Does a solar system always need batteries?

No, it is possible to have a solar system without batteries as it is connected to the conventional electrical grid, this allows to use the solar energy during the day and the grid energy at night.

Do solar systems need maintenance?

Yes, to ensure the efficiency of your system it is recommended to undertake regular maintenance (at least twice a year). At Erco Energy, we provide Operation & Maintenance service to keep your system operating safely, correctly, and running on its optimal operating point.

Can a solar system be installed on any type of roof?

No, in order to install a solar system, our engineering team must carry out first an initial visit to verify the condition of the roof and its feasibility.

Can I use the energy produced by the solar system during a power outage?

Yes, but only if you have a Hybrid or an Off-Grid system (with batteries). You will have energy backup as long as the batteries are charged. On the other hand, if you have an On-Grid system without batteries you will not have energy backup when the grid goes down.

How much does an installation of an electric charger cost?

This value is between 800 dollars and 1000 dollars depending on the distance to the power source.

How to Choose a Solar Company in Texas in 5 Steps

How to choose a Solar Company in Texas in 5 Steps

Going solar in Texas?

At this point, with the solar alternatives growing and establishing in Texas, you might’ve heard of how sustainable solar energy for industries and families, and how many benefits it can represent at all scales.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) listed Texas as the second-highest state for solar electric capacity in its market insight report, with the equivalent of over one million houses using this resource (9,000 MW per year and growing).

On the other hand, the 2021 winter pushed countless business owners, homes, and families, to look for more sustainable alternatives, skyrocketing the solar alternatives in the state.

Considering this, how to choose a solar company in Texas? How to wisely invest in modernizing your energy consumption without risking your budget?

In Erco Energy, we’ve crafted the all-in-one guide to picking a solar company to help you ensure your investment.

So going step by step…

1. Determine What Type of Solar System You Need

Solar energy englobes three main systems:

On-grid Solar System: A grid integrated by solar panels and your current utility system, able to reduce your energy consumption up to 100%, and able to generate ROI in 6 years for companies and ROI in 8 years for homes. (or even less).
Off-grid Solar System: This is a standalone system that doesn’t require the electric grid to work and is backed up by a set of batteries.
Hybrid Solar System: This combines electric power and renewable energy, joining solar panels with the electric grid, fortifying both with a set of batteries that keep running at nighttime and outages.

Energy Storage

If you already have a solar system, you should rely on the power of energy storage to exploit its potential. This service gathers three different scales:

Residential;
Commercial & Industrial;
Utility-Scale.

Alike solar panels, energy storage consists of on-grid, off-grid, and hybrid systems.

Before going solar in Texas, make sure to investigate which one is more suitable for your necessities.

2. Analyze The Services

Many companies sell solar energy or install solar panels, but the majority do not offer both services as a whole.

Solar sellers tend to outsource the installation services. The result? Lack of communication between providers, delays, excessive and unjustified fees, uncertain warranties, faulty equipment, and even accidents.

The best choice is to opt for a specialized provider who manages every single step of the process, from quoting and planning to installation and maintenance. This is the contractor you want to run your project in the long-term.

In addition, check if the provider offers solar storage solutions and management resources, such as programs and apps, to help you manage and control your energy use.

Lastly, the contractor should not only focus on the short term. It should also focus on long-term services, including maintenance, assistance, and follow-up. The most trustworthy providers can assist you for a lifetime.

3. Check Credentials, Licenses, and Records

Thanks to the boom of renewable energies in the last years, you need to double-check your provider is accredited and has all the required permissions to sell and install solar energy. Considering this, make sure the company is certified by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).

Once you ensure the enterprise is legal and has the proper certifications, you need to stick to the expertise.

In these cases, the local player fully dedicated to renewable energies, which is concentrated in one area and disposes of more specialized services, is the best choice.

4. Consult Reviews

When choosing a solar company in Texas, ask for previous projects and records. Also, take a look at the clients’ reviews to discover what you can expect of the company you want to hire.

After all, one of the best ways to tell a company is or is not reliable is by hearing out its clients. This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect beforehand, even without requesting quotes.

