Going Green the Right Way: How to Find the Best Solar Company

January 24, 2021

Did you know solar power can increase your home’s value?

In this guide, we’ll go over how to find a reputable solar company. After reading, you will have an idea of what to look for in a company.

Want to learn more? Keep reading.

Look For an Installer With Expertise

A solar company should have professional certification for installing solar energy systems.

The top standard is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Solar PV Installation Professional Certification.

The solar company should have a NABCEP-certified professional who can provide quality assurance for each system they install. There should be a NABCEP-certified professional on each installation crew.

Some installers may have been in the solar industry before the formation of NABCEP. Installers without this certification should be able to show they have significant expertise.

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Read the reviews of the companies that don’t have this certification.

Insurances and Licenses

A solar installer should also have insurance policies and licenses. Rules on licenses and insurances vary depending on the state and local jurisdiction.

Localities and states have different licensing requirements for electricians and contractors. This protects the reputation of the industry and consumers from unsafe practices.

Licensing is mandatory for some practices. Typical licenses for solar companies will include electrician, general contracting, and home improvement licenses.

Make sure the installer also has general liability insurance.

What Experience Does the Solar Company Have?

The solar industry is growing and attracting many professionals from various backgrounds. Contractors are now focusing on solar installation along with their other projects.

When you search for a company, find out if the installer has a solar track record. The solar company should be able to show you the systems they installed for previous clients.

Does the Company Have a Decent Reputation?

Read solar company reviews. Yet, sometimes, the reviews can also be misleading.

Make sure you read the three-star reviews along with the lowest and highest reviews. You’ll get a chance to see common customer complaints, what the company did well, and where they lacked.

If you see a pattern of complaints, keep searching for a company.

What About Workmanship Warranties?

A workmanship warranty is coverage against installation or workmanship errors. The warranty should range between one to 10 years.

Sometimes, you can buy a separate contract for the maintenance and operation of your system. Pay for installation from a reputable installer who has a solid workmanship warranty.

Start your search today. Look up “solar companies near me.”

Good Luck Finding a Reputable Solar Company

We hope this guide on solar power companies was helpful. Take your time searching for a reputable solar company.

Make sure the company has a lot of experience and the required licenses and insurance. Read reviews online to determine if they have a decent reputation.

Was this guide helpful? Keep learning by checking out our other resources on health, science, and more.

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Ukrainian widow confronts Russian soldier accused of killing her husband

