“How much will it cost to power my XX,XXX square foot house?”

“How many solar panels do I need to eliminate my electric bill?”

These are the type of questions people will ask when they are contemplating installing a Solar system. Of course there are many things to consider when designing a system for your own home. Once you have looked over your wattage use from information provided in a previous post you can begin to think about your solar panels. First of all, where do you live? Your ability to use the sun for power will depend on high much sun you get annually. You can look at a chart which describes the amount of sunlight that you will get depending on the area of the country or world that you live. Here is a chart for the United States.

Another thing you will need to consider is the angle of the sun where you live and how your roof is configured. Most solar panels are mounted on the roof although you don't have to put them there. It's more expensive to mount the panels on a separate frame but this facilitates the ability to adjust the panels according to the sun's path, providing power for a longer period of time.

So as the planning continues for a home solar array you will start with these ideas first.

1. Calculate your home wattage use

2. Learn about the sunlight hours in your local area and how the sun tracks through the sky

3. See how your home or yard area can be used to capture sunlight for maximum power input

Once you have considered these questions it will be time to start figuring the type and amount of panels you will need to provide additional power for your home.

Get started with home Solar!

When you decide you want to put a solar system on your home there are some things to consider before you get started. You'll want to find the right place to install the solar panels so you get maximum exposure to the sun, you'll need to assess your power needs to understand the amount of panels to use and the battery storage requirements. The first thing you should do is to use a checklist and find out what your power usage is on a monthly basis. Each of your appliances will use a certain amount of power and depending on what your lifestyle is, you'll learn what unit is using the most power and how to assess your overall power needs. The following chart will give you an idea of some standard wattage usages. These are some wattage ratings for typical household appliances and home electrical devices. Check the rating on your personal items for an accurate wattage count.

Light Bulbs - 60 / 70 Watt	60/70
Dishwasher	1500
Refrigerator / Freezer	700*
Microwave	1000
Coffee Maker	1000
Electric Range	1200
Radio / Television	50 - 500
Security System	500
Computer w/17" Monitor	800
¼ HP Garage Door	875

Clothes Dryer	5000
Washing Machine	1500
Toaster Oven	1500
Hot Water Heater	5,000
Blender	300
Stereo	300-450
Ceiling Fan	100
Floor Lamp	100
Hair Dryer	600-1200
Window Unit	750-1200

Hedge Trimmer	450
Lawn Mower	1200
Weed Trimmer	500
Edge Trimmer	500

Furnace Fan Blower - ⅓ HP	700*
Window AC - 12,000 BTU	3250*
Central AC - 10,000 BTU	1500*
Central AC - 24,000 BTU	3800*
Heat Pump	4700

Next you would calculate the Watt Hour which would be the Wattage rating times the hours used. Load Calculation Example:Lets say you want to run a 11W compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) for 5 hours from a solar panel, then the watt hour is equal to:

Watt Hour = 11Watts x 5 hr = 55 Watts

Once you have calculated your total monthly wattage use you can get an idea of what size of solar array to install in your home. This is the first step you need to take in order to properly plan your home solar installation. Stay tuned for the next step

Water is Life!

Get water!

Mexico Goes Greener

Mexico to Replace Oil Power Plant With Latin America’s Largest Solar Farm

By Ari Phillips

Last week President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Mexico for what’s traditionally called the “Three Amigos” meeting. In the daylong rendezvous, energy issues were slated to play a major role, with Obama and Harper jockeying for room when it comes to the impending decision on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline that would bring dirty crude oil down from Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast.

However, Mexico also has some major energy changes in the pipeline, and after decades of state-run oil company PEMEX having sole purview over fossil fuel extraction, international investment and companies will now be let into the mix after recent constitutional reforms. This will increase oil flows from America’s southern neighbor into those same Gulf refineries as Keystone XL might. At the same time renewable energy has started to take off in Mexico, with construction of the biggest solar power plant in Latin America, Aura Solar I—a 30-megawatt solar farm in La Paz, Mexico—the latest signal.

Latin America’s biggest solar power plant in La Paz, Mexico, could help reduce carbon emissions and pollution, as its output replaces that of dirty fossil fuel plants. Photo credit: Talli Nauman/Thomson Reuters Foundation

More at: http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/26/latin-americas-largest-solar-farm/

IBM Creates Solar Panel To Power The Planet

IBM Solar Collector Magnifies Sun By 2000X – These Could Provide Power To The Entire Planet

According to Greenpeace, this technology can establish itself as the third largest player in the sustainable power generation industry. A study published in 2009 predicted that solar power could supply all the world’s energy needs, with minimal space. Greenpeace estimates that it would take only two percent of the Sahara Desert’s land area to supply the entire planet’s electricity needs.