5. Analyze the Quote Carefully

Once you’ve determined what kind of equipment you need, checked reviews and background, and contacted the specialist, it’s the moment to analyze the cost of the project and its sustainability in the future.

One of the most critical points about how to choose a solar company in Texas –and in any state– is the quote. Here, the specialist should give you a well-detailed quote describing services provided, technical specifications, costs, warranties, and estimations.

In short, the quote should include:

Solar panel model along with the number of panels to be installed.
Energy Offset.
System price.
Estimated savings and ROI.
Maintenance details. (If the company offers it)
Energy storage (depending on the project you request).
Additional services (such as Energy storage and EV charging).

Go Solar with Erco Energy

In Erco Energy, we are empowering Texan families and companies with the cleanest energy, offering cutting-edge solar technology and equipment at their disposal.

We’ll guide you through every step of the process, from the pricing and the installation of your solar system to the management and maintenance of your equipment, guaranteeing permanent assistance to your project even years after finished.

And to help you manage your photovoltaic resources masterfully while reducing your costs, we also offer Erco App, a simple but versatile mobile app based on AI, which will give you absolute control over your resources while adding some extra savings thanks to energy efficiency recommendations.

Our team is committed to understanding your necessities and requirements to provide you with the services and the assistance you need, the assistance you can trust for a lifetime. Request your quote today and take your energy consumption to the next level.

How do solar panels work Erco

How do solar panels work?

For most of us, this is one of the first questions we ask ourselves when we are planning to install solar panels on our roof. However, the answer to this question is normally complex and includes technical terms that are not clear to everyone. But do not worry, we have an easy way to let you know how the system that will be installed on your roof is going to work.

The first thing you should consider is that solar panels work with sunlight, even without the sun pointing directly to the panel or with rain, snow, or clouds, your panels are still working and converting the solar radiation into energy. How? Let’s see.

Science behind solar

Every panel has cells that are linked together and made up of an element called silicon, a semiconductor that is the second most abundant element on Earth, which has electronic properties that generate an electric field when the sunlight hits the panel’s surface. The electricity generated in this process is called direct current or DC electricity, which should be changed into alternating current or AC with help of equipment called an inverter. Why? Because AC is the type of current that powers our home appliances and other devices.

Usable energy

As the electric current is generated in the solar panel, it flows through a conductive wire which transmits the DC electricity to the inverter to transform it into usable energy (AC). The alternating current is funneled into the breaker box to be distributed to any appliance in your home that is using electricity. It works the same way as the traditional power grid from your utility company, the benefit is that you are saving on your bill while using your own energy.

Smart investment

Solar energy is a smart way to convert solar radiation into energy. This is an efficient and cost-effective solution because you are using the untapped potential of your roof to produce your own power, moreover, solar panels need little maintenance, do not produce any noise while generating electricity, and are safe for health and the environment.

Enjoy the experience

Now you are ready to take a step forward in renewable energy, producing on your roof the energy you consume and save on your electric bill. We use safe, effective, and compliant systems to show you every step of the installation process and a detailed report of your savings.

Take advantage of clean, reliable, and affordable energy and enjoy an exceptional experience!

Discovering the power of Energy Storage

Is your home prepared for extreme weather?

The last climate change-related events have shown us that the conventional energy grid is outdated and unprepared to handle spikes in power demand due to winter peaks that cause system stress. This electricity crisis that caused widespread outages across Texas is a new opportunity to create awareness and join forces to promote a cleaner energy infrastructure and a decarbonized electric system. This is a wake-up call to move to renewable, reliable, and flexible methods to produce and store energy and strengthen the grid to meet everyday energy needs.

We need to understand that the impact we make on the world depends on our daily habits, evolving and adapting to this new reality help us facing the climate challenges and innovate in response to a growing demand for a more resilient infrastructure.

Installing a back-up system in your home is the solution for the upcoming extreme weather events and the best way to protect your devices. The back-up system works with a set of batteries that allows you to store electrical energy from the conventional energy grid and use it at any time or in case of power outages.

