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Wind and Sun Lower My Energy Costs
October 10, 2008 by admin
Filed under Residential Solar BLOG, Wind Power BLOG
American Wind Energy Association
By Tom Rhamy
–I just love the feeling I get when I watch my electricity meter spin backwards, because the more often my meter spins backwards, the less I have to pay Southern California Edison (SCE) for my power.
The reason my meter spins backwards is because I’ve installed a 3000-watt “Whisper” small wind turbine and a total of eight solar photovoltaic panels that add another 1,080 watts of potential electricity to my own home hybrid renewable energy system.
I built our 2,000 square foot home about ten years ago on five acres of land. Within the last year I’ve added a home office in the barn out back. Last year, my wife and I consumed an average of about 550 kWh of electricity per month. At that level of consumption, I had to pay as much as $0.20/kWh to buy electricity from SCE. I find that to be an outrageous price to pay for electricity generated primarily from dirty fossil fuels.
Our electricity consumption in 2002 was double that of a year ago, but our power bill was cut in half this year due to my ability to tap the power of the wind and sun. While I’m a big fan of both sources of renewable energy, wind power is cheaper,
if you, like me, have the wind and the space on your property.
The small wind turbine certainly works well. Just the other day, dust devils were spreading dust and dirt all over our house – and the wind turbine itself. But it just kept cranking our 3,000 watts of electricity like there was no tomorrow!
I’ve never been much of an environmentalist, but the more I learned about the negative environmental impacts of diesel generators and large fossil fuel power plants, the more I became convinced that renewable energy was the way to go.
My wife and I were in San Diego in the fall of 2000. We both witnessed first hand the financial fallout from the start of the energy crisis in California. We decided then and there that we were not going to be at the mercy of any power company when it came to keeping our lights and other appliances on. We have our own water well and septic system and are virtually self-sufficient in most aspects of our lives — except electricity.
An article in Mother Earth News magazine prompted us to do some homework and investigate renewable energy systems. And boy did we do our homework! We read a lot, traveled to factories that manufacture wind and solar systems in Arizona, California and Washington, and gathered data on the quality of the wind and solar resources here in this particular part of Kern County, near the border of Los Angeles County near Lancaster and Palmdale.
What we discovered was that the winds blow at an average of over 10 mph, which is considered a Class 2 or “adequate” wind resource. Not the best by any means, but definitely good enough to make an investment in a small wind turbine worthwhile. The solar resource, by the way, is one of the best in the entire country. The average amount of good sunshine across the US is 6 hours; this region is blessed with 7.66 hours of good sun every day.
We installed our small wind turbine ourselves. We had plenty of help from the state. We learned a lot of what we needed to know from California’s “Green Team” video conferences, a program sponsored by Governor Davis’ office and the California Energy Commission. Obtaining a building permit from the county was also very simple. I took all the information from Southwest Wind Power, the manufacturer of my small wind turbine, and all the information I got from the “Green Team” to the local building inspector. Since Kern County allows up to
an 80-foot tower on a five-acre lot, no special permitting was required for
our 70-foot guyed tower.
SCE was also cooperative. They sent us a 10-page contract that included the utility’s interconnection requirements as well as a “net metering” agreement. Net metering is the program that allows my meter to spin backwards when we are sending electricity to the grid from our wind and solar systems; when the sun isn’t shining and the wind is not blowing, the meter spins the other way when we recover the excess power we put into the grid or I’m buying power off the grid. After filling in some information about our installations, SCE produced a completed contract for me to sign and return. It was very simple and straightforward.
Our small wind turbine began operating in May 2002. During the first couple of weeks of operation, we only had to pay for a measly 14 kWh per week. With our buy-down rebate from the California Energy Commission, which covered almost half of the initial installation cost, and a 15% California state tax credit, I estimate our small wind turbine will pay for itself in 5-7 years. After the initial investment is recouped, we can look forward to generating electricity for free for years to come.
Our experience with the benefits of renewable energy systems has convinced my wife and I to start a new business selling small wind turbines. The only thing I’m not happy about is that more people are not using small wind turbines.
Small Wind Success / Why I Love My Small Wind Turbine
October 10, 2008 by admin
Filed under Wind Power BLOG
American Wind Energy Association
By Gus Sansone
–As director of engineering for hospitals and long-term care facilities for many years, I have a lot of experience with cutting energy costs to the bone at my work place.
When the energy crisis hit, I began to focus on ways to trim energy costs at home. After investigating my options, I determined that installing a 10 kW small wind turbine was my best power supply choice. My Southern California Edison electricity bills used to average about a hundred bucks per month. But after installing my new renewable energy power plant in August of 2001, I have not had to pay an Edison bill for an entire year!
