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Have you taken the opportunity to really sit down and crunch the numbers as it relates to getting wind and/or solar power for your home?
Maybe not! So that's why I'm going to take the time here to give you the hard core facts about whether or not you can or should invest in a wind and/or solar power system for your home, your business, farm, ranch or industry and what the actual final costs could be.
The first thing you must know is how much electricity you use. It's always best to look at your usage over a broad span of time, like the past 12 months. This gives you an idea of what you should expect to have to "replace" with your own personal electricity generating system. In the interest of time and simplicity I'm going to just discuss wind power here, because it is still the most cost effective energy production when comparing wind and solar.
Keep in mind, if you are a little short on math skills or just prefer not to have to sit and crunch the numbers, we will do this for you and show you the results.
When you've obtained the number of Kilowatt Hours used annually you should then multiply that by the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour (KWh for future reference) and that should give you a pretty clear indication of what your actual electricity costs are. We are able to get our KWh's used from the online website of our energy provider (Xcel Energy). You may have to call your customer service rep at your provider if they don't have it online. It will also be reflected on your bill as "KWh used". You may have to add them up for each of your last 12 bills, or it may have a cumulative total.
Once those numbers are arrived at, we will be able to help you with determining which complete wind system would be right for you. There are a number of good systems on the market and there are also some really great systems out there. Do your homework... I have!!
Be aware that some of the promotional material sounds really good but as with most promotional material, it's written by the folks that are attempting to sell them. Not that they would purposely skew any numbers, but it's important to find independent research if it's available. Just know that a 5KW system from Company A, may not product the same power as a 5KW system from Company B. There are a number of factors that determine the actual production of the turbine and those factors must be taken into account or the customer may be very dissatisfied with the system once it's up and running.
Once you have all the numbers mentioned above, you'll want to make sure and size your system accordingly. Now for the good part! Uncle Sam is willing to invest in YOUR green energy system if you're willing to make the move. Currently, the Feds will provide you with a 30% tax credit for residences as well as a 30% tax credit or grant if you're a business converting to green energy. If you are rural and a business entity, you may qualify for an additional 25% grant offered by USDA. That could be a total of 55% off the cost of your entire installed system. If you're a small rural business, that could mean that a $30,000 system could end up with an actual final cost to you of only $13,500.00. If your overall system cost is $100,000. your actual final cost could be only $45,000. With that kind of "financial assistance" the ROI is phenomenal. Your payout, depending on the cost of your electricity, could be as short as 5 to 7 years. These systems are manufactured to last 20 to 25 years. That's a lot of years of free energy and super savings for you! It's what I would call a "NO-BRAINER"!!
Texas Wind and Solar Power
PO Box 20885
Amarillo, Texas 79114
806-433-6889
WEB: http://www.texasrenew.com/
EMAIL: info@TexasWindandSolarPower.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Johnny_Lee_Taylor
Nowadays there are many different ways to get the energy we need for our homes. Solar energy panels have been around for a long time, but new advances in technology have made them a better choice for energy than ever before, and solar energy companies are becoming more and more common.
Solar panels are just one of many alternative energy sources, but not all of them are readily available for an individual consumer. So, how do solar energy companies offering energy panels compare to some of the other popular choices?
* Wind Energy
Wind energy is a source that we have been using for centuries. Man learned how to harness the power of the wind for sailing ships and made windmills long ago. More recently we have learned how to turn wind energy into electricity. Wind, itself, is free and something we won't be running out of anytime soon. So what makes solar panels better than windmills?
-Modern windmills can be considered unattractive in the landscape.
-There have been recent studies as to the adverse effects of windmills on birds and bats.
-Windmills can be expensive to set up for an individual business or private citizen.
* Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is a natural resource and is environmentally friendly. It also has few emissions and harmful chemicals. Compared to solar energy companies, however geothermal energy facilities do have some disadvantages:
-Geothermal fluid is corrosive at a low temperature, making it difficult for engines to generate heat.
-The construction of geothermal plants can affect the stability of land and surrounding regions.
-Geothermal plants may emit low levels of sulphur, nitrogen oxide, and carbon dioxide.
Sites used for geothermal energy can eventually cool down, making their location no longer viable, unlike solar energy companies.
* Hydroelectric Energy
Hydroelectric energy is energy derived from moving water. A fast moving river or waterfall can produce a massive amount of energy and produces no direct waste. The main disadvantage of this type of energy, compared to solar panels, is it is usually produced on a large scale, making it difficult for an individual business or resident to take advantage of it without a hydroelectric energy plant already accessible.
* Solar Energy
Solar energy is a very flexible form of energy that we've been exploring for years. It is, of course, free and available every day. We use it both to generate heat and electricity. Solar panels are becoming increasingly more efficient as our technology gets better. It has been said that if solar energy companies could harness all of it, one minute of solar power could fuel the earth for a year. Almost any home or business can be fitted for energy panels and they do not have to be connected to a separate power or gas grid. While the price of installation may seem high, the initial investment can often be recouped in as little as three to eight years and solar energy companies are easier and easier to find.
JP Electric Service is family owned & operated. Founded in November 1978 in Tulare CA. With over 30 years of experience ranging from large commercial projects to small service jobs. JP Electric can handle residential and commercial electric and solar jobs. http://www.jpelectricnsolar.com/
Air sealing is important because air leaks through the walls, floor, and ceiling of your home. Air leaks out of your home when the air pressure inside the home is greater than the air pressure outside the home. Air also travels from hot to cold. The bigger the hole and the greater the pressure or temperature difference, the more air leaks.
