It wouldn’t be a proper 2016 sendoff without a look back on what we accomplished this past year. We’ve witnessed the industry thrive in the face of ITC-extension and big names bring more public awareness to solar. Here is a list of the Top 10 most popular original stories Solar Power World featured this year, all thanks to our loyal readers. There’s still time to catch up on what you may have missed, and don’t forget to subscribe to our free weekly enewsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest U.S. solar industry news.
1. Solar Power World releases 2016 Top 500 Solar Contractors list
The Top Solar Contractors list is the most recognized annual listing of North America’s top solar contractors working in the utility, commercial and residential markets. Solar Power World was happy to release the 5th edition this year!
2. Advantages and disadvantages of a solar tracker system
Solar trackers are rising in popularity, but not everyone understands the complete benefits and potential drawbacks of the system. Solar FlexRack provided us with the pros and cons.
3. Tesla discontinues 10-kWh Powerwall on the down low to focus on 7-kWh option
Regardless of the hype throughout 2015, the 10-kWh Powerwall was swapped for a 7-kWh option. The manufacturer officially confirmed discontinuing the product in March. Turns out Tesla had bigger plans *wink*.
4. What are the different types of solar inverters?
Inverters are an important part of any solar installation; they are the brains of the system. Although the inverter’s main job is to convert DC power produced by the solar array into usable AC power, its role is only expanding. It’s never a bad time to refresh your memory on this installation staple.
5. Off-grid solar power system for heating, cooling and refrigeration
Heating, cooling and refrigeration are essential in daily life. We often do not realize they add up to 50% of the energy consumed in our households. Using off-grid solar to provide energy for these aspects can offset much of a home’s energy cost. This article got a lot of traction across our social media channels.
6. Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts solar industry dominance in 12 years
Futurist Ray Kurzweil made a thought-provoking presentation at a medical device trade show, and at one point during his 45-minute talk, he shifted his attention to solar. This was one of our most-commented stories this year, and we witnessed many great discussions on the trajectories of solar.
7. This non-penetrating, sloped-roof mounting system could change the rooftop solar industry
What if you could install a sloped-roof solar array without penetration? What if you could ballast it, like on a flat roof? Using a cross-linked polymer, solar panels can attach to roofs without penetrations and still withstand 130-mph winds. Too good to be true? Decide for yourself!
8. How to prepare a SolarEdge system for storage
Storage is finally hitting the mainstream, and SolarEdge stopped by SPW to provide us with details on how its storage solution works. This is what you need to know to be StorEdge ready in three simple steps.
9. What kind of solar panels does NASA use?
After watching Matt Damon on “The Martian” haul around clunky solar panels, we wondered what solar panels NASA actually uses. We turned to the NASA Glenn Research Center in Solar Power World‘s hometown of Cleveland to learn more.
10. How much less efficient are north-facing solar modules?
Our editorial partner Paul Grana at Folsom Labs gave us an excellent explanation on the best ways to position solar panels. It’s common knowledge that you want to point your solar modules south toward the equator, but how bad is it to put solar panels on a north-facing roof?