A grid-tied solar electric system recently installed on a barn in Woolwich, Maine

There is a common misconception than being “off the grid” is the ultimate goal is sustainability and that off-grid homes are, by their nature, greener and more energy efficient than conventional “on the grid” homes.

Many people say they want to get “off the grid,” when really what they mean is that they want to reduce their energy usage and switch to renewable forms of energy.

The good news – you don’t have to be “off the grid” to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy!

In fact, your conventional home is only a few smart steps away from dramatically shrinking its carbon footprint. We’ll talk about this in a moment – first, let’s demystify “off the grid” versus “grid tied.”

What Does Off-Grid Really Mean?

“Off grid” just means a home that is not connected to the utility grid. While these homes are often designed to be more energy-efficient and sustainable than conventional homes, there is no requirement in the term “off grid” that makes them so.

In fact, a home that is “off grid” can be just as much of a power hog as a regular home, and use a gasoline-powered generator for all of their electric needs. Hardly green OR renewable!

The reality is that power generated off the grid is significantly more expensive, KW/hr to KW/hr, as power generated while tied to the grid. The grid has numerous efficiencies of scale – from generation to transmission – that isn’t achieved in an off-grid set-up.

Because electricity generated off the grid is so expensive, it only makes sense that these homes should use less power. It’s pure economics!

So Why Would Anyone Go Off-Grid in the First Place?

When people think of “off grid,” they probably think of images from the early days of solar power, when people were moving far out in the country to get back to the land and live a more sustainable existence.

Of course, moving far away from civilization brings its own share of challenges and environmental implications. Unless you’re planning to become a hermit, you still are going to need roads to get to your off-grid home, and won’t you want some sort of electricity?

Creating power lines is expensive and destructive. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars per mile to run power lines to a distant homestead.

In these situations, where connecting to the utility grid will easily outweigh the costs of a clean, renewable energy system, being off the grid can make economic and environmental sense.

Most People Don’t Live Far From Power Lines

Most people live near other people, which means that most people don’t need the hassles and expense of an off-grid renewable energy system.

Instead, we can install a solar power electrical system that interacts with the grid – offsetting our home’s energy use and providing surplus power to our neighbors. In effect, we are becoming our own miniature power plant!

This kind of system is called grid-tied solar power.

What Makes Grid-Tied Different than Off-grid?

Grid-tied solar electricity is a much simpler set-up than off grid. In both cases, you have photovoltaic (PV) panels which generate clean, renewable energy when exposed to sunshine.

However, in a grid-tied set-up this power goes straight to your utility meter while in an off-grid set-up there are a few more steps.

With a grid-tied system, any excess power generated from the solar panels goes back into the grid – helping your neighbors reduce their carbon footprint!

In essence, you are treating the grid as if it was one big battery, charging it when you have excess power, and taking energy when you need more.

If an off-grid setup, you also need somewhere to store your solar energy.  Without the grid nearby, you need to buy a large set of batteries.

Unfortunately, battery technology is not as clean and renewable as the electricity generated by the solar panels.

The batteries used in most off-grid installations are lead acid batteries – similar to what starts your car and powers forklifts. As you probably know from the explosion warning stickers on your car battery, the inside of these types of batteries are extremely toxic, and their production is an energy intensive and environmentally harmful process.

While those in an off-grid set-up are stuck using this non green technology, if we have access to the energy grid we can avoid this messy problem and appreciate more reliable service with a grid-tied set-up.

Not to mention – batteries are expensive!  The battery bank significantly adds to the cost of an off-grid solar system. In terms of cost per installed watt, off-grid usually ranges 3-4x the cost of grid-tied solar.

Fossil Fuels are Bad, Not the Grid Itself

While it may seem romantic to be “off grid” and not beholden to the utility companies, the reality is that most homes are connected to the grid already, and the efficiencies of the grid generally outweigh the independence of an off grid system.

The grid itself is not inherently bad – what is bad are the forms of electricity that powers most of the grid.

The way to make real, tangible improvement in the way we consume energy is not to distance ourselves from the grid, but to ensure that the power we consume is generated by clean, renewable solar electricity at home and at our place of work.

Contact us if you’re interested in solar for your Maine or New Hampshire home or business.

Clean solar electricity and solar hot water system installed on a home in Porter, Maine

Many people ask us how solar affects a home’s resale value.  The quick answer – solar can be a huge asset when it comes time to sell your home, though there are a variety of considerations you should take into account.

Lower Utility Costs Equal Increased Value

Let’s look at the purely rational economics of a solar energy system.

