Even in our home state of Vermont, solar energy really works. Vermont may not be the warmest state, but it gets plenty of sunlight to make installing solar equipment a sound investment. The AllSun Tracker even generates some electricity on cloudy days because its GPS system positions the solar panels to capture ambient sunlight.

Buying a solar PC system represents a one-time cost that will then provide you with “free” electricity for 25 or more years. You will see immediate reductions to your monthly utility bill. The actual payback of your system will be determined by the amount of rebates and tax credits you are eligible for and the savings between your fixed cost and the rising cost of utility power.

If you have a location with un-shaded southern exposure and sufficient space, a solar tracker will give you up to 45% more energy production than the same number of fixed solar panels on your roof.  In cases where there is inadequate space for a solar tracker on your property, fixed solar is a viable alternative.

With an AllSun Tracker the grid acts as your battery - any electricity that your solar tracker produces is either used by your household at that time or flows back out to the grid while spinning your meter backwards; you receive a credit from your utility for excess generation of electricity which you can use in the future. There is no battery storage required.

Each home is different, and the amount of electricity you use is very dependent upon your lifestyle, how your home was built, and your appliances. When you contact us for a solar evaluation we will recommend a renewable energy system that makes sense for your particular needs.

Each evening after sundown, your AllSun Tracker returns to its resting horizontal position.  If it snows at night, when the tracker “wakes up” and tilts to the sun, most snow that has collected overnight will normally slide off.  Once the sun comes out, any remaining snow melts off as the solar panels heat up.

The solar panels have a 25-year warranty from the manufacturer but they can last up to 50 or more years. The other major components (inverters, mounting system) have a 10 year manufacturer's warranty. Please see the AllEarth Renewable's warranty on the AllSun Tracker for complete details.

Since our solar energy systems are grid connected, for safety reasons they are designed to automatically turn off during power disruptions and will not generate power when the power is out, even if it is sunny.  If you are truly interested in a back-up electric system we suggest installing a generator for power outages.

In Vermont, it generally takes between 30 and 45 days to receive a permit for a solar tracker. Once a permit is received, typical residential systems take one day to install while commercial systems, depending on the size, may take several days or weeks to install. Most of the installation work on a ground-mounted system is done outside of your home, so there is little disturbance to you.

A single tracker can be installed up to 200 feet from your house without additional cost. For distances greater than 200 feet, we evaluate the additional trenching and electrical wiring will be required and quote an additional installation charge.

You need approximately a 50 by 50 foot square that has un-shaded southern exposure to the sun and preferably to the east and west as well.

This depends on the size of the system installed. In New England, for every single watt solar cell installed on the solar tracker, approximately 1.4 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy will be produced on an annual basis. This means our 4200 Watt Series 20 AllSun Tracker will produce approximately 5880 kilowatt hours each year.

A kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy equivalent to one thousand watts of power expended for one hour of time. For example, one kWh is used to light a 100-watt light bulb for 10 hours. The consumption of electrical energy by homes and small businesses is usually measured in kilowatt-hours and your electric utility charges are based on kilowatt-hours used.

The technology behind solar PV electricity has been around for more than 30 years.  Many of the first satellites launched in the 1960’s have solar panels that are still producing electricity.  While solar photovoltaic technology continues to evolve, the PV panels available today will continue to produce energy for at least 25 years.

No, the AllSun Tracker is designed to work only connected to the grid and your electric utility.

A solar tracker system is generally considered an external structure, similar to a shed, and covered without additional cost under a homeowner's insurance policy. Coverage limits for external structures vary based on your policy; if you have multiple such structures already you may need additional coverage. As with any major purchase for your property, you should check the terms of your policy and notify your insurance company.

The AllSun Tracker needs a strong foundation to provide stability from added stress of wind loading and standard roofs do not provide that level of support.

The AllSun Tracker is a solar photovoltaic system that converts the light of the sun into electricity, which can be used for any of your electrical needs which can include heat and hot water. A different type of solar energy system, known as a solar thermal system, uses the sun's heat to make hot water or heat a home directly.

In the event service is needed, depending on your location, you may contact either AllEarth Renewables or the certified installer in your region to help resolve the problem.  All maintenance is covered during the 10-year system warranty. The tracker is virtually maintenance free although the panels should be wiped down if there is any visible dirt or debris. In most cases, this will be unnecessary, as the rain will wash the panels clean. 

Net metering is a special agreement between utilities and their customers allowing customers to generate their own power using small, grid-connected renewable energy systems (such as residential solar electric systems). As a customer, if you generate more energy than you use, your electric meter runs backward providing you a credit for the full retail value of the electricity produced. If you need more electricity than is generated by your renewable energy system, your electric meter runs forward as you use electricity from the grid. You pay for the “net” amount of electricity used for that billing period.

Small scale solar and wind energy systems can be self-financed as part of a home equity loan or new mortgage.  Some states offer low interest loans to assist with system acquisition.The federal tax credit and state incentives help reduce the cost of renewable energy systems making them much more affordable.

In Vermont, no local zoning permit is required, just a Certificate of Public Good (CPG) from the State of Vermont.  AllEarth Renewables or one of our certified dealers will take care of all paperwork for your CPG for you. In other states, AllEarth Renewables' partners will complete the paperwork for you.

Passive solar trackers use the heat of the sun to move the panels using a system of fluid-filled tubes.  On a cloudy or cold day, the passive system’s positioning can be compromised which leads to a loss in energy production.  An active solar tracker (like the AllSun tracker) uses a motor and GPS to position the panels to the optimum position of the sun for each day of the year, maximizing the solar gain in all weather conditions.

Both contain solar panels but the fixed system is stationary whereas the tracker follows the sun across the sky increasing the efficiency of the solar panels by keeping them at a perpendicular angle to the sunlight. A fixed panel system (whether ground mounted or roof mounted) will capture the sun’s rays in the same position each day.  With a tracker, the solar PV panels have more direct exposure to sunlight as they move with the sun across the sky.

Photovoltaic or PV cells may seem technically sophisticated, but they are made from something most people are familiar with – silicon or beach sand. Silicon is one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust, second only to oxygen. To make a solar PV cell, silicon is heated to very high temperatures and made into thin wafers. To make a photovoltaic panel, silicon wafers are spread out with a network of thin wires laid on top and covered with a piece of flat glass. When you connect multiple solar panels together it is called a solar array.