Real Goods Solar offers homeowners chance to win $25,000 solar system

I seldom enter sweepstakes because of the poor odds of winning.  Here's one, however, that I'm going to enter today.  Based on the data in the article, and my last electric bill, I would be selling electricity to the utility for about five months a year.

From Brighter Energy:

Homeowners in California, Colorado, New England or New Jersey stand the chance of winning a $25,000 solar power system in a new sweepstakes competition from solar firm Real Goods Solar.

The firm based in Boulder, Colorado, launched the contest yesterday, offering up a 4kW home solar electric system for the winners.
Qualifying homeowners in California, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont can enter to win at www.RealGoodsSolar.com/Sweepstakes or by calling 1-888-56-SOLAR.
The company said no purchase was necessary to take part, with the deadline set at 6:00 pm PDT on September 30, 2011.
With the recent announcement of Real Goods Solar’s merger with northeast renewable energy leader Alteris Renewables, for the first time homeowners from many northeastern states are now eligible to participate in the Sweepstakes.
2010 sweepstakes winners Juan and Virginia Vasquez of Rialto, CA installed a 4.1kW solar electric system expected to generate 5804 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, and offset approximately 75% of the family’s electricity bill.
Based on average electricity usage, homeowners are likely to spend $100,000 on electricity bills over a 25 year period. The Sweepstakes brings attention to rising utility costs and renewable energy solutions to mitigate these increases. One lucky homeowner will have the ability to save thousands of dollars on electricity over the lifetime of their system.
John Schaeffer, Real Goods’ President of Residential and Founder, commented: “During these hot summer days, our customers often complain about high electric bills due to summer air conditioning loads. What better way to lower utility bills than with solar? Our customers frequently see a return on investment of over 20% for a purchased solar system, or a low money down and lower monthly bills on a power plan purchase. We’re happy to offer this sweepstakes to highlight the importance of converting to a solar economy!”
Real Goods Solar has now installed over 11,000 solar electric systems for both residential and commercial properties.
The company offers turnkey solar energy solutions, and has 33 years of experience in solar energy, beginning with its sale of the first solar photovoltaic panels in the United States in 1978. With 15 offices in California, Colorado and the Northeast Real Goods Solar is one of the largest residential solar installers in the United States.

An Added Bonus of Solar Panels: They Keep Buildings Cool

I hate visiting big box stores or malls in the summer.  Those enormous parking lots always feel like they're twenty degrees warmer than my neighborhood street.   I'm sure this isn't completely a misperception.  The heat islands formed by major cities are caused by too much pavement, and are known to disrupt the weather.  I especially like the idea of putting solar panels up in parking areas.  Not only do they shade the cars, but they provide power to the adjacent buildings.  Now a new study suggests that solar panels keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in the winter.

From: Good:

When New York rolled out a solar map of the city, I wrote that, as a renter, I didn’t have a strong financial incentive to urge my landlord to go solar: I’d only save about $31 each year. But a new study from the University of California at San Diego suggests there’s another incentive for installing solar panels on a building, particularly for someone who lives on the top floor like I do. The UC-San Diego research found that in addition to absorbing sunlight and converting it to energy, solar panels help cool roofs and buildings.
Standard black roofs soak up heat, which is transmitted into the ceilings and rooms below. This is one of the reasons why attics are so hot in the summer. It’s also one of the reasons why my apartment, on the fifth and top floor of my building, is hotter than one on the first floor.
Solar panels, of course, intercept sun rays that would otherwise heat the building, converting them into energy. When wind blows into the gap between the solar panels and the roof, it also clears away heat. Students at UC-San Diego determined that the net result of these cooling effects was that portions of a ceiling beneath solar panels were 5 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than portions beneath the open roof. Solar panels tilted at an angle had an even greater cooling effect than solar panels laid flat against the roof, because the gap between the panel and the roof allowed more air to circulate, whisking away that much more heat. More efficient solar panels, which convert more sunlight into energy, also do a better job at cooling.
Since solar panels keep heat from seeping into a building, they also help save on cooling costs over time. The UC-San Diego team calculated that over the lifetime of a set of solar panels, these savings added up to the equivalent of a 5 percent discount on the panels’ cost.
For anyone who already has solar panels installed, this finding is just an added bonus. But as Jan Kleissl, the researcher who oversaw the study, notes, if your goal is to cool a building passively, solar panels aren’t the most efficient option. White roofs, which can reflect 80 percent or more of the light that hits them, are just one way to cool a building more efficiently.
Although
white roofs can lessen the heat inside your building on a sunny, 90-degree day, they won’t also power the fans or air conditioners that you eventually turn on to keep from melting. As a rule, though, solar panels don’t cover a roof entirely: why not opt for both? At this point in July, I’m thankful for any technology that might drop the heat a degree or two.

