This 10KW solar electric array will offset nearly 5 tons of C02 emissions each year!

Featured on WGME 13 this week was ReVision’s completion of a 10KW solar power installation for the Freeport Public Library!

You can visit WGME’s website for a video showcasing the solar project, with a word from ReVision project manager Josh Baston.

This clean, renewable solar energy system will offset nearly 5 tons of C02 emissions each year. Real-time system monitoring is available so that the public can see the impact of the system.

Here are some additional pictures taken by ReVision Energy of the installation, from our photo gallery:

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!

This passive solar house in Portsmouth, New Hampshire has a 3.4 kilowatt Sun Power photovoltaic (PV) array mounted on a 40-degree pitched roof, and a Sun Power 3000 inverter.

The solar electric array generates most of home’s electricity during the course of the year, averaging about 380 kilowatt hours each month.

This solar power system is grid-tied with no moving parts and smart inverter technology that allows the import of electricity to the electric panel on overcast days or when electric load is high. In clear sunlit conditions the array will export energy out to the electric grid, and credit is banked under New Hampshire’s net metering program.

Using solar power at home not only produces clean energy reliably, it reduces the strain on the electrical grid during times of peak demand.  Since solar energy has no emissions, this system will eliminate an estimated 6,890 lbs of CO2 from the atmosphere each year!

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:

We stumbled across an incredibly useful tool that allows you to calculate the path of the sun on any given day of the year based on your latitude.

This tool, part of the The Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project (NAAP), will even give really geeky data like the sun’s altitude and azimuth, and allows you to animate the cycles of the sun!

Using the tool, we can plug in our latitude (roughly 43N here in Portland, Maine), program the day to February 15, set ourselves facing south and voila!

We have a beautiful view of what the sun is going to be doing today:

This illustrates beautifully why all we suggest for solar is a roof that is relatively unshaded from 9AM – 3PM… look at all that sun!

When we do an on-site solar evaluation, we figure out whether your house has a good orientation to capture all of this solar energy.

The solar pathfinder tool superimposes a view of the sky facing south from your house onto a guide of the sun’s arc in the sky.

Shaded areas tell us what time of day and what time of year that the sun is being blocked, so we can easily tell you whether you have ample sun or should maybe take out a tree or two.

You can also see an example of the solar potential of Maine by changing your latitude to 51 degrees N, that of Germany’s, the world leader in solar installations (see more of our discussion about Maine’s solar potential).

Look at how much lower the sun sits in the horizon!

Find this kind of thing fun? Try out the Motions of the Sun Simulator for yourself.

Also check out ClassAction, a wealth of information about the earth, sun, moon, and cosmo geared towards teaching astronomy.

For instance, they have a tool that allows you to calculate day length based on latitude and time of year.

Did you know that mid-February has as much sun as late October, and about 25% more daylight than the winter Solstice?

It only gets brighter from here!

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:

The Beachmere Inn’s solar electric system generates 5-8% of the Inn’s power needs, and solar hot water has reduced oil use by more than a third!

The Maine Innkeepers Association highlighted The Beachmere Inn in Ogunquit, a certified Maine Environmental Leader in Hospitality, in their most recent newsletter.

The Innkeepers Association also recognized that the inn has been independently family owned and operated for the past 72 years.

We featured The Beachmere Inn last May, when we noted how Beachmere took their green initiatives to the next level by installing 3 active solar hot water systems and a 5 kilowatt solar electric system

In the first two months of service, the solar hot water systems reduced oil consumption by 34%. Their solar hot water systems supply hot water for a 32-room main building and generate domestic hot water in employee housing buildings

The 5kW solar electric system covers 5-8% of the Inn’s total demand. According to their website, by mid 2009 more than 7,800 KW kilowatt hours of clean electricity have been produced by the solar array, eliminating 13,100 lbs of CO2.

Here’s a summary of the energy saving measures that The Beachmere Inn reports on their website:

• Solar Panels have been installed for Thermal Hot water for over 32 rooms as well as in our employee housing building.
• Solar Photovoltaic Panels have been installed for production of 5 – 8% of our energy needs.
• As of June 24, 2009 over 7,800 KW has been produced by solar power a savings of 13,100 Lbs. of Co2.
• Compact Fluorescent bulbs will be in used in all lighting
• Cold water laundry processes are being used to save electricity by eliminating the need to heat hot water for the laundry systems through Ozone technology.
• Energy star appliances are chosen first for any appliance replacement
• High efficiency heating & cooling units were installed in 2008 for Beachmere West
• Additional insulation was installed in the exterior walls and ceiling for better building envelope efficiency in Beachmere West.
• In 2007 we installed efficient, timed irrigation for the lawn and drip irrigation for our planting beds, in 2008 that effort has continued.
• High efficiency Low E Eagle windows are installed in Beachmere West (2008) and were used for all the window & door replacement at Beachmere South (2008) and in the Victorian (2000 – on going).
• Since 2000 we have been replacing old inefficient oil burners with Buderus boilers in the Victorian, South and West buildings.

In addition to their commitment to reducing energy and using energy from clean, renewable sources, The Beachmere Inn has a host of green administrative, cleaning, and building practices.

The Maine Environmental Leader in Hospitality distinction recognizes all of these efforts, and in fact, The Beachmere Inn has “one of the highest totals in certification scoring points.”

Sarah Diment, owner at The Beachmere Inn, feels, “It’s important to take steps towards environmental efficiencies as a smart business move. We know by becoming ‘greener’ we have a direct impact on bettering our environment. Our guests appreciate our efforts and implement some of what they see here in their homes.”

Visit the Maine DEP website to learn more about Maine’s Environmental Leader program, or call 1-800-789-9802.

Congratulations again, Beachmere!

Wind energy works in certain regions of Maine, but most homeowners are better off with solar power
Photos courtesy of Blueberry

Last week, our friends at the Shelter Institute posted a report from two of their Small Housebuilding Class graduates.

James and Kim wrote about a small-scale wind project they have recently finished on one of the islands off of Friendship in Muscongus Bay, Maine.

Not only is their story fascinating and impressive, but they make some serious and thoughtful analysis of how wind compares to solar power as a renewable energy.

They remark that while their wind system is performing as expected, for most people they think solar is a better option:

I think the main lesson we have learned (and would like to pass along to others) is that PV panels (solar panels) are much more cost effective as a means of autonomous energy production than wind, unless the wind site is very unique … We did our own informal wind survey and felt fairly confident we’d get at least 1 kWh of production daily in the winter months (but only when the prevailing winds shifted to northerlies), and we’ve met that. However, many people we’ve spoken to have mistakenly used turbine specs rather than an integrated formula for wind speed and time to calculate what they will generate, only to be disappointed in the small amount of energy they actually are able to produce.

… So, for the biggest green generation bang, we recommend solar panels. Compared to wind, the sun is ubiquitous. Our situation is unique in that we know we’ll get wind when the sun isn’t out in the winter, so the wind project fills in a gap in our ability to generate power year round, and we have no other means of getting non-fossil power out here. An alternative would have been to double our solar PV bank and add batteries to our current 2,000 pound battery bank, storing excess energy on sunny days for those days when we have wind without sun.

We have to agree – while wind energy has great potential under the right circumstances, most homes are built on poor sites for wind while solar power is available anywhere the sun shines.

If you’re curious as to whether your home or business has potential for harvesting solar energy, ReVision offers a free solar site evaluation.

A complete write-up of their experience with both wind and solar is up on the Shelter Institute blog – there are also some great photos on Picasa.

We want to thank the Shelter Institute again for sharing this inspiring story!