In the 1998 Evidence of Rational Market Valuations for Home Energy Efficiency report (link, PDF Download) by The Appraisal Journal there’s a section they call the “Rational Market Hypothesis” which describes the relationship of market value to energy savings.

Using fixed (and very conservative) utility costs savings, compared to the cost of the investment, they are able to project an economic value for energy improvements:

Fuel costs may be considered just one of many complex factors affecting the decision to buy a home, but the same can be said about other determinants of home value—from number of bedrooms to the quality of local schools. In a rational, competitive market, the value of energy efficiency, like the value of any other housing characteristic, should reflect its marginal value to home buyers. If home buyers expect stable fuel prices, then the marginal value of energy efficiency in recent years should be $10–$25 for every dollar reduction in annual fuel bills. (emphasis added)

Note that this 1998 report reflects a very different energy situation than what we face today.  We would now argue that the $10–$25 value increase per dollar of reduction in annual fuel bills is only a starting place, as home buyers should NOT expect stable fuel prices for the future.

Over the life of a 30 year mortgage, the fuel cost/utility savings will rise dramatically as fossil fuel heating and energy resources become increasingly scarce.

In addition, purchasing solar electric is particularly attractive right now because solar panel prices have reached record lows, so the payback time is greatly reduced.

Solar as an Attractive House Feature

There is huge emotional value to a solar hot water or solar power installation in addition to the purely logical economic argument.  A renewable energy system makes a strong statement about your commitment to sustainability and the environment, which is increasingly desirable in the marketplace.

In a down market, a solar system may be the differentiator that makes your house attractive to potential buyers.

An recent article on sunpluggers.com featured a subdivision in Northern California that is using solar panels in its homes as a way to differentiate itself.

How successful is it?

“We are the bestselling project in the market right now,” [Hal Woods, president of privately owned CenterStone Communities] says. “All of our Phase 1 and Phase 2 are sold out. We expect to have the project complete in the spring of 2010. A number of other builders are scouting us and looking at the success that we’ve had.”

While the attractiveness of a solar system will vary depending on your location and potential buying pool, it stands to reason that interest and excitement about renewable energy will only grow in the future as the need to move away from fossil fuels becomes more critical, and all things “green” become more mainstream.

Both solar hot water and solar electricity are proven, mature technologies that will provide a payback for you as long as you live in your home, and a more competitive position should you need to sell your home.

Like all investments, the earlier you put solar on your house, the sooner you will reap the rewards.  As we sometimes say, payback doesn’t actually start until the system is installed!

A solar power project completed this week in New Hampshire – clean energy is ready to go!

In his first official State of the Union address, President Obama offered a rousing challenge to Congress to get to work on a variety of issues – jobs, security, health care, and the transition to a clean energy economy.

With 2009 behind us, but its challenges far from over, Obama took an approach that was urgent, while at times light-hearted, as he analyzed the country’s problems and his suggestions for implementing change.

We were pleased to see “clean energy” make it into the speech some dozen times, though Obama mentioned “solar panels” only once.

Here’s our take on some of the key points raised during the State of the Union address:

• Obama Lauds Success of Recovery Act
  

  “Because of the steps we took, there are about two million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed. Two hundred thousand work in construction and clean energy”

  Obama put a lot of effort into defending the actions necessary in 2009, both the unpopular bank bailout and the ongoing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), aka the Stimulus.

  While Obama’s focus on clean energy jobs was on the manufacturing side – he mentioned both “the California business that will put a thousand people to work making solar panels” and a need to create “new factories that manufacture clean energy products,” the Stimulus also has had a big positive effect on those who install those panels thanks to financial incentives that were part of ARRA.

• Obama Sees Clean Energy as the Route to Tomorrow
  

  “We can put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow … There’s no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products… I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But here’s the thing — even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future -– because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation.”

  Obama seemed very cautious about making the environmental case for a switch to a clean energy economy, instead rooting his argument in the need to create very real clean energy jobs.

  While we couldn’t agree more, and laud Obama for finding common ground, it’s a bit disappointing that the very real crisis facing our planet is still a point of argument.

  The reality is that regardless of the state of the economy, we need to make a move to clean energy now as an act of survival.

  That Obama was cautious to acknowledge this threat points to an even greater challenge of worldview we still have to resolve.

• Getting There – Incentives and Innovations
  

  “We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. … Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history, an investment that could lead to the world’s cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched.”

  Again, Obama mentions investment in research as a major player in the move to a clean economy. While we agree, the reality is that there are plenty of technologies that are already here which are reliable, affordable, and available.

