Residential Solar Panels Lower Fuel Consumption Costs

By: Kathi Gregory, AIA, CSI

Recently CNN reported http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/13/gore.home.ap/index.html on the extensive renovation that Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper, have done to their historic home in Nashville, TN. One of the energy consumption reduction techniques was the use (although temporary) of solar panels.

Solar panels are constructed of thin layers of silicon. These silicon layers, when exposed to sunlight release electrons which creates an electric current. These individual cells are grouped together to form solar panels. Solar cells convert sunlight into energy with no moving parts, no noise, no pollution, and virtually no maintenance.

Currently in the United States alone over $13 billion are spent for residential water heating. Per home, that amounts to almost 11.5 barrels of oil per year, or driving your mid sized sedan about 12,000 miles. For most people, that’s a full year’s worth of driving. If you could eliminate your gasoline cost for a year wouldn’t you? It’s a no-brainer.

Since you can’t really do that, the equivalent alternative is to purchase and install a solar water heating system for your home. In fact, if you are building a new home, there is simply no excuse for not installing a solar collection grid to heat your water.

In the average US household, heating water accounts for roughly 25% of the total energy used, because the electric water heater is the biggest energy hog of all your household appliances. Solar water heating system costs have dropped more than 80% in the last 20 years, and you can expect that the cost will continue to drop as the demand increases. How much will you save? That depends on you; how much hot water you use, where you live, and the cost of electricity in your area, among other things.

Generally, if you heat you water by solar energy you can expect your water heating bill to drop 50%-85%, no matter what happens in the Middle East. Typically, a household in California could expect to save about $1000 a year in energy costs. Yes, the initial investment is more than the conventional method, but the long term savings can really mount up. Additionally, homes that have had solar water heating systems installed almost always recoup the investment through higher resale values.

How much do you need? If you live in the Sun Belt the amount of area of solar collectors needed is about 40 square feet (4 square meters) per couple, plus 8 more square feet for each additional person living in your household. If you live in colder areas of the country allow 66 square feet of collectors per couple and 14 extra square feet per additional person. You should also have a hot water tank capable of storing 1.5 gallons of water for each square foot of solar collector. Do not go down in tank size if the size is in between tank sizes available, always purchase the bigger tank. This will protect your system from over heating when you are not using a lot of hot water.

First and foremost, before investing in a solar water heating system, take steps to reduce your consumption. Set the thermostat on the water heater to 120oF, install flow restricting shower heads, and make sure your water heater and the hot water piping are well insulated.

When you consider the advantages of heating your water with sunshine, deciding to actually do it is a no-brainer. Take the time to read about the different systems that are available, purchase one that is certified and labeled by The Solar Rating & Certification Corporation, (SRCC), a nonprofit, independent third-party organization formed by the solar industry, state energy officials, and consumer advocates to certify and rate solar water heaters.

Buy American made solar panels. One of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the world is located in Memphis, TN. This is not only a plea to buy American, but to not expend the fuel and resources required to ship your panels from overseas. Then hire a professional installer with experience. Make sure they have installed at least 5 systems successfully in your area.

When you install a solar water heating system in your home, you are not only saving yourself money, you are helping us reduce our long and short term dependency on foreign oil, and you are reducing the peak load incurred by your local utility system. This reduces pressure to build more multi billion dollar power plants, and you are reducing your carbon footprint.

Finally, with these tips in mind and some independent reading, you should be able to successfully convert your sunshine into a greener, healthier lifestyle, with 94% of all people who have installed solar water heaters agreeing, it was worth it.

Tax Incentives:
The Federal government is also offering tax incentives to install solar water heating systems. The Energy Policy Act of 2005, (H.R. 6, Sec. 1335) provides a 30% tax credit up to $2,000 for the purchase and installation of residential solar electric and solar water heating property. An individual can take both a 30% credit up to the $2,000 cap for a photovoltaics system and a 30% credit up to a separate $2,000 cap for a solar water heating system. A 30% tax credit up to $500 per 0.5 kilowatt (kW) is also available for fuels cells. Initially scheduled to expire at the end of 2007, the tax credits were extended through December 31, 2008, by Section 206 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (H.R. 6111). Also check with your local electric company, there are frequently state or local tax incentives.

Sources and further reading:
EERE Consumer Guide: Solar Water Heaters http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12850Solar Water Heating http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy96/17459.pdfImprove Efficiency with Solar Water Heating http://www.energystar.gov/ia/new_homes/features/ESSolarWaterHeating.pdf

BANNED FROM HUFFINGTON POST

April 22, 2008 was a difficult day. The revelation that Senator Clinton would "obliterate" Iran if they attacked Israel only brought to light how inhuman a candidate can become in their zeal to secure their all important victory. How strange that the news media could continue to rehash the remarks of an angry black minister, as if the Reverend Wright was running for president. But very little was made about the "obliterate" remark. For myself, such a remark proves that Senator Clinton needs psychiatry, not the presidency. But I guess she really is ready from day one, to blow away some people to kingdom come. Was that why I have been banned from The Huffington Post?

