Power Consumption of Household Appliances
It is easy to flick a light switch, push the power button on the microwave, or get a cold soda out of the fridge. It is also easy to see how much total electricity you use per month. That comes on your bill, along with perhaps an ever-increasing price tag. But do you know how you are using all of the electricity? Or how much do everyday appliances cost you each year to run?
Have you ever went on vacation and left a standard 60 watt light bulb on for the week? That cost you $1.31 based on average Maryland-DC electricity costs.
How about your refrigerator? Well that depends on what model you have. Refrigerators from the late 80’s cost about $123.50 a year to power. For models from the 90’s and beyond, energy efficient refrigerators cost between $52 and $91 per year on average.
And what about that new 52” LCD Television? If you are the average household that has the TV running 5.2 hours a day, you run a yearly tab of around $42.
If you know how much your appliances cost to power, you can make better decisions about your energy consumption. You can see how upgrading to energy-efficient appliances can drastically cut your bill. Or, you might just think twice about using your appliances at the same frequency. For example, using a coffee maker to brew a pot of coffee a day will cost, on average, $3 a month. That’s $36 a year in electricity for your coffee– perhaps it’s time to try instant? Or, if you like all your gadgets, maybe it is time to schedule an energy audit and see how solar power can save you money while you enjoy all the benefits of technology.
For those that want to do some serious investigating, here is the formula you can use to calculate the costs of your appliances:
(wattage / 1000) x hours used per day x electricity cost = the appliance’s daily cost
The two things you will need to know is the wattage of the appliance and your electricity cost per kWh. Wattage can be found on the back, or inside, most appliances. If not, you can usually search online to find industry averages. For your electricity cost, you will want to consult your electricity bill.
For a 60 watt light bulb that was left on for a week:
60watts / 1000 = .06kWh
.06kWh x 24 hours = 1.44kWh to run the light bulb for a day.
1.44kWh x .13 (the average cost per kWh in Maryland-DC) = $.1872 per day
$.1872 per day x 7 days = $1.3104 per week to run a 60 watt light bulb.
Now, if you want to start making the meter run backwards, you can start considering using solar power through net metering.
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Solar Myths
Solar energy is on the cusp of becoming a mainstream form of energy. As more information about alternative energy flies around the Internet, it is important to realize that not everything you hear about solar energy is true. Here are the top five myths about going solar:
Myth # 1- Solar energy is too expensive:
There is an upfront cost to convert your home to solar energy, but that doesn’t mean it is too expensive. In fact, solar has never been more affordable. Depending on your state, there are huge incentives, including tax breaks and Solar Renewable Energy Credits, which can offset some of the upfront cost. The truth is that you can see a return on your investment from Day 1. Locally, the Maryland solar industry has fairly competitive incentives.
Myth # 2 – Solar doesn’t work on cloudy, cold days.
While solar panels work slightly by effectively in direct sun, solar systems work just fine on cloudy days. Consider that Germany, a country not known for its bright, sunny days, is the solar capital of the world. As for the cold? Just because it might be cold, doesn’t mean that there isn’t sunlight. Plus, solar systems actually work better in colder temperatures since the panels can conduct electricity more efficiently in milder weather.
Myth # 3 – With all the advancements in solar energy, I should just wait. Prices will come down.
The time to buy is now. While it may be true that the cost of solar panels might come down, so will the large amount of federal and state incentives. The solar incentives are not going to be around forever, so why not start cutting your electricity bills in half now?
Myth # 4 – I am not going to be in my house long enough to see a return on my investment.
You will still see a return on your investment even if you move out of your house just a few years after you install a photovoltaic solar panel system: it just won’t come as reduced energy bills. Installing a solar system can increase your house value by $20,000 for every $1,000 saved in annual utility costs.
Myth # 5- Solar is hard to maintain.
Solar panel systems that are connected to the grid are easy to maintain. They just need to be rinsed off with water occasionally. The only maintenance they really require is to be kept free of things like dust, debris and snow. In fact solar panels are made to withstand rain, hail, and pretty much anything Mother Nature can throw at it.
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Solar Power in New Jersey
New Jersey is the most densely populated state resulting in a real effort to preserve the state’s remaining open spaces. This has limited the prospect of a large utility-scale solar energy installations. The state also experienced a period of heavy industrialization in the absence of environmental regulations, and has responded by tightening said regulations significantly.
The big reason why Jersey can use solar energy is that the state’s energy economy makes renewable power easier to sell. New Jersey gets about half of its power from nuclear plants and imports about 30% power from other states. The bulk of New Jersey’s expanding electricity need to be met by coal and natural gas. All of these factors keep New Jersey’s electricity prices in line with nearby states. Renewable’s prices don’t have to come down as far in price to become competitive.
