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Sun Volt Solar Blog

earth, the final frontier

Clean Energy, Clean Environment

We are at a cross roads in human history, we can choose to continue on as we have been, or we can make a change to improve our future and quite possibly the future for several generations to come. We are here to promote energy independence, a better environment with a higher return on investment for your hard earned money. It is what I believe in, it is why I am in the solar business.

Five Good Reasons to Install a Solar Energy System

02 Nov 08 | Conservation, Environment, Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water, solar thermal

A friend of mine has a blog called “Today’s Green Construction.“  Todd is a principle engineer for a large construction company and when it comes to construction, he knows what he is talking about.  Recently, he wrote an article called “OPEC is the Best Reason to go Green,” which I thoroughly agree with.  That got me thinking about other reasons to go green and more specifically, to install solar systems.

So here they are, Five (really) good reasons to install a solar energy system:

  1. Energy independence.  No two ways about it, solar systems save energy.  If you heat your hot water with oil, propane, natural gas or electricity, you are almost certainly using fossil fuels.  Some percentage of that is likely to come from imports originating in countries that don’t like us, except for our money.  These countries include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela, and Russia.  The less energy we use from those source, the less petro dollars that will have to use against us.  My last customer stated “Every dollar that I don’t send to the middle east makes me happy.”  Amen, brother.
  2. Cost savings.  Saving energy means saving money.  With fuel prices rising, all energy costs are going up, even domestically produced natural gas.  Solar systems will pay for themselves many times over during their operating lifetime.  By installing solar equipment, expenses are fixed at their current levels, so as inflation and other economic pressures cause prices to go up, a homeowner that has solar installed will be paying the same price as before.  Remember when gas was $1.00 per gallon?
  3. Environment.  Saving energy also means reducing emissions.  This varies from fuel to fuel, but almost all fossil produce sulfur dioxide and nitric oxides, additionally, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds VOC’s and toxic metals can also be released into the atmosphere.  Reducing energy also means reduction in energy used to extract energy being used.  The fuel oil delivery truck uses diesel to bring the fuel to a building, that is energy used to supply energy.
  4. Green Jobs.  The more demand for solar (and other green) equipment, the more jobs will be created right here in the United States.  As a solar contractor, I only purchase equipment that is manufactured here.  Last summer, when my normal supply of solar thermal panels dried up, I could have purchased panels made in Israel.  I opted to wait for the US panels, even though it meant loosing business.  Not that I don’t like Israel, I just thought that there was a lot of transportation overhead involved with shipping a panel from half way around the world, and I would rather support the company making products that I know here in the US.
  5. The future.  The earth has a finite amount of oil and other fossil fuels.  Some of those fuel, like natural gas (which is mostly methane) does regenerate, but in much smaller amounts through landfills and large manure digesters.  Others, like oil and coal, do not replenish themselves.  Most geologists agree that we are approaching or have passed the peak oil point, which is the point where oil extraction begins to drop off as resources are depleted.  In order to maintain the society that we and our forefathers have built, a replacement energy system needs to be implemented, else we will find ourselves in a new dark age.  Some predictions are dire, but that does not have to come to pass.

These reason also apply to wind power, geothermal, tidal, and all other renewable energy sources.  Renewable energy is no longer alternative energy, it must grow into our primary energy source.

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02 Nov 08 | Conservation, Environment, Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water, solar thermal | Comment (1)

Is the Solar Energy field recession proof?

23 Jan 08 | General Business, Solar Electric, Technology

Starting a small business during a recession may seem like a recipe for failure. The basic premise is that people will not buy anything other than what is absolutely necessary. So the questions are; is electricity necessary today? How about hot water or heat, is that necessary? Would people be interested in saving money on those things if it involved an initial outlay of cash? How fed up are people with paying for oil, gas or electric? Here is a basic recap (prices for New York State, Hudson Valley region as of January 20, 2008 from NYSERDA):

  • Home heating oil $3.484/gallon
  • Propane $2.851/gallon
  • Electric $0.138 kWh
  • Natural Gas $1.926 therm
  • Solar $0.00
  • Wind $0.00

Will people get that? I know many are rushing off to trade in their SUV’s for fuel efficient cars, but will they consider the energy they use at home as well? Those are things that I want to find out.

Right now, the solar industry is dependent on government subsides, there are no two ways about it. Without generous help from the government (federal and state) neither solar thermal nor photovoltiacs would be viable except in situations where grid power was unavailable (i.e. remote cabins, telecommunications sites, etc). In fact, in the mid 1980’s the industry was brought down to almost nothing as the Reagan administration killed all the tax incentives that were then fueling the solar sector. Will congress restore the tax breaks? Only time will tell. Even if they do, it will take a huge effort to move them away from their corporate sponsors toward the less corporate renewables.

I was listening to an interesting report on the local NPR station on my way home from work today. Amid reports of troubled economic times and other bad omens, there was an upbeat report on the Solar economy right here in the Hudson Valley. You can listen to an .mp3 of the report here (opens media player window). Basically, the it speaks about TSEC (The Solar Energy Consortium) based in Kingston, NY. This is more along the lines of research and development, but that is what will fuel the green economy in the future. It is clear to me that the sustainable movement must be able to stand on it’s own, without government assistance, to succeed. This is a tall order, considering how unfavorably the deck is stacked against renewable energy due to the huge subsides given to coal and oil.

It is, however, possible.

For the short term, the solar energy sector may well be able to weather the up coming recession as more and more people are aware of it and are looking for ways to save money. As much as we would like to believe that the human race is altruistic and will alter it’s behavior of the benefit of the planet, economics trumps environment.

For the long term, the only way that solar, wind and other renewable energy sources will survive is if they become competitive with fossil fuels on their own. This means that fossil fuels have to become more expensive (than they already are) and renewable energy, particularly photovoltaics must become less expensive.

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23 Jan 08 | General Business, Solar Electric, Technology | Comment (1)