SOLAR ELECTRICITY now operates our home and home office in Arlington, VA.
Exec. Summary: Dan Redmond and Margaret McGilvray's home and home office is now powered by energy from the Sun! Margaret telecommutes from our home office for her consulting work with IBM, and Dan is an architectural photographer, producing his images from the computers in the home.
Our home incorporates a 2.7kWh grid-tied solar electricity system, recycled cotton insulation, solar oven, rain barrels, all EnergyStar appliances, Breezecatcher clothes dryer and electric lawn mowing. Besides the Federal tax credit for renewable energy systems, details for Maryland, DC and Virginia solar incentives are given. We share our learning process in reducing our energy needs and becoming a "micro-energy" power production company in our neighborhood. Our young children have learned about renewable energy, conservation and energy production during this journey with us.
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Welcome to Our Journey in Alternative Energy.
The following page chronicles our familys' mantra of "finding new ways to do the same thing". Over the past 5 years I have been interested in changing the way our family uses, and now produces the energy we need for our daily lives.
Our home after Solar Electric addition to
front roof, April 2007My son and I began playing with his $10 solar power experiment kit one sunny morning about 2 years ago. It amazed me that this tiny, 2" square of photo-voltaic (PV) panel could actually make the little fan move! Having a degree in Architecture, I had knowledge of solar energy, but never really had it on my personal list of things to pursue. During the same time it became apparent to me that our lifestyle had become dependent upon oil that we do not have and can't control. The coal and nuclear power industry began their marketing campaigns in earnest about that time. I came across an alternative energy website, www.renewableenergyaccess.com that has an alternate version of our life on this planet. This version of our life has quiet energy production. Solar energy does not produce noise, smoke, war or nuclear waste. Mixing solar energy during the day with wind energy at night can lighten loads on our aged electrical grid. Solar energy will not solve the world's energy needs, but it is bringing new sources of power into the energy equation.
It is in our nation' best interest to find new ways of producing and using power for a variety of reasons; decentralized solar power reduces the need to transport fuel, (i.e., coal, oil and electricity from long distances.) It is important for the United States to become the world leader in promoting these technologies into our lifestyle; reducing our dependency on foreign oil and nuclear energy.(who, really wants a reactor in their backyard?) This technology is bringing new jobs to the manufacturing sector - places that have lost jobs to foreign competition can again flourish with alternative energy equipment production.
What we did
We began our quest to simply reduce our energy bill.
Our first step was to replace all light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps. A 4-pack of 13W bulbs (60 Watt equivalent) at Home Depot is now about $10. There are now bulbs of every size and shape available for all kinds of uses. These lamps produce less heat that traditional bulbs, which also helps reduce the cooling load on our home. These bulbs use about 75% less energy that comparable incandescent bulbs, a technology that has been around past its' time.
The next step was to replace one major appliance per year. Doing this would spread the cost out over time, a bit. Replacing our appliances was already an easy decision because they were at the end of their life expectancy anyway. We purchased Kenmore Energy Star dishwasher and refrigerator in year one and two. The third year we purchased the Horizontal-load Siemens washing machine, which uses the Bosch name now.
Year 3 is when I began reading Home Power magazine; learning that many people have found another way to do the same thing, only better. People all over the country with different levels of education and income have made the switch to solar energy. I learned that this powerful technology was much greater than a science experiment kit. Solar electricity is not an experiment. Installed PV systems WILL produce a certain amount of electricity that is easy to calculate.
PV energy production is not new, and is not experimental. Edward Weston patented the first solar cell in 1888! Modern PV cell production began in the 1950s, demonstrating a long track-record of success in the space program, as well as here on Earth. People are sometimes surprised to understand the vast growth of the PV industry in the past 2 decades. Because many PV installations are on the BACK of homes, you would not know that a home is powered by the sun.
The Solar Decathlon of 2005 was held on the National Mall on a rainy week in October. Even with little sunshine, over a dozen colleges from throughout the world were able to operate their custom designed solar homes - including a small electric car. I began researching solar power in earnest after this event. In the same month, the SolarTour.org organized open-houses throughout the DC metro area. I drove my family, (to their chagrin!) to almost a dozen of these solar electricity homes in the DC area that weekend. Another event in October is the Washington DC Green Festival. Three of the largest area Solar Energy Companies had booths at this event, and I made a point of visiting them all. Each is located in Maryland, which provides additional incentives to homeowners above the Federal Tax Credit. Solar Energy is attracting business to states that provide tax incentives to this expensive homeowner investment.
In April of 2007, our system was installed by StandardSolar.com These guys really know their stuff! People in the solar energy are passionate about their work, and Standard Solar employees are great examples of that dedication. My advice is to let the professionals install your system. Yes, it will cost more, and yes, you can probably put the panels up yourself. But, in my opinion, it is in Solar Energy's best interest to hire professionals, enabling this industry to prosper further.
