Energy costs cut with solar
After 6 years, investment will pay off
LARRY COPENHAVER
Tucson Citizen
XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson Citizen
Curtis Berry has two large solar panels in the sideyard of his Catalina Foothills home.
Curtis Berry doesn't much worry about soaring utility costs, even in the face of Tucson's triple digit temperatures.
The electric bill for his four-bedroom Catalina Foothills home runs $5.18 a month, and that's for an administration fee, Berry said last week as Tucson approached an all-time record for consecutive days of 100 degrees or more.
He keeps the interior of his home at 75 degrees at night, 77 during the day.
Although connected to Tucson Electric Power's utility grid, the 39-year-old pharmacist and his wife Gina get power from solar panels on their roof and side yard.
Last week, his meter was running backward.
"I installed the first panel after buying our home in November 2002," Berry explained. He and Gina just couldn't see doling out $250 a month for cooling which the former residents did to keep cool.
That was a one-kilowatt unit, but he has continued to add panels and now has solar generating capacity of 5.5 kilowatts. The cost of solar panels runs about $4,000 per kilowatt. For Berry, that adds up to $22,000.
He has no storage capacity, and sometimes uses energy from the grid. But more often, he's feeding it.
He'll have to occupy the home for several years to come out ahead financially. "It's only beneficial if you are going to stay in your home for a long period, more than six years.
"But after I get to that point, I'm way ahead," he said.
He also installed high-efficiency, triple-pane windows, replacing old aluminum framed single-pane glass that did little to keep torrid temperatures from radiating into their home.
"It's expensive, but it's part of the package," he said of the new window installation. "If you're serious about saving energy, this is necessary."
Windows typically are liabilities for heating and cooling, noted Katharine Kent, an engineer and owner of The Solar Store. But expensive improvements need to be weighed carefully to determine if they are cost-effective.
The same is true of other alternative energy improvements, such as solar water heaters, solar pool heaters and solar-electric panels, she said.
"For instance, if you don't use a lot of hot water, there isn't much savings in buying a solar water heater," Kent said. Such a heater typically costs about $4,000, about the same as a solar pool heater.
She said the people benefitting financially from solar energy are young people who have many years to recoup their investment. She encourages people to check out data on solar energy on the American Solar Energy Association Web site, www.seia.org.
Berry said going solar is as much about protecting the environment and limiting the nation's dependence on foreign oil as saving money.
Regardless of his power generating capability, he still must be connected to TEP's grid.
The grid levels the solar panel output, allowing customers to run the meter backward when home demands are low and solar-panel production is high, and allows customers to use TEP power if solar generation is not adequate to meet requirements.
That's called net metering, Berry said. "Any excess I generate goes into the grid and is credited to me. ... It's like money in the bank."
Berry first used solar energy to heat his pool at his former residence. And that's a good thing since the rest of his family, including the couple's two children, had reservations about committing so much money to a solar project.
"The kids thought it was some kind of George Jetson thing," Berry said. But they soon came around to appreciate the solar setup.
Berry's neighbors also have accepted an array of solar panels in the upscale neighborhood, he said.
HOW TO SAVE ENERGY, MONEY
Use ceiling or oscillating fans to help feel cool without increasing air-conditioner use.
Dry laundry loads right after each other so the dryer doesn't have to reheat. Run dryer during cooler periods of the day in summer. Clean lint tray after each load.
Turn the thermostat up in the summer, down in winter. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends 78 degrees in summer, 68 in the winter. Heating and cooling costs account for about 40 percent of yearly energy spending. Turn the thermostat up if leaving home for an extended period.
Caulk around windows, doors and plumbing penetrations. An average home built before 1990 can let in as much outside air as a medium-sized window left open.
No peeking. Every time you open the oven door while cooking, you lose 25 to 30 degrees. Use a timer or meat thermometer.
Use fluorescent bulbs and save up to 75 percent on energy over standard bulbs.
Shade west-facing windows and walls to reduce afternoon temperatures.
Shorten showers. Cutting a 15-minute shower in half can save substantially on yearly hot-water costs.
Use shades or blinds to reflect sunlight out of a home.
Keep cooling and heating systems efficient by not blocking vents.
Source: Tucson Electric Power
GETTING ADVICE, DISCOUNTS
Tucson Electric Power offers three options for investing in solar power. Options 1 and 3 require supplying your own photovoltaic equipment. Option 2 requires purchasing solar equipment from TEP. All options may potentially qualify for state tax benefits of up to $1,000.
Option 1: Incentives up to $2,000 for every kilowatt of proven solar electric generating capacity that is connected to TEP's grid.
Option 2: Buydown credit up to $2,000 to the $6,000 purchase price of each 1 kilowatt company system for systems that qualify.
Option 3: Buydown rebate based on installed solar generating capacity at $2,700 per kilowatt DC for 2005 and $2,400 per kilowatt DC for 2006.
For more information: Call 745-3100 or 1-866-253-3690, or e-mail to sunshare@tep.com. |
