Solar Photovoltaic

Also called solar electric, photovoltaics are primarily used to provide energy to your home. They consist of an array of photovoltaic cells, made of silicon, that capture sunlight and convert it into energy. These systems integrate with your electric company’s power grid, off-setting the amount of energy you receive from the power company. Solar electric systems allow you to receive the financial benefits of both SRECs and Net Metering.

Solar Thermal

Solar Thermal systems, also called solar water heating systems, collect the sun’s energy and use it to heat the water in your house. The panels contain tubes filled with glycol, a non-toxic liquid similar to anti-freeze. Solar thermal panels trap the sun’s heat, which heats the glycol. Then, the glycol is moved through the tubes to a heat transfer system that heats your water. Depending on the size of the system, you can heat the water you use for bathing and washing. Or, if your home is heated with water radiant heat and can support a larger system, you could heat your entire house! Either way, you’ll save a lot of money on your electricity bill.

How to choose the right system

There are many factors that go into choosing which type of solar panel system to install. Here are a few questions that we typically ask when we do a solar analysis:

• Do you want to reduce or eliminate your electric bill?
• Are you concerned about future energy costs?
• Do you want to have a positive impact on the environment?
• Are you concerned about the appearance of a solar panel system?
• How much space do you have?
• Do you want to improve the resale value of your home?
• How much are you currently paying for electricity?

In our gadget-filled world, people are buying more electronics than ever before, including cell phones, computers, laptops, TVs, DVD players—you name it. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, in 2005, discarded electronics totaled about 2 million tons. Only about 15 – 20 percent of it was recycled. These products, while certainly great to have and use, they contain toxic chemicals such as mercury and lead that can pollute the environment and cause contamination and serious health problems.

Fortunately, Maryland and DC offer eCycling programs that accept household electronics for recycling. These programs ensure that electronics are properly disposed off, rather than contaminating our environment.

You can read more about Maryland’s eCycling program at the Maryland Department of the Environment.

You can read more about DC’s eCycling program at the Department of Public Works.

Additionally, if you want your used electronics to go to a worthy cause, you may want to consider donating them. Often times, schools and nonprofits will accept these types of donations, so check with your favorite nonprofit to see if you can donate your old, unused electronics.

So what are they? Think of them like a stock. One SREC represents the monetary value of 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) produced. That value changes every day based on how much energy is produced across the state, how much energy is being used, and what portion of that energy comes from renewable resources (which includes wind power generation, geothermal, biomass, etc.).

In an effort to combat the effects of climate change and dependency on foreign oil, federal, state and local governments require utilities to have a certain percentage of their energy produced from renewable resources. In Maryland, utilities are required to have 15% of all electricity generated to come from renewable energy sources by 2022, of which 2% must come from solar power. Those percentages are phased in over time, which means that each year utilities must either produce that energy themselves or purchase energy credits.

And that’s where the value of SRECs is determined. It is easier and less expensive for utilities to purchase credits than to build new energy production facilities. The less energy they produce from solar and other renewable, the greater the value of the SRECs. And as energy demand continues to grow, the value of those SRECs will also continue to grow. That means that the longer you keep your SRECs, the more valuable they will be.

How many SRECs your system earns each year will entirely be based on the size of the system. When we do a solar analysis, we help you calculate what the cost/benefit is, taking into account the SRECs your solar panel system will earn.

Take note: a solar thermal system (also known as solar hot water) does not earn SRECs! They can, however, help you dramatically lower your utility bills.

Also note: SRECs are not the same as net metering, which requires utility companies to give solar electricity owners a credit if their system generates more electricity than is supplied by the grid.

While building and installing your own solar panels might seem like a good way to save some money, there are several reasons why doing it yourself is a bad—sometimes even dangerous—idea. Here are five reasons why you should work with a professional solar panel installer:

1) You will pay more for materials.

Professional solar panel installers are able to obtain a higher quality product at a lower price. The panels you get at Home Depot or other online retailers are, to say the least, a much lower quality. They are less efficient and will generate less electricity, meaning that you will have to install more panels to generate the same amount of energy, which will ultimately cost you more than a high-quality solar panel you get from a professional company.

2) Doing your own electrical can be dangerous.

This might seem obvious to some, but you’d be surprised how many people think that can do their own electrical work without having any formal training. Unless you are an electrician, installing your own electrical devices, much less a set of solar panels, can be incredibly dangerous. A professional installer will have both roofing and electrical experience, and will know how to safely install your solar panels.

3) Protecting your purchase through the warranty

Companies can be picky about their warranty. If you install your own solar panels, even the smallest mistake can void your warranty. Then you’re stuck with a system that might not be working right, has no warranty protection, and still cost you some money to install while not generating any income.

4) Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork

It’s great to use green solar technology and do your part to improve the environment and reduce our dependence on oil. But there’s also a financial benefit, with federal, state and local solar tax credits and grants, not to mention getting Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs).

Obtaining those tax credits, grants and SRECs can be a bureaucratic nightmare. There are numerous forms to fill out, certifications to be obtained, and other hurdles that the homeowner might have to jump through. And if you make a mistake on any of your forms, you have to start all over from the beginning. Doing all this yourself can add months—sometimes years—to the time it takes for you to see a financial benefit of your solar panel system.

A professional solar installer can help you get every single cent you deserve from your solar panels, while installing a higher quality product safely.

We don’t like to brag too much (after all, this blog is about more than our company), but here at Solar Energy World, we take pride in helping our customers through every step of the solar installation process. From the first free solar analysis, through the installation and inspection, to the processing of paperwork, we provide customers with a seamless experience that makes switching to solar easier.

Far easier than doing it yourself.

As you might’ve seen, Solar Energy World was recently featured on WBAL in Baltimore.  A few weeks ago, we presented the children of Bryn Mawr Little School, the winners of our 40 Day Earth Day video contest with the prize of $2500 that will support future science education.  We also donated supplies to grow a community garden.

Here’s a link to the news report: http://www.wbaltv.com/video/23836058/

Congrats to the children and their teachers! And remember, we need to think about saving the earth every day…not just on Earth Day.

The Blackwell’s are the owners of a large single-family home built in 2006 in Bowie, Maryland.  The two-story home sits upon an approximate 40,000 square foot lot.  So, with available space, the Blackwell’s explored the use of ground mounted solar panels to reduce their energy costs.

Our solar analysis showed that the Blackwells that it pays to go solar.  The family opted for a 10.32kW solar electric system that includes 48 – 215 watt ground mounted panels.  After the federal tax credit, state grant and local property tax credits, the Blackwell’s expect their solar panel system to cost nearly 50% off of the total installation cost.

In addition to the government incentives, the Blackwell’s will be saving $2,471 per year on their electricity bills and earning $4,435 per year by selling their Solar Renewable Energy Credits; making their ground mounted solar electric system pay back in less than 6 years.

We also installed an Enphase monitoring system along with the solar panels.  The monitoring system showed that in just the first 10-days of operation, the system produced 505 kilowatt hours; which could power 1,529 light bulbs, 505 computers and 15 homes for one day.

Powering up the Blackwell’s solar panel system also reduced their carbon footprint, with a carbon offset of 865lbs.  Within the same 10-day period the offset equivalent of planting 10 trees, not consuming 45 gallons of gas, and not driving 26 cars for a day.

Not only that, but they look amazing. Check out these other pictures of the solar system or read the solar case study.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average household consumed 11,040 kWh (kilowatt hours) per year, or 920 kWh per month. Maryland, is slightly above that, with household consuming more than 1,000 kWh per month (see this spreadsheet for energy consumption information for each state).

Now, consider that a high-efficiency panel that’s 32 x 60 inches will generate 185 watts per year.  That means that you would need approximately 60 panels if you wanted to cover your entire annual electricity usage (provided you consume the national average). And that would be 160 x 300 square foot roof!

Since very few of us have that size roof, we therefore need to make realistic expectations about the size of system we that we can really afford. To do that, we need to look specifically at your energy usage, the size of your roof and the amount of sunlight it receives. We then put all those numbers into a cost/benefit analysis to show you exactly how much you can save based on a realistic estimate of the size of the system your home can handle.

Sidenote: There’s far less financial benefit to purchasing lower-efficiency panels. Ultimately, they produce less energy, meaning that you need more panels to create the same amount of energy.

• 251 million – tons of trash in the United States
• 82 million – tons of materials recycled in the United States
• 53.4 – percentage of all paper products recycled in the United States
• 32.5 – percentage of total waste that is recycled in the United States
• 100 – approximate percentage of increase in total recycling in the United States during the past decade
• 8,660 – number of curbside recycling programs in the United States in 2006
• 8,875 – number of curbside recycling programs in the United States in 2003
• 6 – weeks it takes to manufacture, fill, sell, recycle and re-manufacture an aluminum beverage can
• 95 – percentage of energy saved by recycling an aluminum can, compared with manufacturing a new one
• 4.6 – pounds of trash per person per day in the United States (most in the world)
• 1.5 – pounds of recycled materials per person per day in the United States

Here in Maryland, residents and businesses recycled more than 44 percent of solid waste in 2007, and we’re sure those numbers are much higher today with the growing number of single-stream recycling programs sprouting up over the state.

The Maryland Department of the Environment has a useful tool for finding recycling programs, as well as links to other useful recycling resources.

