This 3.4KW clean, renewable solar energy system will offset 3.5 tons of C02 emissions annually

In an effort to reduce fossil fuel dependence and CO2 emissions, Marc and Michele Sopher decided to install a Geothermal heating system and a grid-tied photovoltaic array in their new home.

The four-ton, ground source geothermal heat pump uses naturally stable underground temperatures to produce heat at relatively high efficiency, compared to resistive electric heating. But as a “renewable” technology this large heat pump is only as green as the considerable amount of electricity that is needed to power its pump and compressor.

The Sophers were aware of this tradeoff while designing their home, and made the conscious decision to use solar electricity (photovoltaics) to help power the geothermal system.

This dual renewable approach should result in a near ‘net zero’ CO2 household—how close will not be known until after a year or two of data collection to see if the grid-tied solar system is large enough to meet the geothermal systems’ power demand.

In addition to renewable energy systems, the home features modern building materials that are efficient, of sustainable origin, and non-toxic. Uncommonly high insulation levels of R60 in the ceilings and R40 walls help insure minimum heat escapes during the cold New England winter.

Pat Coon and Will Kessler of ReVision Energy were consulted by the Sophers to determine the best use of the house’s excellent southern exposure. “We took a look at their system design and it made economic and environmental sense. With the geothermal pump’s electric load, solar PV is the ideal solution,” says Kessler.

The system consists of eighteen Evergreen Solar photovoltaic panels and will produce around 380 kWh monthly, with an annual CO2 savings of around 7,000 lbs.

The recently installed solar system qualifies for an uncapped 30% federal tax credit and the $6,000 state rebate offered by the New Hampshire Public Utility Commission.

In order to track the gross renewable power generated on site, ReVision Energy installed a separate meter adjacent to the DC/AC inverter. PSNH’s primary meter is bi-directional, so when the panel’s electric production exceeds demand, the extra kilowatt-hours are banked under the NH Net Metering Program.

“It is very gratifying to see the meter outside spinning backward!” said Michele Sopher.

From our Residential Solar Photo Gallery:

For more installations, see our Solar Projects Map

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.

This solar hot water system will save an estimated 175 gallons of propane and 2,500 lbs of CO2 emissions annually.

Dr. Barry Rock has grandkids, as well a first hand knowledge of forest ecosystems as seen from space.  One of his areas of expertise at UNH-Durham is the factors contributing to the changing climate and the effects of atmospheric CO2 pollution.

ReVision employee and NH branch manager Will Kessler recalls lectures at the university that had descriptions of the “atmospheric sewer” produced by the SO2 and NO2 emissions of the mid-twentieth century, and vivid accounts of NASA’s first missions using satellite imaging to map the chemistry of forest canopies from above.

Dr. Rock and his wife Gerrie have shown their commitment to the environment by adding an evacuated tube solar hot water system to their house.  By only calling on the propane boiler for rare backup water heating, the system is estimated to save about 175 gallons of propane, and roughly 2,500 lbs of CO2 annually.

For more installations, see our Solar Projects Map

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!

We put a lot of effort into ensuring our systems will operate trouble-free in New England winters for 20+ years, which is no small feat!  Exceptional manufacturers help make this a reality.

We recently learned that one of the manufacturers we use for solar electric panels, Canadian Solar, received some of the highest rankings in PV USA (PTC) rankings.

These rankings, required by the State of California, exhaustively test module performance in laboratory settings and are required for a module to be eligible for California’s solar financial incentives.

Five of Canadian Solar’s solar module series, the CS6P- 220P, 225P, 230P, CS5P-240M and CS5A-180M obtained rankings that were near the top of all of those tested.

You can read Canadian Solar’s official statement, or see the full listing of PTC rankings and requirements.

Here are some pictures of recent installations that use Canadian Solar panels:

ReVision’s New Hampshire branch manager, Will Kessler, recently captured this piece of stop motion footage which shows you the process of a solar hot water system and solar electric system coming together on a house in Eliot, Maine!

Watch for the photovoltaic (PV) panels coming in along the top – the solar hot water system consists of the tubes below.

This system will save nearly 300,000 lbs of C02 emissions during its first 30-years of service life.

In addition to not burning oil in over a year, this house now generates 4.4 KW of grid-tied solar power!

This past week ReVision Energy installed a 4.4 kw grid tied photovoltaic system on a customer’s home in New Durham, New Hampshire.

The solar power array, comprised of 21 Sunpower modules, uses a Sunframe rail system which eliminates gaps between the panels and leaves a beautiful finish on the rooftop.

This customer already has in place a wood boiler and a flat plate solar hot water system. The solar electric array we installed completes his full suite of renewable energy systems.

He says he burns about 4 cords of wood a year and has not used any oil in well over a year!

More Images From Our Photo Gallery:

Wall Street Journal journalist Gwendolyn Bounds wrote a story on solar hot water for homeowners – what the technology is like, how it works, and the quite impressive economics of investing in solar hot water.

Rather than tackling the environmental benefits of drastically reducing your oil consumption (since in many homes, a solar hot water system can eliminate boiler usage during summertime), the article focused on the great economic incentives for installing solar hot water.

In Maine, these incentives include a $1000 rebate from Efficiency Maine, as well as a 30% tax credit offered by the federal government.

This economics over environment approach is increasingly common – indeed, it’s consistent with the approach Obama took in the State of the Union – and seems to be steering the minds even of those still skeptical of global warming.

Bounds writes:

In the average home, harnessing the sun’s free energy for daily hot-water needs can be a more practical and affordable bet [than solar electricity]. Water-heating is the third-largest energy expense in most households, after space heating and air-conditioning, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. This year, Hawaii began mandating solar water heaters in most new homes, and cold-weather locales such as New York and Colorado are among the state leaders in installations.

A misconception in Maine is that it is too cold for solar, a fact that is totally untrue! In fact, Maine is far sunnier than Germany, the world-leader in solar installations. Today, a gray January day in Maine, our solar hot water tank at the shop reads a toasty 138 degrees.

Whether your motivations are environmentally or economically driven (or better yet, both!) we appreciate the Wall Street Journal’s efforts in presenting the facts about solar hot water to homeowners.

If you’d like some more information on the technology for yourself, take a look at our solar hot water page or contact us to talk about a free site evaluation at your home or business.