New Solar Leasing Program Offers Qualifying Homeowners an Inexpensive Chance to Go Green

In response to the overwhelmingly positive participation in its new money-saving residential solar leasing program, Syndicated Solar has expanded staffing to answer the demand. Ten new Solar Energy Consultants have been added to Syndicated Solar’s Residential Division in Colorado – split between the Denver and Grand Junction offices.

According to Justin Pentelute, CEO of Syndicated Solar, “This program for residential solar installations allows us to offer home owners with good credit an option to lease a complete solar system through Syndicated Solar with no money down.”  The solar lease program also includes money-back production guarantees on the solar energy produced by the system.

Justin continued, “Additionally, unlike other solar leasing programs available, there is also no built-in accelerator on the monthly payments with our program – a great benefit for customers of Syndicated Solar. Plus, they save money from day one and benefit from having a fixed monthly lease/electricity payment for 20 years — that is far less than their existing utility bills.”

Another advantage of the solar leasing program is that because the system is owned by a third party leasing company, there is no cost for upkeep of the solar system once it is installed.  Justin added, “There are no operational, maintenance or warranty concerns for home owners.” He continued, “With electricity rates charged by utility companies going up an average of 6% annually, this program is really a win/win situation with no strings attached!”

In addition to the solar lease program, other financing options are available for qualified home owners.  Justin explained, “We have the most financing options of any other solar company and we’re helping our clients save thousands of dollars.”

Six different packaged solar systems have been pre-designed and engineered by Syndicated Solar’s NABCEP certified engineers for ease of installation – which can usually be installed within a couple of days from project start.  Ranging in size from a 2 kW system appropriate for a small, starter home, up to a 9.75 kW system for a large estate with outbuildings or barns, there is a Syndicated Solar system that is appropriate for most consumer needs. 

A sample of the electricity savings on a mid-sized system – about $500 per year!

Recent studies by the National Bureau of Economic Research and the National Association of Realtors have shown that adding solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to a residence adds significantly to its value.  They calculated that, on average, solar PV panels could add about $5.50 per watt to a home’s resale value. This means that the owner of a typical solar home with a 3.1-kilowatt PV system stands to make an extra $17,000 above the cost of a comparable, non-solar home.

All of this is good news for consumers looking to save money and hedge against rising electricity rates while increasing the value of their homes. 

For a free site consultation, detailed financial analysis and system recommendation, or for general information on the solar leasing program:

 

New Light Bulb Energy Efficiency Regulations Effective January 1, 2012 – Be Prepared!

On December 18, 2007, President George W. Bush signed The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). Though some consumers believe that EISA bans incandescent bulbs or forces everyone to buy compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), it actually is just regulating the energy efficiency of bulbs so they use less energy. Incandescent bulbs will still be available, but those offered for purchase will need to meet these energy efficient standards.

The EISA applies not only to inefficient incandescent bulbs, but to current fluorescent bulbs too.  The least-efficient fluorescent products will also be eliminated from the market—including most 4-ft. linear and 2-ft. U-shaped T12 lamps.

In order to make the transition smooth for consumers, benchmarks have been set for this move toward our country being a more energy efficient nation. Beginning on January 1, 2012, light bulbs as bright as the traditional 100 watt incandescent bulb can use no more than 72 watts of electricity.

As of January 1, 2014, the standard will apply to 60 watt bulbs (which will not be able to use more than 43 watts) and 40 watt bulbs will not be able to use more than 29 watts. 

Because lighting expenses account for about 12% of the average household’s energy bill, energy-efficient lighting options can mean significant savings to the budget bottom line.  In fact, families can save between $50 and more than $100 a year just by changing their bulbs.

Businesses that are significant users of energy for lighting (such as retailers or office building owners) will enjoy huge savings on their utility bills as well.  Plus, with more than 4 billion screw-based sockets in the United States, the country stands to save $10 billion per year with efficient bulbs.

New Lighting Options Available

The new light bulb energy efficiency standards have spurred innovation in lighting and consumers now have many more lighting choices such as halogen incandescent bulbs and light emitting diodes or LEDs, in addition to CFLs. Manufacturers across the country are producing light bulbs that meet the standard’s requirements.

How to choose the right bulb
Watts measure the amount of energy required to light the actual bulb products, whereas lumens measure the amount of light produced by the bulbs. The more lumens in a light bulb, the brighter the light that will be produced. With new light bulbs, shopping by lumens will be more important than shopping by watts when choosing which energy-efficient bulb to purchase.