In the very first days of this invasion, a 62-year-old unarmed civilian was shot dead on a village street outside his Ukrainian home. His name was Oleksandr Shelipov. Three months later and the captured Russian soldier accused of killing him is in Kyiv being tried for a war crime. Standing up in court to confront the 21-year-old defendant on Thursday was Kateryna Shelipova, the widow of the man killed. Did he repent his crime, she asked? The Russian tank commander, Vadim Shishimarin, replied that he admitted his guilt and asked for her forgiveness. “But I understand you won’t be able to forgive me,” he added. Kateryna Shelipova hadn’t finished. “Tell me please, why did you [Russians] come here? To protect us?” she asked, citing Vladimir Putin’s justification for the invasion of Ukraine. “Protect us from whom? Did you protect me from my husband, whom you killed?” The soldier had no answer to that. This landmark trial marks the first time a Russian serviceman has been put on the stand for war crimes since the invasion of Ukraine was launched in February. And perhaps such raw encounters are what such trials are about, at least in part. Forcing a soldier – who ignored all the rules of war – to face up to exactly what he has done and the suffering he has caused. Sgt Shishimarin has pleaded guilty and Ukrainian prosecutors are asking for him to be sentenced to life imprisonment. On Wednesday, Ms. Shelipova told me she actually felt sorry for the soldier, but she could not forgive him for this crime. She heard the shots that killed her husband, then saw Sgt Shishimarin through her gate – holding his weapon. Five minutes later she says she saw her husband’s body: “He was dead with a shot in his head. I started screaming very loudly.” “The loss of my husband is everything to me,” Ms. Shelipova said, adding: “He was my protector.” ‘It killed him’ Recalling the events of 28 February, Vadim Shishimarin said he and a small group of other Russian soldiers had become separated from their unit and hijacked a car in order to return to it. “As we were driving, we saw a man. He was talking on the phone,” the defendant said. He claimed that he hadn’t wanted to fire the fatal shots, that he was following orders – threatened by another soldier if he refused to do as he was told. “He said I would be putting us in danger if I didn’t. I shot him at short range. It killed him,” the 21-year-old tank commander told the court. Interestingly, his defense lawyer – appointed by the state – told me that no Russian official has been in touch with him, including from its defense ministry. There is no Russian embassy in Kyiv these days, so no contact from there either. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman yesterday told the BBC that the Kremlin has “no information” about this case. All in all, it feels rather like the young soldier has been abandoned to his fate by the commanders who sent him to war and continue to deny that their forces commit crimes here. We also heard from a second Russian soldier who witnessed the killing in February and later surrendered to Ukrainian forces. Ivan Maltsev, another slight and young-looking 21-year-old, told the court how the Russian soldiers spotted Oleksandr Shelipov while they were driving the stolen car. Mr. Maltysev claimed that Vadim Shishimarin was then ordered to shoot the victim because he was on the phone. “Vadim didn’t do it. So the soldier, whose name I don’t know, turned round in the car and shouted that Vadim had to carry out the order, or we would be informed. “At this point, we were almost alongside the civilian and, under pressure, Vadim fired. He fired three or four rounds.” Ukraine has so far identified more than 11,000 possible war crimes committed by Russia. Moscow has denied its troops have targeted civilians, but investigators have been collecting evidence of possible war crimes to bring before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. This trial is Ukraine’s chance to prove, beyond doubt, that a Russian soldier killed a civilian with no regard for the rules of war. Its prosecutors know they are in the spotlight, proceeding so quickly, and in the middle of a war. That is why they are keen to be as transparent and thorough as possible – so that this is not seen as a show trial, but as part of a vital quest for justice. Read more at bbc.com
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How Amazon, eBay Can Post Huge Profits In The Cannabis Supplement Market

