Solar Power Myths

Since saving energy is one of our biggest objectives in building green homes, we thought we'd take a little time and talk about solar panels. Below is some of the best information we could find on them and we hope you find it helpful in your decision making process. (Greenlivingtips.com)

Solar panels and energy payback

One of the most prevalent myths is the one that goes something along the lines of "it takes more energy to make a solar panel than it generates during its serviceable lifespan".

This just isn't true, even low quality panels, assuming they see out their 20 - 25 year lifespan, will generate far more energy during their life than what went into making them. The average energy payback time varies as it depends on the panel, and where it is used, but 1 - 4 years is the average range. Given the 25+ year life, that's a lot of extra energy produced.

Summer and solar power

It use to be thought that summer would have to be the best time for solar power production; after all the sun is up for longer. This isn't necessarily so. One of a solar panel's biggest enemies is heat. The hotter it is, the less efficient they are. A high quality panel will have better heat tolerance (temperature coefficient) than a lower quality one, but it will suffer nonetheless.

If you're in a region where you experience particularly hot summers, your solar power system will likely crank out the most power during the spring and autumn rather than at the height of summer.

Grid connect systems and blackouts

Some people install a grid connect solar power system, that is, one that can export surplus electricity to the mains grid, thinking that during a blackout, as long as the sun is shining they will have power.

Grid connected solar power systems automatically shut down when there is a blackout in the area for safety reasons. Imagine what could happen if a system was exporting power into the grid while workers were trying to fix whatever problems were occurring.

Using a grid connected system in a blackout can be done, but it requires additional (and expensive) components and in some areas, electricity authorities will absolutely refuse to allow these sorts of systems anyway.

Solar panels don't work on cloudy days

They do work. I'm writing this now in 100% overcast conditions and my panel is still working away and cranking out enough clean electricity to power my laptop - and is even putting a little bit into my deep cycle battery (I have a small off-grid system I use when out in the boonies).

Cloudy conditions will negatively impact on production, but it depends on the degree - how much of the light is blocked.

Solar panels and waste

Solar naysayers will sometimes acknowledge the long life of a solar panel, but will raise the spectre of millions of solar panels heading to landfill in a couple of decades. This is a valid concern, however there are already recycling initiatives in development to see this doesn't happen. Over 90% of a standard solar panel's weight is material that is recyclable, such as aluminium, glass and the solar cells themselves - there's money in them thar old panels!

Solar power and baseload

Sure, the sun isn't shining all the time, but solar power can and already has proven it can be used to provide baseload power on a substantial scale; that is, a continual and reliable electricity supply 24/7. Molten salt batteries are already in use - these store heat generated by solar power during the day and the heat is used at night to generate steam to power turbines.

Making your own solar panels

This isn't a myth as such - it can be done. Over the last couple of years there's been a plethora of information products available online (for a price) that teach you how to make your own solar panels. A couple of things - firstly, the claims made in the advertising of some of these products is way over the top. For example, some of them talk about connecting a home made solar panel to your mains electricity. Safety issues aside, your electricity retailer would have pups if you tried doing this. Utilities will only allow properly accredited and certified equipment to connect to the mains for obvious reasons. Also something to bear in mind is that while you can make a solar panel, it is quite time consuming, so you'll need to determine if the time put into building one is worth it given the price of solar panels.

Solar power system size

Solar power is big business and there's a lot of questionable marketing around at the moment telling people they can get all the energy they need from an average sized solar power system. This can make solar power seem very cheap, particularly with renewable energy rebates being so widely available.

If an average sized grid connect solar power system is 1.5kW (as it is in Australia), this is possible if you're really, really, really energy efficient. The fact is most of us aren't, even the green-leaning folks among us. With so many appliances, gadgets and gizmos in the average home, and if you run an electric stove and hot water system; the 1.5kW solar power system just won't cut it in a family situation.

The easiest way to * roughly* figure out how big a system you'll need to offset 100% of your energy use over a full year is to look at your power bill, find out your daily consumption in kilowatt hours, divide that by the average *peak* sun hours a day in your area (lets say 4-5 to be conservative) and that will give you an idea of how big a system you'll need. If you're consuming 20 kilowatt hours a day, you'll be looking at a 4-5kW system.