Check out this article at: http://themindunleashed.org/2014/03/ibm-solar-collector-magnifies-sun-2000x-provide-power-entire-planet.html

DIY Solar Can Save You Money!

You Can Install Your Own Solar And Save Yourself Money

This is an informative article from Mother Earth News about one family's initiative to install their own solar panel system. Check out the tips on rebates and the state incentives database.

Have you been thinking about installing solar panels for your home, but been discouraged because the cost is too high? Here in Montana, my family and I saved 40 percent on the cost of a solar electric system by buying a kit and doing the installation ourselves.

One notable feature of our solar power system is that it uses the relatively new micro-inverter technology. With this system, each photovoltaic (PV) panel has its own grid-tied inverter that is mounted right by the panel. This kind of system is easier for do-it-yourselfers to install, and has other advantages, such as less sensitivity to partial shading, power output optimization for each PV panel, and the flexibility to start small and grow the system as time and budget allow.

We decided to go with a grid-tied system, which is much more cost effective than an off-grid system. One advantage is that you don’t have to buy batteries, which are expensive and have to be replaced from time to time. You can also choose to install a smaller, less expensive system that generates just a portion of your electricity. On the downside, grid-tied systems provide no electricity when the power grid is down.

Planning the Solar Electric System

The first step to planning your system is to evaluate rebate options and obtain permits. Your local power utility has rules you must follow when you hook the finished system to the grid, and building codes may also apply. In addition to federal incentives, states (and even some cities) offer rebates to help with the cost of the system. Most utilities will have an information package and a person who specializes in the utility requirements. We found our local utility and code inspectors helpful and friendly. We didn’t pick up a hint of resistance from them regarding the idea of a homeowner-installed PV system. Permit costs and turnaround times were small. Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) for information on rebates in your state.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/solar-panels-for-your-home-zm0z11zphe.aspx#ixzz27qxWyxQ6

Solar Panels That Look Good!

Don't want those unsightly Solar Panels on your home? 

Here's an idea for some Solar style!

New Solar Panels Made With More Common Metals Could Be Cheaper and More Sustainable

ScienceDaily (Aug. 21, 2012) — With enough sunlight falling on home roofs to supply at least half of America's electricity, scientists today described advances toward the less-expensive solar energy technology needed to roof many of those homes with shingles that generate electricity.

Shingles that generate electricity from the sun, and can be installed like traditional roofing, already are a commercial reality. But the advance ― a new world performance record for solar cells made with "earth-abundant" materials ― could make them more affordable and ease the integration of photovoltaics into other parts of buildings, the scientists said.

Their report was part of a symposium on sustainability at the 244^thNational Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, being held in Philadelphia this week. Abstracts of other presentations appear below.

"Sustainability involves developing technology that can be productive over the long-term, using resources in ways that meet today's needs without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs," said Harry A. Atwater, Ph.D., one of the speakers. "That's exactly what we are doing with these new solar-energy conversion devices."

Solar Panels are available now that look just like roof tiles. We have enough roof space to power our nation right now!  Everyone, wake up and take control of your own power needs. The "powers that be" need not take your money! 

Check out this article from Science Daily:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120821093850.htm

7 Great Reasons To Go Solar Now!

Solar Energy is becoming a cost effective alternative energy source!

Installing Solar Panels is not as costly as you think. If you live in Nevada you are paying the second highest utility rates in the country. In most parts of the U.S. you can put solar panels on your home and reduce your reliance on grid tied energy. Check out this article from Vast Green Concepts.

Take control of your future with a solar panel array. 

Smart people like you are thinking seriously about installing solar panels on their rooftop. When you own a solar panel array, it is really your own renewable energy generating power plant. You make your own power, you use it and you’re free from the power company for good. It used to be that solar panels were something that was just for “rich tree-huggers.” Not anymore! Prices on solar panel arrays have come down by over 70% since just 2009. Today, solar panels are an affordable investment in your future that guarantees a 15% or better payback for the next 25 years. You’ll get incredible satisfaction from knowing that your rooftop system is helping you AND your neighbors by providing your family with long term energy security. Because you pay for your solar panels up front, you enjoy a fixed, predictable cost, yearly income, and a cleaner planet. When you add in the 30% federal tax credit and the yearly income from the sale of your PECs, plus the money you’ll save on your power bill from day one, typical payback time on a solar array in Las Vegas is UNDER 6 YEARS.

