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If Solar Is Thriving, Why Mess With It?

If Solar Is Thriving, Why Mess With It?

In the coming weeks, the Public Utilities Commission will decide on the future of net energy metering, which has been the catalyst for California’s massive solar boom. With the large utilities lobbying hard to gut net metering, it’s unclear whether the Golden State...

11 Reasons to Go Solar Before July 15th, 2016

11 Reasons to Go Solar Before July 15th, 2016

It's time to get off the fence. If you have even the slightest inclination toward going solar at any point in the future, you need to read this article. The solar industry is changing fast. It’s important that you move quickly to take advantage of incentives...

Incentives are Expiring—The Time for Solar is Now!

Incentives are Expiring—The Time for Solar is Now!

In the last decade, solar equipment has become extremely affordable. Over the last 18-24 months, however, solar prices have stabilized due to refined manufacturing processes and demand catching supply. At the same time, state and federal governments have created...

Financing Your Solar Purchase

Financing Your Solar Purchase

In previous posts I covered the basics of PG&E billing and how aspects of your home such as roof material, size, and sun exposure impact solar installations. This article will focus on the way homeowners across California are paying for their solar systems. First,...

Solar and Your Home

Solar and Your Home

How Solar Works Sunlight hits a solar cell, electrons start to move, and an electrical current is created.  Solar is simple relative to traditional sources of energy. In traditional sources of electricity or thermoelectric power plants, an intense heat or force is...

PG&E and Your Home

PG&E and Your Home

PG&E is our local utility. It provides natural gas and electricity for businesses and residents throughout the Central Coast. Since solar PV impacts electricity bills, I will be focusing in on electricity and how you buy it from PG&E. Electricity PG&E...

Spring Industry Mixer – Adapting To Water Shortages

Spring Industry Mixer – Adapting To Water Shortages

Abundant inexpensive water has been taken for granted for centuries but as California's drought persists, businesses, residents and government are grappling with the possibility of significant water curtailments for the fourth straight year. Is this the new normal?...

2014 Economic Impact Report

2014 Economic Impact Report

It is easy to forget the importance of hiring locally owned and operated companies. As many people gravitate to big box retailers like Home Depot or national service companies like Comcast, we tend to forget small businesses in the United States are fundamental to our...

Allterra Solar Voted Best Solar Company For Fifth Year in a Row

Allterra Solar Voted Best Solar Company For Fifth Year in a Row

The results are in and the winners have been announced. The award for Best Solar Company in Santa Cruz - 2015 goes to...*drum roll sound effect*...Allterra Solar! The Santa Cruz based solar and environmental consulting company has won the award for five consecutive...

Study Shows Significant Home Value Increases from Solar PV

Study Shows Significant Home Value Increases from Solar PV

As solar energy gains momentum and people become more aware of its benefits an interesting real estate trend has emerged; purchasing solar PV increases your homes value.  Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the Department of Energy have found homes with solar PV in...

Discretion Brewing Harnesses the Sun

Discretion Brewing Harnesses the Sun

Soquel, CA - Discretion Brewing in Soquel, CA has begun harvesting the energy in sunlight becoming the first solar-powered brewery in Santa Cruz County.  Discretion’s 30 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system was designed, engineered and installed by Allterra Solar. The...

Fight Global Warming – Drink More Beer!

Fight Global Warming – Drink More Beer!

Discretion Brewing (Discretion) has retained Allterra Solar to become the first solar powered brewery in Santa Cruz County!  Discretion will purchase a solar electric system to offset the electricity consumed in the brewery process.  That’s right, climate change and...