• 40-watt incandescent bulb = 450 lumens
• 60-watt incandescent bulb = 800 lumens
• 100-watt incandescent bulb = 1600 lumens

New Labeling for Lighting Products
To help homeowners and businesses with choosing the right light bulb for their lighting needs, the Federal Trade Commission is also requiring new labels on light bulb packaging.  The new labels, which will look similar to the now-familiar nutrition labels on food products, will provide information on brightness (in lumens), estimated yearly energy costs, the total amount of energy used, the appearance of the light produced (cool, warm, yellow, etc.) and the life expectancy that can be expected.

Some consumers have been resistant to replacing all their bulbs because of the perceived expense for the new, energy-efficient bulbs. But their purchase should be seen as a money-saving investment rather than just a way to produce light.  For example, CFLs use at least 28% less energy and typically last at least 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. 

See How Much You Will Save
If you are curious about how much money you will be saving by replacing incandescent bulbs with either CFL or LED bulbs in your home or business, you can calculate the savings on-line.

If you are considering installing a solar system on your home or business, having one of our trained staff members do a lighting analysis and upgrade in advance would be a good step.  Making your lighting more energy efficient (and thereby using less electricity) could affect the size of the solar system needed to offset your energy needs.

 

Converting your house to an green energy, solar home will increase its value

In a tepid real estate market, having any “edge” to publicize about your home with potential buyers is a great benefit. Current research shows that having an energy-saving asset on your home, such as a solar panel array, can provide a substantial increase to its value and differentiate it in a crowded market.

An analysis released by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) found that solar panels add between 3-4% in value.  The authors of the NBER study said, "Our evidence suggests that similar to other home investments such as a new kitchen, solar installation bundles both investment value and consumption value." In this report, the investment value provided an increase in the sales price whereas the consumption value provided more intangible “warm glow” benefit because the home incorporated environmentally-friendly energy production.

This NBER analysis supports information from an April 2011 report released by Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 

“We find compelling evidence that solar PV systems in California have boosted home sales prices,” says the lead author Ben Hoen, a researcher at Berkeley Lab. “These average sales price premiums appear to be comparable with the average investment that homeowners have made to install PV systems in California, and of course homeowners also benefit from energy bill savings after PV system installation and prior to home sale.”

The authors calculated that, on average, solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels could add about $5.50 per watt to a home’s resale value. This means that the owner of a typical solar home with a 3.1-kilowatt pv system stands to make an extra $17,000 above the cost of a comparable, non-solar home.

“This is a sizable effect,” says Ryan Wiser, a Berkeley Lab scientist and co-author. “This research might influence the decisions of homeowners considering installing a PV system and of home buyers considering buying a home with PV already installed.”

Solar homes appreciated 20% more, and sold 17% faster than the non-solar homes

In a comprehensive study discussing real estate and solar, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently found that homes which already had solar installed appreciated 20% more and sold 17% faster than non-solar homes.

NREL did exhaustive interviews with home buyers and found that if available homes already had solar installed, buyers were more likely to purchase a solar home.  But if solar was offered as only an option by a developer (rather than being already installed), the decision to go solar was often not made. This could be because of misinformation or misconceptions about the benefits of solar conveyed to the potential purchaser – probably because the facts were not effectively explained (or perhaps understood) by the real estate agent.

Even with the current solar incentives available from a number of utility companies, as well as tax benefits, some homeowners are hesitant to invest in solar because they feel that they won’t recoup their investment. However, data from these studies support the concept that solar home owners stand to make more money at the time of resale.

Besides adding value to a home, a solar installation with net metering can also provide the homeowner with the added benefit of offsetting most, if not all, of their electricity expenses.  Net metering allows a homeowner with a solar array to sell excess electricity generated back to the utility company’s power grid. Any electricity sold back to the grid then shows up on the electric bill as credits, which are deducted from their overall utility expenses.

With utility companies raising their rates an average of 6% annually, a solar installation with net metering can be a hedge against the ever-rising cost of electricity used in the home. This is being recognized (and appreciated) by potential home buyers.

Syndicated Solar has expert Solar Energy Consultants in its Residential Division who are available to demonstrate to homeowners all the benefits of installing one of our pre-engineered solar system packages.  PV system and installation pricing has never been more attractive and homeowners can immediately start reaping the benefits of lower electricity bills – whether their home is on the market or not.

