Going green. Attracting potential customers. Gaining the loyalty of current clients. Demonstrating to the public business ethics. Simply being more socially responsible.While the motives for reducing a business’s carbon footprint vary, the simple truth is that approximately 10 million tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere each year. investing in solar energy is one of the most effective methods of reducing a business’s carbon footprint with an impressive return on investment.

Solar energy has been making headlines lately as one of the cleanest and most sustainable sources of power. But what's all the buzz about, and how does it affect our environment? We're here to shed some light on the subject.

Here’s the short answer, yes.However, it’s not as simple as that. While going solar does mean a substantial reduction in your electricity expenses, it doesn't equate to a bill of zero dollars.

Imagine a world where your home's lights are powered by sunlight. That's the magic of solar energy. It's like having your personal power plant, but without the pollution or hefty utility bills. Solar energy's role in achieving energy independence is pivotal.

When it comes to harnessing the power of the sun, there's more than just reducing your carbon footprint. If you're among those who value energy independence and reliability, then the world of solar battery storage might be your perfect fit.

Solar energy has been gaining tremendous popularity as a clean and renewable source of power. Embracing solar power not only benefits the environment but also contributes to maintaining energy independence.

In recent years, as a need for energy independence is becoming more pressing, the spotlight has shifted to renewable energy sources like never before. One contender that’s gained significant attention is solar energy.

Welcome to the world of residential solar energy! If you're curious about solar panels and how they can transform homes into energy-efficient and independent havens, you've come to the right place.

Solar is one of the fastest-growing forms of energy. It’s little wonder that it’s growing so quickly, as the amount of energy that hits the earth from the sun is more than enough to power every circuit on Earth.

Everyone’s heard of saving for a rainy day… and sunny days can help you do that! Today, solar energy isn’t the bulky, uber-expensive option it was ten years ago. Today’s solar energy options are lean, green energy machines that can save you money in the long run.

Currently, industrial solar-recycling capacity is nowhere near capable of handling the volume of panels that need to be disposed of. Right now, almost all the panels that stop working in the U.S. go to landfills, a dirty little secret of the clean energy industry. But it is technically possible to take apart old panels and use the materials to make new ones.

The reality is, if you can afford car payments, you can likely afford solar. Unlike a car though, solar is considered an investment. Going solar can save money on your energy bills, increase the value of your property, and help protect the environment by reducing your carbon footprint.

Net metering lets you use the extra electricity your solar panels produce to save money on your electric bill. In exchange for energy, your utility company gives you credits on your account. With net metering, instead of wasting that extra electricity produced, it gets sent to the power grid for others to use.

Perhaps you are like many other Americans who, for whatever reason, want or need to live completely on your own, disconnected from the rest of society as a whole. In other words, “off-the-grid”.

Solar power is an excellent option for powering your home or business that's both friendly to the environment and cost-effective. It's certainly more accessible than wind energy or geothermal energy. But, with so many types of solar panel systems available, it can be overwhelming to choose the one for your needs.

Summer is the busiest season for any solar company out there. Despite this, summer may not actually be the best time to go solar. Summer is the best time to HAVE solar, but solar takes a while to design, get permits for, and install. To be ready to produce power in Summer, Winter and early Spring are actually the best times to buy and install solar.

The Federal Solar Tax Credit provides a 30% tax credit for solar energy systems installed between 2017-2032. During 2032 they will drop to 26%. Systems installed in 2033 will receive a 22% tax credit. Unless renewed by congress, this tax credit will expire entirely for residential systems installed in 2034.

You've bought a house, you've bought at least a few cars, but how many times have you bought a solar panel system? For most people, it's less than they can count on a single finger. (That's code for 0) So how do you choose a solar company to build your solar energy system for you?

You may be more well suited than you think. Get your solar readiness score.

People often ask us how solar works, and what they can expect when going through the solar buying journey. We wanted to shed a little light on what happens once you decide to get solar for your home.

Over the years we've made a lot of videos showing off that solar panels can take a beating! Obviously, we're just messing around, but we've thrown A LOT at these panels! That begs the question, how strong are solar panels?

Hey guys, Mitchell Dick Dog here. And today, we're giving away some free stuff to some of our customers.

This is Mitch from Big Dog with my boy Braden and just like everyone else in America, today we are home. I am a Big Dog employee but what some people don't know, is that I am also a Big Dog customer. WE are going to show you our own little system. Here we have our living room, it's pretty awesome!

