Solar Energy

Boogga

Do any/most of you builders often use solar panels or Solar Hot Water systems on the roof? Does the goverment in the States offer a rebate? What do you think of them? Clean Energy??

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Milhaus

Very few if any around here. Another market for myself if I can find the time for some training. You see some older panels around town, but nothing with today's technology that I have seen or heard of.

karma_carpentry

There are Federal tax credits, and credits in my state as well as many others. I don't see much, but I do see a little market emerging, ever since fuel prices jumped last year. And there's a new cache of LEED-compliant and energy-efficient green buildings, especially at institutions and businesses. Some private homes, in the $1m+ range... and architect friend worked on a 6,000 sf "Green Mansion" that included solar energy.

When I was a kid, my mom didn't have money to buy oil for heat, so she took metal shavings from a metalshop, painted them black and put together a 4x8 panel with plexiglass front and baffles, and forced hot air through it. On cold but sunny winter days in Connecticut, 120 degree air was coming out. That's DIY.

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Shellbuilder

If you need inspiration, visit www.builditsolar.com
Gary has been featured in Mother Earth news and has done some really cool inexpensive stuff.

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Milhaus

Ah, another Mother Earth News fan? Great magazine.

Boogga

We put on a new Solar HWS on a roof just 3 days back. And the day i ordered it, they said they will put it on the next day. I said that's quick, he said it is the usual turn around. WOW!

That proove that there ain't many going on homes at all. The government needs to increase rebates to make it more attractive. Suppose it's easier to say, eh??

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cbtexas

I think solar is the future and would love to see more rebates and incentives for using solar technology. Mother Earth has some great articles.

fcarver

Most systems that I see going up in my area (northern MN) seem to be hybrid solar electric and domestic hot water. The tax incentives are going down, but the people that are truly passionate about it get them regardless of payoff times or incentives. It would be nice to have that kind of cash just laying around.

fcarver

My dream setup would be all ICF construction, ground source heat pump, with solar electric and domestic hot water. Maybe even a 20 kw Jacobs wind mill thrown in for good measure.

TimNJ

NJ has one of the best solar electric deals in the country. The state will rebate about 40% of the cost plus they mandate power companies to buy electric from you as alternative energy supplier. Right now there is something to the tune of a 1 1/2-2year backlog on people wanting to get in the program.

Boogga

Sounds like a great idea. More should do it (ie governments)

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atlas06

so what we do? instead of talking about it? I've read that co-generation in eastern Europe was a great job provider while going truely green.
What can you and I do to get the government to change laws and provide incentives for such initiatives? it has to start somewhere!!

J87513

Yes! I work for a solar company. I do solar swimming pools and domestic water systems. In CA there is a $2,000/30% rebate program for domestics. More to come with time!

windowfilm101

Many States offer tax credits on window film installations. Also, some power companies will give you a credit on your bill for installing window film

rickw919

Call your local elected officials and ask then to "sponsor" legislation. One of our elected officials after public input, offered up legislation that will be passed in the spring that offers NO TAX (NY State)on the purchase of a Hybrid vehicle.
The same can be adopted for clean energy initiatives. Most utilities are authorites under the State in which they operate and are very political. Voters voices make a difference when it come to legislation/rebates/incentives.

rickw919

Solar PV (Photovoltaic) unless your in an area with large incentives, doesn't make fiscal sense. Avg. cost per watt is $9. Our utility will rebate $3.75.

Solar DHW is nice, but also expensive. The BEST system out there now is the Viessman. It's a German system that has a a solar loop and a backup loop in the same tank that attaches to a boiler (for those rainy days).

Shellbuilder

What does seem to work are low cost energy saving projects that should be developing by carpenters and remodelers. Look at all ofthe DIY projects on this site. Many of them are easier to do than the usual daily work carpenters and remodelers do on daily basis. I have a few things ongoing like these now.
www.builditsolar.com

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oldfrt

We did a lot of Passive Solar additions in the 80's.
The Power Co. was offering low interest loans for any energy saving projects.
I think it's a good bang for the buck because the design was incorporated into an addition that the HO needed anyways.The greatest expense over a conventional addition was the thermal mass and glass.Most HO's liked the idea of the openness of the glass-wall so it was an easy sell.
There is a town in New Mexico,I believe it was Los Alamos,where most residents were given grants to come up with their own solution to solar energy.It was quite a sight to see,everything from a combination high tech, to home made roof panels that were made of aluminum down spouts painted black and covered in glass, exterior stone walls painted black and encased in glass adobe homes,earth berm homes.
Most of the residents were poor,so they were use to making do with what little they had.
I got to see if I still have those pics.

Next summer I will attempt a simple solar pool heater,probably start with some black garden hose zigged across a flat roof area next to the pool.I've just have to find a solar-driven pump that can make the lift.Or maybe have the water just trickle down the dark shingles and get filtered back to the pool through the gutter?
Any ideas on simple solutions?

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Shellbuilder

Olffrt,
I also was there in the 80s doing the trombe walls and other passive applications . Not sure why everyone got away fom all of this. I was always hoping new developments would have been configured to allow unobstructed south views.

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oldfrt

I guess everyone thought the energy crisis was gone for good.

I raised the unobstructed view thing with a salesman in Arizona while being trained to sell solar water heaters and his comment was" it wasn't our concern."Just sell,sell,sell!
Developers haven't seen the need for unobstructed southern views for the same reasons:The energy crisis was over and sell,sell,sell.

My visit to New Mexico was with a friend that built a greenhouse on a trailer (complete with thermal mass)and dragged from Ct. across country to Calif. on what he called a Whistle Stop Tour.He scheduled demonstrations in a lot of states and my job was to hand out all the literature.We met some great people and made many good connections.Other than losing our brakes after descending one mountain pass,it was a trip I'll remember for a long time.
He ended up donating the green house to a school in Calif.for their Classes.

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