Watch an episode of “This Old House” to learn about leasing a solar panel system and watch them being installed. Some leasing programs require no money from the homeowner.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/ask-toh/video/0,,20577330,00.html
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Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only.
The solar industry scored a major win Thursday when California regulators more than doubled the number of homeowners and businesses who will get full financial credit for the surplus electricity that their rooftop panels produce.
The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved changes to a policy known as “net energy metering,” which allows solar system owners to cut their utility bills by receiving credit for any excess electricity they send to the state’s power grid.
The California law that established net metering set a limit on the number of people who could qualify within each utility company’s territory, a limit the Legislature later raised. The utilities commission on Thursday changed the way the limit is calculated, greatly expanding the pool of people who will be eligible in the future.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/24/BUAF1ON5RC.DTL#ixzz1vtOCrcZU
Posted in energy retrofitting
Tagged net energy metering, real estate appraisal, san diego, solar industry
So what should you do if you are considering replacing your contractor grade windows with new energy efficient ones? Here are the five things to consider to insure you are getting the best results.
ENERGY AUDIT: Have a legitimate energy audit done by a third party independent auditor. These companies do not sell or recommend specific products. But get them talking enough and they will probably tell you who to stay away from.
ENERGY TAX CREDITS: Find out what energy tax credits are available. These incentives can be federal, state, or utilities. Warning – some energy tax credits will not be available after December.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Research the energy efficiency of the various materials that are used in making the windows as well as the brands of the replacement windows. Generally wood or vinyl are the first choices and although some will tell you triple pane windows are the best, they are not really needed in the West, especially when you are calculating the payback.
PAYBACK: How long will it be before the savings you realize on your utility bills pay for the replacement windows. Don’t be awestruck by statements like; “we’ll save you 40% on your energy bill.” Even if that could be achieved, sit down and calculate how much that would actually be. Then find a replacement window that makes sense for your budget.
CONTRACTOR REPUTATION: This is where a lot of promised energy savings is lost. If the windows are not installed properly, most of the energy savings will not be realized. Talk to other customers who have had their windows replaced and see if they have seen a savings. Research the replacement window companies on the internet. And research both the window manufacturer and the installation company if they are not the same.
Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only
Green Real Estate Appraiser 