Amazon.com Inc (AMZN) and eBay Inc (EBAY), two of the world’s premier e-commerce retailers, look particularly well-positioned to profit from the expanding market for CBD, a non-intoxicating substance in marijuana plants that’s seeing rapid sales growth. In a detailed, 106-page study, Cowen says that products containing CBD “are now available through increasingly diverse retail channels, including Amazon, Sephora and Neiman Marcus.” They estimate retail sales of CBD products in 2018 were between $600 million and $2 billion and will grow to $16 billion by 2025, based on what they say are conservative assumptions: a 40% increase in consumer use, plus spending of less than $2 per day per consumer. Growing Opportunity For CBD Supplements Almost 7% of 2,500 U.S adults surveyed in Jan. 2019 use CBD supplements Retail sales of CBD likely to exceed $16 billion in the U.S. by 2025 Source: Cowen Inc., “Ahead of the Curve Series: Cowen’s Collective View of CBD” The Role of E-Commerce The report projects that e-commerce will be a key distribution channel for CBD products. These fall within larger categories called personal care & beauty products and vitamins & food supplements, all of which Cowen expects to enjoy accelerating online sales. What’s spurring this growth is the rising number of jurisdictions that have repealed, or are not enforcing, legal prohibitions on marijuana. That, in turn, is facilitating the growth of nutritional supplements containing CBD. “This is a really powerful compound,” as Mikhail Kogan, medical director of the George Washington University Center for Integrative Medicine, told The Washington Post. “I’ve seen it work for a lot of my patients,” he added, noting that he prescribes it for epilepsy, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), anxiety, autoimmune disorders, autism, and insomnia. “CBD has been a game-changer for medical marijuana,” according to Martin Lee, director of Project CBD, a California-based nonprofit that advocates for its use. “Its safety and lack of psychoactivity undermine any argument that it should be illegal,” he told the Post. Significance For Investors What is CBD? The two principal chemical compounds in marijuana, or cannabis, plants are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is an intoxicant that decades of research indicate also may be effective against pain, nausea, appetite loss, and other ailments. Once thought to have no impact on the human body, CBD has been the subject of increasing research in the past 10 years. Tests indicate that it may be useful in treating epilepsy, anxiety, schizophrenia, heart disease, and cancer, per the Post. Cowen cautions that, while the effects of THC on the body are well-established, much is still unknown about CBD, and no specific receptor for it has been identified. CDB is part of a major e-commerce category called consumables that has major growth potential. “Consumables continues to be a highly under-penetrated eCommerce vertical in the midst of a progressive shift online,” Cowen says. They estimate that online sales of consumables in the U.S. during 2018 were $51 billion, or 11% of total spending on this category. By 2023, led by Amazon, they expect these figures easily to exceed $111 billion and 19%, respectively. A Huge Market For Amazon In their survey of Amazon customers, Cowen found that in each month during the fourth quarter of 2018, 19% of Prime purchasers bought at least one personal care product and 15% bought at least a vitamin or supplement product. In more than 30 other product categories, an average of only 12% of Prime purchasers bought anything. There was a similar trend among non-Prime purchasers, the respective figures being 13%, 10% and 8%. Amazon’s growing physical footprint. Amazon’s health-oriented Whole Foods Markets, the grocery chain with about 470 locations, is another potential sales channel for CBD products, and the company’s expanding physical footprint also includes its Go Stores and bookstores. Whole Foods offers 2-hour delivery of many items in 63 cities which account for 50% of the U.S. population and 66% of U.S. GDP and curbside pickup in more than 20 markets. When CBD products may appear in these physical channels is unclear, but Cowen calls them “attractive avenues for reaching new customers.” Amazon may offer CBD under its own brand labels. The report notes that Amazon, including Whole Foods, has a large and growing private label business. If CBD products gain popularity and acceptance, Amazon may offer its own alternatives. While this initially may threaten established CBD companies, “The widespread availability and acceptance by a retailer such as Amazon could also help to drive mainstream adoption of CBD products and thus provide a benefit for the industry as a whole.” eBay’s Window of Opportunity Cowen believes that CBD companies may see eBay, with 179 million active buyers globally, as “an avenue to reach a wide array of consumers.” eBay has lost e-commerce market share for several years, “and developing a leading marketplace in a new product vertical such as CBD products could be an incentive to become an early adopter.” While eBay has been less successful than Amazon in generating sales from the personal care & beauty and vitamins & supplements categories, the report sees “an opportunity for these verticals to grow meaningfully.” Looking Ahead Cowen observes that, historically, broadline retailers Walmart inc. (WMT), Target Corp. (TGT) and Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) have shied away from entering controversial categories in their early innings, preferring to be last movers and avoid controversies. But the extraordinary profit potential in CBD is likely to spur Amazon and eBay to grab early leads in the world of CBD retailing. Source: investopedia.com
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How to Find the Most Suitable Custom Gear in New Zealand to Promote Your Small Business

A small business owner needs the right environment, team, and tools to succeed. On the environment front, a place like New Zealand is the type to set up a base in. The country offers a developed free-market economy with multiple industries like manufacturing, construction, agriculture, tourism, etc., meaning there’s no shortage of B2B clients for startups operating in that space. B2C-oriented small businesses are not left behind either. With its gross national income at $62,874 (2020), New Zealand offers a market with an appetite for all sorts of goods and services. There is also a GDP of $206.93 Billion (2019), with a growth rate of 5.9% (2021). In other words, the country offers a fertile ground for any small business to prosper. For a small business, a robust and comprehensive marketing strategy is vital for growth and survival reasons. To that end, there are many tools at its disposal, like promotional products that are customizable. Online retailers of such products like Custom Gear New Zealand offer a virtually unlimited selection of promotional products for small businesses. How to Know What to Give Building brand awareness and value via promotional products is a time-tested strategy that still works wonders. People always need some item or the other that they would’ve not bought for some reason or the other. Custom Gear New Zealand can help your business choose just such a product to plug that gap in their lives and that of your brand awareness, with careful product selection techniques and options. Knowing the Self What does your brand stand for? What are its goals, mission, and vision? What is the message you want to send to your prospect with your selection of the product? The answers to these and similar questions will be the crucial guidance factors towards your custom gear selection. Study the Market Some market research regarding what your target audience wants can help get you the product that will work best for your brand. Conduct your market survey or read material related to it to gain the required information. Browse for the Products With an idea of suitable gift items in mind, start searching for them in the market. Online providers tend to have a vast array of products to select from, so they are a good start. Thoroughly scan through the inventory until you find the products you are looking for or something similar. Note down its attributes like cost, size, material, minimum order quantity, etc. Look at multiple retailers’ sites for similar offerings that could better suit your needs and budget. Research about the Provider While screening for the product, remember to scrutiny the seller as well. Check the retailer’s credibility via various means like testimonials, reviews, ratings, comments, etc. Peer at the manufacturer and import information of the products on sale. Enquire about their delivery options like dates, quantity, extra services such as gift-wrapping and logo printing. Select a provider that does all you need at a reasonable budget and timeline. Custom Gear New Zealand lets small business owners relax when it comes to promotional products. With suitable selection techniques applied, products will catapult small business brand image to new heights and places.
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5 Best Uganda Safari Experiences