Advice on adding solar features to your home

Many homeowners want to add solar power to their homes, but just don't know where to begin.  For some, the entire process is very intimidating.  It doesn't have to be.  Much of going green involves changes in your everyday lifestyles to reduce energy consumption.  When you use less energy, adding solar power to help power the remaining demand has more impact.

From AZ Central:


It seems like a no-brainer at a time when tax credits and rebates are as plentiful as the Arizona sunshine that every homeowner would consider a solar water heater when it's time to replace a broken or outdated tank.
A solar water heater can, after all, cut your water-heating bills by up to 80 percent because it draws its energy from the sun, and that's free.
Still, more sophisticated solar equipment for the home - like rooftop photovoltaic panels - are not free. And they might not be for everyone.
In fact, rooftop panels that can defray the cost of cooling and lighting your home aren't even the next logical step after you install a solar water heater. What you should do first is decidedly low-tech: Make your house, appliances and systems as energy-efficient as possible. Once you do that, solar panels will be more effective - and more affordable.
That's because the less energy you use, the less help you'll need from your panels. And that means you can buy smaller panels.
So: First, invest in a solar water heater. Then, get a home-energy audit to determine whether you need more attic insulation, Energy Star appliances, double-pane windows, an upgraded AC system, and caulk and weather stripping to plug holes and cracks that can let hot air in and air-conditioned air out.
Then, consider adding solar panels to your roof to slash your electric bill and do your part for the environment.
Still, they're not right for everyone. Here are a few things to consider before investing in solar panels:
- Do you own your home? Renters can save energy and reduce their electric bills with solar equipment, but unless the landlord is willing to pay for it, you're unlikely to get your money out of it.
- Does your roof face south? Photovoltaic panels are most effective facing south. You can install them on east-west-facing roofs, but they're more obvious, produce less electricity, cost more to install and might not qualify for the same utility rebates as south-facing panels.
- How old is your home? If it was built before the 1920s, the roof might not be strong enough to support the weight of the panels. You can reinforce your roof, but it will bump the price of the installation up considerably. The good news: The 30 percent federal tax credit covers the cost of upgrading the roof.
- Can you afford it? You can get a $6,000 solar water heater for as little as $1,800 after tax credits and utility rebates, but solar panels cost more. A solution for those who can't make the up-front investment but want to benefit from lower electric bills: Some companies rent solar panels, starting at $80 a month. The leasing company takes the tax credit and utility rebate, but the homeowner enjoys the reduced energy costs.
- Is your income high enough for you to claim federal and state tax credits? If not, leasing might be an option for you.
Final step: Buy a good system and hire a bonded, insured installer with a plumber's or electrician's license from the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and with many years of experience installing solar panels.
Since 2008, when our electric utilities started offering rebates to homeowners for installing solar panels, about 200 new solar installers have started businesses in the state. During that time, the rebates have dropped from $3 a watt to $1 a watt, and eventually, they'll run out. When that happens, many of those newcomers will run out on you.
Your best bet: Consider more than the bottom line when hiring a solar installer. Do business with an established local company that has installed hundreds of systems already. Work with an installer who knows how to size a unit and who asks you lots of questions about your family, lifestyle and energy use before recommending a product. Go with a vendor who will do the rebate paperwork for you (you can even ask most companies to accept the rebate on your behalf as your final payment for the job). Patronize a contractor who will allow you to make payments as the job progresses instead of insisting on payment in full up front.
And never, ever buy solar equipment until you understand why you're going with a particular model or size and you feel comfortable with the company you're hiring. Reputable installers do not pressure you with "today-only" prices.
Going solar makes so much sense for most of us Arizona homeowners. It allows us to shrink our "footprint" on the planet; to save money; to add resale value to our homes; and to take pride in our responsible use of energy.
Just make sure it's the responsible choice for you, your family and your house before you tap the sun.