7 Great reasons to go solar now!

• You’re installing your own clean, reliable energy generation that you can feel good about for the next 25+ years.
• You’ll be sending some of that clean, green energy to the surrounding homes and business … and getting paid to share!
• It’s not all or nothing. Because we use cutting edge Enphase microinverters, you can start small and add to your solar array as your budget allows.
• You’ll enjoy increased property value on your home and boost resale appeal with no increase in property taxes – ever!
• Not only will you enjoy those tiny power bills, your system will pay itself off in less than 6 years!
• Pay off your system even faster with a yearly cash payment from the utility and a one time 30% federal tax credit.
• You can select the right financing option for your family’s budget.     

The Solar Panel market is changing rapidly and now is a great time to think about adding solar to your home. In the article you can see an example of a bill that was sent with no charge to the customer. Check it out: 

http://vastgreenconcepts.com/solar-pv/#.UDiFRqllQ3g

See some solar panels here.

Flexible Solar For Clothing

An interesting side to Alternative Energy is the development of Solar clothing. In April Bloomberg News printed an article about printing solar cells on paper and clothing. This innovation was invented by Miles Barr an MIT engineering student. As an update Here's an article from Fast Company about the military's use of Flexible Solar for clothes. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/lemelson-student-prize-barr.html

Miles Barr, winner of the 2012 $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize.
Photo courtesy of the Lemelson-MIT Program

Fast Company

Solar Soldiers: MC10's Testing Its Flexible Energy Harvesters With The U.S. Army

BY NIDHI SUBBARAMAN | 08-02-2012 | 8:38 AM

The U.S. Army and MC10 will work together to scale up the flexible solar panel prototypes and assess their efficiency as functional battery chargers.

Flexible solar energy harvesters that can be sewn into the jackets and backpacks of U.S. soldiers could soon be powering up electronic devices in the field. MC10, a Cambridge startup that specializes in flexible electronics, has signed a contract with the army to develop and test its solar cell technology for military use. Over the course of this next year, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center and MC10 will work together to scale up the flexible solar panel prototypes MC10 has already built, and assess their efficiency as functional battery chargers.

MC10 specializes in re-engineering stiff, brittle parts of electronics into sleeker, softer, and stretchier versions of their former selves. MC10 has made steady headway in applying its techniques to build thin, soft sensors for use in surgeries and is testing those at partner sites like Boston's Mass. General Hospital. The company is perhaps furthest along in the devices they are building or for athletes. The sensors, which look like a square inch of tape, cling onto an athlete's forearm and record biological information like temperature, heart rate and hydration over time. In a recent partnership with NASCAR MC10 tested a sensor on race car driver Paulie Harakka as he competed.

More at:http://www.fastcompany.com/1844480/mc10-solar-cells-military

Mobile Solar Power

Can you take it with you?

This article from the Australian describes the use of Solar Power on the move. It's an interesting idea whose time has come.

How to travel with sun power

• BY:BY SCOTT PODMORE 
• From:escape 
• July 29, 2012 12:00AM

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TRAVEL-FOCUSED solar power is enjoying its moment in the sunshine, and its future is bright.

Just ask solar products expert Jack Wilde of NomadNRG in Byron Bay, a global company that sources mobile power accessories for road-trippers, campers, hikers and business travellers. "Solar products are going off," Wilde says.

"Green has become the new black, and modern solar products are proving as popular with backpackers on a budget as for business travellers wanting to charge their smartphones or laptops."

Wilde believes travellers are more environmentally conscious of the way they "power up" on holiday or business trips. The sight of a solar panel leaning on a tree outside a tent or on top of a caravan is becoming more common. And now it's built into our travel gear.

"I think over the past 20 years we have witnessed great changes  - the explosion of eco-tourism as a billion-dollar industry being a good example of that," Wilde says.

"We know all too well the freak-out everyone faces each day just trying to keep their mobile device powered up to keep their communications flowing; not to mention when travelling or being on the road all day, in and out of meetings, when it can be embarrassing to walk in and ask to use a power point."Having a natural power solution with you is the only way to go, whether for business or leisure."

