Solar and wind energy system design/sales

SUNWINDCONCEPTS.US

INCENTIVES AND SECRETS for ECONOMIC VIABILITY

INCENTIVES NOW IN PLACE:

(Note.. Some of these incentives apply to WA state and/or nationwide. Check www.dsireusa.org for incentives in your state.)

1) LOCK-IN YOUR FUTURE ENERGY PRICES BY INSTALLING YOUR OWN SYSTEMS THEREBY GUARANTEEING YOUR ENERGY COST IN THE FUTURE! HELP YOURSELF AND THE U.S. TO BECOME LESS RELIANT ON FOSSIL FUELS!

2) NO SALES TAX IN WA FOR SOLAR AND WIND SYSTEMS 200 WATTS AND UP (to 25 kiloWatts)! There is no sales tax for systems and components sent to other states (in 98% of transactions).

3) INTEREST ON HOME LOANS -- NEW AND REFINANCE -- IS DEDUCTIBLE! CURRENT INTEREST RATES ON HOME FINANCING ARE VERY LOW.

4) WASHINGTON AND MANY OTHER STATES HAVE NET METERING LAWS THAT REQUIRE THE UTILITY TO GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR ENERGY YOU PRODUCE IF YOU HAVE A GRID-INTERTIE SYSTEM -- in Washington, for systems up to 25 kW net metering applies. The average rate for power is about 8 cents per kW hour. This means that for every kW hour your system produces, you receive 8 cents credit, resulting in a reduction in your electric bill, up to the total amount, but not in excess of your annual bill. Excess energy produced during summer months may be credited for you use in deficit months. Your system must be inspected by the local or state electrical permit department and you must sign an agreement with your utility. Call them for a copy of this agreement.

THE GREEN TAG PURCHASE PROGRAM Cascade Solar Consulting is purchasing renewable energy power at 2 cents per kW hour, combined with the 8 cents net metering credit, this amounts to about 5 cents per kW hour. This is enough to you give you a needed boost in purchasing your system. NREC will sign a contract with you (for 5 years) after your grid interactive system has been installed and inspected. A power meter is required and is now a 'built-in' feature for many inverters. We also sell these at very low cost and many utilities are now installing a special digital meter at no charge. This incentive is provided to encourage installation of renewable energy systems to reduce fossil fuel emissions. The bulk of this incentive is paid for by Green Tag power purchases made by commited power users. It does not matter if you consume 100% of this power as it is clean power that displaces the production of fossil fuel energy.

5) SOME UTILITIES provide a customer assistance purchase assistance programs. These can provide $500 to $600 per kilowatt of installed system capacity. Call them or visit their web-site for details. Additionally, many utilities encourage replacement of high energy consumption appliances, poor insulation and weather seals. Often they will assist in the improvement of your home's energy efficiency by providing low cost financing for these needs. This places the customer in a better position to purchase solar by reducing energy requirements -- thus, the size of the renewable energy system can be reduced.

6) OFF GRID UL Approved SYSTEMS CAN QUALIFY FOR BUY DOWN PROGRAM. Off-grid systems offset carbon emissions.. This program is available through the Dept. of Energy and is administered by WSU. The main qualifier is that the cost of a new utility line extension would exceed the cost of the system. For a description and application form at www.energy.wsu.edu

7) RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS INCENTIVES AVAILABLE FOR SOLAR ELECTRIC AND SOLAR THERMAL: Currently a tax credit of 30% or up to $2,000 in the year of installation is available. An additional $1,000 or $2,000 credit is available as an energy efficient home credit. See IRS forms f8908 and f5695. Check with your tax consultant for applicable credits available for the current year.

8) WASHINGTON STATE SENATE BILL 5101 (passed!) Provides a utility "feed in" incentive, a utility credit of 15 cents per KW Hour payable by the utility! Payable by check from the utility once per year. See your electric utility for further information on their specific program and an application.

