Going solar is easier for homeowners with a few key resources. Here are a couple of tools to help you switch to solar power with less hassle and expense:
1. Tap into Solar Incentives
One of my favorite resources is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE), which lists state rebates and solar power incentive programs, as well as information on federal solar incentives. The site is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. There, you can find information on state, local, utility and federal incentive programs that can help you cut the cost of residential solar panel installations by as much as 60-80% off the retail cost.
Thinking of making a switch to solar power?
2. Determine how Much Grid-Based Electricity You Can Offset with Solar
Here is another tool from the U.S. government that can help you switch to solar power. Part of your analysis will be to determine how much electricity you use at home, and then how much you can offset with solar. The website of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) includes statistics about the amount of electricity the average American home demands. In addition, check out the Energy Department‘s information about considerations to make before going solar.
3. Find the Best Solar Panel Manufacturers
This may be surprising, but you can find the top solar manufacturers in the U.S. on Wikipedia. The site includes a list, put together based on an annual report by Photon Magazine. Additional information on annual solar manufacturer rankings is found at Solar Buzz.
4. Log onto Solar Chat
These days, you can find a chat room on just about any topic! Why not connect with other people that are thinking about going solar, or who have already made the switch? Try the online forum at Solar Panel Talk. You can find people to chat with on DIY solar panels, going off-grid, solar panel leases and purchasing/installing conventional residential solar systems.
5. Use a Solar Price Calculator
Online calculators can help you determine how many solar panels you will need for your energy demands and what a system will cost. There are a number of solar price calculators available and you can find links to many of them at CalFinder.
Tags: residential solar, Solar Panels, solar power, switch to solar power
Solar panels are an investment, even with incentives, tax rebates and the recent falling prices. Yet, there is one area in which costs of solar power can be reduced – trimming permitting fees and streamlining the process.
Permitting fees increase the cost of solar panels
In order to install residential solar panels, you will need a building permit (and possibly other land use permits) from your local permitting authority. The process takes time, adds delay and hassle, and also costs money in permitting fees, and potentially the cost of working with a solar installer that is familiar with the process and can help you navigate it.
Because of this hurdle toward broader acceptance of renewable energy, the U.S. Department of Energy is making $27 million available to support local and regional governments streamline the process of implementing solar power projects. The result will be to cut carbon emissions as fewer people use fossil-fuel based electricity. Homeowners that install solar panels also enjoy reduced power bills each month.
As part of the SunShot Initiative the DOE is offering a $12.5 million challenge to encourage cities and counties to compete to streamline and digitize permitting processes by: standardizing permitting processes, updating planning and zoning codes, improving interconnection and net metering standards and, finally, increasing access to financing.
The DOE will also use $15 million to fund one or two recipients to create tools for local governments to streamline and expedite the process of installing solar energy in the three areas: regulatory and utility solutions; codes, standards and processes and software design tools and databases. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu commented:
“These investments under the SunShot program can help to transform the solar energy industry by addressing significant challenges to solar energy deployment, including permitting and installation. Innovations in IT and local business processes, such as online permit applications, can deliver significant savings for solar energy systems and will help America to compete globally in this growing market.”
Just this week, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) announced a unified solar permitting process with Nassau and Suffolk County that will start in fall 2012. Known as the Long Island Unified Solar Permitting Initiative (LIUSPI), this new campaign is focused on developing a model process that could be used by all municipalities throughout Long Island to effectively and uniformly handle the application for and approval of residential solar electric and solar hot water systems in each respective jurisdiction.
Tags: cost of solar power, cut costs of solar power, permit for solar panels, permitting of solar panels, solar panel permitting costs, solar panels permit
Net Zero Energy House with Solar Panels
This amazing house in Ann Arbor, Michigan (shown to the left) is 110 years old and yet operates without the use of any grid-based electricity. Its owners decided to install solar panels for a net zero energy house.
While net zero homes (residences that generate all the power required for their operation on site) are becoming more popular, the home above is the oldest net zero energy home in the U.S.
Following extensive refurbishing and retrofitting, the roof is covered in solar panels that generate 12,500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) each year. Of that, only 10,000 kWh was required to keep things running and the balance was fed back into the grid via net metering.
If you are considering installing solar panels on your home this year, keep in mind that prices are lower than ever – about 50% less than just a few years ago. In addition, solar tax rebates and other incentives will be phased out in the near future, so act now!
This net zero energy house cost about $47,000 to renovate, saving the owners thousands each year on utility bills. In addition to rooftop solar panels, additional insulation was installed, along with insulated glass. Low pressure plumbing minimizes water usage, too.
To learn more about net zero energy houses and how these Michigan homeowners installed solar panels on their 110-year old home, watch this video:
Tags: home solar panels, install solar panels, net zero, net zero energy, net zero energy house, residential solar panels
Consider a DIY solar panel kit
For many homeowners, the idea of switching to solar power is daunting from a cost and hassle standpoint. But if you want to test the waters with renewable energy, why not start with a DIY solar panel kit?
