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Solar PV installations: Beyond "measure twice, cut once"
Dec. 2009
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Quotes for Thought
"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that." -Thomas Edison.
"What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?" -Henry Davide Thoreau
"We are surrounded by insurmountable opportunities." -Pogo
"It is not incumbent upon us to do everything that must be done, it is only incumbent upon us to do our part." -Ancient scripture
"I have no doubt that we will be successful in harnessing the sun's energy... If sunbeams were weapons of war, we would have had solar energy centuries ago." -Sir George Porter
"The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun." -Ralph Nader
"We will have solar energy as soon as the utility companies solve one technical problem - how to run a sunbeam through a meter." -Anonymous
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REBATES & COSTS - SAMPLE SYSTEM PRICING
HOW MUCH DOES A SOLAR SYSTEM COST?
It is difficult to ballpark a solar system. Every application is different because everyone's needs and habits are different. Asking how much a Solar PV or Solar Thermal system costs for a 2,000 square foot home, for instance, just doesn't work. There are, however, some guidelines that you can use to determine if you are being offered a fair deal and will help you compare quotes from different companies.
Verify the amount of energy that the solar system is expected to replace. What percentage of reduction on your gas or electric bill can you expect from the system configuration? Request that the system designer specify how many units of energy the system will provide. If the system is Solar Thermal, he/she should be able to tell you the amount of energy produced in BTUs. The energy from a Photovotaic system is expressed in watts. To figure the exact cost of a Thermal system, divide the cost of the equipment only by the total amount of BTUs that the system will produce. Then divide the cost of the installation by the total amount of BTUs also. Breaking down costs will help you make a fair comparison between competing systems. To figure the cost of a PV system, divide the cost of the equipment only by the total amount of Watts that the system will produce. Then divide the cost of the installation by the total amount of Watts also. Breaking down costs in this way will help you make a fair comparison between competing systems. Often, larger PV systems will become less expensive per watt than smaller systems.
If you still want some kind of ballpark...
Average Costs for PV Systems:
Range of Cost: Residential Grid-Tie systems can start as low as $2,000 (installed) for a starter system, all the way to $50,000 or more.
Average Component Cost: $4 per watt. This includes all the components including panels, inverters, mountings and electrical accessories.
Average Installation Cost: $2.50 per watt. This usually includes the physical installation of the system and connection to the grid.
Example: A 3 kW system is 3,000 watts. So the components will cost $15,000 before rebates, and the installation will cost $6,000.
Average Costs for Thermal Systems:
Range of Cost: Residential systems for heating domestic water (installed) can start as low as $3,500 for a small system and can go up to approximately $5,000. The cost is actually determined by the amount of people who use the hot water in the home. Other types of Thermal systems for heating space average $10,000 to $15,000 (equipment only). The installation costs can vary depending on the set up of the home or building.
Average Component Cost: Approximately $.03 to $.05 per BTU for an average Thermal system designed by Mirasol Solar Energy Systems. This cost can vary depending on the complexity of the configuration and application.
SOLAR IS AN INVESTMENT
It has been said over and over again that a solar system is a sure investment. The Department of Energy once stated on its website that an investment in a solar hot water system is better than investing in the stock market.
If you consider a solar system an investment, set up an investment account with your solar savings. One of our customers has done just that. He invested in a Thermal system that heats his home and his domestic water. He was spending $3,000 annually for LPG (Liquid Propane Gas). He saved $2,500 in propane costs in the first year.
The amount of time it will take for him to get back his initial Return on Investment (ROI) is six years. Our customer has been depositing his energy savings in a special investment account in which he makes extra interest.
Here is how his investment works before the interest is added in:
Initial Investment | $15,000.00 |
LPG Savings in 6 Years | $15,000.00 |
10% Increase in LPG
Costs Saved in 6 years | $1,500.00* |
30% Federal Tax Rebate | $5,000.00 |
10% State Tax Rebate | $1,500.00 |
Total ROI after 6 Years | $23,000.00 |
Total ROI after 12 Years | $39,500.00* |
*Estimated increase in cost of LPG. |
After another six years, our customer will have added another $16,500.00 to his investment account. He will have increased his original investment by 2.64%. You can't get those kinds of returns very often!
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A Bright Idea 
Tankless water heating systems work great with solar! The solar system preheats your water, applies the right pressure to move the hot water quickly to each faucet and you save lots of money on your energy bill!
If a big Solar Thermal or PV system is a little too much of an investment for you, start small. Just heating your domestic water with a Solar Thermal System can mean big savings for you.
Photovoltaic systems for making electricity can start small too. The new mircroinverters that attach to each, individual solar panel means that you can start with just one or two panels that can produce power for a major appliance such as your TV or a freezer. Then you can add more panels as you can afford them.
You will continue to get tax rebates whenever you add more solar to your home or business.
SOLAR WATER HEATING FOR BUSINESSES
What business is not concerned with overhead? Reduce yours with SOLAR WATER HEATING.
Some businesses may be eligible for immediate refunds from the federal and/or state governments.
Businesses that can greatly benefit from solar water heating are:
- Beauty Salons
- Car Washes
- Food Process Plants
- Fire Houses
- Health Clinics
- Health Clubs
- Hospitals
- Hotels/Motels
- Laundromats
- Restaurants
- Schools
A LITTLE GREEN
GOES A LONG WAY
Find little, inventive ways to save energy. Look at all the appliances you use and how you use them. You may find that some of your habits are small energy wasters like small leaks in a boat. You can plug up those holes for big energy savings with little changes, such as:
You may love your Pamela Anderson screen saver but she is not an energy saver. Screen savers continue to use the monitor at full power and do not conserve energy. Remember - manually turning monitors off is always the better energy-saving strategy.
Consider resetting your printer margins narrower and using a smaller font to reduce the paper that you use, and the trees that are cut down and energy used to ship the extra paper you are wasting.
When it is time to upgrade your computer, consider a laptop. They are much more energy efficient than a desktop model.
Move halogen lamps away from the air conditioning thermostat. The heat produced by the light will make your air conditioner run longer than is necessary.
Plant tall, creeping vines on the western wall of your home. They will reduce the afternoon heat on your house in the summer but let the heat through when the plant drops its leaves in the winter.
Speaking of plants, bamboo makes a great natural fence, can grow a foot a day and absorbs huge amounts of carbon dioxide.
Buy locally grown, raised and produced goods to avoid trucking.
Plan a green wedding: get your cake at a local bakery, order seasonal flowers, and buy wine from a local vintner.
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Call Mirasol Solar Energy Systems today to help you increase your bottom line with solar!
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