FINALLY GOING SOLAR!

We have finally found a vendor willing to come to the Northern Neck to supply and install Sharp solar panels on the garage roof that was initially designed to accommodate solar panels.

Max Buzard of Royer Technical Systems in Hampton, VA will implement the project. We wanted Sharp cells, not only for their superior reliability and lack of loss, but for their environmentally responsible manufacturing processes. We have also discussed wind turbines with Max, but we have still found wind power to be more expensive per wattage than solar. Also Solar is less intrusive to the surrounding homes. This is a good time to install solar and wind power systems because of the 30% Federal tax credit. To see more on this program, see the website explaining it all. In Virginia, there was also a generous state rebate paid out from the stimulus money, but they had so many requests, that program is now closed.

The process has been interesting so far. Aside form the usual permitting process, we had to do a couple of things that are typical for all projects. There is an Interconnectivity Form that is obtained from and returned to your power company before they will come and inspect your "renewable" energy system (wind or solar). Max got the forms and filled in the technical information before sending to me to sign and send back to Northern Neck Electric Cooperative (our power company). All can be handled via email and PDFs if you are too busy and also want to save time. Once you have cleared that final [safety] inspection, they install a meter that is cable of running backwards on the days that you create more energy than you can use. In Virginia and many other states, the power suppliers are required to buy back excess power from its customers at the same rate that they charge them.

Our initial system consists of twenty Photo Voltaic (PV) panels giving us an estimated output of 4.7 kilowatts. Each panel has its own transformer so that if one goes out, it doesn't bring the entire system down if one panel needs to be serviced. In the design, we have to make sure that there was space on the roof around the panels so that someone could walk around the panels to service them. These panels are predicted to provide 4.7 kilowatts, which will cover approximately 3/4 of our needs. Once the system has run for a few months, we'll add panels so that we will always be using less than we generate. The house is so efficient by using EnergyStar appliances and low wattage lighting (CFLs and LEDs) that we already are using 1/4th as many kilowatt hours (kWh) per square foot as our tiny condo in McLean.

Most electric bills will give you the past year's worth of monthly kWh usage. You can take that information to calculate your usage per square foot. This will help your vendor calculate how much renewable energy you would require before you would be selling it back to the power company.

We used to think the greenest homes would be completely off the grid. Now that net-metering is available, being on the grid and actually sharing your excess energy is even more environmentally responsible. If everyone would generate their maximum solar and wind capabilities, and conserve by using low energy demand devices, we could at the stop building more power plants. If everyone just conserved energy to the extend possible, we would eliminate our dependence on foreign oil.

When they come to install the system, I'll post images here. In the meantime, you can read more about net-metering here.

We used to think the greenest homes would be completely off the grid. Now that net-metering is available, being on the grid and actually sharing your excess energy is even more environmentally responsible. If everyone would generate their maximum solar and wind capabilities, and conserve by using low energy demand devices, we could at the stop building more power plants. If everyone just conserved energy to the extend possible, we would eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. When they come to install the system, I'll post images here. In the meantime, you can read more about net-metering

WAYS TO CONSERVE ENERGY: o - Unplug appliances when not in use o - Once a device is charged, unplug the charger o - Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs or LEDs o - Buy only EnergyStar appliances and devices o - Use reflective or blackout shades on windows facing South in hot weather. o - Dimmer switches on your incandescent and halogen lights