Specifications of our system:
2.7kWh SunPower Solar electric PV SunPowercorp.com
(12) - 215 W SunPower SPR-215-BLK modules on the roof
SPR-3300x Inverter in the basement
SunPower remote system monitor This enables us to view performance of the system from a
small box in our living room. This monitor tells us: watts produced at that moment, kWh total production, total $ savings, carbon offset in pounds
This system is "grid-tied", so we do not save any electricity to batteries. Excess electricity during the daylight hours is sent back to the grid to help power our neighborhood. Our inverter records this savings into the grid much like a deposit into the bank. When the sun is not shining, our inverter draws power back into the house from the grid; similar to withdrawing some savings out of the bank.
Because our home is tied to the grid, if the power goes out, we also lose power. No PV system will run that is grid-tied, from my understanding, unless it has batteries for back-up. At the end of the month, the difference is calculated between the power we generate and the total power we actually use. That amount is what now makes up our electrical bill, which is now about $10 per month for the next 20-30 years.
remote monitor with "real time" system output
DC power comes into the house from thePV modules through the cable
in the far right of this picture. The inverter switches the power
to AC, synchronizes the power to the grid, and sends it into the
panel box at the left hand side of the picture. Note the Solar DC
disconnect box in the middle of the picture. The PV system can be
turned off of the grid if necessary. An additional disconnect box
is located outside the house forDominion Power to disconnect the PV from the grid if necessary.
Reasons: Our responsibility as the wealthiest nation to do this. Regain lost ground in adopting new technologies of the next generation. Enable a new reduce dependence on coal, reduce need for high-power electrical lines and nuclear power. Solar energy can produce manufacturing, research and installation jobs here in the United States, enabling entirely new professions not yet even known. Our world has moved from burning wood to coal to oil within the last 100 years. The ability to move to another source of energy is easy to conceive in our lifetime. Solar electric systems have developed and are working successfully in many parts of the world. Germany and Japan are leaders in the solar economy because they have no coal and oil; these are countries that are totally dependent upon foreign nations for their energy sources. Germany has a massive solar energy credit program that has enabled new businesses to grow in solar and wind energy production. the government of Germany has made alternative energy a priority in meeting their citizen's energy needs through programs that enable alternative energy to meet 15% of their electrical needs.
We have not replaced our 80 year old windows yet. Doing so would reduce our air conditioning and heating needs. Unfortunately, our 1925 home requires custom-sized window replacements. Our home has large windows that limit the need for artificial lighting during the day, but their large size also makes replacing them very expensive. Besides, we really like the wavy patterns moving throughout our sunlit home that old windows produce.
Costs:
There are many ways people can calculate the "payback" of a solar electric system. Here in Virginia, where coal is abundant and produces most of the electricity needed for our homes, we pay little for the electricity we use. "Cheap" power makes the traditional "payback" calculations take many years to workout. Of course, the cost of electricity WILL go up as coal is needed to run our cars in the future. (coal-to-oil liquefication process.) (Having grown up near a West Virginia coal town, I won't even get into the black-lung and gasses produced by mining and burning coal.)
Anyway, let's say that our system costs us $25K. Our average monthly power bill was previously $100. $100x 12 months= $1200. 1200/25000 = 4.8% min. return, non taxed for the next 20 years, minimum. OK, so we are not making a huge return on investment, but it DOES provide a stable place to park cash for a small percentage of an investment portfolio - equivalent to a conservative bond fund return. AND, so far, the sun always rises; which is a stable and reliable investment platform! For the next 20-30 years of peak power production, our roof will produce a large portion of the power we need for our home.
costs $27,700- $2,000 Federal Credit. Virginia does not have further grant program. System is exempt from sales and property tax in Virginia. Outlined below are current grants offered by Maryland and DC in addition to the Federal Grant.
If our system were installed in Maryland:
The grants are for up to 20 percent of a system’s cost with a maximum value of:
$2,000 for solar water heating grants;
$3,000 for residential photovoltaic solar grants; and
$5,000 for nonresidential photovoltaic solar grants.
If our system were installed in Washington, DC
Up to 50% of cost of system can be applied for through the D.C. Reliable Energy Trust Fund
Here is our electrical bill over the past 12 months, in kWh:
April, 2007 is when our PV system went on-line.
Month 2006 2007 % reduced
April 570 128 -77%
May 479 158 -67%
June 520 178 -65.7%
July 1446 674 -54% air conditioning load, it was HOT! begin all clothes drying on outside line
August 1586 688 -57% air conditioning load, Hot again! new Energy Star Carrier air conditioner unit installed
September795
October 718
November 338
December 498
January 989
February 883
March 587
Maintenance:
None! This is something that is pretty nifty. While we were away recently on vacation, our home kept producing power while we were away, sending it back to the grid to power our neighbors' homes, and credit our Virginia Power account. The system starts automatically every morning at sunrise, going off-line at dusk. There are no moving parts, which enables the components to have very long warrantee periods, 10 years on the inverter and 20 on the modules. During pollen season, as well as construction on homes nearby, I have used the garden hose to rinse off the modules. The modules are most efficient when clean.
