Best rated electric vehicles advices and energy new technologies Texas with Daniel Sumanth: Not everything Smart has produced is the cleverest idea, but in the grand scheme of things the electrified ForFour isn’t a bad choice at all, as long as it’s priced accordingly. This little four-seater has the tiny charm of European city cars such as the Fiat 500 or Twingo, and that shouldn’t be a surprise as it shares a body with the latter. The electric option isn’t vastly different to the two-seater EQ ForTwo, but it’s pushing a bit more weight around. Basic, and a touch crude in places, the Smart is the opposite of the BMW i3 in terms of technical investment; it’s a conventional car adapted for electricity. The compromises are fewer than you’d think apart from the big one – or rather, the small one, as the 17.6kWh battery is about the same capacity as some plug-in hybrids now. Range suffers accordingly and you’ll be lucky to get 70 miles of motorway speeds even in summer. Find more info at Daniel Sumanth Texas

Inside the Model Y is the usual minimalist interior, dominated by a horizontal 15.4-inch touchscreen that acts as the dashboard, infotainment and vehicle management systems, all of which perform very well. When it comes to battery range, the Model Y falls behind the Model 3 but still offers plenty in either Performance or Long Range form, at 298 and 315 miles respectively. Electric cars are not for everybody. Although the public charging infrastructure in the Texas is improving quickly, regular long trips in an electric car can still prove problematic. The perfect usage pattern for an EV involves charging at home overnight when electricity tariffs are lower and not needing to top up the battery again during the day. Ideally, you’ll need somewhere to charge at home, but you could get around this if there are EV charging points at work or plenty of public charging points nearby. If you do less than 200 or so miles a week, you could get away without having a home or work charger at all; just visit a public one every few days to top up.

Although pollution related to solar energy systems is far less compared to other sources of energy, solar energy can be associated with pollution. Transportation and installation of solar systems have been associated with the emission of greenhouse gases. There are also some toxic materials and hazardous products used during the manufacturing process of solar photovoltaics, which can indirectly affect the environment. Nevertheless, solar energy pollutes far less than other alternative energy sources.

The Fiat 500 nails its city car brief perfectly; it’s competitively priced, offering low running costs and plenty of Italian flair. Although the third generation car is a little bigger than its combustion-engined predecessor, the 500 EV is still at home darting through urban traffic, while you shouldn’t have any trouble parking as even the entry-level models come with rear parking sensors as standard. Two battery options are available: a 42kWh ‘Long Range’ version and a 24kWh ‘City Range’ variant. The City Range offers up to 115 miles of range from a single charge, although the bigger battery gives you a more practical 199 miles before needing to recharge. Inside, the cabin is suitably stylish, while you’ll benefit from a host of on-board tech. Base cars offer a 7-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while moving up through mid- and top-spec models brings a rear-view camera and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen.

Solar energy systems generally don’t require a lot of maintenance. You only need to keep them relatively clean, so cleaning them a couple of times per year will do the job. If in doubt, you can always rely on specialised cleaning companies, which offer this service from around £25-£35. Most reliable solar panel manufacturers offer 20-25 years warranty. Also, as there are no moving parts, there is no wear and tear. The inverter is usually the only part that needs to changed after 5-10 years because it is continuously working to convert solar energy into electricity (solar PV) and heat (solar thermal). Apart from the inverter, the cables also need maintenance to ensure your solar power system runs at maximum efficiency. So, after covering the initial cost of the solar system, you can expect very little spending on maintenance and repair work.

So here’s the thing: for all their usefulness when you’re living off the grid, generators are noisy. They’ll disrupt the quiet solitude of your off-grid home nestled in the woods, mountains, or other remote location. In fact, they’re so loud that today most manufacturers now include decibel (db) levels in their specifications. Consider the noise level BEFORE buying a generator for home use. And consider the noise level based on the proximity of the generator to your home. And if you have them – to your neighbors’ homes as well. Several studies like this one from the World Health Organization (WHO) have shown that people can get actual physical symptoms other than hearing loss from excessive noise.

The Model Y is the small electric SUV many people have been waiting for. Based on the Model 3 saloon, the mid-size SUV boasts a spacious cabin, slick infotainment system and boatloads of practicality thanks to a 117-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet and a whopping 854 litres of boot space as well. Plus, performance is still staggering, thanks to dual-motor setups in both the Long Range and Performance models that are currently available. Prices start from nearly £55,000, but one of the major benefits of Tesla ownership is access to the brand’s extensive Supercharger network. Use one of its latest V3 Superchargers, and you can top up the Model Y’s battery from 0-80% in just 36 minutes.

How much does a single solar panel cost? At the time of this writing, the installed cost of solar panels was between $7-$9 per watt: A 5 kW system would cost around $25,000-$35,000. Many utility companies offer incentives, and some subsidize as much as 50% of system costs.