The state also imposed a renewable energy standard that dictates, by 2020, it will receive 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources.
There were limited energy options for New Jersey. New Jersey generally has flat topography meaning that hydropower isn’t much of an option. Many of the estuaries and rivers that do flow into the ocean in New Jersey have excellent potential as sources of tidal power, but that technology hasn’t yet advanced far enough to allow deployment. Due to the fact that open land is so precious and preserved, New Jersey did not really have many options other than to turn to solar energy, unless it wanted to build a big utility facility. However, in terms of space for solar energy, rooftops are everywhere- enter the photovoltaic solar panel system.
In addition to the political and economic situation of New Jersey the state devised a system based on what are called Solar Renewable Energy Certificates, or SRECs. The utilities can buy SREC bundles and use them to meet their annual quota of renewable power; falling short will net them a fee. An example of this can be seen from 2009 when it was required that Jersey Central Power and Light and Public Service Electric and Gas obtain 20% of their power from solar. The SREC market acts as a cap and trade system with a maximum value for the SRECs.
Unlike SRECs, selling the credits that your system produces, you can save money by saving electricity. As your system produces electricity and sends excess back to the grid, your meter is running backwards or keeping track of electricity sent. When your system is not producing electricity it is pulling electricity from the grid at no charge if you are using what you contributed at an earlier period. Through this process you can save money on your monthly electricity bills while also receiving money from selling your SRECs credits.
These characteristics make renewable so easy to sell in New Jersey that could not be sold anywhere else due to the limited competitiveness of the renewable market. The Maryland solar industry is attempting to model the state’s policies after regulations found in New Jersey.
Post written by: David Zamostny, Solar Energy World Intern
Citation: http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/07/why-new-jersey-is-2-in-solar-power-and-why-this-isnt-good.ars
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GOP Ally for Senator Sander’s 10 million Solar Roof Bill
In June, an independent has rallied some unexpected support from both a Republican and Democrat in what they are calling tripartisanship support for solar energy.
VT Senator, Bernie Sanders proposed a project that will place millions of solar power systems on home and businesses in the next decade. Working alongside SunShot, a Department of Energy Initiative, he aims at reducing the price of solar energy so that it can become competitive with coal and other conventional fuels.
Sanders expects his “10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011” (S. 1108) to have its first public airing last month at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.
“This legislation will make it more affordable for families and businesses to install solar, by helping communities reduce the costs associated with solar energy permitting,” Sanders said. “As we lower the cost of solar energy and increase our use of solar, we can create hundreds of thousands of good-paying manufacturing and installation jobs in this country. This bill also sets strong targets for American solar energy production, to ensure we compete vigorously with China and Europe for solar energy jobs.”
Post written by: David Zamostny, Solar Energy World Intern
Information from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/08/idUS41670750020110608
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Choosing the right solar for your home
Solar Energy World offers two ways to use solar energy in your home: solar electric and solar thermal systems. Both allow you to create a tangible investment in your home while reaping some of the incentives for yourself.
Solar electric systems use photovoltaic panels in conjunction with a regular source of electricity provided by your utility company. The panels capture solar energy and convert it, then power it back into your electric system. If you don’t use the solar power generated energy, it goes back into the grid and you’re credited with it.
Solar thermal systems heat water, one of the biggest energy consumers in your home. Sunlight will heat your water from about 50 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The resulting energy savings can be drastic!
Solar Energy World can help you navigate the best solar energy systems and help you choose the right ones for your home. Contact us to get started!
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Solar in the News: IKEA and General Motors
Solar energy is the fastest growing industry in the country and it is showing no signs of slowing down.
Locally, General Motor’s broke ground on an expansion to its White Marsh transmission plant just outside of Baltimore. The addition to the plant, which currently produces hybrid and heavy duty transmissions, will be dedicated to making critical components for electric motors. When the plant opens in 2013, the electric motor plant will be the first of its kind by a major U.S. automaker.
The expansion will include a 1.23MW rooftop photovoltaic solar system. Expected to generate nine percent of the plant’s energy consumption, the system will save approximately $330,000 during its lifetime.
According to GM Vice President Mike Robinson, “GM will offset up to 1,103 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the air per year – equivalent to the emissions from 216 passenger vehicles.”
Leading furniture retailer Ikea also recently announced the installation of solar photovoltaic systems on six of it’s east coast stores, two in Maryland. The Baltimore and College Park locations can expect panels as early as fall of this year. The plan for the two Maryland locations includes 7,840 photovoltaic panels that would offset 1,822 tons of carbon dioxide.