A “Solar Groupon” for Small and Mid-sized Businesses

With more widespread acceptance, increased production will produce economies of scale that result in lower prices.  Until that happens, however, government subsidies and tax incentives are needed to get many individuals and businesses to make the investment in green power.

From Forbes:


When it comes to solar power, small- and mid-sized business have faced a Goldilocks dilemma. Existing solar financing solutions for homeowners and corporations have been too small and too big, respectively. But now there’s something that fits them just right.
Solar@Work, a new program announced today San Francisco’s Department of the Environment at the Intersolar North America conference held in the city, will offer solar systems to Bay Area business via a group purchase or aggregation model. “We think of it like a Groupon for solar,” said Melanie Nutter, department director.
This overcomes historic barriers for small and mid-sized businesses that aren’t issues for big businesses, said Jenna Goodward, an associate with the World Resources Institute, an adviser to the program. “They’re smaller, so it’s that’s much more important to aggregate demand and negotiate as a buying group,” she said. “And a lot of them don’t have the cash flow to do an up-front purchase.” Nor do they have access to prime credit, she said.
Jason Coughlin, project leader at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), another adviser, explained further. “You’ll talk to bankers, and they’ll say, ‘The work we have to do for a 200 kilowatt installation is similar to the work we have to do on a 2 megawatt system.’ So if we can do twenty 100 kilowatt systems using standardized documents, and use one solar installer and one financial partner, in effect we create a 2 megawatt installation project, which is interesting to the financial partner, to the installer, and to the independent small businesses who are getting the benefits as if they were doing one large system.
Solar@Work aims to install 2 megawatts by the end of the year, which is a modest target of about 20 buildings. However, this is just a pilot project that organizers hope will be expanded in the Bay Area and replicated elsewhere in the United States and throughout the world.
Nutter said she expects the program to be popular in San Francisco because they designed it in response to feedback from small business. “We anticipate there will be huge interest,” she said.
Optony, a global research and consulting services firm focused on solar development, is also an adviser. SolarCity, a distributed generation firm that recently gained star power with a $280 million investment from Google, was selected as the vendor. The company, based in the Bay Area, has more than 15,000 projects completed or underway and expects to hire more than 400 new workers in the second half of 2011, including 100 in the Bay Area.
Solar@Work offers several financing options for businesses and commercial property owners to install solar power: cash purchase, solar lease, capital loan, power purchase agreements, property-assessed financing, and others, said Nutter. The program will help match the buyers with appropriate financing.
“We anticipate that buildings that participate in the program will have energy bills at the current rate or lower,” said Nutter. “The program has performance guarantee to deliver savings.”
The more businesses that sign up, the lower the prices will be for the entire buying group. The largest reductions will be available if the group purchases more than 3 megawatts by the end of 2011.
Aside from the discounted group price and performance guarantee, program participants will get a special pre-negotiated lease for 10 years with a buyout and free technical assistance from the city to evaluate their solar options.
“Sometimes it can be intimidating for folks who haven’t purchased solar to review bids, to know what’s a good price, what’s a proper inverter warranty, and how to choose among these ancillary services that come with a solar installation,” said NREL’s Coughlin. “Providing unbiased technological assistance is really valuable.”
San Francisco’s Department of Environment also offers free energy audits to small businesses, so all participants will get that service as well to help them reduce energy costs and gain access to energy efficiency rebates, said Nutter.
Part of what makes the performance guarantee equation work at this point is American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Cities program and support from U.S. DOE’s SunShot Initiative,
“The Treasury grant, which offers cash payments for 30 percent of the cost of a solar installation (in lieu of a tax credit) is currently expected to expire at the end 2011,” said Nutter. But “we are confident that by leveraging the Federal Renewable Energy Investment Tax Credit that offers 30 percent in tax credits through 2016, we will be able to provide the needed financial incentive for small and medium-sized commercial buildings to participate in the program in 2012 and beyond.”
Nutter said the federal subsidies and Solar@Work are stepping stones to driving down costs for solar. “We envision a future in which subsidies will no longer be needed as an incentive,” she said. “Until then, we will be utilizing the rebates and credits that are available in our current and future group purchasing programs.”
While San Francisco is leading the way, this type of program is easily scalable and replicable elsewhere, said the partners. “One of the reasons why we’re so excited about participating in this program is that there is replicability,” said Alex Perera, codirector of business engagement for World Resources Institute. We see this is something that could be rolled out to other cities and even other countries. WRI is working in China and other big markets.”

