One of the biggest challenges with getting people to adopt residential solar applications is to help overcome the initial investment needed. With numerous state and Federal tax incentives available, there is no greater time to invest in solar energy than now.

Advances in the technology used to install solar systems are increasing daily. As this technology becomes more readily available, the time needed to install the systems will decrease and the entire project’s cost will also decrease.

Recently, a Georgia solar installation company, based in northeast Georgia, became a certified installer for a revolutionary solar panel racking system that speeds up installation time by 50%.
This Georgia company has been devoted to making green energy available and more cost effective for residents and businesses. A groundbreaking procedure in Suwanee marked the completion of the first installation of the new Zep racking system.

Zep Solar CEO Jack West says that he and his company started working on roof-mounted racking systems more than a decade ago. The typical residential rack consists of 429 metal rails, screws, washers, and parts that must be moved to the roof of a home to complete installation. Keeping them intact, organized and in order can be a daunting task in and of itself. After all of these parts are put together, a certified electrician then has to ground all wires for safety purposes. The Zep system is a minimalist approach: few parts & tools are needed and the panels are easily anchored to the roof.

The work completed is the first of its kind on the east coast and will allow a Georgia resident to sell power back to Georgia Power. The resident will be producing more power than needed to power their home and will therefore actually profit from their investment. Georgia Power will then cycle the energy produced from this resident to its energy grid for use by other customers. Georgia is one of the first states to have an installation utilizing the Zep racking. A standard residential application, like the one mentioned above, helps to reduce green house gas emissions by nearly 90 tons of carbon dioxide. To show how much this will impact the environment, consider that 90 tons of CO2 is the equivalent to removing/reducing :


• 300,000 miles driven in a car
• 182,000 miles flown in a commercial jet
• 160 people’s trash and waste
• 3,542 trees

Matt Dubnik works for .