Mr Sustainable

The US budget sequestration will reduce grants for the solar industry. While the sequestration, which went into effect today, will not impact the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for commercial or residential solar projects, it will reduce the federal grant program (Section 1603 grant in lieu of ITC). The amount of the grant reduction has yet to be announced by the US Treasury Department.

When we rebuild residences and businesses after Hurricane Sandy, let’s use sustainable energy and building materials as much as possible.

Energy efficient and energy-saving materials pay for themselves in just a few short years, and provide tremendous cost benefits over the long-term.  Since we’re going to be rebuilding anyway, and since what we build is going not be around for decades, let’s do it now and let’s do it right!

Good ideas for sustainable building materials to use include:

• insulation with high R values (good “green” non-toxic products are available on the market)
• efficient windows (well-sealed to prevent heat loss)
• no or low VOC interior paint (good non-toxic products are available on the market)
• tankless hot water heaters (you only heat water as you use it)
• energy star appliances (save on electricity)
• energy and water efficient washing machines, dishwashers etc. (not only save on electricity but on water usage).

While we’re planning, let’s not forget about sustainable energy.  Adding solar panels or a solar hot water system can easily be made part of the overall construction project.  Even though NJ state incentives are not what they used to be, a solar system can still be paid off in a few years and the system will last for 25-30 years.  And if you don’t want to put down money up front on construction of a solar system, you can opt for an arrangement where you lease the roof space to a third-party, who installs and owns the system, and you get a reduction in your electric bills.

Any way you look at it, sustainable energy and building materials can give you cost-savings, a comfortable living or working space, and satisfaction from living in a healthy and sustainable way.

Governments should support the effort too, providing fast tracking for construction that is sustainable, and special incentives to promote disaster relief that uses sustainable building materials.

This would be an excellent way to help those affected by the storm, and it would also reduce energy costs, save energy, and promote our economy and local jobs.

Let’s not miss this opportunity!

PV America East is one of the major conferences for the solar industry in the United States.  It’s in town in Philadelphia this week with close to 4,000 professionals and nearly 100 exhibitors.  Leaders in the industry and interested customers will all be there showing off the latest in technology, financing, and services.

Everyone is excited about the continuing drop in the cost of installing solar energy generating systems.  Much of the cost reduction has come from the plummeting in the price of photovoltaic panels, which have gone down more than 75% over the past five years.  This is making solar energy more and more affordable, and approaching “grid parity” the time at which the cost of solar will be equal to the cost of producing electricity from conventional, more polluting sources.

There’s also excitement about the continued rise in the amount of PV installed in the US.  In 2012, the Solar Energy Industries Association reported that residential rooftop installations were up 30 percent from the previous year, and total rooftop installations, including commercial buildings, grew over 100% during this time.

Solar energy is especially beneficial when the demand for electricity is the greatest and cost of electricity is greatest.  When a high level of power is called for – such as on a hot summer day when air conditioners are in use – solar and wind already out-compete coal, nuclear or natural gas, since the added cost of sending more electricity to the grid from solar panels or wind turbines is much less. This is sometimes referred to as the “merit order effect” and it has already cause savvy consumers to turn to solar power.  See Bloomberg BusinessWeek  “Solar Energy is Ready.  The U.S. Isn’t.

And there’s good news from other countries about the success of solar providing larger and larger percentages of a country’s power demand.  For example, Germany passed a notable benchmark in last year, when its solar power market met almost half of the country’s electric demand at mid-day on Saturday in May, and a third of its needs on a Friday, when industrial usage what high.  Wharton School University of Pennsylvania Article  “Germany proves solar energy is no mirage.”  http://knowledgetoday.wharton.upenn.edu/2012/05/sunspots-germany-proves-solar-energy-is-no-mirage/

Germany, a world leader in the development of solar power, is not producing a small overall amount of solar power by any stretch of the imagination: on these very sunny two days, it produced power equal to the generating capacity of about 20 nuclear stations.  See Wharton Article.  These facts continue to establish that solar can play, and in places already has played, a successful role in large-scale energy production.

This all makes it a good time for the United States to get squarely behind solar.  We can build our economy, provide good jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of fuel – all while improving our environment and health.

If you get the chance, check out PV America East 2013, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and please stop back again to read future posts.

Solar-powered home is a shining example of what can be accomplished with innovative thinking outside the grid.

During the assault and aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, his East Amwell residence was bright with light gleaned from the sun through solar panels.

Every small step toward sustainability is a small step away from unremitting  dependence on the Earth’s finite supply of fossil fuels.

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