Ready for a Solar Garden?

2011-05-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

People used to keep chickens to make "egg money," or sell vegetables on the side for "pin money." This behavior reflects the Ben Franklin school that says: A penny saved is a penny earned.  Our thirst for energy marches on, with rates going up 8-10% year after year. And so it is with a Solar Garden on your rooftop -- another small revenue stream that adds up big over time.

Bottom line, you've got to know your numbers: Your kwh (kilowatt hours per year). For most folks, that's 7,500 - 15,000 kwh per year. So how much difference will your solar garden make?

A leased system produces about 3,500 kwh. The smallest system to buy produces about 6,000 kwh. So what you're doing is offsetting the top 30-40% of your bill with solar; thus cutting your costs by 50-70%. Sweet!

The alternative is to open your electricity bill...say a swear word...write a check...and forget about it.    Maybe you're too tired to make money on your energy use.  Even a leased system saves $30 per month.

If you buy a system, it pays for itself in 6-7 years. And you make "Sunshine Money" for 44 more years.

So are you ready to be a "Sunshine Farmer?" Uncle Sam is offerng a 30% Federal Tax Credit. In California, Uncle Jerry is waving rebate money at you too.

So talk to your Solar Guy -- he'll make your Kilowatts go Ka-ching!

Here Comes the SUN

2011-05-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

I'm a SOLAR GUY. I talk to alot of homeowners. I design and sell solar systems, after I do a careful analysis of the homeowner's utlity bill -- monthly $ COST and kwh (killowatt hours) USAGE. The idea is to SIZE the solar system in order to save the homeowner MONEY. My experience says that people will Go Green IF they Save Green while doing so.

I also look at alot of roofs. The solar system is attached to the roof. The orientation of the roof is important. A flat roof space pointing south is best. SE and SW are good too. West is better than East, and North is a No-No.

I believe that in the next 20 years, more than 70% of homes will have solar systems. Because solar is a perfect match of making power with your rooftop and using the electricity in the home -- excess power gets exported onto the grid. And you get a credit for the excess power you produce. OR get a check for the excess power you put onto the GRID. That's nifty!