Uganda is dubbed as the “pearl of Africa”, a name that was given to the East African country by Sir Winston Churchill. The British premier who had traversed Kenya, Sudan, and South Africa was surprised by the beauty of Uganda, a landlocked country in East Africa. According to his book, My African Journey, Winston was surprised with the existence of the lashing green landscapes blended with unique physical features and beautiful wild animals that he called beasts. For over a century, Uganda has kept its beauty a secret! For travelers who go on safaris in Uganda, it is not difficult to see the same things that the great man saw in the 1900s. This small East African country hosts several beautiful natural wonders that are worthy to explore on a safari. From the endangered mountain gorillas to unique cultural experiences, there are those attractions that may make a tourist go wild upon experiencing them. Because of these phenomenon attractions, Uganda is one of the mainstays in Africa tourism as millions of people around the world come to the motherland to encounter them. There are many things to see and do while in Uganda. Here are some of the attractions that highlight a memorable holiday through the Pearl of Africa. Meet the Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Uganda is one of the very few countries in the world with endangered mountain gorillas. The mountain gorillas are an endangered species of animals that are almost getting extinct in the forthcoming coming generations. Uganda has half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a tropical rain forest in the highlands of the southwestern part of the country. Amongst the various species of gorillas, the mountain gorillas are the only ones that can never be found in zoos and this implies that if you do not travel to Africa, you may never get an opportunity of seeing a mountain gorilla. These great apes are found in only Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Congo’s Virunga National Park, and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Apart from these animals being rare in the world, the mountain gorillas are very special. They are interesting animals to watch due to their social intelligence that leaves the visitors buzzing and yearning for more encounters. The mountain gorillas have the ability to use tools like stones and sticks to gather food and also build their shelters. The communication amongst them is very intriguing in that one might think that human beings are the ones communicating. Watch Primates in Kibale Forest National Park Primate Watching is one of the unique things to do in Uganda. Of all primate adventures, chimpanzee tracking in the Kibale forest comes next to gorilla trekking in rewarding tourists. Kibale national park is the capital of common primates in the whole of Africa. It has 14 different species of primates and the most notable ones are the chimpanzees, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkey, Ugandan colobus, blue monkeys, black and white colobus, and so forth. It is very exciting to go chimpanzee tracking in Uganda since these great apes have so much similarity with mankind. Scientific studies show that chimpanzees are the closest relatives of man in the animal kingdom with a 98.7% DNA similarity. The intelligent relating and stories of the chimpanzees are very exhilarating and you will experience this thrilling wild encounter in Uganda. See the Big Five Animals in Murchison Falls National Park There are very few places in Africa where you can find the big five animals (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffaloes) at the same time. This happens in the Murchison Falls National Park the second largest biodiversity in the whole of Africa. A safari to the northeastern part of Uganda will enable you to see the white rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and the rest of the big four in the savanna game park. On a game drive within the game park, a tourist is able to see amazing wildlife marauding in the savannah plains looking for survival while others quenching their thirst on the riverbank of the Victoria Nile. The Murchison Falls National Park hosts 76 mammals including giraffes, hartebeests, antelopes, crocodiles, etc. You will enjoy game viewing in varied habitats that include savanna grasslands, open water, swamps and wetlands, woodland, and tropical forests. Hike the Rwenzori Mountains The Rwenzori Mountains are among Africa’s highest mountain ranges. Rising to over 5100 meters above sea level, the Rwenzori Mountains is the snowy source of the Nile referred to by the early geographers. The Rwenzoris which are commonly known as the mountains of the moons is found a few kilometers north of the equator, rising over 4000m above the floor of the Albertine Rift Valley. The towering Rwenzori is a montane wonderland, the trails to the snow peaks following glacier-carved valleys filled with fantastically colored mosses and rare Afro-alpine plants. This historical mountain is protected as the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, covering an area of 998 sq km. A hike to the highest peak of the Rwenzoris takes about 6-7 days and there are several companies that manage the hikes. Hikes involve staying in the basic huts and campsites that have been developed along the trails. Whitewater rafting and viewing the source of the Nile in Jinja Many tourists love visiting Jinja due to the fact that it is where the Nile starts its long journey to the north of Africa. As the Nile the longest river in the world flows through Jinja it leaves very great physical features like waterfalls, cliffs, tides, waves, and shores that enhance various tourism activities. One of the notable ones is the depression of its source that is viewed by many on boat rides while in Jinja. There are also whitewater rafting activities where people maneuver deadly falls, waves, and tides on the rivers on-air pressured balloon boats at Itanda falls. These falls have the 6th-grade level which is the most dreadful level for rafting enthusiasts in the >>Read more
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Best Places to Find Scrap Metal for Your Hustle