1. Approximately 20 million people across the United States celebrated the first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970. Today, more than 1 billion people around the world take part in the event.
2. In 1995 over 200 of the world landfills were full.
3. Each person throws away approximately 4 pounds of garbage per day.
4. Approximately 5 million tons of oil produced in the world each year ends up in the ocean.
5. The energy we save when we recycle one glass bottle is enough to light a traditional light bulb for four hours
6. In, 1931, Albert Einstein, collected a Nobel Prize for is work in solar and photovoltaic experimentation.
7. Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees, 2 barrels of oil, 4,100 kilowatts of energy, 3.2 cubic yards of landfill space and 60 pounds of air pollution.
8. 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean every year
9. 84% of all household waste can be recycled
10. More than 1/3 of all energy is used by people at home
11. Most families throw away about 88 pounds of plastic every year
12. Everyday in the United States, we produce enough trash to equal the weight of the Empire State Building
13. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a swirling vortex of waste and debris in the Pacific Ocean.  This area is twice the size of the continental US and is believed to hold almost 100 million tons of garbage.
14. The human population has grown more in the last 50 years than it did in the previous 4 million years
15. John Herschel, a British astronomer, converted solar power by using a solar collector box to cook food while on an African expedition, in 1830.
16. In some elementary schools, after Halloween and Christmas, Earth Day is the third largest celebrated holiday
17. One in four mammals is at risk of extinction – 78% of marine mammals are threatened by accidental deaths such as getting caught in fishing nets intended for other species.
18. At least 50 million acres of rainforest are lost every year, totaling an area the size of England, Wales and Scotland combined.
19. Average temperatures will increase by as much as 12 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the 21^st century if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise at the current pace.
20. If the entire world lived like the average American, we’d need 5 planets to provide enough resources.
21. A world record was set in 1990 when a solar powered aircraft flew 4060km across the USA, using no fuel.
22. In one hour more sunlight falls on the earth than what is used by the entire population in one year.
23. April 22 is the first official day of Spring in the Northern hemisphere and of Fall in the Southern hemisphere and was chosen to be Earth Day for this reason
24. More than 20,000,000 Hershey’s Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133 square miles of tinfoil. All that foil is recyclable, but not many people realize it.
25. Only 11% of the earth’s surface is used to grow food.
26. If every newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year. Unfortunately only 27% of all American newspapers are recycled.
27. A highlight of the annual Earth Day ceremony at the United Nations is the ringing of the Peace Bell that was given to the UN by Japan. It is made from coins given by school children to further peace on our planet.
28. By using renewable energy sources to provide your daily energy needs we can decease CO2 emissions with 20,000 pounds less of carbon dioxide each year, including 50 pounds of nitrogen oxide less, and 70 pounds of  less sulfur dioxide omitted into our atmosphere.
29. Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial fleet of airplanes every 3 months.
30. The U.S. is 5% of the world’s population but uses 25% of its natural resources.  We use one million gallons of oil every two minutes.
31. More than 100 million Americans live in urban areas where the air is officially classified by the EPA as unsafe to breathe.
32. The US has less than 4% of its forests left.
33. 40% of our waterways are undrinkable.
34. 200,000 people a day are moving to cities from environments that no longer support them.
35. According to the National Academy of Sciences, on average there are 27 oil spills every day somewhere in the waters of the worlds
36. Residential lawns and gardens are doused with 80 million pounds of chemical pesticides and 70 million tons of fertilizers annually.
37. It would cost about $13 billion annually to satisfy the world’s basic sanitation and food requirements. That’s roughly equivalent to what Americans and Europeans spend on perfume and cologne every year.
38. Each year Americans alone throw away 18 billion disposable diapers.  In perspective, this is enough to extend from the earth to the moon and back 7 times.
39. Ford Motor Company indicates that 75% of every vehicle is recyclable.
40. In 1 year, the earth will travel 1.6 million miles in its annual journey around the Sun, the 4.6-billionth such round-trip. It will rotate about its axis exactly once.

Sources:  WebEcoist, PlanetPals, History.com, Yumsugar.com, Stumblerz.com, Daily Green, Gree.Autoblog.com

When we come to your house for a free solar analysis, we consider three things:

• What you want to get out of a solar panel system (reduce your utility bills, reducing future costs of energy, improving the value of your home, etc.)
• What direction is your roof facing
• What your current annual energy usage is

The biggest factors that determine whether a solar panel system is right for you include the amount of energy you need, how much sunlight your system receives (remember, you roof should be southerly facing for maximum system efficiency), the size of the system your roof can accommodate and the amount of energy that system can produce.

Once we take into account all of these factors, we can determine if your house is solar ready. Plus, we’ll give you a solar cost/benefit analysis that will show you how much you’ll be saving by installing solar panels.