The solar electric system on the fire station in Manchester, Maine will provide more than half the power for the building

The Town of Manchester, Maine, has one of the first solar-powered fire stations in the state! Last month we finished installation of a 9.2kw grid-tied photovoltaic array, which will provide over 11,000 kWh of clean energy annually – or roughly half of the power used in the facility.

The Kennebec Journal reported on the project. Keith Edwards writes:

A new array of 44 solar panels atop the fire station is expected to supply about half the electricity the building needs.

“It’s in, it’s making electricity right now,” [Town Manager E. Patrick] Gilbert said of the system.

The system is connected to the power grid, so when it is producing more power than is needed at the fire station, that excess electricity goes into the grid, and the town will get a credit on its bill from Central Maine Power Co. for that electricity.

“Whatever we don’t use dumps back into the grid,” Gilbert said. “There will be good (electricity-generating) days and bad days.”

… Gilbert said the location is expected to allow the panels to work at about 95 percent of their capacity … He said he hopes to ultimately make the system’s monitoring information available on the town’s website.

The project was supported by a grant from Efficiency Maine made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Bob Emory’s 4.7kw grid tied solar electric array will offset over 7,600 lbs of CO2 emissions each year.

On a clear day you can see Mt. Washington from Bob Emory’s home in Barnstead, New Hampshire. With such vibrant natural splendor in one’s backyard, it’s hard not to care passionately for the rugged landscape that characterizes Northern New England.

Affectionately calling himself a “treehugger,” Emory says that “Solar has been on my radar for decades,” ever since the days when lead acid batteries were the norm.

With the development of grid-tied solar, which interties directly with the electric grid and requires no moving parts, Emory felt that the technology had finally come of age. And with prices of coming down and a generous 30% federal tax credit available, the economics worked out, too.

Solar Power and the Big Picture

With all of the troubles in the world, Emory feels good that his solar energy system is making a tangible difference, reducing CO2 emissions in the region by offsetting his home’s power use. “I can’t stop tsunamis,” he says, “So solar is the next best thing.”

He is a loyal attendee of the Common Ground Fair held each September in Unity, Maine, and it was there he bumped into ReVision Energy. Apparently, our reputation precedes us as he remarks that “I was really just making sure you didn’t do something that ruled you out.”

So far, so good – he feels great about his decision to choose us as his partner in transitioning to renewable energy, which he felt was summed up the first words one of our installers said when we arrived on the job site – “Thank you for going green.”

The System

Emory’s system consists of 4.7kw of grid-tied solar electric panels that will produce around 5,875 kWh of clean solar electricity each year. Bob reports that during recent sunny spring days his system reports an output of around 32.5 kWh, power he is happy not to be buying from PSNH!

With PV just installed, Bob is already talking about solar hot water for his home – particularly because of the generous New Hampshire state rebate.

“I have nothing but very high praise from start to finish,” Emory says, “ReVision is a company who stands behind their systems and has been personable throughout the process. I look forward to many years of solar power ahead!”

A recently installed solar hot water system in Gorham, New Hampshire

Now’s the time to get in your reservation if you want to benefit from New Hampshire’s generous residential solar hot water rebate (averaging $2,600 for most homes).

We’ve received word that the reservation window has been reduced from 12 months to 3 months (that is, the window you have between submitting a pre-approval and having your installation completed), per request from the DOE.

The state is encouraging homeowners to complete all of their solar hot water installations by this October. Due to the popularity of the program we encourage you to contact us today if you want to get a system installed this season. The commercial rebate program still looks good.

The good news is that financially the program still has plenty of funds, though we are told most of the DOE money (which funds the $2,000 portion of the rebate) has already been committed. In general, the solar rebates made possible by ARRA funds are running out, so rebates may likely never be as good as they are today. With oil prices high, and set to go higher, the time is really right for solar!

Click here to see the whole update from New Hampshire PUC.

What About RGGI?

In February/March of this year New Hampshire shocked much of the Northeast by presenting a bill that would pull the Granite State out of RGGI, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We called upon lawmakers to think about the long-term implications of such a move and stand up to support RGGI.

This past week, the NH Senate voted to revise rather than repeal RGGI. Businessweek reports:

The Senate voted 16-8 Wednesday to approve an amendment proposed by Senate Republican Leader Jeb Bradley to a House bill. The amendment retains the state’s participation in the program but limits how the money is spent by dedicating it to well-established energy efficiency programs run by the utility companies.