What is Air Sealing?
Air Sealing is restricting the passage of air through the walls, floor, or ceiling so the home is more energy efficient and the process of heating or cooling the home takes less energy and less money.
Remember your Mother yelling at you as you flew out the back door, "Harvey, shut the door, we don't want to heat the whole outdoors."
Well, if you knew how many air leaks were actually part of your home, you would be interested in sealing them just like your interested in getting the door closed after Junior heads for the neighbors.
Hidden Air Leaks:
Although you find obvious air leaks, it is the large hidden penetrations that dominate air leakage. Air leaks can be rather straight forward, passing directly through a wall, floor, or roof at one location. Or they can be indirect, beginning at one location and exiting at another.
Have you every felt cold air coming through a light switch on an interior wall? Now, that's an indirect air leak.
What is Air Sealing?
Air sealing is education and testing. Education, because it takes an understanding of how a wall, floor, or ceiling is constructed to effectively search and locate hidden air leaks. Testing, because the amount and location of air leaks can be determined. Testing also allows you to see the effectiveness of your air sealing efforts.
To control air leakage, an effect air barrier should border and touch the insulation. Without an effective air barrier, air is allowed to pass through and around the insulation which greatly reduces the effectiveness of the insulation.
Existing Homes.
Existing homes may have several partial air barriers. For example, a home may have interior wall paneling, insulation, exterior sheathing, and then siding. These wall components merely slow down the passage of air rather than stop it. Irregularities in the homes exterior shell will promote air leakage as there is often a problem where building materials join together.
What is Air Sealing?
Air Sealing is providing appropriate retrofit applications that repair the original construction condition of your home that reduces the direct and indirect air leakage. Special attention needs to be given to rim joist, overhangs, dormers, bay windows, balloon framing, chimney's, knee walls, and storage attics.
Materials used for providing effective air sealing and air barriers include kraft or asphalt paper, plastic sheeting, house wrap such as typar or tyvek, caulk, spray foam, foam board, metal flashing, plastic bags, styrofoam, mastic or anything else that you have that gets the job done.
What is Stack Effect?
Stack Effect is a natural force that drives air leakage. Warm air is less dense than cold air, so warm air rises and cool air replaces it. Stack effect takes place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Warm air leaves your home by passing through the holes and penetrations in the ceiling or roof. Cooler air enters the home through holes and penetrations near the floor.
What is Air Sealing?
Air sealing is addressing the energy waste caused by Stack Effect. Holes and penetrations in both the ceiling and floor are sealed so warm air can not escape and so cold air cannot take it's place. Restricting the energy waste caused by Stack Effect can greatly reduce your power bill.
Penetration's and Fenestration's.
Penetrations and fenestration's are holes that were made in your home by a variety of well meaning contractors. The Plumber cut a bunch of holes for pipes and the electrician cut a bundle of holes for wiring. The Heating Contractor cut a number of holes for ducts and flues and the window and door contractor cut some huge holes for windows and doors. In fact, all the holes in your home were man made.
What is Air Sealing?
Air Sealing is following around behind the plumber, electrician, HVAC, and other "Professionals" and sealing up all the holes they left. You grab a can of "Great Stuff", spray foam insulation, and follow the wire or pipe until you get to a wall, floor, or ceiling and then you fill the resulting hole. This is like a scavenger hunt or perhaps the reenactment of the Hansel and Gretel story. When you find a inch pipe going through the floor by way of a 3 inch hole and you fill the 3 inch hole with insulating Great Stuff, you feel like you just kick part of the wicked witch in the fire. It feels good.
Blower Doors and Duct Blasters.
A blower door is a piece of testing equipment that can be used to provide data on the amount of air leakage that occurs in your home as a result of air leaks. The leakage is represented in cubic feet of air per minute. ( CFM ). A cubic foot of air is about the size of a basketball.
Blower Door Testing
A duct blaster is also a piece of testing equipment, but in this case, the duct blaster provides data on the amount of air that is leaking through the walls of the ducts on a forced air heating or cooling system.
Sealing the air leaks in the duct system is one of the most beneficial and most cost-effective, energy saving measures you can complete.
What is Air Sealing?
Air sealing is something you do before you install additional insulation in the attic and before you install that new high efficiency gas furnace. Air sealing is something you pay extra attention to when you are having new, energy efficient, windows installed. Air sealing is something you do after the Home Energy Auditor tells you that the blower door indicates there is 2,562 cubic feet of air leaking into and out of your home every minute.
Air sealing is having the Energy Auditor tell you that the duct blaster documents there is duct leakage to the tune of 600 CFM of conditioned air leaving your heating ducts every minute. Air Sealing is seeing the duct leakage reduced to 80 CFM and realizing that your furnace does not run as often or as long and the power bill this month is less than it was last month.
What is MVL?
MVL stands for "Minimum Ventilation Level". This is a study that supports the fact that you and I can not live in a plastic bag. In other words, if we seal up all the holes and penetrations in our home so that no air can get in or out, it would be like living in a plastic bag. The home would not be a healthy place to live.
If you get over excited with air sealing and you end up reducing the MVL below healthy standards, you may need to provide controlled air leakage. Controlled air leakage can be provided by mechanical devices like ceiling exhaust fans or heat recovery ventilators. Controlled air leakage can also be provided by opening a window or having the neighborhood kids over for a snack.
Thank you for stopping by, hope you will come back soon, but I won't leave the light on for you...
Don Ames is a home energy auditor and your host at http://www.detectenergy.com/. Don also is the publisher of the Free eNewsletter, the Energy Spy Insider.
