No More Electric Bills [Solar Panels for Roof Tiles!]

Newsweek ^ | Aug 15, 2005 | Andrew Murr

[Quick1]

Nicholas and Loan Gatai used to cringe when they received power bills that routinely topped $200. Last September the Sacramento, Calif., couple moved into a new, 1,500-square-foot home in Premier Gardens, a subdivision of 95 "zero-energy homes" just outside town. Now they're actually eager to see their electric bills. The grand total over the 10 months they've lived in the three-bedroom, stucco-and-stone house: $75. For the past two months they haven't paid a cent. Story continues below ↓ advertisement

Almost unknown outside California, ZEH communities are the leading edge of technologies that might someday create houses that produce as much energy as they consume. Premier Gardens, which opened last summer, is one of a half-dozen subdivisions in California where every home cuts power consumption by at least 50 percent, mostly by using low-power appliances and solar panels. Several more are under construction this year, including the first ZEH community for seniors.

Aside from the bright patch of solar modules on the roof, Premier Gardens looks like a community of conventional homes. But inside, it's clear why they save energy. "Spectrally selective" windows cut power bills by blocking solar heat in the summer and retaining indoor warmth in cold weather. Fluorescent bulbs throughout use two thirds the juice of incandescents. A suitcase-size tankless hot-water heater in the garage, powered by gas, saves energy by warming water only when the tap is turned on.

[goldstategop]

In Israel, every home is equipped with solar panels. If you've plenty of sunshine, it makes sense to collect the free energy and turn it into electricity. California is an ideal state for testing Green Energy.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[ApplegateRanch]

I actually worked for a solar company for a couple of years

So, what is the true useful life of 'normal' homeowner available cells vs expected pay-back period?

How much efficiency drop-off is there over time?

Based on that, how much 'excess capapcity' should be installed to still have 'needed capacity' at the replacement point?

What are the (if any) bogus sales pitch cost/payback factors or omissions to look out for?

[Holicheese]

So why do you not buy a more efficient furnace every year to save on fuel costs?
Or a more efficient washer and dryer?

[MosesKnows]

$500 rebate offered by our gas company

I'm trying to grasp the significance of the offer. Your gas company is offering you a $500 rebate so they can sell you less gas; is that it?

[Holicheese]

For passive features, what would you suggest? Which make the most sense. We are building in NC.
The first time I went to AZ., I figured I would see solar homes everywhere. If it does not make economic sense there, where would it?

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

"Our swimming pool hit 91 degrees a couple of weeks ago. "
"Time again for your annual Lobster Cookoff!", are we invited?

Or the Hot Tub Party?! :-)

[pageonetoo]

Well of course. If I am not mistaken, these new homes and communities are being built with their south facing roofs pointed in nearly perfect positions.

The sun rises in the east, and sets in the west, in most places on this Earth. During our rotation, we present a different angle, at each moment. Early, the angle is acute, and the atmosphere blocks much of the available energy. At noon, of course, we reach peak output. From then, until the sun sets, the flow decreases. A cloud passing, can interfere with efficiancy.

There have been all sorts of Rube Goldberg devices to rotate panels to track the suns progress, return them to the morning poition, at dusk. But, the fact remains, that there is still a variation in the output.

I have built a number of passive homes, utilizing Trombe Wall techniques, and it's variations. It is a great way to get free heat.

I have been involved with hot water systems, since the 70's. They work, and make good bizness sense.

I do not believe the snake oil salesmen who talk about the short payback times for PV. There is too much maintainance, and loss, in the systems presently available.

Only with a massive array, could you have air conditioning, or pump water from a deep well, with PV, efficiently. I built an experimental house for some friends near Round Hill, VA. It's a weekend cabin, with both water and PV panels. They have lots of battery storage for now, because the panels generate for a week, or more, in between weekend visits. But, when they stayed for two weeks, during the winter, they ran short after four days, and had to cut back on some functionss, and use their gasoline generator to recharge the extra needed to keep the batteries.

I visit the former Solarex factory (now BP Solar), in Frederick, MD, from time to time, and have made friends with a couple of engineers there. I think I agree with them... it's too expensive yet, for general usage, and too limiting, yet, for most modern lifestyles!

Here's a rreality check!

Here's a place to find out about stand alone systems.

Here's a good approach to mainstreaming it...