That calculation is for grid connected systems that will receive at the very least a credit for surplus electricity exported to the grid (it's called a feed in tariff) to offset the power you'll still draw from the grid during the night and in particularly adverse weather conditions.

Off-grid systems require battery storage and extra panels, which will add substantially to the cost.

Note: peak sun hours doesn't refer to hours of daylight, but the average number of hours of sunlight at a sufficient level to produce appreciable quantities of energy.

Also bear in mind the rating of 1.5kW on a system refers to the total of the solar panel output. In a grid connected solar power system, there will be some line loss and loss at the inverter, which is the box that converts the DC voltage from the panels into AC suitable for use in the home.

However, that doesn't mean to say that installing a 1.5kW system is useless, far from it - consider the energy and greenhouse gas savings over the long term and also the value it will add to your home. I've also found that people who install systems tend to become more energy efficient or at the very least, more energy conscious.

Tip: when shopping for a solar power system, instead of letting the salesperson convince you of buying a bigger system, save your bucks and consider other energy efficiency measures you can take that would reduce the size of the system you need. After all, solar power may be comparatively green, but the greenest watt is the one that doesn't have to be generated.

Solar power isn't without its issues, but as someone enjoying the benefits of sitting here watching my single solar panel quietly at work and producing all the power I need to write this; it's sure seems a heck of a lot better than filthy fossil fuel based electricity generation.

A Green Seal of Approval for Your Home

Provided your home meets a minimum threshold for energy efficiency, you may be eligible for certification under a range of national and regional energy-efficiency certification programs. Even if you don’t already meet required thresholds, a few inexpensive improvements may be all that stand in your way.

Certification through programs such as ENERGY STAR, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Program, LEED for Homes and others can show potential buyers that a home promises significant utility cost savings over homes without certification – a major selling point in today’s economy. Certification also helps ensure that homebuyers and sellers alike are making greener choices that reduce overall environmental impact.

Read on to learn more about a range of energy-efficiency certification programs and how to participate.


ENERGY STAR

To qualify for certification under the ENERGY STAR program, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency as set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Homes must be at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and typically include energy-saving features that make them as much as 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes. Some of these features include effective insulation, high-performance windows, tight construction ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment and energy-efficient appliances.

According to ENERGY STAR, homes certified through its program use substantially less energy for heating, cooling and water heating, resulting in average savings of $200 to $400 annually. Additional savings on maintenance can also be significant, and ENERGY STAR homes are eligible for financing through energy-efficient mortgages.

The EPA reported in July 2009 that nearly 17 percent of new homes built in 2008 earned the ENERGY STAR label, up from 12 percent in 2007. According to the EPA, American families living in ENERGY STAR homes slashed more than $250 million in annual utility bills in 2008 alone, saving enough energy to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars.

NAHB Green Building Program

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) launched the National Green Building Program in February 2008 – an education, verification and certification initiative for builders located anywhere in the United States. For a home to qualify, an independent home energy rater must verify that it adheres to the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard, which award point values across a range of categories, including lot and site development; resource, energy, and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and homeowner education.

The NAHB website features an interactive scoring tool that helps homebuilders and homeowners alike guage how a home will score according to the Guidelines and Standard. The scoring tool also provides continual feedback, helping those who use it to understand what steps they can take to make a home more green.

Both single- and multi-family homes, including renovations, are eligible for certification through the NAHB program. To locate an accredited National Green Building Program verifier, use the state-by-state listing on the NAHB website or call the National Green Building Hotline at (877) NAHB-GRN begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (877) NAHB-GRN end_of_the_skype_highlighting.



LEED for Homes

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998. LEED ratings measure the overall performance of homes in the following eight areas:

1. Innovation and design process
2. location and linkages
3. Sustainable sites
4. water efficiency
5. Energy and atmosphere
6. Materials and resources
7. Indoor environmental quality
8. Awareness and education.


There are four levels of LEED ratings – certification, silver, gold, and platinum – awarded according to the number of points a home earns in each of the above eight categories.