The amendment replaces a bill passed by the House in March that would end the state’s participation in RGGI, but the Senate lacks the votes to override a gubernatorial veto of that legislation. Bradley’s proposal is meant as a compromise.

Gov. John Lynch has not said he would veto the House bill, but he opposes efforts to end New Hampshire’s participation in the greenhouse gas initiative.

“You can’t always get what you want,” Bradley said, “but what we need today is good government. … We have got to fund programs that work.”

Bradley estimates New Hampshire’s program costs the average ratepayer 35 cents per month. His proposal would drop the monthly cost to 17 cents.

Full story here: http://buswk.co/iNiwPp

The Latest from Maine

Legislation that will continue Maine’s solar rebates for the foreseeable future is expected to pass, however the program still has not been given an alternative funding mechanism yet. While the tract looks promising, we still urge you to contact your state legislators if you have not already and ask them to support solar rebates. For those who have advocated on behalf of solar rebates so far… thank you!

We understand around $500,000 remains in the program, which should sustain the ME state solar rebates for at least the next 6 months. We’re hoping to see an effective funding alternative make it into place for a more sustainable continuation of the program before the current funds are exhausted.

Officials from the town of Thomaston and representatives from ReVision Energy will host a solar open house to showcase the town’s recent solar installation at the Water Pollution Control Department. Citizens of Thomaston and neighboring towns are encouraged to visit the facility at 33 Clark St. on Saturday, May 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The focus of the open house will be the 18 kilowatt grid-tied solar electric (photovoltaic) system that ReVision Energy installed on the main roof of the Pollution Control Department in November of 2010. The system will produce 23,000 kilowatt hours each year and eliminate 16 tons of CO2 from the environment annually.

Guests will have the opportunity to see the solar energy system first hand, learn about the equipment used, and see how grid-tied solar technology works. Light refreshments will also be served.

Clark Street can be reached from Booker Street off Route 1 in downtown Thomaston.

On a beautiful sunny spring day, more than a dozen participants came out to build rain barrels with ReVision Energy and NH Coastal Protection Partnership‘s Dave Anderson. Anderson lead the workshop, showing participants how to build their own water and energy saving rain barrels out of recycled food grade plastics.

Below is ReVision’s New Hampshire office manager Heather Fournier, who had to take a closer look:

Our event wrapped at 1pm – leaving just enough time for participants to get home and put their rain barrel in place before a refreshing spring rainstorm came through to test out the new barrels!

NH Coast reports that they’ve now distributed 40 of their homemade rain barrels in just 42 days! This includes our event, demos at various garden shows, and an Earth Day event at Dunbarton Elementary School.

The rain barrel fun isn’t over yet – during our Exeter NH Solstice Grand Opening Bash on June 17th… we’ll be raffling off a NH Coast rain barrel as a door prize, and offering great food, drink, and entertainment for everyone!

Why Care About Rain Barrels Again?

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) has recognized rain barrels as a Do-It-Yourself Stormwater Solution For Your Home. Left unabated, stormwater run-off can quickly transform into run-off pollution. “In New Hampshire, stormwater contributes to over 80 percent of the surface water impairments in the state,” according to NHDES.

Each NH Coast rain barrel contains 55 gallons of stormwater when full, helping homeowners take a small chunk out of their stormwater footprint. Rain barrels can be also be used to redirect stormwater into a dry well or rain garden, allowing rainwater to infiltrate into the ground as nature intended.

A few important pieces of NH water quality news made headlines this week:

• Don’t delay nitrogen limit for waste water plants
• Scientists say time to cut nitrogen in estuary is now

Thanks again to NH Coast for helping us put on a great event! ReVision has now donated $1,000 to their water conservation efforts, between a $500 purchase of rain barrels and our April “Check in for Charity” social media fundraising campaign.

Cliff Babkirk’s 5.4kw grid tied solar electric array will nearly completely offset the electric load of his air source heat pump, his home’s primary source of heat

Energy conservation had been on Cliff Babkirk’s mind for years, but it reached a head in 2008 when he received an invoice from his heating oil company for $5,000 for a pre-paid contract. “I knew I had to do something different,” he says, “I wanted to get off oil for environmental reasons already but now I had economic reasons too.”

His search for an alternative heating system initially lead him to geothermal, though quotes of up to $50,000 for a retrofit installation made the project uneconomical. Instead, he learned of an similar, but significantly less costly solution – the Acadia air source heat pump.