Today we're testing the durability of our panels, and we brought in the big guns.

We installed solar panels, we believe yes in being green, but we believe in ultimately making a good investment in our building. I believe that investing in solar is a good long term investment because it continues to pay back. I think that if you have the opportunity to make that investment, in over a 20 year period, you're actually making money.

I think that being self-sufficient is a big deal for people. You never know what's going to happen. Having my own power source on my home is a big deal.

Salesman: So, you're interested in solar? Customer: Yeah, I've been seeing your Facebook videos, and finally decided it's time to go solar.

Hey guy this is Mitch is from Big Dog, and we are going to give you a quick behind the scenes look of what happens behind the scenes. We're going to make a quick introduction of a few people.

Hey guys, Mitch here with Big Dog. Today, we're gonna walk you through the seven steps of getting set up with solar. Step one: We do a site survey, which can be as easy as taking pictures and information from your sales consultant, or we send in the real professionals and they get all the dirty details.

We actually get questions about maintenance all the time. The thing you need to know is that there really is no maintenance involved. You just have to maybe wash the panels down once every year or two, and that's if you're in a dusty area. Otherwise, you can continue watching Netflix.

Did you know that there are two main types of solar panels, Monocrystalline and polycrystalline? So what's the difference? Monocrystalline panels are a little bit more aesthetically pleasing 'cause they have more of a solid black coloring to them. They may be a little bit more expensive. However, they're also a little bit more efficient.

Oh, the new saying? It's not really a saying, it's more like a way of life. It's "go big dog or go home dog.

Fun fact, we actually get more daylight sun hours of solar production here in Idaho than half the state of Texas.

Dude, I chose Big Dog because Brad Barrott's literally one of the coolest guys on the planet. I've worked with him in multiple businesses. I trust him. He has integrity. He's just one of those guys that if he ever has something that I don't have, then I'll give him my business every time.

Being in this business for 10 plus years, we have seen a lot of customers interested in backup power of sorts. Sometimes those are generators, sometimes those are batteries, it just depends. They're different sizes, shapes, colors. And they all want it because they just wanna have the ability to use power when the grid is down, end of story.

I believe that investing in solar is a good long-term investment because it continues to pay back. My power bill is $5. Big Dog has installed that power for me, so it's a great thing.

So we had a lot of people coming to us knowing that they can save money with solar, but aren't exactly sure how that works. So my objective is to explain how that works with the help of a little visual aid.

It's buzzing. And I'm telling you what? There is not a better time than right now to consider going solar because people think, "Oh, I'll wait till the end of the year." Or they think about it in August when the sun is beating down on their bald heads, like mine.

Big Dog Solar energy serves two countries with its seven total locations, and Big Dog continues to grow! Learn more about the solar energy industry in all of our locations to see how we can best help you save money on your electric bill. Thanks to information from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), all data for America below is current as of July, August and September of 2019 (Q3 2019).

Let's talk solar investment, what it is, and what it's not. What it's not is a 401 [k] or IRA type of typical investment. What it is is an alternate energy solution. So instead of paying your electricity bill every month for $105, you pay solar power for the same amount of money.

People are always selling me on something. There's very few people that are genuine, what they say is what it is. That's Brad, it's Big Dog, and those are the boys.

Today's how we play, this is Lake Day.

So we go over the 700 kilowatts, and Rocky Mountain starts charging a lot more at that point. So I started doing the math and figuring it out and figured for us it made a lot of sense to do the solar.

To understand the question and if you're unfamiliar with how they mount, I'm here to put your heart at ease and show you a little bit of the tricks of the trade. So let's take a look and see how this works.

One of Big Dog's foundational values is to be as open and transparent as we can to the community. One way that we execute this is by providing abundant content that is easy to consume. So, without further adieu, welcome to our Solar Video Gallery! Feel free to view them all, or filter by topic.

The residential solar energy industry reached new record growth in the U.S. in July-September of 2019 (Q3 2019). More than 2.6 gigawatts of energy were added during that time alone, growing the total U.S. residential solar energy to 71.3 gigawatts. (One gigawatt is 1 billion watts.)

Those considering installing solar panels for their home or business probably have a lot of questions and decisions to make—decisions about financing, bills, grid type, etc. Having to sort through and decide what type of solar paneling would be best for your situation can seem daunting and time-consuming.

Solar panels are more sturdy than most realize. They can withstand thousands of pounds or even inch-thick hail falling at 55 mph without breaking.