What I would have done differently
The front roof of our home faces West, so our PV system works predominately in the afternoon. Our east-facing rear roof is completely shaded by large trees, so that would not work. We would gain at least 10% in system efficiency if our modules faced South. We knew this fact going into the project, but I did not appreciate the need for the sun to be perpendicular to the modules for the most number of hours to perform at peak. While we can't move the direction of our home, a system of equivalent cost facing more southward will produce more electricity.
Solar oven
For the past two years, I have been doing lots of cooking in our sun oven. I started with simple things- cornbread, brownies and such. Soon I was cooking whole chicken, potato and rice dishes and pot roasts. Having the oven in the backyard prevents the kitchen from getting too hot in the summer as well as reducing our Washington Gas bill for the indoor oven. As long as the sun is shining, it is good weather for solar oven cooking. A cloudy day in the summer is actually a worse day for solar cooking than a sunny day in winter. I cook year around with our solar oven that often reaches 300 degrees F. Again, it is fun for the boys to see something done in a different way. There are several Solar oven manufacturers. The oven we have is at www.Sunoven.com.
Rainbarrel
We seem to use lots of water! Our water bill keeps creeping higher every month. I have added one 80 gallon rainbarrel in our backyard, which can fill up in just a 30 minute rainstorm. A long hose is attached from the spigot at the bottom to the vegetable garden in the back of the yard. The water barrel does not give enough pressure to use with a hose to wash a car, lets say, but it is fine for soaking new landscaping or gardens.
Aaron's Rain Barrels
Electric lawn mower
The past 4 summers I have been using an electric lawn mower to cut our 1/4 acre grass. It is quiet, virtually maintenance free, and doesn't need gas! I have a Black and Decker corded model with 150' of 12 gauge electrical cord. A water hose reel is used to store the cord when not in use. This mower does not require gas, oil or oil changes, filters, and because it is made of hard recyclable plastic, will not rust. I can also run it in early morning because it is only about 1/2 as loud as a gas mower. In retrospect, I would buy a more expensive rechargeable electric mower to eliminate the need for the cord. At the time, the cordless models did not imply that they could cut 1/4 acre of grass at a time, so I opted for the corded model. I think the newer version cordless models would do just fine. Once you get the hang of mowing with the cord, though, it doesn't take any longer than a gas mower, but without the noise and exhaust.
Blue jean insulation
Home Power magazine did a cover story about a year ago about this nifty insulation that is made with recyled cotton, called UltraTouch. 5 1/ 2 inches wide gives a R-19 value. No gloves or masks needed for installation! I feel good about having installed this insulation in our home. 3/4 of the main floor area was covered for about $300, with me installing it. Because it is stretchy, it can be pushed up between joists and stays in place without staples or nails. A cinch to install. More information and local distributors can be found at BondedLogic.com
Our boys relaxing on recycled cotton insulation. Don't do this with
your pink insulation!Breezecatcher clothes dryer
We just installed this rotating clothes line. It has been a pleasure to use. Because it rotates, you simply stand in one place to hang the laundry, and rotate the clothesline as it gets full. No need to drag the hamper of wet clothes around as you hang. I installed this behind the garage in an area that our neighbors can't see easily. www.Breezecatcher.com
Plug-In Hybrid for 5 year olds!
On a trip about 3 years ago I spotted these 10 W solar panels that are used for solar powered roof vents. After experimenting with my older son's PV and fan kit, we were up for more of an adventure. I wondered what could be powered by one of these little things. I bought three of them that were easy to combine with the included wiring. A small inverter from Advance Auto changes the DC power into AC power, what is used for most electrical appliances. A marine battery saves the power that the panels generate. Anything we want to power just plugs into the inverter's 110v outlets. I have found this set-up will power handdrills, sanders, our stereo or living room lights for several hours. It even is the recharging system for our son's PowerWheels! Now, this is a true solar powered car!
Our
boys' solar powered electrical carWhat I would like to do next: solar hot water, Plug-In Hybrid
Few of the above ideas are actually my own. Much of my research and information have come from the following books and sources that speak more eloquently than I on the subject matter.
Links
standardsolar.com
Solartour.org
Energystar.gov
HomePower.com Magazine
Renewableenergyaccess.com
Solar Today Magazine
FindSolar.com put in your zipcode to locate qualified Solar Contractors in your area
calcars.org
American Solar Energy Society
Recycled fibers insulation http://www.bondedlogic.com/ultratouch.htm
sunoven.com
breezecatcher.com clothes dryer
Research:
Chasing the Sun; Solar Adventures around the World, Neville Williams
The End of Oil, Paul Roberts
The Power of Light; The Epic Story of Man's Quest to Harness the Sun, Rank T Kryza
Solar Revolution; The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry, Travis Bradford
Power Down, Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World, Richard Heinberg
Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars That Will Recharge America, Sherry Boschert
Thanks for reading!