Solar for your home is a sound investment.

• Solar homes appeciate and sell faster than non-solar homes
• An average solar home sale (with a 3.1 kW solar system) may bring in $17,000 more
• Going solar is a sound investment, allowing homeowners to take advantage of net metering and a variety of other solar tax incentives

Our residential experts field all types of questions from homeowners and about every aspect of the solar system installation process - from cost analysis to the durability of a solar array against the capricious will of mother nature. After comparing notes, here is a list of most commonly asked questions and concerns residents ask about their future home solar installations.

Why should I go solar?

• Solar reduces your electricity bills and can (in many instances) pay for itself
• Going solar means you are hedging against the rising cost of electricity - on average, electricity prices have been going up 6% every year
• Going solar means you are producing your own electricity - It’s like having a clean power plant on your roof!
• Solar is good for the planet because it helps reduce greenhouse gases by offsetting fossil fuel-based electricity production such as coal and natural gas power plants

 

Why should I buy a system now rather than later?
The current photovoltaic market is volatile due to varying supply and increasing demand. It is true that the cost of solar technology has been trending down, and will probably decrease in the long run. But there are many financial incentives and tax benefits currently offered by Federal agencies and utility companies and many are set to expire in the near future. There are no guarantees they will continue to be available so purchasing a solar system now could be the best decision you could make for your home.

 

Read more about expiring solar incentives

 

How long is the payback on a solar system?
Depending upon the system size and design, available incentives and rebates, your solar installation can generally provide payback in 5-7 years.  However every system and situation is different and our staff will provide this information as part of the detailed financial analysis of your system design

 

Is solar cost effective?  
Very much so! If you look at solar as an investment, a solar system has low risk with a high return over the 25-year lifetime.

A residential solar array.

 

How do I know what solar technology is best for my home?
Syndicated Solar evaluates the options of various available solar technologies, equipment types and selected sites to bring the best returns and savings to the project. As your trusted partner, we will listen to your needs and concerns and identify the best solution for your home or business. A Residential Solar Consultant will guide you through our decision process, ensuring that your needs are fully met.

 

How do I know if my home is appropriate for a Syndicated Solar installation? 

 

Most solar deployments fall into two categories:

• One type of installation requires a large, flat structure such as a rooftop.
• The second option requires available ground space. Known as a ground-mounted system, this type of installation is appropriate if your home has limited roof space or your meter is located a distance away.

 

Syndicated Solar's engineering and design team is able to conduct site evaluations free of charge to determine the feasibility of any type of project and recommend the appropriate mounting option for your home.

 

How much does it cost to install a Syndicated Solar system? 
One important difference between Syndicated Solar and other solar companies is our expertise in structuring a detailed installation and financing proposal for a cost-effective solar system before you make a commitment to an installation. SSI can offer financing for qualified homeowners. We also handle the processing on your behalf of any available incentives, rebates, and grants.  Let one of our expert staff members find the financial solar solution that works for you.

 

How do I know if my home's location receives enough daylight to make electricity? 
Our solar experts conduct a complete site examination, including shade analysis, to determine whether solar is a viable solution for your location(s).

 

Request an individually tailored solar system consultation

 

How much solar energy will I produce?
There are many variables to consider for an accurate estimation of what is termed as your energy harvest. These include the pitch and orientation of the roof, as well as the total system size of the solar array. A south-facing roof is the ideal location to put a solar system, but you can also have a system on an east- and west-facing roof. As a rule of thumb, a 1000-watt system will produce about 110 kWh a month. The employees at Syndicated Solar are experienced at producing very accurate solar energy harvest estimations.  

With Net Metering, your electric meter will literally run backwards!

 

What happens if I produce more electricity than I consume?
Typically, that surplus energy is fed into the electricity grid via what is called a net meter.  Depending on your electric utility company, your meter may run backwards, crediting you with the electricity produced.  This is called net metering.

 

Our Residential Solar Consultant or Business Development Representative can help you determine if your utility company offers net metering.

 

Read more about net metering

 

Is maintenance required after installation? 
Once our solar system is installed, it is virtually maintenance free.  Approximately once a year you should wash off the panels to remove dust or minute debris. Removing snow load with a broom is occasionally necessary for systems in areas with heavy snowfall.  A solar system can run for 30 years without any major servicing, so maintenance and operating costs are very minimal.

