This Week in Solar

Exact Solar
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A weekly look at what's new in solar, brought to you by Exact Solar. Clean energy news, policy updates, and stories that matter. exactsolar.substack.com

  1. 1 day ago

    Despite Opposition, Solar Posts Biggest Quarter Ever

    What’s newThe U.S. switched on more than 11 gigawatts of residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar between April and June. 43% of all new electrical capacity added was utility-scale solar, and total operating US solar now totals 288 gigawatts. That’s not just some big number. There are millions of individual stories tied into that total. 288 GW of total solar means that millions of people made the individual choice to either put solar on their homes, add solar to their commercial buildings, or advocate for solar in their communities. Then, hundreds of thousands of people had to sell those systems, design them, and install them. Batteries had an even bigger moment this summer. Storage installations hit a record 20.2 gigawatt-hours in the same three months, which is enough stored electricity to run somewhere around 700,000 average American homes for a full day in an outage. Today’s News Roundup is Brought to You By Exact SolarThis Week In Solar is always brought to you by Exact Solar, your locally owned, twenty-year-old solar installer for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We’ve spent more than two decades doing work we’re proud of. We’ve put solar on schools, churches, nonprofits, Habitat for Humanity homes, and private businesses. The combined output of the solar energy systems we’ve installed for those organizations has kept millions of dollars in their pockets. That money can now be put to better use, instead of constantly paying ever-rising utility bills. If you own, run, or sit on the board of a commercial building in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, we’d love to show you how much your organization could save by going solar. Talk to Us About a Commercial Solar Project

    Despite Opposition, Solar Posts Biggest Quarter Ever

  2. 3 days ago

    Germany's Top Plug-In Solar Expert Explains Why It'll Work in America: Craig Morris

    As energy costs have risen in the US, so has the popularity of plug-in solar. We’ve been tracking American plug-in solar legislation for more than six months now, and excitement is building across the country. People are very excited by the idea that they could just buy solar and plug it in without approval, to lower their utility bills without permission from their utility companies. Critics of plug-in solar legislation often say that there’s no way it can be done safely. Proponents of legislation point to the fact that this has been done safely for more than a decade in Europe with almost no downside. Now, there’s no question that Americans overromanticize European ideas. But in this specific case, they’re right to do so. In today’s episode, Aaron talks with Craig Morris, executive director of the Bundesverband Steckersolar (the German Plug-In Solar Association). Craig has spent 25 years explaining Germany’s energy transition, and now runs the trade group behind the world’s first safety standard for plug-in solar kits. Listen to this episode here, or on: YouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Connect with Craig on LinkedIn here. Learn more about the German Plug-In Solar Association at bundesverband-steckersolar.de (you can translate the site into English with the menu in the upper right-hand corner). Expect to learn:Why Plug-In Solar took off like a rocket in Germany How Craig and his association have helped guide German policy so that balcony solar stays accessible and fair for consumers (and what we can learn from that as we’re pushing for our own policies)What a kilowatt-hour from one of these systems actually costs. Quote from the episode:“If your balcony cannot support two drunk people leaning against it in the evening, you probably need to fix that balcony. And if it can support your party, however many people leaning up against it for forty-five minutes, it’ll be fine with the solar.” — Craig Morris

    Germany's Top Plug-In Solar Expert Explains Why It'll Work in America: Craig Morris

  3. 4 Sept

    Thousands of Buildings in Exact Solar’s Territory Qualify for Additional 10% Solar Tax Credit