I have been blogging comments on Huffington for the last five months. Although I do not use foul language, and have never attacked another blogger, for some strange reason I am now banned. Perhaps one of their moderators got tired of reading my criticisms of the candidates (I am after all, an advocate for peace and justice) and decided to rid their internet salon of my radical rantings. I say radical because the way the ball bounces in main stream media, if you so much as question our holy military policies, with attached armament industries, you must be a radical. The fact of being a peaceful person, who never advocates violence, does not make a bit of difference. To some in this society, thinking independently is considered a subversive act.

Perhaps the real reason I have been banned on The Huffington Post is because my last posting, I criticized the ownership class. Perhaps one of the Hufpo moderators read my remarks and thought: my God, that includes Ms. Stassinopoulos! Somebody better ban the bastard!
Part of what was written said: "The ownership class can play ideological games all they want. Those of us who do not own, have to live with the consequences. The indulgences of the privileged are always with us. This enables public money to be squandered on sports stadiums, bank bailouts, and of course the all time favorite: weapons!"

Is that why I was banned? Hard to believe that a person as insignificant as myself could warrant such a draconian option, but there it is.
I tried to contact Huffington Post to give me an explanation. Their response has been nothing. My comments before being banned can still be found on Google, at thebeerdoctor's huffington post profile. But there will be no more. Luckily, Newscloud, Truthdig and Streetalker.com, still welcome my writing. As one kind friend wrote: "that's their loss, not yours". Thank you.

ONLY WHEN IT IS DARK ENOUGH, CAN YOU SEE THE STARS

BY:Thebeerdoctor

I was twelve years old when Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. A turbulent time to become a teen, made even tougher with the RFK shooting a couple of months later. It was a fiery time, with a certain kind of fire that no water could put out. I wrote this on the Huffington Post:

Whenever I think of Martin Luther King Jr., I also think of John Coltrane. Both men in the final phases of their lives chose to work with difficult, human spiritual matters. The marginalization of Dr. King's work against the Vietnam war and for economic justice, makes those who praise him as a noble symbol, rather than a living force for change, quite uncomfortable. The same can be said of John Coltrane, whose music was considered demanding and difficult, when he decided to literally "play his way over to the other side". Acknowledging the greatness of these endeavors would mean admitting that most of us suffer from a shallow perception of ultimate, metaphysical reality. Great souls help humankind to recognize that we indeed do have a soul. Truly, a remarkable accomplishment.

Which brings me back to April 2008. I received a campaign e-mail from Michelle Obama this morning, reminding me of the MLK legacy etc. Common wisdom has it that because her husband is the hot presidential candidate, who happens to be black, or fifty percent so, his candidacy represents the continuing legacy of Dr. King. Common wisdom has it that if Martin was around today, he would support Barack Obama. But would he? Putting aside the sanitized Martin Luther King; that version of history that embraces the I Have A Dream speech, but ignores his anti Vietnam war stance, which by today's cowardly media, would probably be called hate speech, you would have quite another take on current matters, including politics.

While doing research on Martin Luther King's last public address, the remarkable I See The Promised Land, a strange coincidence occurred when Barack Obama's 2007 AIPAC speech was found listed in Google, two entries down. Comparing the texts provided some insights.

"It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world, its nonviolence or nonexistence." It should always be remembered that this was spoken by a man who in less than twenty four hours was about to die a violent death. Compare that with this:

"We can refocus our efforts to critical, yet neglected priorities, such as combating international terrorism and winning the war in Afghanistan. And we can then, more effectively deal with one of the greatest threats to the United States, Israel and world peace: Iran. Iran's President Ahmadinejad's regime is a threat to all of us."

So said Senator Obama to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in 2007, sounding remarkably similar to Vice-President Dick Cheney. Was the Senator from Illinois, pandering to the Israeli lobby?

"a man can't ride your back unless it is bent." That is unadulterated MLK, like John Coltrane on the album AUM. Not for the timid, or those who accept compromise on matters that should never be compromised. As Jeanette Rankin said back in 1929, war "cannot be disciplined into decency or codified into common sense; for war is the slaughter of human beings, temporarily regarded as enemies, on as large a scale as possible." That was and is the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Strangely I thought Barack Obama was a student of Martin Luther King's teachings. But that must be the Martin Luther King Lite I have heard about. I wonder if Senator Obama is a fan of John Coltrane's music. I can imagine him enjoying albums like Blue Train and maybe even A Love Supreme. But records such as Ascension or Live In Seattle? I can almost hear him saying: "you're wearing me out brother."