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:

Grape Solar panels at Costco

If you are into DIY home improvement projects and have considered residential solar panels, it might be time to head to your local Costco warehouse store.  You can now buy solar panels at Costco, the discount warehouse membership retailer.

Grape Solar offers competitively priced solar panels and solar power kits.

If you are a member of Costco, you can purchase home solar panels by Grape Solar either at the warehouse, or online.

These are the products currently offered:

1.  880 Watt Exapandable Grid-tied Solar Kit ($3299), with 4 220-watt solar panels, inverters and roof mounting kit

2.  5060 Watt Grid-Tied Solar Kit ($16,999), including 22 230-watt solar panels, an inverter and roof mounting kit.

3.  3680 Watt Grid-Tied Solar Kit ($12,499), including 16 230-watt solar panels, an inverter and roof mounting kit.

Earlier in 2011, Grape Solar entered into a partnership with Costco to offer solar panels in nine test markets throughout Washington State and Oregon.  Over the year, distribution was expanded into other key markets.  Today, you can buy solar panels at Costco in more than 60 bricks-and-mortar locations in the United States.  Costco.com also offers home solar power kits that include solar panels, inverters and roof rack systems.

If you don’t want to install the home solar panels yourself, you can use the company’s network of over 5,000 installers across the nation for services and customer support.  Don’t forget to save your paperwork to take advantage of solar rebates and other incentives.

Before you install solar panels, consider these factors

It is very helpful to hire a knowledgeable solar panel installer.  But, to avoid paying extra for things you may not need, here’s how to compare solar panels for installation.

When you do a search for residential solar panels on the Internet, there are several factors that help you compare solar panels: (1) cost; (2) efficiency;  (3) amount of energy conserved; and (4) the estimated life of the solar power system.

Cost is directly related to solar panel efficiency.  The more efficient (i.e., the more sunlight a panel can convert) the less expensive relying on solar power will be.  As of the date of this posting, the average solar panel efficiency is between 13-18%.  That means that solar panels result may result in more cost savings than solar thermal installations.  Don’t forget to think about the annual decline in solar panel efficiency, which is often represented in panel warranties.

PV (photovoltaic) solar panels are pretty much the norm for residential and small business installations.   Solar technology is continuing to improve for these products.  As noted in a related post:

Polycrystalline cells are cheaper to produce, but since they require connecting numerous silicon cells, are less efficient in converting sunlight to electricity than a single crystalline cell. Visually, it’s usually easy to tell them apart. With the exception of Sharp, SolarWorld and Trina brands, monocrystalline panels are black, while polycrystalline panels are blue.

Comparing “cost per PTC” figures is the best way to determine which solar panel offers the most efficiency at the best price. Keep in mind that each solar panel costs about $400-700, and the cost-per-PTC prices ranges from $2.50 to $4.50.  Once you determine the number of solar panels needed, its easier to compare costs for installation.

Don’t forget that there are a lot of solar companies that install panels these days.  You don’t have to do with the first name you read.  Make sure that your solar contractor knows your area and other options.

Solar panel kits

Looking for easy to install, affordable residential solar panels?  You might want to consider solar panel kits.

Solar kits include everything you need for a renewable energy installation on your home.  Whether you are looking for a DIY home improvement project, or simply trying to avoid the hassle of contracting with a solar power company to purchase individual components of a system and then have them installed, a solar panel kit could be your answer.

Solar panel kits allow property owners to go “solar out of the box.”  The solar kits include photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, an inverter, and charge controllers. You will have to assemble the  solar array yourself.

If you are considering a solar panel kit, you can find a range of options at a variety of price points, wattage, and more.

More expensive solar kits generally include more solar panels and better quality inverters and charge controllers.  For example, this solar panel kit from Home Depot has 10 Sunforce 123 Watt panels and a Pro Series inverter with a continuous output of 2500 Watts, and a surge power of 5000 Watts.  It costs nearly $9000, before federal and state incentives and rebates.

Amazon.com sells a less expensive ($479) solar panel kit, which is well-suited for recreational vehicles (RVs), boats or swimming pools.

In general, residential solar panels are less expensive when you go with a solar panel kit.  This is in large part because you do not have to invest in installation services.  Moreover, with a solar kit, you can purchase one (or more) that more precisely meet your needs.  Many people prefer them to traditional solar panels because they can be modified to meet specific energy needs.

Solar panel kits are a great DIY home improvement project.  Or purchase a kit for your RV or boat and enjoy free solar power!

What are the disadvantages of a solar panel lease?

We have been pretty excited about the idea of leasing solar panels to avoid the upfront cost of purchasing a solar power system.  For many homeowners, residential solar leasing is the only way they can switch to the renewable energy resource.

A solar panel lease typically involves a company that owns, installs and maintains the solar panels on your home.  You sign a contract under which you will pay the company a monthly fee that is less than the current cost of your electricity (these are called solar power purchase agreements, or PPAs).  The length of solar leases varies, but are generally 10-20 years.  They may be assignable to a new owner if you sell your home, but be sure to check before entering a solar panel lease.