    Exact Solar is excited to announce that on June 10th, the IRS redrew its map of “energy communities,” and most of Exact Solar’s service area in Southeast Pennsylvania and New Jersey landed inside the lines. Commercial buildings in those areas can now claim an extra 10% federal tax credit on a solar project, on top of the 30% they already qualified for. This IRS designation will offer commercial building owners who go solar within certain counties the opportunity to claim up to 40% back on their commercial solar projects. If their projects qualify for Domestic Content, they can claim up to 50% back on commercial solar projects. Exact Solar worked with the Amicus Solar Cooperative to pre-safe harbor several project slots. Even though the commercial solar tax credit is on an accelerated phase-out, certain companies who work directly with Exact Solar can still claim the tax credit under the old Inflation Reduction Act Rules. If you own or manage a commercial building, a school, a township campus, or a house of worship in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, we’d love to work with you to check if your building could qualify and show you how much your organization could save. Book a time to talk with our team by clicking the link below: Show Me What My Building Qualifies For

    Thousands of Buildings in Exact Solar’s Territory Qualify for Additional 10% Solar Tax Credit

  4. 2 Sept

    How it Feels to Own Your Energy With Solar: Curtis Sawyer

    Imagine if you opened your electric bill, and it said: “We’ve decided we’re going to pay you this month instead.” Curt Sawyer, an Exact Solar customer in Bucks County, lives in that reality. Curt and his wife Candy went house hunting nine years ago with a very unusual requirement: they wanted a roof that was already worn out, so they could tear it off and build a new roof specifically designed to add solar energy. If you want to know what it feels like to live in a home where energy is free, this is the episode for you. Listen to this episode here, or on: YouTubeApple PodcastsSpotifyWatch Kurt’s full solar tour on our website here. Expect to learn:What happens to your brain once your home’s electricity is free.How going solar can essentially turn your utility company into a savings account that pays you.What net metering and SRECs actually pay to an average homeowner who’s gone solar over time.Quote from the episode:“Once you start actually operating and you realize electricity’s basically free now, you start thinking about your house in a different way.” — Curtis Sawyer This Week In Solar is always brought to you by Exact Solar, your locally owned, twenty-year-old solar installer for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. And we have a special bonus for This Week In Solar Listeners. For a limited time (July 1st–August 31st, 2026), we’ll pay you $1000 if you refer a friend to us and they go solar. (We only install in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, so please do not refer anyone outside those states). All you have to do is: Click the “Refer a Friend and Earn $1000” button below.Select whether you are an existing customer or a new customer.Fill in your information (we need your address to mail you a check if your friend goes solar).Select Aaron Nichols as the sales representative.Add your friend’s name, address, and contact information.Get a $1000 check mailed to you if your friend goes solar with us!Refer a Friend and Earn $1000

    How it Feels to Own Your Energy With Solar: Curtis Sawyer

  5. 28 Aug

    Sodium-ion Batteries Are Making Major Progress

    What’s newEarlier this week, Solar Power World published an article called “Sodium Ion Batteries are Ready for World Domination.” (linked at the bottom of today’s episode). At Exact Solar, we love learning about what’s coming, because we always want to have great offerings that serve our customers. So we went looking to learn more about this technology and what needs to happen before it’s widely deployed! TL;DR; Sodium-ion batteries are hitting the market, but have a long way to go before they start being widely deployed. This Week in Solar is always brought to you by Exact Solar, your highly reviewed, locally-owned solar installer for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If you haven’t looked into solar for your home yet, book a time to talk to Exact Solar’s team by clicking the link below, and we will walk you through how much you could save by putting solar energy on your property. Show Me The Numbers for My Home