If you’re excited about the environmental, health and financial benefits of going solar, you’re likely wondering what all needs to happen before you can start reaping the rewards. Besides talking with Big Dog Solar and signing the paperwork, there are a few logistical measures to ensure that your solar system will be perfect for your home and needs. Here are the steps for solar panel home installation.

Although solar residential systems vary from house to house, standard installations will have the same elements. The typical main components of a solar home system include the solar module, an inverter, a battery, a charge controller (sometimes known as a regulator), wiring and the support structure.

If you’ve ever wanted to save money on utility bills, help the environment or improve your health, it’s likely you’ve considered investing in solar panels for your home. In 2016, the Pew Research Center (PRC) found that 4% of homeowners had solar panels, but 40% were seriously considering adding them. Since 2016, those numbers have been steadily rising.

How are solar panels made? Most of the solar panels you see (or own yourself) are photovoltaic (PV) panels. There are several types of PV panels, but it’s essentially the same principle with any. Each panel is made of conductive cells. Light particles (photons) knock electrons loose from the cell’s atoms. This process creates an electric current to harvest the sun’s energy.

According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, Idaho has roughly 24,000 farms or ranches that account for its 12 million acres of farmland. That’s about three times the landmass of Connecticut. Solar energy can benefit agriculture like farms greatly.

Many people believe solar panels don’t work well in winter, but just the opposite has proven true. Snow helps clean dirt or debris off solar panels as it melts. In addition, the snow can act as a mirror, reflecting more sunlight on the panels and therefore generating more energy for your home.

Have you ever thought about getting solar panels for your house before? Well if you have, then you might have heard plenty of solar companies that say “solar can save you a lot of money.” It is something that will not only help you save thousands of dollars, but will also help our environment.

Because your solar panels are likely sitting at an angle on your rooftop, they won’t need a lot of care, maintenance, or cleaning. Researchers at The University of California, San Diego, found that angled solar panels tend to stay much cleaner than flat solar panels. Even so, it’s important to take care of solar panels and be aware of what services or cleaning they may need to continue performing at maximum capacity.

The possibilities and benefits of solar energy can be exciting. There are only a few qualifications to know about, and thousands of homeowners qualify every year. If you have ever wondered: Do I Qualify for Solar Panels? Big Dog Solar can help.

Solar technology has come a long way from its humble beginnings:What once took lots of giant panels days to produce can now be generated by smaller panels within hours.

Solar energy and utilizing solar power from the sun has been something people have used for thousands of years, from cavemen using solar power to start fires, to today, where there are planes, cars, homes, and businesses powered with solar energy.

Near the end of 2017, we installed 4 separately metered solar arrays on a hog farm in Kansas.

It’s 2019 and in case you didn’t know, electric cars are taking over the world. Electric car sales are increasing, new car brands are hopping on the electric car bandwagon, and people are recognizing the benefits of driving electric vehicles.

The American economy runs on production, and much of that is agricultural. The farmers and ranchers within the heart of America really are the lifeblood of the country. So the question is, “if they are the lifeblood then what pumps that blood and enables it to lead to production for the farmer, rancher and the nation’s economy”?

Solar panels are being used to find newer and better ways to not only generate electricity, but also to utilize existing constructions and situations that might otherwise be overlooked. One such construction is known by many as the carport. Think about it. Every day, millions and millions of drivers leave and eventually return to the shade and shelter offered by the humble carport. But what about the solar possibility?

Whether you’ve heard that the cost is prohibitive, Idaho isn’t a great place to invest in solar, or anything else, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Below are seven of the most common fallacies commonly associated with solar energy in Idaho and in general.

Solar power is apolitical and colorblind. It offers a wide range of benefits, and unlike many more political issues argued over, something for both Red and Blue, regardless of party lines or disagreements or any other division.

Big Dog Solar Energy has several agricultural solar customers over the years and continues to get inquiries from across the country.

Established in 2010, Big Dog Solar is committed to bringing clean, renewable energy to businesses and homes while providing spectacular, individualized customer care. Big Dog Solar Energy understands that committing to an alternate power source, either to reduce cost or eliminate them entirely, is an important decision.

Solar power is a reliable solution for clean alternative energy. At first, solar relied on large, expensive silicon cells. The industry transitioned to more economical and efficient thin-film cells. This has allowed solar panels to get a lot cheaper over time! Solar isn’t just for the wealthy!

Whatever your reasons, whether financial, environmental, or marketing driven, empowering your business to be more energy independent with a commercial solar system is a wise choice.