 

What kind of warranty does a solar system have?
Most solar modules are covered by a 25-year power warranty. The racking system and inverters are typically covered under a 10-year warranty. Syndicated Solar also has a 10-year limited warranty on installation. Overall, you are well-covered.  

 

What is a REC?
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are also known as Renewable Energy Credits.  These are non-tangible energy commodities in the United States that represent proof that specific measurements (kW or MW) of electricity were generated from an eligible renewable energy resource (renewable electricity). Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) are RECs that are specifically generated by solar energy.

SREC's are another great benefit of going solar.

 

A certifying agency gives each REC a unique identification number to make sure it doesn't get double-counted. The green energy is then fed into the electrical grid (by mandate), the accompanying REC can be sold and traded or bartered on the open market, and some utilities pay an incentive to obtain these credits.

 

Read more about renewable energy credits

 

Do I need to get a battery back-up for my solar system?
If the solar system is grid-tied, then you do not need battery back-up. When no electricity is being produced from the solar system, electricity will be drawn from the grid. A battery back-up is only necessary if you want to have power during a black out or brown out or if you are not connected to an electricity grid (an off-grid system).

 

Will my solar system run if there is a black out or brown out?
Unfortunately, your solar system will not provide electricity to your house during a black out or brown out if it is grid-tied with no battery back-up. The inverters are designed to shutoff during black outs and brown outs for safety reasons as utility workers access electrical lines to make repairs.

 

Will the solar system be damaged by bad weather?
Most racking systems and solar panels are designed to withstand up to 100 mph winds. Solar panels are also designed to withstand 1-inch hail. In over a decade of installations, we’ve seen minimal damage due to bad weather.

 

Can animals chew the wires apart or damage the wiring on my array?
If animal pests (or your personal pets) are a concern, we can install a mitigation mesh around the array to eliminate this problem.

 

Have a residential solar question that hasn't been listed here? Please let us know!

Solar Gardens Continue to Forge New Solar Industry Territory

Back in August we published a piece on the features and benefits of solar gardens. Ideally, a community solar garden is located in-city (but not necessarily on the actual property of the system subscribers), in-county, or within the managing utility's service area, and allows groups of individuals to co-own or lease a part of a solar array and collectively share the benefits.

Many critics of the solar energy movement have raised concerns about solar being financially inaccessible for most people and further limited to more solar-viable areas (for example, if your roof is shaded, you might not qualify for available solar grants and tax incentives). Together with virtual net metering, the solar garden movement allows low-income, multi-unit dwellings, and other locations that do not lend themselves to solar to finally have the same opportunities to benefit from solar energy.

Solar gardens are still somewhat of a new concept, with many states and utilities lacking policies to address (or even allow) communal ownership and credit-sharing. Traditionally, homeowners or apartment building tenants were not eligible for solar tax incentives, most notably, net metering.

Net metering allows a home or business owner with a solar array on their roof to sell excess electricity generated back to their utilities’ power grid. Any electricity sold back to the grid then shows up on their electric bills as credits, which are deducted from their overall utility bills. In the past, net metering regulations required the solar array generating the excess electricity to be linked to a single utility customer’s account as well as physically attached to the roof of the customer’s building. So, for communally-owned solar systems, there was no option to share the credits.

This new communal ownership strategy got solar industry experts and legislators thinking... and several different states have come up with updates to current net metering policies. Collectively known as virtual net metering, communally-owned solar systems now have the option for subscribers to receive the same benefits as single-owner systems.

In its simplest form, virtual net metering is an electric incentive that allows net metering credits generated by a solar array to be shared between all the subscribers of a co-owned system. Though virtual net metering may allow for system co-owners to share credits, most policies originally required that the PV system be physically attached to the owner’s building rather than accommodating system sharing and accrual of benefits of a community solar garden to participants or shareholders.

A few progressive legislators have recognized this flaw in the VNM system, and several states have so far implemented virtual net metering policies which allow for the creation of off-site, communal solar arrays like solar gardens.

Notable States with Virtual Net Metering

While only a handful of states have adopted VNM friendly policies so far, the benefits they offer to community solar gardens and other system subscribers is rapidly being utilized. Will this be an eco-friendly policy change quick to be recognized and adopted by other states? We certainly hope so.

