A Journey From Colonial to Contemporary
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It’s that time of year again! The 27th annual Decorators Show House in historic Ellicott City is set to be revealed to the public this weekend.
This years Show House just happens to be a Solar Energy World client, at a residence called Holly Manor, showcasing all that is right about the Maryland solar industry. The theme, perfectly named: A Journey From Colonial to Contemporary. Designers from Baltimore and the Washington DC area have paid homage to the home’s 18th century historic roots as well as its 21st century possibilities.
The home is open for touring from September 24th to October 23rd. While you’re touring, don’t forget to check out the solar panels on the barn!
Solar Energy World project and client:
Fulton, MD homeowners turned a newly built barn into a revenue generating rooftop. Once the tech-savvy homeowners compared solar energy to other financial investments, they found it to be a solid investment with the shortest ROI.
Connecting with Solar Energy World at a home show in 2009, the homeowner and Solar Energy World stayed in contact. When Solar Energy World learned that the Howard County Property Tax Credit was coming to an end – this Fulton homeowner was on the top of the list to contact.
Immediately he was ready to go and chose Solar Energy World because of the relationship built over the 2 years.
Installed in September 2011, the photovoltaic solar panel system includes 57 – 190-watt panels with Enphase microinverters – making this one powerful system. Each solar panel is linked to a microinverter to maximize the energy harvest of the panel. A traditional configuration would link several panels together in a series connected to one inverter located usually in the home near the electrical box.
Enphase Microinverters allow each solar panel to operate independently and control the power from each with 99.6% accuracy. This results in a significant increase in the performance of the entire system.
Choosing a trustworthy supplier was essential.
“Solar Energy World did a fantastic job,” this Maryland homeowner says. “They really knew what they were doing, they were responsive, and were very helpful. I have very high praise for everyone we dealt with. Now I just watch my electric meter run backwards.”
This 10.83kW system will reduce harmful CO2 emissions by 10.3 tons, which is equivalent to not consuming 1,050 gallons of gasoline.
Project Overview
Location: Fulton, Maryland
Completed: September 2011
Number of Panels: 57
Products: Schuco® 190-watt solar panels with 57 Enphase Microinverters
Benefits:
- Eliminates $1,950 per year in energy costs
- Earns $3,750 per year from Solar Renewable Energy Credits
- Saved $27,054 in government incentives
- Will realize ROI in 5 years and 5 months
- Reduce CO2 emissions by 20,647 pounds per year
Energy Tip: Stop the deep freeze!
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Often we forget about some of the easy things we can do around our homes to reduce our energy bills. This may seem simple…regularly check the temperature of your refrigerator – fine simple enough. But, what about those extra “storage” refrigerators in our basements or garages that are only half full? You know… the ones we stack boxes on?
Refrigerators are significant energy uses. Turn off and unplug unused refrigerators that are only needed seasonally, and consolidate the contents of nearly empty refrigerators and freezers.
Here are some energy facts and tips:
- Get rid of the second refrigerator. An older second refrigerator could be costing you over $200 per year.
- Keep your refrigerator away from heat. Try to locate your refrigerator in a cool location. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from appliances that generate heat, like ovens and water heaters.
- Check refrigerator door seals. Check the door seals on your refrigerator by closing the door on a dollar bill. If you can easily pull the dollar out then you would probably benefit by replacing the seal.
- Don’t overload. Refrigerators operate most efficiently when full but not overloaded.
- Don’t put hot food in the refrigerator. Allow leftovers to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
- Give your refrigerator some space. Allow at least one inch of space on each side of the refrigerator for good circulation. Poor circulation can increase energy consumption by 10 percent.
- Buy ENERGY STAR® appliances. ENERGY STAR appliances are the most energy-efficient models on the market.
- Defrost your freezer. When ice builds up, the efficiency of the freezer drops significantly.
- Check your freezer temperature. Keep your freezer between 0-5 degrees F. Settings below this use more energy and are unnecessary.
- Fill your freezer. Freezers operate most efficiently when full. During power outages, foods in full freezers stay frozen longer.
Conservation Is Key
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Solar energy can take a long way to reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy sources like oil. But one of the best ways to keep our energy consumption in check is to simply reduce the amount of energy we consume. Here are some tips to help you reduce your carbon footprint, use less energy, and help fight climate change. Every little step helps!
- In the winter, keep your thermostats at 68 degrees or lower. For each 1 degree you turn down the thermostat in the winter, you’ll save up to 5% on your heating costs.
- Turn off and un-plug non-essential lights and appliances. The electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars!
- Avoid running large appliances such as washers, dryers, and electric ovens during peak energy demand hours from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Close shades and blinds at night to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. This also applies during the day for warm climates.
- Buy Energy Star appliances, products and lights.
Source: www.Earth911.com
Want more energy saving tips? Check out BGE’s Simple Steps to Saving Money.