California Walmarts Get 6.5 Megawatts Of Solar

 Sol systems recently announced the completion of solar pv development for seven Walmart stores across the State of California, totaling 6.5 megawatts. Respectable sized systems, used both roof and parking lot solar carports. Total project cost was $10 million. Generally we haven't been posting about specific projects, but have come around to the idea that we should give credit where credit is due. Thanks Walmart. Want more of the specific details, check out the article at PV Magazine.

Solar Carports And Tax Credits

 Read a recent article on solar carports and tax credit at Solar Reviews, with the very click friendly title of "Are Solar Carports Worth It, And Can You Qualify For The Solar Tax Credit? - the answer from the very nice "Web Content Specialist" who wrote the article was basically, "Yes", solar carports do qualify for the tax credit. Ok, so feel that there should be some caveat to that. Solar carports can qualify for the tax credit, but may not. Word of advice, if you are going to the solar carport way you really need to speak to your solar installer and all the other contractors who may be involved. As to our understanding, if you build a very fancy gazebo or pergola, that part of the construction may not qualify. The parts of the solar installation that are required for the solar system to generated energy do qualify. This is in some way arguing semantics, obviously if your pergola or gazebo is structurally supporting the solar panels, you could easily argue that it is part and parcel of the solar design, but the IRS may not see it that way. You should be very careful as to what you include and don't include in that quote for the tax credit, trying to slip in a BBQ and claiming it's part of the solar array is a big no-no... having some very nice wooden beams and perhaps some sort of a trellis system that also acts as a shear wall might be a different story. 

We are NOT accountants and cannot and will not give you advice on claiming your tax credit. If you're thinking of going the solar carport route we strongly suggest you talk to a tax professional.

Photo Credit Flickr Loadrunner235 CC

US Reaching The Electric Vehicle Tipping Point

 If you follow the public equity markets, and odds are pretty good, after lockdowns and work from home the past year odds are pretty good you've given more than a passing glance to yahoo finance and Robinhood, then you've probably seem the meteoric rise of electric vehicle companies. Tesla has been a rip for years, seeming defying gravity at twist and turn. But, 2020 will probably be known as the year that electric vehicles entered the mainstream. Every major auto manufacturer has not only announced, but is now actively rolling out their EV fleets. There have also been maybe a dozen high profile IPO's and SPAC mergers of EV start ups, Nikola, Nio, Fisker, Canoo, the list goes on and on. EV charging companies likewise have been going crazy, Chargepoint, Blink and EVGo as just three here in the US. There's a lot more to this story and it's going to keep developing and growing over the coming months and years. Great place to start and read more, The National Observer, Electric Vehicle Transition In The US Is Nearing A Tipping Point. 

Photo Credit: Ken Fields Flickr.