A fundamental shift is occurring in how solar installations are being viewed.  This is mainly because solar projects are reaching the point of production capacity where the benefits of rapid deployment and falling costs make it extremely competitive.

Installing Solar is Now Faster & More Cost-Effective

Solar brings a different kind of value to the utility grid. Not only can it be quickly deployed on existing infrastructures (warehouses, commercial buildings, residences and “brownfield” locations) at rates that are significantly faster than nuclear or fossil fuel plants, it offsets the most expensive power plants at peak production — providing immediate economic value.

This year, the U.S. industry may install 2 gigawatts (up from 878 megawatts in 2010) of solar. The last nuclear power plant to come online in the U.S., Watts Bar 1, has a capacity of 1.1 gigawatts — but that took 23 years to complete!

And while coal-powered plants generate 54% of our electricity, the pollution caused from all phases of coal mining, shipping, storage & burning is dramatic. Coal burning is the single biggest air polluter in the U.S. Recent international reports also suggest solar could be as cheap as conventional coal-fired power by the year 2015.

“We're just reaching some thresholds in the communications perspective when you tell people that we're building, actually building, central-station power plants that are delivering power within months after [breaking ground],” according to Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Policy, Julie Blunden, of California’s SunPower. “Usually when you start building power plants it takes years, maybe a decade [before delivering power]. We start delivering power through phases within two months.”

Additionally, there’s growing and abundant evidence that developing distributed renewable energy projects is more cost effective than building large, and sometimes remote, fossil fuel or nuclear power plants.  Plus, solar projects don’t generally have to wait for planning and construction of new transmission lines – which could be contested by neighboring property owners and be costly to build because of significant opposition.

Nuclear power plants take in anywhere from 30,000 gallons to 2.4 million gallons of water per minute (Maryland PIRG, 2011).

When looking at the cost and time necessary to construct a new nuclear or fossil fuel plant – in sunny areas, solar PV is already competitive. Solar benefits the world not only economically, but socially and environmentally as well.

• Can be permitted and installed faster than other traditional power plants
• Has a predictable energy curve and is most efficient when utility rates are at their highest
• Produces local, on-site energy, which reduces the need for extensive high-voltage transmission lines or a complex infrastructure
• Reliable over the long term: With no moving parts, fixed photovoltaic systems last longer than other energy sources
• Predictable pricing that is equal to or below retail energy rates

Environmental & Social Solar Energy Advantages

• Clean, quiet and visually unobtrusive in nature - solar energy plants do not have any polluting emissions, do not make any sound, and are not considered to be an "eyesore"
• Uses little to no water in the production of zero-emission electricity (unlike nuclear power)
• Can be placed in virtually every geographical region because the sun is available everywhere

• Creates clean, renewable energy that will sustain and support the health of future generations
• Is a distributed generation energy source that can mitigate national security concerns about energy disruption
• Supports national energy independence because solar electricity is used where it is generated
• Creates dependable, local jobs for the new energy economy - solar energy creates more jobs per megawatt hour than any other energy type

Solar energy is a quick-to-install, fast starting and long lasting producer of environmentally-friendly, zero-emmission power. With the pollutant risks of other tradtional energy sources (nuclear, fossil fuels) and the rapid solar technology advancements being made, solar energy is poised to take the United State's energy production reigns in the near future.

For those that keep up on happenings in the solar industry, Xcel’s sudden decision back in April to suspend its Solar*Rewards program , and then petition solar industry leaders to severely reduce offered incentives, is old news. Since then, Xcel Energy and the Colorado PUC have reached an agreement .  Additionally, Xcel Energy also added the controversial new RESA Fair Share fee (as part of it's 2012 Renewable Energy Compliance Plan for Colorado) to Solar*Rewards participants’ monthly bills.

But before we go over what has changed, here is an overview of the Solar Rewards program:

What is the Xcel Solar*Rewards Program?

The Xcel Energy Solar*Rewards program is a solar stimulus program which provides incentives for solar system installations for homes and commercial buildings. All contracts are valid for a period 20 years, barring possible legal provisions.

Who can apply?
To be eligible for the solar rewards program:

• The proposed solar system size must meet a minimum 0.5 kW
• Incentives are limited to 120% of the average annual energy consumption of the proposed site

What benefits does participating in the Solar Rewards program offer?
The available rebates and incentives are separated into groups, based on the size of the proposed Photovoltaic (PV) System:

Visit XcelEnergySolarRewards.com and follow the instructions to apply for the Solar*Rewards program today.