BUSINESS

There is a federal tax incentive called the "Energy Credit" that allows businesses to take a 15% credit for their renewable energy equipment (solar electric, solar thermal, and wind powered systems).

You may also be able to qualify for the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) to recover investments in solar and wind systems through depreciation. It is possible to write off a large portion or all of the systems' cost (off taxable income) over the first five years. Have your accountant look into the applicable potential for your business.

There is also an energy production credit available for businesses that produce their own power. The qualifications for this program are strict so see your tax consultant.

Business tax deductions of 30% are available for solar hot water, heating, wind and solar PV

See your tax consultant.. specific conditions must be met to qualify for these credits.

Looking in our crystall ball and NOT far into the future, most homes and residences will have integrated and planned energy systems. These will be designed to take advantage of natural solar heat and light. They will be able to store heat in the mass of their walls and floors. Hot water will be provided by panels that have glass covers with black radiation absorbant metal panels just below the glass. When the sun strikes the panel it will heat the water or an intermediary fluid that will transfer the heat to your hot water tank. Homes will store and conserve heat, cold, and electrical energy! They will be warm, airy, bright and economical to maintain.

Forward looking architects and solar designers already have these homes! There is no reason you have to settle for less! The cost of these systems can amount to a significant percentage of the home's cost, however, energy efficient design and forethought for energy conservation make it possible to install systems at a small percentage over conventional construction, especially when amortized energy savings are factored in. Passive heating design can cost only slightly more than conventional construction. Photovoltaic and wind electric systems are much lower in cost and more reliable than they were a few decades ago and they can be financed into the cost of the home.

Many people are retrofitting their homes. Sometimes the cost of replacing a home is very high due to appreciating land and overall real estate values. It is possible to incorporate these new systems into your remodel or retrofit.

It is possible to reduce your heating energy costs by installing solar thermal heating panels or by implementing passive solar heating to supplement your heating sources. These systems come in a great variety of types and sizes. They can be panels that attach to your roof or windows or they can be an architectural remodel that employ adding a solar collection extension, solarium, or sun room to your home. This can be effective even in rainy climates like Puget Sound. We can custom build these systems or supply kits for the homeowner or contractor. If you have an 'all electric home' or prefer not to use propane, natural gas or wood heat, you can implement geothermal as a much lower operating cost alternative to a standard electric furnace. This heating system can automatically turn on when solar resources are low, during long cold and wintery periods. We can supply a solar thermal system to augment your hot water system and your heating system.

SECRETS TO ECONOMIC VIABILITY ARE ALSO YOUR KEYS TO ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.

Simply put, the less power you consume, the less will be the cost of your renewable energy system. A major secret is to revamp your energy consumption patterns and systems to reduce your consumption AND install a renewable energy system!: Reduce your electrical energy requirements through a serious energy conservation and conversion plan and work toward a goal of partial or total energy independence. In the case of new home construction, an unprecidented opportunity is presented to 'do it right' the first time -- by implementing the most efficient appliances and by the proper application of solar architecture, power and heating systems. It is HIGHLY advisable that a solar electric and solar thermal heating systems designer be consulted prior to plan approval!

Most existing homes are furnished with appliances, hot water, heating and lighting systems that consume far too much energy and many use the wrong type of energy! We can provide alternatives to many of these energy wasting systems and appliances. Most of our products are made specifically for renewable energy applications. There are homes today that consume as few as 300 kW hours of electricity per month! This has been achieved by using natural gas, propane and/or solar thermal (or other energy source) as an alternative or in conjunction with existing sources for HEATING REQUIREMENTS: Heating a home; heating hot water; clothes drying and range type cooking requirements (microwaves ARE energy efficient devices) -- should be met or at least, supplemented by 'other than electric means,' preferably solar thermal! When shoping for appliances, hot water and heating systems, it pays to shop around! Compare the Dept. of Energy "Energy Star Ratings," as an Amp or two or few watts difference in consumption can add up to hundreds of dollars a year in your electric bill!