You can also take advantage of the benefits of a hybrid system which is the best ally when the service is unreliable and the solution for the skyrocketing prices that are forcing homeowners to switch to alternative energy sources. The hybrid system consists of a solar energy system and a set of batteries that allow storing the energy produced by the solar modules and using it at any time of the day, even at nighttime or during power outages in the electrical grid. Additionally, this system will allow you to back-up the most relevant energy needs in your home, such as lighting, security, connectivity, appliances, and even refrigeration.

Preparing for the future involves investing in back-up power and renewable technologies that minimize the extreme climate impacts in the years ahead and reduce our vulnerability to climate change.

You can take this giant step towards reliable energy sources with Erco Energy. We will help Texans to have reliable, stable, and flexible systems in their homes to stop the blackouts from happening again.

Keep the lights on and join us to start your energy transition process!

By Laura Escobar

Solar + Storage, facing climate change and weather challenges.

We all have heard climate change is coming or even that we are already struggling with it, some are skeptical, and some take action to help the planet fight this challenge. We believe, whether it is considered real or not, that a fact is that we are living under unusual weather conditions such as these last crazy days.

With all U.S. citizens attention on the latest weather events and the power crisis, a new mindset is needed to be adopted, a greener and reliable vision towards sustainability and planet protection.

This snowstorm we experienced all over the Lone Star State should make us consider new options or complementary solutions to have more reliable energy. People endured record-breaking freeze weather and temporally water cuts for several days, one of the worst blackouts in U.S. history.

An event of this proportion needs innovative and trustworthy solutions that can adapt and put up with climate change. At Erco Energy, we got a clean and sustainable way to have more reliable energy for our homes and businesses, by implementing energy storage systems, installing solar panels complemented with batteries.

As the climate is changing and evolving, so we must do as well, we do know this is not the first time of an unprecedented event like this, and we can´t say is once in a lifetime incident that will not happen again. We encourage you to take the first step towards green technology opportunities, let’s face together this new era of energy independence. We gotcha covered! !

By Felipe Sanchez

Solar Energy for everyone

Solar Energy for everyone!

Have you ever thought about producing the energy that you consume directly at your home’s rooftop? There is a smart way to convert solar radiation into photovoltaic energy through panels with silicon cells. This is one of the most efficient and cost-effective energy types where solar radiation is used to produce useful and renewable energy.

By investing in solar energy, you can get a return on your investment after 8 to 12 years, and a lifespan of approximately 30 years, generating 18 years of energy savings.

This is a thought-out strategy to provide energy independence because the energy comes from an inexhaustible source. However, the main purpose of this ambitious and powerful type of energy is to contribute to environmental protection and sustainable growth, reduce CO2 emissions, and shrink traditional energy costs.

But there is even more. If your energy production exceeds your demand, you will have extra energy that can be stored or sold.

Our purpose is to generate an enduring mark for future generations and a commitment to sustainability with clean, reliable, and affordable energy. Keep your feet pointing in the direction of progress and use SOLAR ENERGY!

By Laura Escobar

Meet Erco Energy

Meet Erco Energy!

“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work” – Aristotle

Erco Energy is a leading Solar Energy Company in Residential, Commercial, and Industrial market. In 2012, we set out to reinvent the way people move forward to the solar energy transition by offering an exceptional service and clean, reliable, and affordable solar solutions for everyone. We started implementing photovoltaic solar projects and after several years we evolved including in our portfolio Energy Storage and EV Charging solutions.

Erco Energy currently operates in the United States, Panama and Colombia.

We rebuilt the entire experience to make it easier, faster, and trustworthy, taking advantage of our top-notch technology and an exceptionally talented team. We are constantly striving to achieve a cleaner energy future and to leave an enduring mark through our lifelong customers.

We are Leaders in the implementation and management of Distributed Energy Resources (Solar Energy, Energy Storage and EV Charging). Erco has an eight (8) year track record of building a green future, +1,200 successfully completed projects and is empowering homeowners to become energy-independent and save money while saving the planet. Our mission is to become one of the most trusted Solar Energy Companies in Texas through our innovative and sustainable solutions.

We are committed to build San Antonio green, we are here to stay! Welcome to Erco Energy!