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Sparrow? Does it taste like chicken?

[pageonetoo]

, ok maybe i can just put a windmill on top of my garage ;) -dm

Be careful. You will be fined for killing sparrows. -cobra

Don't put that thing on your roof. When the bearings start wearing, it gets noisy!

[Lx]

Man, I'm kinda po'd. several years ago when I had the roof done on my last house, the cost was extremely prohibitive and I couldn't find any subsidies.
The no-tank instant on water heaters are awesome, we're thinking of getting one soon. A friend has one and it cut her bill a lot AND you can take a 10 hour hot water shower if you want since the hot water never stops.

[so_real]

Thank you for posting! I love articles like these. Getting the word out now is especially important as the "nuclear industry" is fixing to push the "solar industry" back into the closet as it did back in the 70's and 80's. I hope soon we will have "full-spectrum" photovoltaics -- a revolutionary advance in the science. I don't want to trade one master (oil companies) for another (nuclear companies); that just isn't "progress".

[pageonetoo]

For passive features, what would you suggest? Which make the most sense. We are building in NC.

Most of the houses I built, are in eastern NC.

1. Face the house south, where most windows are able to pick up winter heat. It may not square the street, but your house MUST face south, not MAGNETIC south, but DUE SOUTH. If your concern is facing the street, then forget about it, or find a lot that accomodates you.

2. Make the house overhang sufficient to keep light from penetrating during the hot season, but short enough to allow it to penetrate as fully as possible, during cooler months. Awnings can be used, and should be, if your windows are too large.

3. Investigate solar water systems. You can save 30-40% of your home needs, with hot water. It can be a primary or secondary source of heat, and of hot water, for consumption.

4. Insulation ratings of R-50, or more, overhead, and R-26+ on the walls.

5. Energy efficient windows and doors, and as few as needed, for aesthetics. The north side of the house could be clean, in the ideal situation, of any openings. The best windows are barely better insulated, than leaving the door open, and the north side gets NO sun!!

6. Look at water-sourced geothermal heat pumps. They are most efficient YEAR ROUND!

7. Florescent lights generate more light per watt, and a whole lot less heat. In NC, heat is more of a bother than cold...

I could add much more, but you get the main ingredients for most of my projects...

[HamiltonJay]

Well, when its included in the construction, adding another 18k to the price, financed at 5% over 30 years... paying 18k up front to save up to thousands of dollars a year on utilities... it can make sense.

But yes, shelling out 20k up front in cash at once shot for an existing home is probably not something most folks can handle.

[Overtaxed]

How well do these solar panels stand up to hail?

[Publius6961]

I was in a Marin County city's Energy Task Force a number of years in the 70s, so I am somewhat familiar with the concept.
I notice that most of the savings are totally unrelated to "solar electricity production", so any home can be retrofitted to take advantage of them.

The interface to the normal electrical service, and the payback for the equipment original cost and maintenance, and the storage requirements are totally unmentioned.
As are subsidies and hidden "credits".

[thackney]

Power Plants operate on Coal, Nuclear and some on Natural Gas

... and many of them operate on oil.

Very, very small percentage of oil goes to Electrical Generation.

Less than 4% of the US electrical power is generated with Petroleum products. Some of those are low grade fuel not suitable for further refinement into gasoline.
Electric Net Summer Capacity

[Holicheese]

I appreciate your help. We are building in Wilmington. Already have given away the snow shovels.

[ChadGore]

I agree with your statements, and would ask every freeper reading this thread to look around their own home and find things with that "brick" plugged into the wall. Laptops, pocket PCs, palm pilots, cell phones, printers, scanners, computers, all evetually need about 5v DC in order to do their jobs.

You can cluster white 3VDC LEDs in small areas to get lighting into places you just couldn't reach in the past.

[HamiltonJay]

Agreed.

Electricity is OVERWHELMINGLY generated by coal, nuclear and natural gas, at least in america.

[so_real]

I won't argue against your point regarding the volume of oil used to generate power. That 0.40 million barrels per day, however, still amounts to $25 million daily (at $62 per barrel) that is used on generating power. And whatever happened to the gas/electric hybrid cars that were being developed to dig into that 13 million barrels per day used for transportation? It sure would be nice having my house charge my car instead of the gas station (at least partially). I know, it's only a dream for now, but it will never be anything but a dream without vision and effort ...