Geothermal earth pumps are preferable to air type heat pumps which draw considerable electric power. A heat pump's operating cost can be reduced by photovoltaic and wind energy. Its heating capacity can be greatly increased by adding solar thermal panels and hot water storage tanks. Geothermal energy can save many dollars as compared to an electric furnace, but remember that compressor pumps must run on electricity. Therefore, the most savings in heating costs can be achieved with a properly designed solar thermal heating system to supplement a gas or geothermal heating system.

Solar augmentation of a gas furnace or gas hot water heater -- particularly the instant hot water type -- can provide a very efficient heat source. Natural gas and propane are increasing in cost as well as is electricity so it makes a lot of sense to invest in a solar thermal heating system. Pre-heating water by the use of solar hot water panels and feeding it into the input of a hot water system (that provides heat and domestic hot water) can be a VERY effective way to reduce your heating bill. There is an up-front cost, but the long-term savings is significant -- even in rainy climates. Studies have proven that solar hot water and heating are the most cost effective of solar technologies in terms of your return on dollars spent.

Refrigerated air conditioning can be run on PV if the PV system is large enough. We also have a washing machine available that uses only 1/3 the water and 1/3 the energy of a conventional washing machine (ask for specific information). We have PhotoVoltaic powered evaporative air conditioners available (for use in dry climate areas).

Hot water for a home can consume 30% or more of a home's energy needs. Heating can consume 40 to 50% or more!

See the U.S. Department of Energy's site for saving energy. This site will allow you to evaluate your energy consumption methods and make a lot of suggestions to make renewable energy possible.

http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=EDG1420

Other examples of Sun/Wind Solutions for providing heating sources:

Solar Hot Air Collectors that connect to your south facing windows

Solar Hot Air Collection additions or chambers that connect to the south dimension or are separate from your home

Solar Roof Mount or Ground Mount Hot Water Collectors and Optional Storage Tanks

COOL ENERGY SAVING TIPS:

Many refrigerators, even new ones, pull heat out of the freezing compartment and dispose of this heat by radiating it into a warm room. Heat radiates more efficiently from a hot radiating source -- through its condenser coil -- into a cool or cold air space than from a hot condenser coil into a warm air space. If you live in a cool climate, or have a cool garage or carport, you can greatly reduce the operating cost of your refrigerators or freezers by putting them in a shaded cool area, such as under a carport where cool breezes can more readily dispose of the heat. A cool garage can be a good place too, and the heat produced can assist in augmenting the heat for this space. Garages that don't freeze or a non-freezing room (important for refrigerators) as you don't want to freeze your refrigerated food.

Additionally, you can reduce the energy consumption of these appliances by attaching Formular or foil covered polyisoanurate insulation to the exterior of the appliance, along the edge of the flat refrigerator surfaces with a non-permanent or easily removeable glue (test the glue first -- some glues will melt foam insulation). If the appliance is recessed into a wall this additonal insulation can be un-noticed if properly installed. The appearance of the front doors will not have to be altered. These panels can produce a thermal resistance value of R10 for 2" of Formular or 1" of poly, and they can greatly reduce the run-time of your compressor.

And, did you know that there is a low cost microprocessor based Energy Smart "Power Planner," available -- a device that you can plug into your wall outlet and then plug in your refrigerator into? This device claims energy savings of up to 20% by adjusting the power required by your motor to the exact power required, and it is only $35 or less (available at Costco). This device works to save energy on washing machines as well as the motor (motor only, do not connect to the heating coils) on a dryer (wiring modification required on dryers).

Keeping the condenser coils on refrigerators and freezers clean and free of dust will also assist in maintaining the radiation capacity for refrigerators and freezers -- thus reducing run-time.

