Rebate Idea: if you can afford solar, pay part of the installation with the rebate.

[arendt]

The government refuses to invest in alternative energy. So take the money and INVEST it in America's future.

In Massachusetts, you can actually get a 0% loan with seven year payback for up to $10,000 for qualifying solar installations (PV, hot water). That means, you can pay off the cost from the monthly savings on energy.

Comments?

arendt

[dkf]

1. Great idea!

I was wondering what I could do to further the goal of less energy usage. A friend suggested replacing our washer/dryer with energy star appliances. That might be an idea too!

[LibertyLover]

2. If only we could -

but the covenents of the home owners' association in my community don't permit us to put anything on our roofs. My house is perfectly aligned for solar cells as the house faces due south and the back faces due north, more's the pity.

[cbayer]

17. That is ridiculous.

What are they thinking? Is there no way to change it?

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

18. Have you looked into Solar walls.

Something that could be kept below the fence line and/or desinged to look just like the exsiting structure and attach as a fascade?

Here is something on passive sloar walls

http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/going/smarter-homes-have-passive-solar-walls/

[grannylib]

3. If you can't do solar, call your electric company and ask to buy

wind power. If it's available in your area, they have to provide it at your request. Here in Minnesota, it's only about $.25 extra per "block" of kwh, and you can adjust as needed for periods of lower use (away on vacation; AC not used in winter; etc.)

[Ian David]

4. My neighbor is getting a customized geothermal system for about $17,000.

This price includes customized ducting according to his demanding specifications for forced hot air heating and cooling.

[arendt]

5. That sounds cheap for geothermal. I keep seeing install costs of more than $30k...

is it a small unit? Or is there an existing well?

arendt

[Ian David]

11. It's for a 12,000 square foot ranch house. n/t

[arendt]

12. Not a small installation. Good price. I want to know the name of the contractor...

That's about five years of heating oil for me - at today's prices. And my house is way smaller than 12,000 SF.

arendt

[Ian David]

13. Conesco Geothermal, 4 First Street, Bridgewater, Mass. 508-443-5011

[arendt]

14. Thanks very much. I will check them out. n/t

[arendt]

15. BTW, that's Coneco, not Conseco. n/t

[arendt]

6. And if you do it this year, you can get a Federal tax credit for solar - $2k @ for PV and HW. n/t

[plcdude]

7. What I would like to see

is a component system which home owners can eventually put in place by looking at their most significant energy consumption items and working down from there. For example I would love to run my air conditioner via solar.

[arendt]

9. There are several practical issues with that idea...

1. Things like AC or Refrigerators put huge inductive loads on at startup time. If such an item is the ONLY thing connected to the power converter, it could simply crash. Things like gasoline generators have a rating for such loads. For example, if the generator produces 1kW, it could produce up to 2 kW for 10 seconds to start up a big motor. Solar can't do that. Without a battery system, it has no reserve capacity.

So, big loads would require you to install excess capacity to manage the turn-on. Unless, you are content to simply sell your solar to the grid, and buy the normal power to start up big motors.

Its not clear if you literaly want to take the appliance off-grid.

2. Solar components come in fixed sizes, arrived at by balancing electrical efficiency versus market price points. You can buy inverter systems with empty slots, so that you can add more capacity later. You pay a premium up front for the empty cage, but you save later when you don't have to rewire. Solar panels themselves can be bought as needed.

arendt

[Fireweed247]

10. grid tie system is the way to go

When you are off at work, when you go on vacation you are getting paid for the energy you produce and you can build up a surplus to use when you are home. If you have a good enough system, the energy company will pay you every month.

[Fireweed247]

8. I think this is a great idea!

You can buy windmills and solar panels on ebay and set up a system yourself.

Also investing in Alternative energy might be a way to invest in the future of America.
(BTW, anyone know any good inexpensive alternative energy stocks?)

[cbayer]

16. Great idea.

We just bought two 130 watt panels and I will use my rebate to help pay for the installation!