Immense Savings with Electric Heat

Made by a Maine company, the Acadia offered many of the same benefits as a geothermal system, and integrated with most of Babkirk’s existing system – including his air handler and duct work. He had the unit installed before the 2008 heating season, and estimates it saved him $3,200 after the first year alone!

Of course, the drop in heating oil costs were offset, in part, by a rise in electricity costs to run the heat pump. Babkirk also had an energy audit done and learned that his basement and attic were two big culprits for energy loss. So, for his next step, he set about to better insulate the trouble spots in his house, and then to offset the electric load of his heat pump with solar electricity.

In 2009 he added 2″ of rigid foam insulation to his basement walls (,) added closed cell sprayed foam to his rim joists, and undertook some serious air sealing work. In 2010, he pulled out much of his home’s existing attic insulation and replaced it with super-dense R49 blow-in cellulose insulation. Finally, in 2011, he added grid-tied photovoltaic installed by ReVision Energy to offset his electric usage. His initial goal was to drop his load of 16,000 kWh a year to around 10,000 kWh a year – his electricity baseline prior to the installation of the air source heat pump.

Solar Exceeding Expectations

“Our goal was to be producing around 500 kWh/month with solar and so far the system has exceeded our expectations,” Babkirk says, “The best part is that the energy I’ve paid for today with my solar panels is never subject to a rate change. I’ve locked in the cost of a portion of my electricity for the next 20-25 years at a rate below current utility prices. In addition, through the benefits of net-metering, CMP gives me a credit on my bill for excess electricity produced by the array that I don’t use.”

Cliff is a big fan of data monitoring, and has been using The Energy Detective (TED) to monitor his household’s electric use since 2008. He was immensely satisfied to send us this photo of his household’s electric use soon after the PV system was installed:

More Solar Power on the Horizon

While he’s made great progress already, Cliff plans to take his 30% federal tax credit from his first PV array and use it to buy more panels. “My goal is to get to 50% of my energy use being offset by PV,” he says. He and his wife plan to stay in their current home – overlooking a pond in Sanford, Maine – well into retirement, and so the idea of getting control over their utility costs is immensely comforting.

“We like the idea of reliable systems and predictable costs,” he says, “Currently our oil boiler is nothing but a fancy hot water system and a backup source of heat when we lose power or should the Acadia system require maintenance… And once we can find an alternative backup heat source I like even better, we will finally have a fossil-free house.”

In the meantime, Cliff can expect to generate over 6,576 kilowatt hours of clean, renewable electricity annually, while offsetting roughly 8,812 lbs. of CO2 emissions that would be generated from coal, natural gas, or liquid fuel power plants.

Transportation accounts for about 27% of all energy used in the U.S., and most of the gasoline. Yuck!

Long distances between our communities in ME and NH is a big part of what makes our two states among the most oil dependent in the nation.

The good news is that the electric cars just coming to market will enable northern New Englanders to eliminate their consumption of gasoline and the associated emissions.

Hybrid vehicles are already helping reduce fuel consumption, and totally electric vehicles (EV) will be on our roads in the coming months. And when a vehicle is powered by electricity, it means it can be powered using electricity provided by the sun!

Turning Over a New LEAF

In 2011 the very first Nissan LEAF vehicles will hit the market, and while it appears it will be a little while before a full fledged rollout in Maine and New Hampshire, these cars promise the first chance for a truly net-zero driving experience.

The all electric Nissan LEAF will run on all electric and drive for up to 100 miles on a single charge.

The LEAF is a 100% EV, with no gasoline engine (or tailpipe!) at all. Its 24kWh battery pack boasts a driving range of up to 100 miles on a charge, though many claim that 60-80 miles is a more realistic range.

Each “fill up” will cost around $4 (based on a delivered electric rate of $0.16/kWh). For a household driving around 15,000 miles a year, a conservative estimate of fuel cost is around $750 of electricity each year, vs. over $2,700/yr of gasoline in a typical 22mpg vehicle!

3.6 kw Solar Array = Fossil-free LEAF

With solar electricity you can offset some or all of the LEAF’s energy use. One kilowatt of solar panels will generate roughly 1,300 kWh/year in Maine or New Hampshire. A home with a fairly heavy driving load of 15,000 miles/year can therefore completely offset their transportation load with a 3.6kw solar electric system.