While carefully measuring the power consumption in our home one recent day, I found that excess energy was being consumed in unknown places. Where could this energy be going? Upon careful tracing, I found a number of Phantom Loads. Some of these were insignificant. Others were quite wasteful. Here is what I found:

Portable phones and cell phones: Chargers and radio electronics present minor loads. While these are usually insignificant, they are, nonetheless present.

These generally (but not always) use only a few watts.

Fax Machine: This is another load that is insignificant and perhaps necessary, but nonetheless present.

Televisions, VCR's and Satellite Systems, Others: There is a lot that manufacturers could do here to improve this situtation. We found 3 TV's that consumed a total of 37.5 Watts (CONTINUOUSLY!!) even with the TV's OFF! This can consume 24 hours X 37.5 = 900 Watt hours per day! Over a month 30 days X 900 = 27,000 Watt hours per month or 27 kiloWatt hours per month. This is due to the fact that portions of the circuitry must remain on continuously to maintain active channel programming and to keep the remote control functions active. We plugged these TV's into wall outlets that were intended for living room and bedroom lights -- these outlets are switched at the wall. That way, we can turn the sets completely off. You can also purchase an extension cord with a line switch included to serve this function. (Yes, one set autoprograms when we turn it on -- that's o.k. We are able to bypass it by punching in the channel number we want.) Autoprograming generally takes less than a minute.. (This is a gross waste of national energy!!! )

Our VCR and Satellite system don't consume much, but we also included them in the outlet as it is NOT necessary that they be on all the time ! Battery clocks not only save a small amount of energy, but we always know what time it is.

Lights: If you havn't already replaced your incandescant lights with the newer energy saving fluorescent 'U' and spiral shaped light bulbs -- DO YOURSELF AN ENORMOUS FAVOR! Many utilities now offer coupons toward their purchase. If they don't, they certainly should be doing so. They are worth the purchase price even without this incentive. We paid only $2 for the 25 to 60 Watt equivalent size and $4 for the 100 Watt equivalent with our utility coupons! Seems like I find a new one each week that I didn't know existed! A bundle to be saved here! The 100 Watt equivalent consumes only 27 Watts and all those bulbs, if replaced, will save you a bundle and can pay for themselves the first year!

I recently visited an attorney's office and conducted an energy survey for a PhotoVoltaic system. He had about 30 INCANDESCENT FLOOD LAMPS all rated at 75 Watts each... 30 X 75 = 2,250 Watts of continuous load!!! Replacement of these lamps with energy saving fluorescent units resulted as follows: 30 lamps NOW at 20 Watts each = 600 Watts. A savings of 1,650 Watts!! 1.65 kW X 24 hours = 39.6 kW hours per day X 30 days = 1,188 kW hours per month savings! (Enough energy to power nearly 3 energy conservative homes that consume 400 kW hours per month!!!!! If he installed some Solatubes or SunTunnel natural sun lights, he wouldn't need to run many lamps at all during daylight hours!

One of the benefits of the computer age is the Light Emitting Diode, or the LED. These lamps are becoming more powerful and are by far the most efficient. We now have lamps available for 12 Volt operation that run on 0.7 Watts of power. That is correct! Less than 1 Watt and lasts 100,000 hours! This product will soon be available in 120 Volts AC for common household use.... keep your eyes open for the availability of this product.

Components, system prices and product availability are subject to change without notice. Once your order is acknowledged and accepted the price is then firm.

All contents of this web site are copyrighted except where specific pages are exempted. Copying, reproducing, reformatting or distribution by any means including photographic or electronic reproduction is prohibited, other than as per the guidelines provided: One printed copy for non-commercial 'personal use only' or copies for 'educational purposes' within a bonified educational institution is permitted. All other reproduction must be pre-approved in writing by Sun/Wind Concepts or Tom W. Rentz.

Copyright March 8, 2005 by

Tom W. Rentz/SunWind Concepts

Camano Island, Washington, USA