With that level of savings, it has been hard for me to understand why more Californians don’t take advantage of a fuel that is abundant, free and a perfect fit for many homes and ranches throughout this state. Since state rebates and tax credits will cover almost 60% of the installation costs, I can’t think of a more fitting solution to California’s over-reliance upon polluting fossil fuels to keep our lights and air conditioners on.
My energy costs are typically higher in the summer. That’s when my wife and I, as well as our grandchildren, use the pool and jacuzzi. Although the high desert winds typically blow over my property more often during the winter months, I have also taken advantage of another state program that adds value to my small wind turbine.
The program is called “net metering” and it allows me to bank my surplus power from the windy season in the winter against my higher energy consumption in the summer. If I use more power than I generate over the course of a year, I pay Edison for the difference; if I have surplus power in my account at the end of the year, the utility claims it. Net metering is really a simple barter system in which everyone wins.
My total energy savings over the course of a year adds up to at least $1,200! On top of not having to pay for electricity, I was able to cut my winter heating bill too by supplementing my propane-fired heating system with electric room heaters in the bathrooms and master bedroom. Our small wind turbine has been working so well that my wife and I are considering replacing our gas dryer with an electric one to take further advantage of the wind blowing across our property.
At the time I installed my small wind turbine on my two-and-a-half-acre property, San Bernardino County zoning restrictions limited the tower height to 60 feet. (For properties of five or more acres, the limit is set at 80 feet.) Because county set-back requirements prevented me from installing the turbine tower on higher ground near the edge of my lot, I could use the extra 20 feet in tower height. I’m still hoping that the county will change the height restriction and I can generate even more electricity from the wind.
Based on the experience of other wind turbine owners in the nearby area, it appears that raising my small wind turbine from 60 to 80 feet off the ground could improve energy output by as much as 25 percent.
With or without the extra 20 feet, I am extremely happy with my small wind turbine. It has already accomplished everything I’ve wanted it to – and then some.
America pioneered this renewable technology in the 1920s when farmers not connected to the power grid attached generators to what used to be simple water-pumping windmills. Unlike utility-scale large wind turbines or solar photovoltaic panels, small wind turbines are the one renewable energy technology that the US still dominates. But today, less than 20 MW of small wind turbine capacity has been installed nationwide.
My experience proves that small wind turbines can reduce power costs, do not harm the environment, and are an ideal solution to California’s power supply challenges. Taking personal responsibility for my family’s electricity needs has been one of the most rewarding experiences I ever had. I urge those who used to curse the wind to investigate transforming this fuel into clean electricity for your own home or business.
Most Significant Federal Policy Ever Enacted for Solar Industry
September 22, 2008 by admin
Filed under Commercial Solar BLOG, Government Solar BLOG, Residential Solar BLOG, Tax Rebates & Incentives BLOG, Top Energy News BLOG, Wind Power BLOG
Press release from the Solar Energy Industries Association:
Photo: Charles Dharapak / AP
WASHINGTON – Today, by a vote of 263 to 171, the U.S. House of Representatives passed historic legislation that extends the 30-percent federal investment tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations for 8 years. This landmark legislation is part of H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, designed to address the U.S. financial crisis. It is the most significant federal policy ever enacted for the solar industry. President Bush has vowed to sign the bill into law. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday night.
“This bill is a major step in our long journey toward energy independence and ensures that solar energy will be a significant part of America’s energy future,” said SEIA president Rhone Resch. “This long-term extension of the solar tax credits will create a domestic solar industry with hundreds of thousands of jobs while providing clean, affordable, carbon-free energy to millions of American families, businesses, and communities.”
“On behalf of the 60,000 Americans employed by the solar energy industry, we would like to thank Leaders Reid and McConnell and Senators Baucus, Grassley, Cantwell and Ensign for their dogged support of the solar tax credit extension. In the House we are thankful to Leaders Pelosi, Hoyer, Boehner, and Blunt, and Chairman Rangel, Ranking Republican McCrery and Rep. Camp among many others who have long worked to bring solar energy to the mainstream. These leaders have broken through partisan politics and have provided a bright future for solar energy in the United States,” said Resch.
“By passing this bill, Congress has finally given the solar energy industry ‘policy certainty’ that will attract investment, expand manufacturing and lower the cost of solar energy to consumers,” said Roger Efird, SEIA chairman and president of Suntech America, a leading Chinese solar power manufacturing company. “This will allow companies like mine to move forward with expansion plans to serve the growing U.S. market.”
“This bill puts the sun to work for every American,” added Resch. “And by 2016, we expect solar energy to be the least expensive source of electricity for consumers.”
The solar investment tax credit (ITC) provisions will:
· Extend for 8 years the 30-percent tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations;
· Eliminate the $2,000 monetary cap for residential solar electric installations, creating a true 30-percent tax credit (effective for property placed in service after December 31, 2008);
· Eliminate the prohibition on utilities from benefiting from the credit;
· Allow Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) filers, both businesses and individuals, to take the credit;
· Authorize $800 million for clean energy bonds for renewable energy generating facilities, including solar.