The costs look something like this:

$18,000 gross installed cost
-($5,400) federal tax credit
-($2,000) state rebate
$10,600 net investment

Estimated power production over 20 years: 93,600 kWh
Locked-in rate per kWh: .11c/kWh
Yearly energy cost for LEAF, with conventional power: $750
Yearly energy cost for LEAF, with solar electric: $516
Yearly fossil fuel emissions for LEAF, with conventional power: 5,200lbs.
Yearly fossil fuel emissions for LEAF, with solar electric: 0

And of course, if you drive less, any excess power will go against your regular electric bill!

That’s the beauty of grid-tied photovoltaic electricity – even if you are not home to use your solar power, you’re still getting credits for that power when it’s sold to the grid.  So even if you charge your EV at night, you’ll be using your own solar credits to refuel the car.

The Chevy Volt

Dubbed the “electric vehicle that goes further,” the Chevy Volt will seamlessly transition to a gasoline backup engine when the built-in battery is exhausted.

The Chevy Volt is Detroit’s take on the electric vehicle, combining a 16kWh battery with an estimated range of 35 miles (93 MPGe according to the EPA) and a range-extending gasoline generator for longer drives that nets around 37MPG.

The gas backup is to combat “range anxiety,” the motorist fear that they might be left stranded if they run out of juice while nowhere near an EV refueling station.

A Washington Post reviewer summed it up well:

What makes the Volt the Darling of Detroit is that it has been reverse-engineered to match the perverse American psyche. Americans hate buying gas but love to drive. We definitely want to stick it to the sheikhs, and in the process maybe save the planet, so we want cars that run on sunshine, twigs and happy thoughts. But these cars also have to kick some ass. And be able to make an impulsive 90-mile run to Philly when we suddenly have a hankering for cheese steak. And we don’t want to worry about hunting for twig refueling stations along the way.

All of that is what the Volt is theoretically designed to deliver.

The Volt’s electric MPG is fairly close to the Nissan LEAF (92MPGe and 99 MPGe respectively), though its all-electric range is less than half.  However, for the commuter who drives less than 35 miles a day (or can refuel at work), the possibility for an all PV-powered car is just as viable for a Volt owner as the owner of the all electric LEAF.

What About the Battery Charging Infrastructure?

How to refuel your electric car is one of the most talked-about and interesting areas of the dawn of the EV.

A parking lot structure with solar panels in California

While the cars can be refueled with a conventional 110AC power socket, it is much more efficient to charge them with a special “Level 2 Chargers.”  These 240V, 40a chargers will charge the LEAF in around 6 hours and cost the homeowner around $2,000, assuming their home can support an additional 40a service dedicated to charging the car.

On the horizon are commercial-grade rapid car chargers which aim to reduce the charge time to under an hour… maybe as little as three minutes! Also exciting are solar carports, which offer solar-powered electric vehicle charging for anyone who cares to visit it.

A Solar Road Ahead

EVs are obviously in their infancy, but with high gas prices a lasting reality and the environmental and geopolitical impacts of oil dependency being felt more than ever before, the push towards a more renewable transportation sector is inevitable.

Though nothing can beat biking, walking, or sailing to work, an EV powered by the clean energy of the sun is a pretty great option! Look for more from us as we follow the evolution of this exciting technology.

ReVision Energy welcomes the public to our new Exeter, NH location with a hands-on rain barrel building workshop lead by Dave Anderson of New Hampshire Coastal Protection Partnership (NHCPP).

During this workshop, participants will build their own working rain barrel from recycled food grade plastic drums.

The cost of materials to attend this workshop is $50, ReVision is providing the first 10 rain barrels free of charge (max 1 per family). You can pay at the door, however, advance registration through Eventbrite preferred.

Benefits to Rain Barrels:

Rain barrels offered several benefits, including:

• Water Conservation – Rain barrels are a free source of non-potable water that can be used as a substitute for town, municipal, and well water when performing a variety of household and garden tasks, from watering flowers to washing windows.
• Save Energy and Money – Rain barrels are a zero energy source of non-potable water… The water that comes out of a rain barrel is free!
• Water Pollution – Runoff pollution, also known as nonpoint source pollution, occurs when rainfall or snowmelt moves over and through the ground. As runoff travels, it accumulates pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. Installing a rain barrel is one way to take a small chunk out of your stormwater footprint. Each NH Coast rain barrels typically stores 50-60 gallons of stormwater when full. Directing the overflow from your rain barrel drain into a rain garden, dry well, or soakaway pit will enable excess stormwater to infiltrate into the ground, just as nature intended.

NHCPP is also ReVision’s candidate for “Check in for Charity” for the month of April – be sure to check in on their behalf!