  Both grid-tied photovoltaics and solar hot water are energy investments that make economic and environmental sense.

  We’re eager to see what Obama plans to offer with “rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient,” and wish we’d heard something about a feed-in tariff.

• The Economy of Old – Nuclear, Oil, and Gas?
  

  “But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. And that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. And, yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.”

  After so much invigorating news from Obama, it was disappointing to hear his last word on energy mention nonrenewable sources of energy.

  While it may be necessary to find some common ground with Republicans to move the overall initiatives forward, we still disagree that more power plants and “clean” coal are the best way to build the nation’s infrastructure.

Disappointments aside, it’s encouraging to see how large a role clean energy fits into Obama’s plans to move the country back into recovery.

As Obama acknowledged, we have some mighty challenges ahead of us, but the technology is here to move to a clean economy.

What is difficult is mustering the will to act.

The climate magazine Grist reported that the past decade was the hottest on record. Not so cool.

Without going into doom and gloom scenarios, the reality is that the earth’s temperature is increasing in a real and very tangible way.  Despite fluctuations and bizarre weather patterns in the short term, evidence is showing that overall, the temperature is going up, up, up:

Much discussion has been made of temporal, and unusual weather patterns, but Grist reports that there’s much more to the story than that:

These natural cycles alone, however, fail to explain the temperature patterns of the last decade. While the strongest El Niño of the century pushed 1998 temperatures up to their then-record high, temperatures in the hottest year (2005) did not receive a boost from El Niño. And 2007 was tied for second hottest year on record, despite the development of a cooling La Niña. Furthermore, while global temperatures have been climbing to record heights, incoming solar energy has in fact been declining since the beginning of the decade. In early 2009, solar activity reached its lowest level in a century.

This trend is real and continuing.  As individuals, we may not be able to implement dramatic sweeping changes in legislation or the way big business is done, but we can make changes in our lifestyle which, in aggregate, results in big changes.

Of course, ReVision Energy strongly encourages a lifestyle that moves away from fossil fuel use and towards using clean renewable energy sources.

We also encourage everything else you can do to reduce your carbon footprint – drive less, reduce your energy use, support local businesses and energy responsible businesses.

While we don’t have much of it, there is still time to offset our years of environmental neglect and move towards a renewable energy economy.  We can all stay cool together!

Receiving the Leed for Homes Innovative Project Award
Photo courtesy Bright Built Barn blog

The Bright Built Barn recently won the prestigious 2009 LEED for Homes Innovative Project Award from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The award recognizes projects, developers and home builders who have demonstrated leadership in the residential building marketplace.

Phil Kaplan from Kaplan Thompson Architects and Tedd Benson from Bensonwood went to Phoenix, Arizona to accept the award at GreenBuild, the USGBC Annual Conference, this past December.

A write-up of the event is available on the Bright Built Barn blog.

We also received this report of performance of Bright Built Barn‘s solar systems, one year later:

I’m happy to report that [BrightBuilt Barn] has exceeded all expectations.

On a subjective level, it has been a joy to live and work in – warm in the winter, cool in the summer, light and airy and lovely to look at all year round. I am also delighted to report that I have not had one minute of trouble with any of the systems – high praise indeed from a guy who hates maintenance and repair, and who has had his share of woes while living in a number of conventionally built houses over the years. The solar systems in the Barn are simple, with few moving parts, and highly reliable – so far, they just work.

BrightBuilt Barn Generated a surplus of more than 5000 KW/hrs in 2008-09

ReVision installed the solar hot water and solar power systems in this innovative, net-zero building.

In its first year, the home’s PV system generation a surplus of 5094 kilowatt-hours – or enough energy to power 5 conventional homes for a month.

Building owner Keith Collins goes on to say that “The Barn does, in fact, power my conventionally built main house (over 15 years old and no paragon of energy efficiency) which sits about 100 feet away, and has produced over 60% of that home’s electrical use.”

You can see real-time system performance of the Bright Built Barn online at brightbuiltbarn.com.

Photo credit: lsk208

Maine summers thrive with tourists from all over the world seeking to experience the pristine coastal landscape, feast on the abundance of seafood, and enjoy the historic New England culture.

The hospitality industry is an essential part of Maine’s economy. According to the Maine Planning Office “the economic impact of tourism in Maine is huge. In 2006 it generated roughly $10 billion in sales of goods and services, 140,000 jobs, and $3 billion in earnings.”