Participation in the LEED for Homes program requires third-party inspection and verification through LEED for Home Providers and Green Raters. LEED for Home Providers are organizations selected by USGBC to provide certification services in local and regional markets, and Green Raters are individuals who work as part of the Home Providers team to perform field inspections and performance testing. The USGBC maintains an updated list of providers on its website.

New homes, renovated homes, and multi-family homes that meet LEED standards can be marketed and sold as LEED-approved, which can significantly increase their resale value.

(Better Homes & Gardens-Live Green)

16 Ways to Green Your Home: Part 1

Change. 

It is one of the hardest things for us as human beings to master.  Even those of us who thrive on change and claim to embrace it have our areas that are still hard to change.  Sometimes it just takes a change in mindset, a little education or some practical tools and steps to get the ball rolling.  Well below is some key information we gathered from the US Green Building Council. It's a great way to kick start making some changes in your home and family to save money, energy, preserve the planet, and live healthier lives. 

Let us know if and how this was helpful for you.

Here are the first 7 on Lowering Your Utility Bills! 

1. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) can be a huge energy saver. Replace some (or all) of your incandescent fluorescents and enjoy reductions in heat production, energy use, and electric bills!

Savings: Five of the most frequently used light bulbs in your home can save you $100 per year!


2. Program Your Thermostat
When you are at home, keep the thermostat at 78°F or higher in the summer and 62°F or lower in the winter eficiently. Programmable thermostats allow you to program the systems to reduce output when they are not needed (e.g., when no one is home during the day, or in the evening when everyone is sleeping).

Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $100 per year or more!

3. Plug Air Leaks
This simple step can go a long way toward keeping your home at the temperature you desire, saving

money on heating and air conditioning bills and more. Common leaks occur around windows, doors, and

other wall penetrations. Plugging those leaks with weather stripping and caulk can be a simple task for

anyone!

Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $100 per year or more!

4. Tune Up Your Heating and Cooling (HVAC) System
Have a checkup for your HVAC system every 2 years to make sure it is running efficiently. Be sure to clean filters monthly during times of peak usage; a dirty filter can significantly reduce the efficiency of your HVAC.

Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $100 per year or more!

5. Choose ENERGY STAR Appliances, their qualified products meet a high level of energy efficiency, which can translate into savings on electric bills. When considering the price of a new appliance, take into account not only the purchase price, but also the long-term savings associated with an energy-efficient appliance!

Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $50 per appliance per year or more!

6. Reduce Water Use


• Indoor: Use less water by adding aerators (available for a few dollars at your local home supply
store) to your sink faucets and changing to low
• Outdoor: Incorporate native plants in your landscape plan and minimize high-maintenance landscaping such as turf grass to conserve water, while still maintaining a beautiful lawn.



Savings:Reduce your water bill by as much as $100 per year!



7. Switch to Green Power

Green Power is an optional utility service for customers who want to help expand the production and

distribution of renewable energy technologies. With green power, you do not have to change your electricity

provider. Instead, customers choose to pay a premium on their electricity bill to cover the extra cost

of purchasing clean, sustainable energy.

More info on green power can be found at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/markets/index.shtml..gov/greenpower/markets/index.shtml

(The last 9 Ways focus on products and greening your yard...stay tuned)

Money in the Bank-Efficiency Upgrading

In one of our recent blogs we touched on how you can find a few more tax deductions, thanks to Uncle Sam and last year's Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AKA: The Stimulus Bill). Today we'd like to touch on a few more things to think about.

Qualifications for the 30% deduction guidelines are much tougher than in the 2006-2007 program. First, all improvements must have taken place after February 17, 2009. Second, be sure, as we mentioned before, that when you are buying products (windows, skylights, insulation, etc.) that you either see a label with the Energy Star label or you request a Maufacturer Certification Statement that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit.

Another great idea is that consumers who want to generate their own power are eligible for renewable energy tax credits on projects completed through 2016 (including alternative-energy equipment connected to your house, such as solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines, and other similar projects).

Be sure and check out the following resources:

To review guidelines for qualifying purchases visit the IRS website.
To find guidelines on what qualifies for both tax credits visit Energy Star.
To find state and local energy efficiency assistance available visit U.S. Department of Energy