Global green energy spending increases 32% in 2010

Just as personal computers led the economic boom of the 80's, and the internet and software led the boom of the 90's, I hope to see green power lead this decade (and pull us out of recession).  It only makes sense, as both peak oil and global warming dictate that we must migrate from fossil fuels to renewable energy.  If only we can overcome the political obstacles...

From USA Today:

Drops in solar cell prices and surging interest in developing nations led to a 32% increase in investments in renewable energy globally in 2010, a United Nations report finds.

Overall, the $211 billion in 2010 investments in renewable energy — wind, solar, geothermal and related technologies — was driven by policies in nations that increasingly require such power worldwide. The United Nations Environment Programme report finds that Chinese wind farms and German solar rooftops led investments but, surprisingly, developing nations spent more on renewable energy utility projects, $72 billion, than developed ones, at $70 billion.

"Quite a jump, considering the economic headwinds, a surprisingly positive result," says UNEP's Virginia Sonntag-O'Brien. The "Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2011" report, the fifth in an annual series, analyzed 26,300 renewable power projects recorded for the year by the London-based Bloomberg New Energy Finance firm.

Among the findings:

•China led all nations with about $49.8 billion in investments, ahead of German spending of $41 billion and U.S. spending of $29.6 billion.

•Big gains came in small-scale projects such as rooftop solar panels, up 91% to $60 billion, tied to stimulus spending by nations in 2010, and government research, up 121% to $5.3 billion.

•Not counting hydroelectric dams, renewable energy supplied 5% of global electricity, 30% of new electrical capacity overall.

Total investment in more traditional coal, gas and oil power plants was $219 billion last year, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration figures, still ahead of renewables, "But the gap is closing rapidly," said report co-author Udo Steffens, head of Germany's Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. "In the next year or two, we will see it close to catching up" to fossil fuels, he says.

"This is a pretty big turnabout and could foretell a significant long-term shift," says environmental economist Melissa Schilling of the New York University Stern School of Business, who was not part of the report. The report describes a 60% drop in solar panel prices (tied to price-cutting by Chinese manufacturers) since 2008 as a leading factor in the increased investment. Wind is still cheaper, but solar may have a stronger tailwind, suggests the report.

"Clean energy is starting to make a difference," says energy policy analyst Peter Lund of Finland's Aalto University, by e-mail. "However, it is very important to stress that new energy technologies' markets still rely much on government support and stimulus."

Domestically, regulations in 30 states that require renewables generate some portion of their power are a leading factor in investment, says Sonntag-O'Brien. "Even cities. This is really driving the market for renewable energy in the USA."