One of the more lucrative and eco-friendly side gigs you can participate in is scrapping metal and flipping them for profit. Several tons of scrap metal is sitting in basements, garages, backyards, and trash bins, all waiting for an entrepreneur with enough grit and dedication to turn them into profit. Of course, you may have to invest a sizable area in your property for the operation and learn a few things about ferrous and non-ferrous metals and local regulations, but it will be worth it in the long run. If you pursue a scrap metal side gig, you can focus on aluminum recycling because it is one of the more sought-after metals. It is also one of the more profitable ones next to copper and other ferrous metals. While you can pursue collecting cast iron, stainless steel, and wrought iron, they are a bit cheaper but can still add to the bottom line. It would help if you worked with a reputable local facility dealing in aluminum recycling and other similar processes. Depending on different factors, you can check out your local companies and determine which one you would like to work with. It will be better to work with a local enterprise that can pick up your stash and help you keep your neighborhood tidy. Here are the best places to source scrap metal for your business. Your house – One of the best sources of scrap material will be your backyard. You can conduct a cleanup drive and find different types of metals you can collect and sort. This can be the start of your stash. Friends’ houses and garages – You can also coordinate with your friends and people in the neighborhood to clean up their homes and garages. Finally, you can make a deal to buy or keep the scrap metals you find. You can do this every weekend, and pretty soon, you’ll have a decent pile of scrap metals for processing. Garage sales – If you frequent garage sales, look for equipment that can be more valuable when scrapped. Look for electronics, old workout and gym equipment, trophies, and other similar metals that you can scrap for profit. Local businesses and enterprises – You can also partner with local businesses and enterprises to collect aluminum cans and other recyclable materials. You can either buy it from them or pay them a percentage of what you make. As a result, you can have a steady stream of scrap metals, make and share good profits and keep your neighborhood safe and clean. Junkyards and dumpsites – If you’re not fussy about getting down and dirty, you can cut a deal with junkyards and dumpsites so that they can supply you with scrap metals. Of course, you may have to offer them a good chunk of change, but if you play your cards right, you can still profit from it. Endnote – A scrap metal side hustle will provide a steady income stream and help keep your neighborhood clean. You can collect scrap metal from different local sources and enterprises.
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Going Green the Right Way: How to Find the Best Solar Company

Did you know solar power can increase your home’s value?

Look For an Installer With Expertise

Insurances and Licenses

What Experience Does the Solar Company Have?

Does the Company Have a Decent Reputation?

What About Workmanship Warranties?

Good Luck Finding a Reputable Solar Company

Like it? Share it with your friends!

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