Wilde says the most important consideration when buying solar products is that "if it's not quality, it may well be useless".

With new technology comes solar panels that pack a bigger punch than ever.

NomadNRG (nomadnrg.com) has a range of products using UVA technology developed in Europe for low-light environments, so it continues charging in dim conditions and rain.

I test-drove a solar-power case for my iPad and, even in a cafe in average light conditions, the unit was charging on the table.

The regular sunshine in Australia means solar products become even more efficient, with "about 20 minutes of recharging in direct sunlight generating up to 15 minutes' talk time", Wilde says.

Learn more at:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/travel-old/how-to-travel-with-sun-power/story-fn30263y-1226436886957

As we become more electronically mobile it might be a good idea to consider mobile solar power. You can find mobile solar here:  Portable Solar

Fell free to comment: Do you need a portable solar charger?

Solar Energy Pays Off

Solar Energy in the News

As the price of solar cells continues to fall more people are adding solar panels to their homes. The state of California reports a huge amount of Solar Energy production and is a leader in the U.S. in the amount of power produced by homeowner solar installation.

Check out this report by Hydrogen Fuel News

A DAILY CHRONICLE OF THE ADVANCEMENTS IN HYDROGEN FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

State’s support for solar energy seems to be paying off

California has long been a hotbed for alternative energy. Solar energy, in particular, has been a favorite for the state, which receives a large amount of solar radiation each year. The state serves as home to numerous solar energy projects of varying types and success and has become one of the most attractive places for such projects to take root. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has announced that the state has reached a significant milestone in its generation of solar energy, detailing this milestone in the 2012 California Solar Initiative Annual Program Assessment.

Report shows more than 1.255 GW of solar energy generated in the state

The report shows that more than 1.255 gigawatts of solar electricity is generated from 122,000 rooftop solar panels spread throughout the state. The majority of these solar panels can be found on low and middle-income housing. The popularity of solar energy amongst this particular demographic is driven by the state’s ambitious solar energy feed-in tariffs as well as the initiatives launched by companies promoting the adoption of alternative energy.

Solar energy program may be able to meet its goals ahead of schedule

According to the CPUC, California’s successes in solar energy are unmatched throughout the entirety of the U.S. The agency notes that more than 97 megawatts of solar energy systems was installed in the first quarter of 2012. This suggests that the California Solar Initiative is poised to facilitate the installation of more than 1,000 megawatts of solar energy systems by the end of the year. The program currently has an overarching goal of installing 1,940 megawatts of solar capacity in the state by the end of 2016.

Price of residential solar energy systems continues to drop

The report indicates that the cost of residential solar energy systems has dropped by 28% since 2007. This is partly due to state government policies and the saturation being seen in the solar panel market. The state is expected to continue its support of solar energy for the foreseeable future.

More at: http://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/solar-energy-reaches-milestone-in-california/854739/

In these times of uncertainty it's a good idea to think about a self-sufficient plan for energy. With the low cost of solar cells and new technology in converting power it's a good time to start planning for your own Solar Power system. 

Comments are welcome. Please like this site if you are interested!

Solar Energy's Dramatic Rise

Solar Power Continues to Dominate the News

As the need for power soars the solar industry is in the midst of putting up mind-boggling numbers when it comes to energy output. This article from Smart Planet shows how far the Solar Power companies have come even in the wake of American solar companies going bankrupt!

smartplanet

Graphic of the day: solar’s dramatic rise

By Kirsten Korosec | July 9, 2012, 10:53 AM PDT

The increase in solar photovoltaic capacity has been well documented in reports here and elsewhere over the years. But nothing quite captures solar PV’s dramatic rise in capacity like a good graphic. Or three graphics, for that matter.

Solar power generating capacity grew by 73.3 percent in 2011, according to the 2012 BP Statistical Review of World Energy. That’s the fastest growth since BP started tracking that data in 1996. Total capacity grew by 29.3 gigawatts to reach 63.4 GW. Capacity has grown almost ten-fold over the past five years, according to BP’s annual report.

BP released its annual statistical review last month and at the time, the graphic, which is pictured below, stood out to me.  I proceeded to promptly forget the visually striking data until today, when I spotted a series of renewable energy graphics based on BP’s stats created by Robert Rapier of R-Squared blog at  ConsumerEnergyReport.com. Rapier’s renewable energy graphics are part of a larger graphical series on energy.