    Sodium-ion Batteries Are Making Major Progress

  6. 26 Aug

    Building a Sustainability Legacy in Montgomery County: Devi Ramkissoon

    Aaron talks with Devi Ramkissoon, the first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer for Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Devi’s a great storyteller and was a joy to interview. She came to her current role after running economic growth programs at USAID and a stint as the executive director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia. If you want to know what sustainability work actually looks like day-to-day in local government (and how to talk about sustainability with people who do not care about “being green”), this is the episode for you. Listen to this episode here, or on: YouTubeApple PodcastsSpotifyYou can connect with Devi on LinkedIn here. Find our episode about our latest installation in Montgomery County here: Upper Dublin Township Goes Solar Meet Devi in person at We Conserve Pa in October: We Conserve PA This Week In Solar is always brought to you by Exact Solar, your locally owned, twenty-year-old solar installer for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We have a special bonus for This Week In Solar Listeners. For a limited time (July 1st–August 31st, 2026), we’ll pay you $1000 if you refer a friend to us and they go solar. All you have to do is: Click the “Refer a Friend and Earn $1000” button below.Fill in your information (we need your address to mail you a check if your friend goes solar).Select Aaron Nichols as the sales representative.Add your friend’s name, address, and contact information.Get a $1000 check mailed to you if your friend goes solar with us!Refer a Friend and Earn $1000 Expect to learn:How Devi makes the case for sustainable projects to people who don’t care about sustainability.The way Devi thinks about making lasting change in the world. Quote from the episode:“Procurement is not a sexy thing. It’s not going to make the front pages of the Inquirer. But it’s something that I think has a powerful and lasting impact.” — Devi Ramkissoon

    Building a Sustainability Legacy in Montgomery County: Devi Ramkissoon

  7. 21 Aug

    New Jersey Approves Agrivoltaic Funding and PECO Begins Paying Homeowners for Battery Power

    It’s a great week for New Jersey farmers and anyone who buys their power from PECO (the utility that covers Southeast PA and the city of Philadelphia). After listening to this episode, anyone intrigued about putting solar or batteries on their property in New Jersey or Pennsylvania should contact Exact Solar. Book my free estimate with Exact Solar’s team Last week, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities signed off on 52.06 megawatts across farms in eight counties in the opening round of the Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program. (“Dual-use” means putting solar panels above or between crops instead of replacing the crops, not “covering farmland in solar panels so it can never be used for anything else,” as opponents to this type of legislation have suggested). These 16 farms will grow soybeans, hay, grains, vegetables and fruit under and around the panels. Some will graze livestock between the panels. They’re spread across Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Salem and Warren counties. At the same time, PECO officially launched Flex & Save, a program that pays homeowners for letting them borrow power from their home battery during times of high need. PECO says the average participant will earn roughly $480 a year, up to $640 per year. This Week in Solar is always brought to you by Exact Solar, your highly reviewed, locally-owned solar installer for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If you’re interested in participating in either of these programs, book a time to talk to Exact Solar’s team by clicking the link below, and we will walk you through how much you could save by putting solar energy on your property. Show Me The Numbers for My Home

    New Jersey Approves Agrivoltaic Funding and PECO Begins Paying Homeowners for Battery Power

  8. 19 Aug

    Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Sell a Home With Solar

    Realtors often think of solar as a four-letter word. So how do we change that? Today’s episode was recorded live in front of an audience and features two guests: John Nichols is a realtor with Lokation Real Estate who has had some frustrating experiences with solar energy systems during home transactions. Kate Collardson has two decades in the solar industry under her belt, and now runs a solar inspection and service business that helps give home-buyers peace of mind. If you own solar, want to own solar, or might someday buy or sell a house that has solar on the roof, this is for you. Listen to this episode here, or on: YouTubeApple PodcastsSpotifyConnect with John on LinkedIn here. Connect with Kate on LinkedIn here. Watch Kate’s first appearance on the show here: We Can Fix Solar’s Recycling Problem. Expect to learn:Why a paid-off solar system can add $10,000 to $30,000 to a home’s appraised value.The single most important thing to demand before you buy a house with solar panels.How you can find service and production records for solar panels on homes (even if the company that installed them is out of business).More like this from the archives:How We Fix The Solar Service Crisis: Sean SwentekHow Any Homeowner Can Choose the Right Solar Company: Laura GutierrezMy Experience Going Solar With a Great Local Installer: Thomas Crookham

    Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Sell a Home With Solar
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About

A weekly look at what's new in solar, brought to you by Exact Solar. Clean energy news, policy updates, and stories that matter. exactsolar.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Exact Solar
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    130
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Exact Solar
  • Show Website
    This Week in Solar

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