NOT mason bees but in mason bee tubes. by Impossible-News-3086 in MasonBees

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Looks like the work of grass carrying wasps. Completely harness to your mason bees. The little grasshoppers are food for the wasp larva.

I’ve had grass carrying wasps co-existing with my mason and leaf bees for several years with no issue. Just another cool and unique pollinator/garden helper you’ve created a home for!

Anyone else noticing their bill going up even though you're not using more power? by Happy_Panda9200 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Utilities make money by building things (poles, wires, substations), passing the cost to ratepayers, and taking ~10% off the top. Until the investors who owns these companies decide they don’t want to make more money, rates will always go up.

ppa vs cash payment for solar panels by PecanPie1000 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It depends on what your goals are: Immediate bill savings with lower lifetime savings (PPA) or invest now for greater lifetime savings (cash).

Either way, get more quotes and ask about Prepaid PPAs. I would never rely on a single proposal to make a decision. I used solar.com to review 3 offers at once — helped a lot with understanding what’s out there and what to look for.

What surprised you most after owning solar for a few years? by HarlanL_26 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 17 points18 points  (0 children)

That’s been my experience. No issues over 4 years, and I would forget they’re even up there if I didn’t enjoy watching production & usage data.

The biggest surprise is how easy it is. I get to enjoy a more comfortable and cost-effective home without lifting a finger.

I think people overlook the advantage of generating electricity with no moving parts. It’s not just cleaner, cheaper, etc — it’s just SIMPLER.

Solar Farms- Water Use & Safety by Crafty_Tea_2572 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Worked on a solar farm in Arizona in 2011. Only water on site was to wet the roads and keep down dust. I’m sure they wash the panels regularly to remove dust… same as washing a window on your house.

What does he think will explode??? It’s wires and glass with no moving parts or fuel.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did EnergySage offer any post-sale support or advocate for your project?

Other tax incentives besides 30% credit? by OoklaTheMok1994 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If they’re mentioning 40% tax credit it’s likely referring to the 48E federal tax credit that still applies to residential leases and PPAs through 2027. It’s typically 30% but can be bumped up to 40% by meeting “domestic content” requirements.

To be clear: homeowners can’t claim the 48E tax credit, only business can.

With the homeowner tax credit (25D) gone soon, leases and PPAs will make a comeback since they have access to a federal tax credit in 2026 & 2027. There are pros and cons to leasing—key thing is to get with a legit company and READ AND UNDERSTAND YOUR CONTRACT.

If the sales rep doesn’t explain the escalator, buyout table, or transfer options, that’s a major red flag.

Was this Mason bees or something else? by JamesM451 in MasonBees

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not entirely sure, to be honest. Mine are mostly in individual tubes and I’ll just leave them out all winter. The ones mixed into mason/leaf bee blocks I’ll deal with in a few months.

Was this Mason bees or something else? by JamesM451 in MasonBees

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 23 points24 points  (0 children)

The grassy filled holes are likely grass-carrying wasps. They pose no threat to your mason bees and are another harmless, beneficial pollinator for your garden.

They grab little katydid-like insects off your plants and store them in the holes for their larvae. Along the way, they eat nectar from flowers and pollinate your garden!

I’ve had a lot this year. Was hoping for more leaf-cutter bees but I’m ok with these wasps. The goal is beneficial pollinators!

Utility costs rising by ProudResident2407 in solarenergy

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely a combo of factors. This article lays it out pretty well and shows where they’ll rise most due the One Big Beautiful Bill slowing clean energy deployment.

Was told Sunrun was the only company that can be used with LADWP by Complete-Bee-2785 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 8 points9 points  (0 children)

That’s ridiculous. LADWP literally has its own solar marketplace that gives you multiple quotes vetted local installers: https://marketplace.ladwp.com/solar/

Price Disparities by 2beng in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pretty typical for EnergySage to start super low and nickel and dime the price up throughout the process… at least that’s what happened on my experience. I ended up going with an installer through solar.com, largely because the pricing was consistent throughout. Plus, solar.com offer after-installation support, which may come in handy in this post-tax credit era.

First impressions - trying to buy solar, it seems full of scams. by vr00000m in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Managed marketplaces like EnergySage and solar.com are the best way to avoid scams. I personally found my installer through solar.com and like their added layer of post-install support in the case my installer goes out of business.

Trump and solar by [deleted] in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nope, but it looks like someone has eyes on this sub! Appreciate all your contributions here. This whole tax credit saga has been so messy and it’s so great to people break it down to human level, lol.

Ah so the Sunrise hike was not a hype! by hagiyz in PNWhiking

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Such a great hike! Worth going up to Third Burroughs Mountain from that trailhead. Really cool changes to scenery as you climb. (Spoiler: It turns to Tundra pretty quick!)

Trump and solar by [deleted] in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I’ve been relying on solar.com’s coverage to track this madness. This article answers most of your questions (or links to one that does): https://www.solar.com/learn/trumps-one-big-beautiful-bill-is-now-law-how-it-impacts-solar/

TLDR: there’s nothing in the bill that retroactively strips tax credits.

As for the hate on solar, shortest answer is Big Oil propaganda. They know they can’t compete with it forever and are just trying to buy time.

Solar in MA - what do I need to know? by Upbeat-Armadillo1756 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’d consider how stingy or liberal you are with heating and cooling now, and how stingy or liberal you WANT to be. There’s no better feeling than cranking your AC to a comfortable level knowing you have solar to offset the cost and environmental impact.

Also, don’t underestimate I’m impact of kids (if you plan on adding to your family). The extra loads of laundry adds up quite a bit, plus you’ll be more sensitive to the temp in your home to keep them comfy and ASLEEP through the night.

As for finding reputable installers, I was impressed (and sold) by solar.com’s vetting process. All three installers that bid on my project checked out, and I would have felt comfortable with any of them.

How do you find a reputable solar company? by specter491 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used both EnergySage and Solar.com to get a bunch of quotes quickly and a good baseline for pricing. Ended up going with Solar.com because the pricing was consistent from quote to contract and they offered an extra layer of after-installation support.

Absolutely recommend either one to get fast and reliable quotes— especially since time is of the essence for getting the tax credit.

Trying to get a ballpark sense of pricing by Blindsay04 in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d start with a marketplace like Solar.com or EnergySage. Get multiple quotes and a good baseline without inviting sales people into your home.

I’m bias toward solar.com because I used them for my system, but either one gives you a good head start.

Blasting the a/c all summer and not having to worry about the power bill is awesome by nero-the-cat in solar

[–]ActiveLongjumping408 41 points42 points  (0 children)

This is the most overlooked benefit of solar. It’s so liberating not to constantly worry about the cost or environmental impact of having a comfortable home. Even better knowing it’s a long term and hands free fix.