To ensure a sustainable future for the hospitality industry, lodging and restaurant owners are starting to take measures to mitigate their energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Reduced Oil Use Means Obvious ROI

For example, it takes an average of 2.4 gallons of hot water to prepare each meal served in a restaurant. Michael Boland, owner of Rupununi’s Restaurant in Bar Harbor, is using a solar hot water system to reduce oil consumption. “Our oil bill has been dramatically reduced since we put in the system,” say Boland, who subsequently had solar hot water installed at his other restaurant, Guinness & Porcelli’s.

“From an investment standpoint, solar hot water is a very wise one for restaurant owners. Usually you buy equipment and hope it lasts 5-10 years, and hope that the new piece increases efficiency enough to sort of pay its way. But with these (solar) panels, the savings have been obvious.”

Green Initiatives are Great for Marketing

Green initiatives can be a powerful marketing tool to distinguish a lodging facility or restaurant from its competition. As consumers are more aware of how their purchasing power can enact change, they are demanding that businesses they support be mindful and supportive of their environment.

Scott Cowger, owner of Maple Hill Farm B&B in Hallowell, has invested heavily in renewable energy systems to make his facility one of the first to earn recognition as an Environmental Leader in Maine.

The state Environmental Leader program certifies businesses that meet a certain criteria, i.e. energy efficient upgrades, use of non-toxic cleaning products, and the implementation of renewable energy. The Innkeepers can use the state’s Environmental Leader logo for marketing purposes and consumers seem to be taking notice.

Cowger estimates that 20 percent of his customers choose Maple Hill Farm because of the inn’s green practices. Maple Hill Farm has solar hot water, solar power and a wind turbine, all installed by ReVision Energy.

The systems have saved more than $20,000 in power costs over the past 2 years and eliminated more than 40,000 lbs. of CO2 emissions. Read more about Maine’s Environmental Leader program.

The Case for Commercial Solar Power and Solar Hot Water

ReVision Energy has put together a financial analysis for commercial solar hot water, called How Solar Hot Water Can be a Great Investment – PDF.

If you are interested to learn about how solar can be a cash flow positive investment for your facility, contact us.

Solar electric panels sit a top a home in Portland’s Back Bay area.

The Maine Renewable Energy Sources Act is important legislation designed to stimulate the rapid growth of renewable energy in Maine. Developed by the Midcoast Green Collaborative, the Act closely models Germany’s renowned ‘feed-in tariff’ law, which financially incentivizes home and business owners to install renewable energy-based power generation.

The law will require Maine’s utilities to pay a premium to residential and commercial renewable energy generators for the clean solar power that they produce. The funds to do this come from a small utility rate increase that affects all rate payers.

The price paid to clean electricity generators is locked in by a long term contract between grid operators and qualified generators such that renewable energy generators can expect a return on investment of at least 8% per year.

Germany pioneered the feed-in tariff concept in 1999, embarking the country on an incredible renewable energy growth spurt that has made it the worldwide leader in solar installations. Since implementation, the law has resulted in more than 2,000,000 renewable energy system installations and more than 239,000 new jobs. Grid reliability has also increased as a result, making the country’s incidence of blackouts the lowest in the world.

If passed, the Maine Renewable Energy Sources Act will rouse rapid growth of the state’s renewable energy economy, resulting in thousands of new jobs, reduced reliance on fossil fuel energy and greatly reduced CO2 emissions. Maine relies heavily on natural gas to produce electricity, which is part of the reason that Maine has the highest per capita CO2 emissions of all the New England states.

The Maine Renewable Energy Sources Act is currently being considered by the legislature and needs your support. Please contact your local state Senator and tell them that you want to see The Maine Renewable Energy Resources Program passed for a sustainable future.

Rhoades Building Products recently partnered with ReVision Energy
to bring renewable energy systems to the Downeast Region.
Above is a photo of the 4 kilowatt grid-tied photovoltaic array that
ReVision installed at Rhoades’ headquarters in Holden.

ReVision Energy and Rhoades Building Products formed a partnership earlier this year to offer renewable energy systems to builders, contractors and homeowners in the Downeast Maine Region.

ReVision Energy plans to open an office within Rhoades’ Holden location. The expansion into Downeast Maine is being led by co-owner Lee Landry.

Of the recent partnership Lee says “We are excited by the opportunity to merge our renewable energy expertise with Rhoades Building Products to offer the people of Downeast Maine the latest green building materials and practices. I am confident that our partnership with Rhoades Building Products will help us in our goal to transition Maine families away from fossil fuels to clean, efficient, renewable energy sources; to power our lives and heat our homes.”

More Photos from Our Commercial Solar Photo Gallery:

For more installations, see our Solar Projects Map