Solar panel kits include everything you need to generate and use solar electricity: solar panels, an inverter and charge controllers.
Its all in one box, which also contains step-by-step directions to help you install solar panels without hiring and paying for a professional solar installer. Most people can complete the project in a weekend.
The advantages to going with DIY solar panel kits include: (1) lower cost; (2) flexibility – you can add more panels in the future as needed; and (3) the satisfaction of building your own solar panel array.
On the other hand, disadvantages of solar panels kits are: (1) limited or no warranty or support; (2) may not be permitted to tie into the grid for net metering; and (3) may not be fully eligible for solar tax rebates and incentives.
Have you installed your own DIY solar panel kit? We’d love to hear your comments about advantages and/or disadvantages of these build-your-own solar kits.
Tags: advantages of DIY solar panel kits, disadvantages of DIY solar panel kits, DIY solar panel kits, DIY solar panels, home solar panels, solar panel kits
If you are thinking about installing solar panels on your home but concerned about the expense, have you considered solar thermal panels? Solar hot water heaters use specialized solar panels to heat water for domestic use, without the need for conventional electricity.
Panels for Solar Hot Water Heater
Heating water for household uses like bathing, washing dishes and laundry is one of the most energy-intensive activities, accounting for significant percentages of monthly electricity bills. If you own a swimming pool, hot tub or spa, keeping the water at a comfortable temperature can also be expensive.
That’s where a solar hot water heater comes into play! Water is piped through a system that uses thermal energy from sunlight to warm it for free, where it is then stored in a specialized hot water tank for use.
An active solar thermal panel hot water system uses electrical pumps to move the water through the system, whereas a passive solar hot water system relies on thermal dynamics (cold sinks and heat rises) instead of pumps.
Solar hot water heating systems have several advantages over solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which generate electrical power:
1. They are less expensive – about 1/3 the cost of solar electric PV panels
2. They are more efficient – with the ability to convert 3 times as much energy for use as PV panels
3. The return on investment is about 1/2 that of PV panels (4-8 years)
4. The average homeowner can save 60-70% off their average annual hot water heating expenses
In general, a solar hot water system is comprised of the following, and can be installed by a professional, or you can build one using DIY instructions:
- Solar thermal panels (also known as solar collectors)
- Rooftop mounting system for the solar thermal panels
- Solar storage tank – a new solar hot water tank
- Water pump and controls (not required for passive or thermosyphon systems)
- Heat exchanger and expansion tank (only for closed-loop solar hot water systems)
- Isolation valve
- Backup Water Heater
- Tempering valve – to make sure your solar heated water doesn’t get too hot!
Solar hot water heaters are a good first foray into using solar energy because they are relatively inexpensive, allow you to save significant amounts on your utility bills and are low maintenance. Whether you go with a DIY system or have one professionally installed, you can enjoy free hot water for years to come.
To read learn more about solar thermal panels and how solar hot water heating systems work, click here.
Tags: residential solar, solar hot water, solar hot water heaters, solar hot water heating, solar panels hot water, solar power hot water, solar thermal panels
How are your solar panels performing? Find out with an energy monitor smartphone application
Once you have made the investment to install solar panels, you’ll want to maximize their efficiency and output. If shade, snow or technical issues are reducing the amount of solar electricity generated by the system, you’ll want to know right away.
You can now monitor your residential solar panel system with a smartphone application. Its a home energy monitor right at your fingertips! Developed by a solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer, SunPower, the Android application provides instant information for customers regarding: (1) energy output of a residential solar panel system, (2) their home’s energy usage (hourly, weekly or monthly) and (3) the ability to compare and share previous data.
Any SunPower customer can access this same information via the company’s website. But the energy monitor application allows the kind of instantly available information so many of us desire so you can make adjustments to consumption or order repairs to your system, as necessary.
Perhaps the best feature of this new application is you can show off your significant savings via your residential solar panel system to your co-workers and friends — right from the palm of your hand on your smartphone!
Tags: energy monitor application, energy smartphone application, home energy monitor, residential solar, residential solar panel system
Solar power grid parity is predicted in the U.S. within the next 10-15 years, meaning that the cost of solar electricity will be lower than traditional grid-based energy sources such as coal or gas.
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Solar power grid parity predicted
We found this map published on the Energy Self-Reliant States website that shows solar power grid parity in most major U.S. metropolitan areas by the year 2027. The figures are based on projected costs of retail utility scale electricity and continuing lowering of the cost of solar power. Considering energy cost trends, solar energy will be cheaper than coal in a matter of just a few decades.
The interactive map based on predictions of energy policy analyst John Farrell illustrates the U.S. cities that will achieve solar grid parity first, and those that will follow between now and 2027. Based on current retail rates for electricity in regions across the nation, and the declining cost of solar power in recent years, Farrell predicts San Diego to be the first to achieve solar power grid parity in 2013, with New York City following in 2015. Just five years thereafter, Farrell expects 17 major metropolitan areas to reach solar grid parity in 2020, reaching 40 regions by 2027.
For more information, see the original article at Yale Environment 360.