Here’s BP’s graphic, which accompanied the report.

You can check out the rest of the article which shows the dramatic rise in the use of Solar Power worldwide and how the drop in prices of solar cells is changing the way we think about using energy! Check out more graphics at :

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/intelligent-energy/graphic-of-the-day-solars-dramatic-rise/17454?tag=nl.e660

Solar Power Suitcase

As we move into the future of energy Solar Power ideas continue to adapt and change with the needs of people all over the planet. Often it's the efforts of the few that make great strides in the lives of the many. In this post from Smart Planet , Dr. Laurel Stachel has brought the world an idea bourne from the necessity of her profession, a solar powered energy source in a suitcase.


smartplanet

Solar suitcase supplies electricity to developing-world hospitals

July 5, 2012  |  Length: 00:03:02

Check out more at:
http://www.smartplanet.com/video/solar-suitcase-supplies-electricity-to-developing-world-hospitals/6360731?tag=nl.e660

The idea of a suitcase Solar Power system has all kinds of possibilities. It could be scaled up or down and used in emergency situations in many parts of the world. It could be used by anyone at a time where emergency power is needed. Dr. Stachel developed a simple model for widespread use, you could develop your own portable system for personal use when an extra power source is needed. Learn more from Amazon.

Solar Power Helps Veterans

The U.S. military is expanding it's use of Solar Power and has begun a program to train unemployed verterans in the installation of solar panels. It's a great idea and shows the nation's resolve in moving towards a sustainable energy future. This article from Florida's Sun Sentinel tells the story.




The U.S. Solar Institute, a Fort Lauderdale school, has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to train former military service members without jobs in how to install solar-panel systems.

An initial 15 to 20 veterans a month from across the country are expected at the school starting in August for classes that can be completed in several weeks and on-the-job training that can last weeks longer, said Ray Johnson, the institute's founder and president.

The Institute plans to expand from its current 6,700-square-foot building serving about 30 students a month to meet demand from the Veterans Administration program aimed to help jobless veterans.

"We're almost all sold out in August and haven't even started advertising yet," Johnson said.

The approval comes as theU.S. militaryplans to expand its use of renewable energy to 25 percent of its energy needs by 2025, part of a policy to slash U.S. dependence on imported fuel and boost national security. Veterans could help install solar panels at military bases as part of that plan, Johnson said.

The move highlights the need for qualified solar-panel installers as solar industry expands. In the first quarter, more than 506 megawatts of solar energy came on-line, up 85 percent from a year earlier and the second highest amount ever installed in a single quarter, according to the latest quarterly report from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association, a Washington-based trade group.

Installations are growing, partly because the price for solar panels has plunged.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-07-04/business/fl-solar-institute-20120704_1_solar-panels-gtm-research-jobless-veterans

The nation needs more options for sustainable energy and Solar Power is leading the way. This program solves two problems at once and is a great idea for the many veterans's who are having a difficult time with jobs. Thumbs up for the Veteran's Administration!

Wind Energy News

Wind Energy is in the News!

Here's an article from Bloomberg news about the recent approval by the U.S. Department of the Interior to build a massive wind farm in Wyoming. 

Bloomberg

U.S. Completes Environmental Review For Largest Wind Farm

The U.S. completed environmental reviews for the nation’s largest wind farm, a 3,000-megawatt project in Wyoming that may generate enough power for 1 million homes.

The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Farm proposed by Power Co. of Wyoming would contain as many as 1,000 turbines on public and private land in Carbon County, according to a statement today.

The U.S. Interior Department is promoting wider use of renewable energy on public land to reduce consumption of foreign oil and create clean-energy jobs, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said today on a conference call with reporters. The agency has approved 31 utility-scale wind, solar and geothermal projects since 2009 with more than 7,200 megawatts of capacity.

“Renewable energy is very much a part of our energy future,” Salazar said. “Our expectation is that we’ll have accomplished placing roots down in the energy portfolio of America.”

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management completed its final environmental impact statement, which will now be available for public comment. Power Co. of Wyoming, a unit of Anschutz Corp., first submitted an application to BLM for the wind farm in 2008.

The power company hasn’t selected a turbine supplier and is seeking a utility to buy the electricity, Kara Choquette, a spokeswoman, said by e-mail today.