Also on the horizon is a $70 million dollar solar energy farm at a state prison near Hagerstown. The solar energy farm would sit on 50 state-owned acres surrounding the medium-security Maryland Correctional Institution and inmates will tend the grounds and keep the panels clean.
The 20MW farm is still waiting on the go ahead from state regulators. If approved, the project could be completed as early as 2012 and would generate enough energy to power 2,250 homes.
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Solar in the News: Maryland Correctional Institution
To continue the growth of the Maryland solar industry, the state is expanding its solar energy projects to include a $70 million dollar investment at a state prison near Hagerstown. The solar energy farm would sit on 50 state-owned acres surrounding the medium-security Maryland Correctional Institution and inmates will tend the grounds and keep the panels clean. California currently uses open space around correctional facilities to house solar panels.
Construction is planned to begin this year with completion by December 2012. The solar energy farm would project enough energy to power 2,250 homes and help meet requirements of a state law mandating that 20 percent of Maryland’s electricity be generated from renewable energy sources by 2022.
Maryland’s Department of Public Safety and Correctional Service approves of the project, noting that the photovoltaic solar panel farm would make productive use of the land and provide employment opportunities for inmates in the pre-release system. The installation is a great example of the commercial use of solar energy.
Source: BusinessWeek
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Kicking off a solar summer: How many solar panels do you need?
There are many essential variables to consider when calculating how many photovoltaic solar panels you need and what type. How much energy am I using? How much sunlight does my house receive? What are the most efficient tilt and panels that would be useful to use? Each solar power system is different, which is why our installation crew designs a specific solar power system to meet your individual needs.
The first of these variables involves calculating how much power in watts your household uses on a daily basis. Using your electrical bill and/or a kWh (watt-hours) load tool you
can calculate total watts you use per day or month.
The next step would be to calculate the amount of useable sunlight in your area or insolation, when your solar panels will produce their rated voltage. This can be done using a solar calculator to find the tilt and size of a suitable system, and total hours of usable energy or you can use solar insolation table to determine the average hours of sunlight.
Determining the size of the system
To then calculate the size of the system in kW (kilowatts), divide watts-hours by your insolation value. In order to account for average energy losses and inefficiencies you can increase this number by 30%. This will give you the size of the solar energy system needed in kilowatts.
What type of solar panel is right for me?
This all depends on how much energy you need to produce and how much space you have. It is possible to have one bigger solar panel that produces the same watts-hours as six smaller ones. It is also possible that one type of solar panel is more aesthetically pleasing than another. This may be the case with the new SunPower solar panels.
The best way to determine how many solar panels you need would be to have a professional come to your property to survey the proposed area. This is done as part of a solar assessment. During the solar assessment, you’ll discover all the financial benefits that come along with solar too.
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Solar history: Alexandre Edmond Becquerellar
Born in Paris, Edmond Becquerel (1820-1891), a French physicist in 1839, is known for his studies in the solar spectrum, magnetism, electricity and optics. He is best known for his discovery and unraveling the key principle to solar energy cells, the photovoltaic effect. He received his doctorate from the University of Paris, and eventually took
a professorial position at the Agronomic Institute of Versailles. He was especially interested in phosphorescence and luminescence, chemical reactions caused by exposing certain substances to light. In the1840s he found that these reactions could produce an electric current in both liquids and metals. The connection between light energy and chemical energy was seized upon by many scientists in the following years, and research has led to the development of the photoelectric cell.
Photovoltaic effect
The photovoltaic effect is the basic physical process through which a photovoltaic cell converts sunlight into electricity. Sunlight is composed of photons which are packets of solar energy. These photons contain different amounts of energy that correspond to the different wavelengths of the solar spectrum. When photons strike a photovoltaic cell, they may be reflected or absorbed, or they may pass right through. The absorbed photons generate electricity.
Post written by: David Zamostny, Solar Energy World Intern
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Solar power in the news
If you’re considering adding photovoltaic solar panels to your residence or commercial project, here’s some good news: research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found “strong evidence that California homes with photovoltaic systems have sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems.” 
In an April 21 article, the New York Times shared that researchers looked at both homes with photovoltaic systems and homes without in California over an eight-and-a-half-year period ending in mid-2009. This is great news for those concerned that they’ll have to use their solar panels for many years before seeing a return on investment.
If you’re installing solar panels, you may get an even bigger bang for your buck. The study found that homeowners who install solar panels on existing houses get nearly three times the premium of homeowners whose house came with solar panels. You’re investing in a valuable upgrade for your home, and the market value will reflect that.
To read more on the study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, visit: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/study-finds-solar-panels-increase-home-values/?partner=rss&emc=rss
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