Tags: cost solar power, energy self-reliant states, solar electricity, solar energy, solar grid parity, solar power, solar power grid parity
Solar power in India is growing with some big, ambitious policies adopted by leaders aimed at dramatically reducing use of fossil fuels and turning to the ample resource that the country enjoys.
Solar Power in India
Two years ago, India announced plans to increase generation and use of solar electricity from approximately nothing, to 20,000 megawatts (MW) – the equivalent of energy required to power 20 million U.S. homes. At the time, there were plenty of nay-sayers who claimed it could not be achieved. Already, they are re-thinking their dour predictions.
Currently, India’s solar power totals only about 140 megawatts, which can power a town of 50,000. Of that amount, 10 megawatts is generated by the utility scale solar power project operated in Khadoda, India by Azure Power. Azure sells the solar electricity generated by the 36,000 solar panel plant to a state-government electric utility. The CEO of the company, Inderpeet Wadhwa, predicts that within just a few years, solar power will reach grid parity in India. That is, it will be cost competitive with electricity generated by conventional means, including coal-fired plants.
Analysts believe that India’s 20,000 MW solar power goal could even be reached before 2020. This is due in large part to a dramatic drop in prices of solar panels. Some manufacturers have slashed costs by 30-40% in 2011 alone, bringing the cost of solar panels to a mere $1 per watt. First solar, based in Tempe Arizona, is the leading U.S. supplier of solar panels to India.
Tags: azure power, india solar panels, india solar power, solar electricity, solar panels india, solar power, solar power india, solar third world countries
Solar Panel Efficiency
Over the past 5 years, the price of solar panels has dropped dramatically while efficiency of solar arrays has increased significantly.
Yet, it appears that the renewable energy revolution continues to make life better and cleaner for many of us! The University of Texas at Austin announced this month that one of its solar researchers has discovered a method to further double solar panel efficiency up to 60%!
Solar panel efficiency can be summarized as follows: The term refers to the amount of solar energy that is converted to usable electricity after hitting a solar panel. It does not need to be a bright, sunny day. All you need is UV (ultraviolet) sunlight, filtered through clouds or even precipitation. According to a recent article:
An issue with regular photovoltaic panels is that much of the energy delivered by sunlight results in the conversion of “hot” electrons, which are too high-energy to be converted to electricity in silicon and are instead lost as heat. University of Texas Chemistry professor Xiaoyang Zhu and his team discovered that an organic plastic semiconductor could double the number of electrons harvested out of one photon of sunlight.
Solar panel efficiency is currently about 30% for silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. But solar technology indicates that this figure can at least double, to reach 66% efficiency.
The importance of this discovery is the potential of reaching grid parity – the point at which the cost of purchasing solar electricity is less than the price of fossil-fuel based power.
Tags: efficient solar panels, solar panel efficiency, Solar Panels, solar power, solar power research, solar technology
Reasons to Switch to Solar Power
Have you been thinking about installing a residential solar system? Well, now is the time! The cost of solar panels has dropped more than 40% this decade, and more and more people have changed to solar.
If you are still on the fence, consider these top reasons to switch to solar power:
1. Reduce Your Electric Bill
Did you know that the average household in America spends over $1,400 each year on electricity? The year 2010 marked the fifth consecutive year that utility rates have risen. That means that homeowners are paying 20% more for electricity than they did only a half decade a ago. Its time to keep more of that hard-earned cash for yourself, and protect against continued rising rates by switching to solar power. In the first year following solar panel installation, most property owners realize 40% or more in electric bill savings. These savings stay “locked in,” despite what happens to the economy and future electricity costs.
2. Take Advantage of Sunny Skies
Sunshine helps, but even brighter skies can generate ample solar electricity. Generally speaking, solar panels are most efficient when exposed to direct sunlight. However, ambient UV light is sufficient for solar panels to generate ample clean electricity. If you are eligible for net metering, you can reduce your power bill to zero and even get paid for extra solar power generated during peak periods.
3. Take Advantage of Incentives
Currently, solar rebates and incentives offer substantial savings on solar installation costs. The U.S. federal program can save you up to 30% off the retail cost to install a photovolatic (PV) solar power system. Most incentive programs have an expiration date, however. In today’s political climate, continuation of many programs are uncertain.
4. Combat Rising Electricity Demands
Did you know that in the next 25 years, electricity demands will nearly double, according to a 2005 Energy Information Administration report. Even though we are taking more and more steps to save energy, our consumption is increasing with the size of our homes, number of electronic devices and efforts to stay cool and comfortable year-round via HVAC. By switching to solar power, you can off-set increasing demands, as well as cut down on energy demands through the insulating effects of installing solar panels on your roof.
5. Save the Environment
It is hard to continue to explain away the bizarre weather experienced around the world over the past decade. Global climate change is real and its time to step up efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. Switching to solar power can significantly help.
Wait another 10-15 years, and it might be too late to reverse the trend.
Tags: home solar power, reasons to switch to solar, residential solar, solar energy, Solar Panels, solar power, switch to solar power