Interior also completed environmental assessments for a wind energy area with almost 165,000 acres of water off the coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The agency will host public sessions July 16 and 17 to hear public comments on the site.
More at:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-02/u-s-completes-environmental-review-for-largest-wind-farm.html

Wind Energy will have an important role in the future of America's energy needs and this is another step towards diminishing our reliance on fossil fuels.

Alternative Energy in the Future

Amory Lovins is the author of a new book, "Reinventing Fire" in which he describes a new paradigm of efficient energy usage. He outlines a goal of moving the country and the world towards an energy system that relies more on alternative energies and more efficient power consumption. He believes that no government mandate is necessary as businesses and individuals can make the conscious decisions to integrate four energy using sectors. Check out the story below:




 The world's #1 problem is Energy The obvious first step in solving this critical problem is to develop a comprehensive, well thought out, technically accurate LONG TERM plan. There is such a plan today and it is the only one that I am aware of that has been done in such a comprehensive manner as to take into account most if not all of the multiple-level consequences (i.e. unintended consequences) of each action. Below is a video that clearly outlines the plan and lays it out for all to see. Everyone who is interested in the future of our planet and the welfare of our children and grand children needs to see this and pass it on so as many people as possible can learn of this and be aware of how we can address our #1 problem with a plan that is truly a new paradigm in energy. The plan is: 1. Simple 2. Straight Forward 3. Does NOT need ANY Government subsidies 4. Does not need any new legislation or Government involvement 5. Does not need any new technology break-through's 6. Can be done by business for a HUGE profit....and 7 Is a plan that would be truly bi-partisan and will benefit ALL Americans http://www.ted.com/talks/amory_lovins_a_50_year_plan_for_energy.html

This is an inspiring look at a great future in a world where energy and production can grow hand in hand. Alternative Energy can save our planet!

DIY Solar Energy Video

Solar Energy Sometimes the idea of installing a home Solar Energy system seems complicated and out of the range of skills for the average homeowner. This video by FenceKid shows how one person has installed a solar system in his home and wired it for basic use.



 


This is a crude setup that doesn't attempt to hide wiring or place the battery storage in a protected area. However it makes it easy to see the connections between the panels and the places where you actually are able to use the power for appliances in the home. The devices he uses to monitor the power usage and battery storage are explained in a simple fashion and allows for easy understanding. You can imagine how you might set up a system in your own home to power your own power needs! Think about what it might take to install your own system and begin to design a way to reduce your grid dependence!

Solar Panel Prices

Solar Panel Prices Have Fallen!

Here's a great example of Solar Power being brought into use for family homes. Solar panels are the number one way to lower your exposure to grid prices and problems. Every year there are brown-outs and cutbacks on the power supply to areas that need it most. It's time to start thinking about alternative energy sources for your own home.

Greater New Orleans

Times-Picayune

Energy-saving solar panels crop up in new Central City homes.

Published: Sunday, June 24, 2012, 9:00 AM

 By Richard Thompson, The Times-Pic

As she settles into her newly built three-bedroom home in Central City, Denise Patton is looking forward to getting her first utility bill in the mail. She can't wait to see how much energy she has saved, thanks to the solar panel array installed on her roof.

"Then I'll know," said Patton, who is optimistic that she can cut her power costs by 50 percent or more. "I don't know right now, but I'll know when I get it."

Patton was one of three first-time buyers who recently moved into a new home built by Harmony Neighborhood Development, a nonprofit development group formerly known as the New Orleans Neighborhood Development Collaborative that has used federal funding to convert blighted and vacant properties into affordable housing in Central City.

Harmony plans to build at least 11 more homes in the neighborhood this year that will be equipped with solar panels, with funding provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Falling prices of solar panels have made the equipment attractive to consumers in recent years. But Harmony and other nonprofit developers have been able to afford solar panels, once considered too expensive and out of reach of such projects, through an initiative from Make It Right, which established a separate, for-profit entity to leverage the available tax credits and lower the upfront costs for others.

Under the deal, Make It Right Solar buys the equipment and pays for its installation, covering up to 80 percent of the cost of the panels with federal and state tax credits. From there, developers are on the hook for the remainder of the cost, working out to about $5,000 to $7,000 per unit.

More at:

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2012/06/solar_panels_crop_up_in_centra.html

It's going to be a hot summer and power companies want to charge you premium prices to keep you cool. Look into Solar Panels as an alternate source of home power.