Recent Updates to the Solar*Rewards Program

What is the Renewable Energy Standard Adjustment?
Part of Xcel's 2012 Renewable Energy Standard Compliance Plan, the Renewable Energy Standard Adjustment (RESA) is a 2% fee paid by all Xcel Energy customers.  100% of the collected funds are then used to support other renewable energy programs, such as Solar*Rewards.

The RESA Fair Share Charge Applied to Solar*Rewards Customers
With the successful passing of House Bill 1001, Colorado state legislature has increased its renewable energy standard goal to 30%, to be reached by the year 2020.

Additionally, it was decided that Xcel Energy's Solar*Rewards customers do their part and contribute to the RESA fund, by paying a flat monthly rate determined by the size of their solar installation.

Starting June 1st, Solar*Rewards participants can expect to pay this additional fee on top of the standard 2% RESA fee all Xcel customers pay.

Solar*Rewards RESA Fee Rates

I don't agree with the new RESA fees, what can I do about it?

There are many members of the solar industry who feel Xcel Energy's new RESA fee is out of line, as solar customers have already paid 'their fair share' by investing in a solar power system.

The Public Utilities Commission is still considering Xcel Energy's proposed RESA charge (part of Xcel's proposed 2012 Colorado Renewable Energy Standard Compliance Plan). If you wish to voice your opinion, we encourage you to contact Colorado legislators, the Governor's Energy Office and the Public Utilities Commission overseeing Xcel's proposed changes.

Solar*Rewards Contractual Updates

REC Purchase Contract Changes

Xcel's SO-REC and Rebate Contracts (part of the Solar*Rewards application process) have been replaced, by the updated, more streamlined REC Purchase Contract. The REC Purchase Contract agreement will be used for Small Third Party Developers, Medium Tier 1, and Medium Tier 2 applications.

Contract Availability Changes
Both the new REC Purchase Contract and older SO-REC Contract have now become available at the end of the application process allowing for technical information specified in the contract to more accurately describe the system to be built.

Xcel Energy's 2012 Renewable Energy Standard Compliance Plan

What is the Renewable Energy Standard Compliance Plan?

Along with the new RESA Fair Share fees, Xcel has filed its 2012 Renewable Energy Standard Compliance Plan. The plan shows Xcel's "continued work to meet the state’s renewable energy standard of 30 percent renewables by 2020."

As outlined in the compliance plan, Xcel Energy plans to acquire as much as 30 additional megawatts (double the amount required to meet the renewable energy standard) of customer-sited electricity.

How the Renewable Energy Standard Affects Xcel Energy's Compliance Plan

In compliance with House Bill 1001, 30% of utility retail electric sales must be supplied by a renewable energy source by the hear 2020.

However, House Bill 1001 amended previous regulations to allow utilities to seek only a certain percentage of their retail electrical sales from wholesale distributed generation (DG) or retail DG, with 50% of retail DG systems having to be located on-site at customers' facilities.

What this means is while 30% renewable energy may sound nice, utilities (like Xcel Energy) are only required to fill a small portion of their solar generated electricity from DG (aka, rooftop or other on-site solar systems). The rest may be pulled from utility scale solar arrays (utility operated solar farms).

Solar power continues to gain traction over fossil fuels throughout the nation as a renewable alternative energy source. This is demonstrated the growing popularity of community solar gardens. These community solar projects challenge the traditional model of individual ownership, allowing groups of individuals to own solar arrays. But thanks to the forward thinking of Govenor Ritter and other Rocky Mountain solar advocates, Colorado has joined the handful of other states that have passed legislation to allow groups to capitalize on the potential community solar projects have to offer.

What is a solar garden?

A solar garden is an array of solar panels owned and shared by a group of individuals living in the nearby vicinity.

Benefits of Solar Gardens over Traditional Solar Panel Installations
Along with the attractive renewable energy benefits of solar energy, community solar power offers an alternative to the traditional single-owner model, allowing group of neighboring homeowners, businesses, municipalities or even electric utilities to cut their electrical consumption costs.

By pooling resources and buying a solar system as a group, subscribers can save additional money and dissipate the initial installation cost further, explains The Solar Gardens Institute of Westminster, Colorado.

