of innovation dating back to 1985, no other company on this list can match SunPower’s experience and expertise. SunPower designs and installs industry-leading residential solar and storage solutions across all 50 states. For context, the largest solar farms in the world clock in around 2 gigawatts (GW). Isn’t it easier to call it 14 kW?Įven further, if you are discussing the power of a solar farm, commercial solar project or large power plant, megawatts might be the best measurement to do so. You’ve likely seen solar systems measured in kW since it’s much easier to describe a system as 10 kW than 10,000 watts.įor example, 40 solar panels (at 350 W each) would make an array totalling 14,000 W (40 x 350 W = 14,000 W). ![]() If you’re talking about the power of an array of 40 solar panels, kW serves as a much more practical measurement that avoids too many zeros getting in the way. Watts are relatively small units of power, so it’s common to see larger-scale measurements using kW and beyond.įor example, when talking about the power needed for one lightbulb, you would use watts. Just like watts, a kilowatt (kW) measures the power of an electrical device or appliance. From there, you can scale up to the following: You rarely encounter units of energy smaller than watts in your daily life. Our 100 W lightbulb would have very low water pressure. Power, or wattage, would reflect the pressure of the hose rather than how much water actually comes out of it. The dishwasher can consume 1,500 W at a time.Īn easy way to conceptualize this is by thinking of a faucet or hose. This means that the lightbulb only has the ability to transfer (in this case consume) 100 W in a given moment. You can find the power ratings of your appliances in the technical specifications, user manuals or on the labels.įor example, you might see a 100-watt lightbulb or a 1,500 W dishwasher. This measurement refers to the power of a specific device. The most common places where you might see watts used as a descriptor would be basic appliances such as lightbulbs, dishwashers, TVs or dryers. You can think of power as “the ability to do work,” whether that work is generating electricity or consuming it. In this context, power refers to the rate at which work is performed or energy is transferred. What Is a Watt?Ī watt (W) is a unit of power equivalent to one joule per second. What Is the Difference Between Watts and Kilowatts?īefore getting into watt vs. ![]()
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