Category → energy

Are Solar Panels for me?

11 June, 06:31, by admin
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solar panels, solar energy

Solar Panels produce green clean energy from an abundant energy source that shines on us everyday. Solar Electric Systems also called photovoltaics or PV convert the sun’s radiant energy into electricity.  Unlimited renewable energy that is guilt free and at no cost once our panels are paid for. Enjoy energy independence.

Play a direct part in combating greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, coastal off shore drilling, and help reduce our dependence on foreign dirty fossil fuel. Help your community by supporting local solar businesses. Your energy source is acquired at a specific cost, while rates on power can and usually do rise every year.

Solar Electricity Components

Solar Panels are installed on your roof and collect the sun’s energy and convert it to DC power.

solar panel power inverter, sunny boy

DC power is run from the solar panels into a power inverter mounted on the side of your house, that converts DC to AC, or power that you can use. The power inverter has an LCD display that shows how much power is being generated.

solar electric power meter spinning backwards

The power from your solar electric system is fed through a special electric power meter that your utility provides. This meter can spin backwards when you are generating more electricity than you use. Extra electricity is sent out the utility grid for others to use.

In 2008 the average residential Solar Electric System cost an expensive $5.40 per watt of capacity, while commercial ones cost $4.20.  These figures translates to 25 to 46 cents per kilowatt hour of residential power or 17 to 29 cents for concentrating commercial solar plant.  Compare the above numbers to roughly 7 to 10 cents for coal and natural gas and you can see a disconnect. The average US electricity price in 2009 was 11.5 cents, compared to 8.4 in 1995.

In the San Francisco Bay Area most PG&E customers have tiered energy pricing that starts at 10 cents, but jumps to 26 cents, 35 cents and 49 cents as you use more power. An average home in PG&E’s territory ends up paying 26-49 cents/KWHr for more than half of their electricity usage.  This makes solar much more justifiable.

Enough of the feel good rhetoric, how much $$ can one save? Everyone wants a zero power bill. A sample system run through a large local Solar firm’s website, Solar City’s Solar Calculator:

Assumptions: $300/month electric bill in San Francisco. 8% – A little shading, 22 degree roof pitch, South facing roof.

Save $2904 a year or $242 a month. New electric bill $60 month. 8.6 years to pay off system, then power after that is free! Most solar panels are warranted for 20 years, and some systems have been online or more than 30 years. The value of a solar electric system appreciates over time as power prices escalate.

Nissan Leaf Electric Car – $7500 Federal Tax Savings

11 May, 06:33, by admin
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Nissan Leaf

Nissan Leaf Electric Car, the first affordable mass-market zero emissions electric car, is now available for ordering with a whopping $7500 Federal Tax Credit on New Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicles through December 31, 2011. The credit will begin to be phased out for each manufacturer in the second quarter following the calendar quarter in which a minimum of 200,000 qualified plug-in electric drive vehicles have been sold by that manufacturer for use in the U.S. The credit is available against the alternative minimum tax.

The drops the price to as little as $25,280 after-tax savings. California adds a Electric Vehicle Purchase Rebate $5000 rebate while funds last dropping it even further to $20,280! Check your local state for its rebates. Georgia also has a $5000 rebate.

It is all electric, not a hybrid car and is rated for a 100 mile range on a single charge, although this might be optimistic. The leaf is made in Japan and Tennessee. Nissan makes it, so you don’t have to worry about an unknown company that may go out of business in a couple years. The car is partly made of recycled materials and they use wind power to power a portion of their factory.

The Leaf comes with a home charging dock that requires a 220/240V 40AMP dedicated electric circuit, so additional costs of approximately $2200 (50% tax credit available – Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit) will be incurred to upgrade your garage. Charging the battery to 80% of its capacity with a rapid 440V charger takes about 25 minutes. A full battery charge occurs in eight hours with 220/240V charging and cost approximately $2.28 in electricity. (Approx 19 kWH of charging, average per kW of electricity $0.12/kW)

Someday infrastructure will be available to allow charging of the car while you’re outside the home.