The Best Solar Panels 2016

Reviews.com set out to find the best solar panels.

Investing in solar energy is an excellent solution, but between hardware, installation, and the electronic components, the up-front price tag is enough of a deterrent for many. Factor in the notion that you may feel uncertain when it comes to choosing the most powerful and efficient product, and going solar doesn’t feel like a viable option. That’s why the team at Reviews.com took to researching 188 of the top solar panel manufacturers on the market to determine which ones are worth the investment.

How Reviews.com Found the Best Panels:

• They cut any company that hasn’t been around long enough to establish a good reputation — and with most warranties lasting between 10 and 25 years, they omitted any company that hasn’t been around for at least 10 years
• They required at least 230 watts of power, to allow for fewer panel purchases with more efficiency
• They looked for the right efficiency ratio by calculating energy output from a panel compared to the input from the sun
• They evaluated customer service, website user-friendliness, and service warranties

To see Reviews.com's top picks for the best solar panel manufacturers, as well as tips for finding a great installer, read their full review: http://www.reviews.com/solar-panels/

LEED versus Passive House Standards Commentary

Check out the commentary by Jacob Gordon. He reviews LEED versus Passive House standards on The Good 100 blog. Titled "Follow or Get out of the Way: The household name in green construction needs to innovate in order to keep up with the competition." Imagine if teachers gave out grades on the first day of school based on students’ promises of how hard they each plan to study. Oddly, we use this backward system to grade green buildings in the United States.

Tethered Sails Power Cargo Ships with Wind

It’s an idea that has been tested: a giant sail is attached to a heavy cargo ship, or smaller boat, to capture wind power, thereby reducing fossil fuel consumption, costs and pollution. One company, SkySails, reports that its kite sail will help reduce annual fuel costs by ten to 35 percent, with fewer harmful carbon emissions. The large towing kite resembles a paraglider and is shaped like an aircraft wing to enable it to take advantage of different wind directions. It operates at 100-300m above surface level - much higher than a normal sailing craft - where winds are stronger and more stable. The kite can be used in winds of 12-74km/h (7-40 knots) and not just when the wind is blowing directly from behind the ship. At SOLARIPEDIA.com, we look at two different kite systems from two companies, SkySails and KiteShip. Read more and see pix