See how much money solar energy systems could save you with EnergySage’s new tool

By Lulu Chang October 31, 2016

Diyana Dimitrova/123RF

Sure, installing a solar energy system may make you feel better about going green, but is it really helping you save any green in your pocket? Now you can find out. It’s all thanks to a new tool from EnergySage, whose interactive quote map lets you determine how much your neighbors are paying for their solar energy systems, and how much they’re saving as a result. So in this case, coveting something of your neighbor’s may not be the worst thing in the world.

The Boston-based company is “on a mission to make going solar as easy as booking a flight online.” By matching the “millions of Americans shopping for solar” with the “thousands of solar providers looking for well-qualified customers,” the startup hopes to create a simple solution that makes the process of buying and selling solar energy easier than ever.

All the information you see on EnergySage’s site seeks to help you understand various system costs, and is derived from actual estimates requested through the company. After you enter your zip code into the handy tool, you’ll be greeted with information on quotes, 20-year savings, and financing options. A Case Study browser even lets you peruse projects from across the country, seeing what others have paid — and what they’re saving annually.

And the environmentally minded startup isn’t the only one promoting the use of solar panels by way of data. For example, Google’s new Project Sunroof project estimates how many hours of sunlight (or solar power) come in contact with your rooftop every single year, and by extension, how much energy you’re missing out on by not having a solar system installed.

So if you’re looking for a way to fully understand how solar panels could help you and your household, you might just want to check out EnergySage and its promise of “unprecedented levels of choice, transparency, and information at no cost to consumers.”

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Web

Best Buy deals: Save on laptops, TVs, appliances, and more

best buy shuts down insignia line smart home products store 2 768x768

Best Buy is always a great retailer to turn to if you’re looking for some savings. There are almost always Best Buy deals taking place on TVs, appliances, and devices we use to navigate the digital world. In fact, right now at Best Buy you can find some of the best TV deals, best laptop deals, and best phone deals that can be shopped, and we haven’t even mentioned the deals on tablets and home audio equipment currently taking place at Best Buy. We’ve rounded up all of the best Best Buy deals you can shop right now and categorized them for your convenience below, so read onward for some great opportunities to save.
Best Buy TV deals

There may be no better place to purchase one of the best TVs than Best Buy. There is almost always some huge savings to find on TVs at Best Buy, and that’s certainly the case right now. You’ll find deals top TV brands like Sony, Samsung, and LG, and more budget-friendly brands like TCL and Hisense are in play, too.

Smart Home

Dyson’s new AR mobile app shows where you forgot to clean

A person using the Dyson AR app.

Dyson has always been on the cutting edge of vacuum technology, with heaps of premium vacuums filling the pages of its product catalog. Now, the company seems to be branching out to the world of augmented reality, with the reveal of Dyson CleanTrace -- a new feature on the MyDyson mobile app that shows you all the spots in your home that are yet to be cleaned.

Using Dyson CleanTrace is simple, though it comes with pretty strict limitations. For one, it only works with the expensive Dyson Gen5detect cordless vacuum. It also requires a smartphone with a lidar scanner (like an iPhone 15) and a special clamp to attach your phone to the vacuum (which is yet to receive a price tag). With all that out of the way, you'll then be able to launch the MyDyson app and access the CleanTrace feature for free when it arrives in June.

Smart Home

Arlo Pro 3-pack of security cameras is down to $400 from $700

A woman assembling a Arlo Pro 5S on a wall.

For anyone keen to make their home more secure and accountable through a set of security cameras, Best Buy is currently the place to go for security camera deals. At the retailer, you can buy a three pack of the highly regarded Arlo Pro 5S Spotlight Security Camera for $400. That means you’re saving a huge $300 off the regular price of $700. This is the ideal time to upgrade your home security for less and we’re here to tell you all about it before you commit to a purchase.

Why you should buy the Arlo Pro 5S Spotlight Security Camera
Arlo makes some of the best home security cameras around with pretty much its entire range being worth your time and money. With the Arlo Pro 5S, you get a great level of detail. There’s two times the video resolution of HD so you can zoom in up to 12 times to see sharper details. Due to its night vision, you can also see color at night for better identification of what’s going on. A wide 160-degree field of view combined with auto image correction cuts down on fish eye effect so everything looks just how you would expect it to. There’s also AI object detection so the Arlo Pro 5S is capable of detecting if something is a package, person, vehicle, animal or similar.