While there are some definite advantages to going green and saving the money required to invest in a solar power system, a lease is not 100% perfect.  Consider these disadvantages of solar panel leases:

First, switching to solar power is usually a means by which you can take charge of your own power.  But with a residential solar lease, you are still dependent on an outside company for your electricity.  In other words, you have switched one utility for another.  Even with significant savings in your power bills, you will not enjoy the freedom of relying on your own generation of electricity.

Second, you lose the ability to enjoy the benefits of net metering.  This is when you generate more solar electricity than you need and the excess is fed back into the grid.  Then, when you draw on grid-based power, you can use the credit you have earned to off-set any charges.  Some families can even earn a profit under net metering arrangements!

Third, under solar panel leases, the homeowner does not get the benefit of generous tax incentives that offset the cost of a solar power system.  The solar power company enjoys those incentives and may not pass the savings along to you under the contract.

Finally, residential solar leases often have a long contract period.  As mentioned above, a solar lease may or may not be assignable to a new owner.  Carefully review termination provisions in the lease to make sure that you will not get hit with a penalty or will be required to “buy out” the lease.

New homes constructed with solar panels

With consumers looking to reduce their monthly bills, as well as their carbon footprint, some construction companies are installing home solar panels when they put roofing on new homes.

The trend started in California, with KB Homes announcing the development of 10 residential communities in Southern California in which solar comes standard.  The idea spread to sunny Phoenix, Arizona where Dell Web is installing solar panels on new homes built in their Sun City subdivisions.  Between two new developments, over 11,200 new homes will be constructed with solar panels!  Using building integrated photovoltaic design, the solar panels on the Sun City subdivisions, manufactured by SunPower, blend into the roofing and boast an impressive 24.2% efficiency.

Would you buy a new home constructed with solar panels?  Why or why not?

Living a Solar Lifestyle (image from Andy Cripe/The Corvallis Gazette-Times)

If you’ve ever wondered whether you could live off solar power 100%, perhaps you’d like to read about someone who is already doing so.  In Corvallis, Oregon, about two hours south of Portland, Jonathan Carroll has outfitted his home with solar panels that generate four times his personal electricity demand.  And we are not talking a giant solar array, either.

Mr. Carroll’s modest home – all 750 square feet of it – is situated to make the most of its southern exposure.  He has installed several PV solar panels, as well as a solar thermal panel to provide solar hot water.  Just check out the photo to the left.

Carroll enjoys the benefits of an eco-friendly lifestyle, which includes minimal bills, thanks to his frugal living.  He drives a Zap electric car, which is also powered by the solar energy generated by the panels on his home.

The residential solar panels on Carroll’s home provide power for his car, his bicycle light, his tools and his home electricity requirements.  Sure, he eschews some modern conveniences like gas-powered lawn mowers (preferring to hear the birds while trimming his grass with a push mower), but he does use electrical lights, as well as a TV, microwave and his electric guitars.

In cloudy, oftentimes rainy Oregon, it might be surprising to learn that Jonathan Carroll doesn’t pay a cent for electricity.  In fact, by generating more electricity than he uses, Mr. Carroll is entitled to a net metering credit from his utility company.  But no matter where you live, ample UV light that hits the earth each and every day that could provide power that could reduce our use of fossil-fuel sources of energy.

This solar power case study is but one example of how you can save both money and carbon emissions by switching to solar power.  Its probably easier than you might imagine.

Just ask Jonathan Carroll.

Interested in solar panels for your home?

Solar panels for your home are a great investment to make, both to help lower electricity costs and improve the value of your residence.  Did you also know that its a great time to install solar panels, given the significant tax credits and rebates currently being offered?

Whether you want to build your own DIY solar panels, put together a solar panel kit, or purchase a solar array, it is much easier to find residential solar panels than it was a decade or so ago.  This means several things: (1) you can get a better price, with more competition, and (2) you can find more reliable solar contractors.

If you’re considering solar panels for your home, you are definitely not alone.

Many types of residential solar panels on the market

Depending on the size of your roof, your budget and aesthetic preferences, you can install a photovoltaic panel array, or even invest in solar power roof shingles to help generate clean, free solar energy.  You may also want to consider solar thermal panels, which can defray your hot water bills each month.

The upfront cost of solar panels – prior to government incentives – varies from $200 to over $20,000.  Again, this will depend largely on the type of panels you install (PV or thermal), the size of the system, and the extent of work that you will put into the project, from construction, wiring, installation, etc.  How quickly you recoup your investment also hinges on the amount of your electricity use, the rising rates of grid-based electricity in your region, and the increase in home value that many see from a correlated drop in annual utility bills.

Many solar financing options are available if you are serious about solar panels for your home.  You can elect to buy or lease solar panels, and may want to take advantage of a no-money-down program, or even financing through local governments and/or utilities themselves.

Take a look at your monthly electricity bills and estimate both your current and projected annual utility costs over a 5-year period.  It may make sense for you to move forward with residential solar panels, with most payback periods ending within 10 years.  Plus, how great will it feel to see your electricity bills drop 200-300%, or more (one homeowner now has monthly bills of $18, down from over $200). That’s not something you can put a price on!