The solar tax credits were originally enacted in the 2005 and have created unprecedented growth in the U.S. The amount of solar electric capacity installed in 2007 was double that installed in 2006.
“Over the last 2 years, these tax credits have turned the solar industry from a small, cottage industry into an economic engine for America. Electricians, plumbers, roofers and construction workers can now get back to work. These jobs are the backbone of the American economy and the solar industry is creating them at a time when they are needed the most,” said Resch.
According to a new economic study by Navigant Consulting, Inc., the 8-year extension of the ITC will create 440,000 permanent jobs and unleash $325 billion in private investment in the solar industry. This study did not factor in elimination of $2,000 monetary cap on the residential credit, so the actual job creation and investment could be even greater.
“This is a big boost for the residential market in particular, allowing homeowners to contribute to our nation’s energy independence,” said Efird. “It also opens the floodgates for building large, utility-scale solar power projects that need longer timeframes to complete.”
To date, there are 27 such utility-scale solar power projects totaling 5,400 megawatts of power in various stages of development; most were on hold due to uncertainty surrounding the expiring tax credits.
Because solar energy components are manufactured near their markets, this extension will create manufacturing and installation jobs in all 50 states. The states that will enjoy the largest economic boost are California, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Washington.
Similarly, the economies of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and the rest of the Great Lakes region will grow significantly as a result of the extension. This area of the country has suffered greatly from a huge decline in jobs in the automotive and traditional manufacturing industries.
According to the same study, more than 28 gigawatts of electricity will be produced from solar energy by 2016 – enough to power more than 7 million homes.
“Success has not come easy. It required a strategic campaign that included dedicated SEIA staff, a committed board, and active membership all focused on one goal. It took seven votes in the House and 10 votes in the Senate, but in the end, Congress came through. This effort has established SEIA as a major energy player on Capitol Hill,” said Resch. “We have a lot of opportunity in front of us and will be back next year to work on critical issues such as transmission infrastructure, renewable electricity standards, and combating global warming.”
Small Wind Turbine Keeps Ohio Local Business Afloat
September 20, 2008 by admin
Filed under Tax Rebates & Incentives BLOG, Wind Power BLOG
American Wind Energy Association
photo credit Green Energy Ohio #12080
–Victory Farm, Ohio – Robert Howard, CEO of a chemical processing business, is also a creative entrepreneur who put wind power to work for his sideline businesses.
The Jacobs wind turbine he put up in 1993 on a 135-foot tower provides electricity for his state-of-the-art shrimp farm. “The small wind turbine powers the whole site, which includes a 10,000 square-foot barn. We were located at the end of the power grid and our power was down a lot,” says Howard.
The winds in central Ohio pick up in September and blow through May, a period when electricity demand is high at the shrimp farm. The wind turbine, originally a stand-alone unit now connected to the grid, is the perfect solution.
Howard began studying wind power while in China in the 1980’s. “I kept reading about advances in renewable energy. I realized I had to get into the field. This was my dream. And once I got married, my wife told me to go play while I still could.”
His wind turbine went up without a hitch. But six months later, a resident upset about his turbine sued the township. When Howard found out the individual lived two miles away, he let the naysayer know in no uncertain terms that he thought the suit ridiculous. It was soon dropped.
During the first year of operation a hunter shot holes in the blades. Howard was not deterred. Relying upon his original tower, he boosted the turbine’s generating capacity from 12 to 18 kilowatts while retrofitting it. His insurance covered the cost of replacing the parts. He then refurbished the 12 kW turbine and donated it to Glacier Ridge Metro Park, where it now powers a restroom and information center.
Howard eventually sold his shrimp farm, but he still uses the 18 kW wind turbine, as well as a solar photovoltaic array and an 18kW fuel cell, to power his own home and Victory Farm, which produces perch, shiitake mushrooms and eggs. Howard’s neighborhood has evolved from a rural area to one of the most upscale communities in central Ohio. “The fellow who owns the local Limited is my neighbor. He thinks the small wind turbine is totally cool,” reports Howard.
Howard’s claim to fame among local energy activists is that he was the first small wind turbine owner in American Electric Power’s Ohio service territory to take advantage of net metering. It took a couple of lawsuits, but he now receives a credit of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour for the wind-generated electricity he puts on the grid.
Howard is so enamored with renewable energy that he donated a 400 Watt Southwest Windpower turbine to the Columbus Academy, a K-12 prep school his daughter attends. The turbine is just one of several renewable energy technologies that power the school’s science department.
“My interest in wind power was driven by my heart,” he concludes. “I wanted to do the right thing. Now, when my kids flip the switch, they know where their power comes from. It’s homegrown!”