“For the first time, low-income homeowners and renters will be able to go solar,” says SolarGardens.org founder Joy Hughes.  “We’ll put the first facilities on libraries, schools, and hospitals so these institutions can benefit.”

Example - Washington DC – Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative

From energyselfreliantstates.org Study on Community Solar Power

The chart on the bottom left illustrates how a solar investment looks for a garden, aka “cooperative,” investment and the chart on the bottom right demonstrates the “normal” investment scenario.

The Mt. Pleasant Solar Cooperative in Washington DC has 70 members and negotiated with a combination of preferred installers to get installed costs of near $5.50 per Watt over the standard $8.00 per Watt.

Solar Gardens and Colorado: The Community Solar Gardens Act
Signed into law in June 2010, the Community Solar Gardens Act has once again thrust Colorado into the renewable energy market spotlight, with the recent release of the finalized solar garden draft rules.

Benefits of the Community Solar Garden Act

The Community Solar Garden Act now allows groups with a minimum of 10 individuals or entities known as “subscribers” to each own a share of a solar installation and be eligible to receive the same solar tax incentives individual homeowners can receive.

Additional guidelines include:

• System size limited to 2 Megawatts or less
• No subscriber is allowed to own more than 40% of the solar shares
• Compensation for subscribers is at a proportion to how much electricity is used and cannot be more than 120% of their consumption
• At least 5% of community solar garden capacity must be reserved for individuals or families at or below 185% of the poverty line

Solar gardens provide a whole new set of opportunities for individuals who desired to make the jump to solar power before, but were unable to. They also hold the potential for communities to significantly offset their electrical consumption. With Colorado and other states already making provisions, the future for community-based solar gardens looks bright indeed.

Solar Job Creation Success Stories: 2010 was a successful year for solar energy in the United States. In contrast to 2.8% GDP growth in the U.S. economy, the solar market grew 67% in value to $6.0 billion.

 

U.S. solar companies are adding jobs at a much faster pace than the general economy, and employers are highly optimistic regarding their overall revenue growth. In a study entitled the National Solar Jobs Census 2010 released by The Solar Foundation, data showed that as of August 2010, the US solar industry employed an estimated 93,500 solar workers (which is roughly double the number of solar jobs estimated in 2009). 

 

The study also projects that over 50% of solar energy firms expected to continue adding jobs during 2011 – making the anticipated job growth rate in the solar industry about 26% (representing about 24,000 net new solar industry jobs). This expected 12-month growth rate is significantly higher than the U.S. economy-wide expectation of 2% growth over the same period.

 

What is causing the solar industry to generate more jobs?

 

Hilda L. Solis, US Secretary of Labor, said, “Among other things, this study shows that investments made through the Recovery Act—including the $2.3 billion in tax credits to U.S. based clean energy manufacturing—are already generating positive results. The solar energy sector is an increasingly important source of good jobs for Americans. Fostering the growth of this emerging industry will help protect our environment, ensure the U.S. remains competitive in the global economy, and offer great opportunities for the nation’s working families.” 

 

There doesn’t appear to be any other faster-growing industry .  “I am thrilled to announce that the solar energy industry is now the fastest growing industry in America,” said Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) CEO Rhone Resch stated at a recent PV America Conference.  But the good news doesn’t stop there. Statistics show that for every job created by the solar PV industry, between 1.8 and 2.8 jobs are created in other segments of the economy.

 

Additionally, one of the only bright spots in the US manufacturing industry has been the increase in solar related jobs.  In fact, Colorado is one of the only states in the country to see an increase in manufacturing jobs this year because renewable energy and solar manufacturing plants have moved into the state.

 

How will the current solar economy affect Syndicated Solar?

 

As a national, full-service solar developer, Syndicated Solar, also creates many jobs and stimulates the economy in individual communities by utilizing regional and local companies for many aspects of project completion – including physical installation.  Over the past two years, Syndicated Solar has directly hired 16 new employees and contracted with companies or vendors who have hired approximately 18 additional employees.  When reviewing solar contracts for 2011-12, Syndicated Solar expects that approximately 30 jobs will be created from its nationwide solar installation projects. 

 

Where can I find more information on available solar jobs?

 

The Solar Energy Industries Association of America is a reliable, nationwide solar industry resource.

For more information on solar job availablity in your area, visit the Solar Energy Industries Association.

 

Syndicated Solar Inc. is always seeking to add to our professional solar services team.

Visit our website to learn more about Syndicated Solar's current job openings.

 

There is mounting evidence that this unprecedented job growth should continue for years to come.

 

Despite being in the middle of a historic economic downturn, these findings clearly illustrate that providing homes and businesses with clean and renewable solar energy is a strong and growing industry that is responsible for thousands of jobs in all 50 states in the US.

 

• The solar solar industry grew 67% in value, over the 2.8% GDP of the US economy.
• 50% of solar energy firms anticipate adding additional jobs during 2011.
• For every solar energy job created, 1.8 to 2.8 jobs are created in other segments of the economy.

 

Interested in learning more about solar energy, but find yourself overwhelmed by technical jargon? Technical terms such as these often come up in discussions of solar power. For your reference, here is a collection of definitions for some of the most commonly used solar energy terms.

Alternating Current (AC)

A form of electrical current of which the magnitude and direction varies.
Alternating current is currently the standard form of electrical current used to deliver electricity to businesses, houses and other structures.

Amorphous Silicon

Amorphous silicon is the non-crystalline allotropic form of silicon.
It can be deposited in thin films at low temperatures onto a variety of substrates, offering unique capabilities for a variety of electronics and Solar Panels.

Ampere (Amp)

The standard measurement unit for electrical current passing through a circuit.

Array

A series of interconnected photovoltaic panels used to provide a single electrical output.

A roof-mounted PV array.

Azimuth

The angle between the point on the horizon directly below the sun and true south. The azimuth angle is used to position solar panels for optimum solar energy collection.

Base Load

The average amount of electricity a utility company must supply to meet consumer electricity demand.

Cell (solar)

A single unit of a photovoltaic panel capable of converting sunlight into direct electrical current.

Direct Current (DC)

A form of electrical current of which the magnitude and direction is constant.
Solar panels capture sunlight energy in the form of direct current. To be utilized, direct current must then be converted to alternating current using an inverter.

Grid/Grid Tied

A solar power system connected to the local utility power grid and feeds excess generated electricity into the grid.

Ground Mount

A solar power system that is built on a ground anchored frame instead of mounted to a roof.

Inverter

An inverter is an electrical device designed to convert the direct current output of solar panels to usable alternating current.

A solar electrical inverter.

Kilowatt Hour (kWh)

A kWh is the unit of energy used to quantify the production of a photovoltaic system.
1 kWh = 1,000 watts generated over a period of one hour.

Load

The energy consumption demanded by any device that uses electricity. Usually quantified in amperes or watts.

Megawatt /Watt

1,000 kilowatts/1 million watts. The standard unit of measurement for electrical power.

 

Module (PV Panel)

The smallest, self – contained protective, physical structure housing interconnected photovoltaic cells.
May also be called: A solar panel, photovoltaic panel, PV panel

Net Meter

An electricity meter that tracks how much electricity is drawn from/added to the utility grid.
A net-metering agreement is an agreement with the utility company that allows a PV system’s excess generated power to be sold back to the utility grid at peak prices in the form of electric credits. When the PV system is not producing energy, the system owner can elect to use these credits to buy back power.

Orientation

The placement of a solar system in relation to the cardinal directions: N, S, E, W.

Photovoltaic (PV System)

A Photovoltaic System converts sunlight and ultraviolet light into electricity.

Racking

The mechanical structuring that attaches a solar array to the roof of a building, or to the ground.

Roof Mount

A solar power system that is anchored to a roof of a building. Most solar systems are roof mounted.

Semiconductor

Any material with a limited ability to conduct electrical current.  Semiconductor materials include: copper indium diselenide, cadmium telluride gallium arsenide and silicon.

Silicon (SI)

Silicon, not to be confused with the silicon-containing synthetic polymer Silicone, is the base material used to construct solar cells.

Stand-alone/Off Grid

A solar power system that is not connected to the local utility power grid and instead utilizes batteries to store excess power generated during the day for use at night.

Thin Film

Used to build solar cells built from a layer of thin, flexible semiconductor material no more than a few microns in thickness.

A thin film solar cell.

Tilt Angle

The angle at which a solar array is set to face the sun and produce maximum power. Tilt angle may be flat or adjusted seasonally.

Volt (V)

Unit of measurement of the force or pressure, given the electrons in an electric circuit that is required to drive a steady electrical current.

 

 

Not the terms you're looking for? Please let us know!