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It’s that time of year. People start calling to get solar pool heating systems installed as pool temperatures drop. New system owners get to experience the luxury of a warm pool at no operational cost for the first time. Existing system owners are faced with a few common issues. “My pool level is going down. There must be a leak.” “My solar pool heating won’t turn on. “My pool is ‘only’ 80°. Just last week it was 85°.” (Also, “My pool is ‘only’ 80 degrees, but I have the controller set at 85°.”) Each of these issues can be resolved without a service call inRead More →

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One popular idea for solar panels is using them to make a carport. Carports provide shade and protection from the elements, and produce energy for the property owner. It’s really a great dual-function application. I recently saw a massive solar carport with hundreds of SunPower panels. Can you guess where this is? Hint: it’s not in SW Florida, and I saw it while having a beer.

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FPL made an important and appreciated change to their solar rebate program for this round of funding. They said they would take applications after the funds were exhausted to put applicants on a standby list, as many customers do not go through with installations. I was surprised to see that the standby list was limited, and applications were eventually rejected. That really does not make sense, unless FPL does not really want to know how many people want rebates but cannot get one. Wouldn’t it make sense to take all applications in the order received? That way we could gauge demand and adjust the rebateRead More →

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Already making friends. NREL folks are here who develop plugins like PVWATTS and building energy analysis tools. Solar is in the house!

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I like beer. That’s not news to people who know me well. I also like solar energy. That’s obvious. How can I best take advantage of this combination? Hmmmmm…… I’ll be in Chico, CA to visit the FAFCO, Inc. solar panel manufacturing facility later this week. Chico happens to be home of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, which happens to brew three of my favorite beers – Pale Ale, Torpedo Pale Ale, and Liberty Ale. How convenient! Sierra Nevada also happens to have one of the largest private roof mounted solar electric systems in the United States. At 2 megawatts, it’s the same rating as theRead More →

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I’ve written several posts about using Trimble Sketchup (formerly Google Sketchup) to size and visualize solar energy systems. It’s a tool that I have come to rely upon for technical and sales purposes. This week I am heading to Sketchup 3D Basecamp in Boulder, CO. Every two years Sketchup enthusiasts and experts convene for the “unconference.” While the focus of this year’s event will be on scripting – programming Sketchup plugins – I will be taking the opportunity to learn how to better render my 3D models into photorealistic images for sales presentations and visualizations. Rendering can result in amazing lifelike representations of proposed projects.Read More →

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Many economists think that a financial Armageddon is on the horizon in the United States and Europe. While don’t necessarily agree that a meltdown would result in an end-days scenario, doomsday prepper-style, there is certainly an argument to be made for inevitable inflation if out of control deficit spending by governments continues. How can solar energy help? Individual and business decisions whether to invest in solar energy are often predicated on the belief that utility electricity rates will increase steadily in the future. Arbitrary average energy inflation rates, based loosely on historical records of varying lengths, are often used in financial models. Averages range fromRead More →

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“Don’t call it the incinerator.” That’s what I learned when I toured the Lee County Material Recovery Facility today. Calling it an incinerator is like calling a car a “horse and buggy.” The facility produces energy in a renewable and sustainable way at the Buckingham, FL facility and sells the power to Seminole Electric Cooperative. Taking household waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill, the facility turns the refuse into electricity. It’s a part of recycling and trash disposal that is rarely considered by the public. Also known as waste-to-energy, material recovery facilities are slowly replacing landfills as the economics make the technologyRead More →

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NBC-2 News reported that a smart car charger caused a fire in Estero, FL yesterday causing $200,000 to a home. From the story I gather that the homeowner installed the smart charger himself. While I can’t say if he was qualified or if the fire was caused by installation errors or product failure, it brings an important issue to the forefront – electric car charging is going to bring a whole host of problems for home electrical systems. The problem is that many homes already have fully loaded main distribution panels. Several tandem breakers may be installed to accommodate new circuits for things like lighting,Read More →

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It sounds like a great idea – buy an all-electric vehicle like the Nissan Leaf and get off fossil fuels to save money and the environment. However, many people fail to think about where the electricity comes from! FPL generates about 2/3rds of it’s electricity from Natural Gas. That’s a fossil fuel. In addition, 1/5th comes from nuclear power. So ask yourself – is your electric vehicle really electric, or is it just another fossil fuel vehicle disguised as an eco-friendly alternative? Granted, electric vehicles use less fossil fuel because FPL uses fuels much more efficiently than a typical vehicle’s internal combustion engine could everRead More →

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FPL will open up the next round of solar rebate applications on October 16, 2012 at 8:30 am. Rebate applicants will need a licensed solar contractor to install their system, and are advised to contact me urgently to get an evaluation, conditional contract, and in the queue for a rebate application submission. The total funding for this round of rebates is $9 million. FPL took one of FlaSEIA’s recommendations and is allowing applications to go through once the available funds are exhausted. If successful applicants do not pursue an installation, the next applicant will be offered a rebate approval. That’s a step in the rightRead More →

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This article could have easily been called “Why Florida Residents Won’t Drive Solar Electric Cars.” That’s not to say that we won’t one day drive cars with some kind of energy storage (batteries) that is recharged by the sun. It’s just that we won’t be charging the battery using solar power generated on the roof of the car. Theoretically, we should be able to build a battery with adequate capacity that is light and small enough to suit an electric car that meets our expectations, and that’s the direction in which I think we are heading. The problem with solar energy is that it isRead More →

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As if FPL’s solar rebate program didn’t run out of funds fast enough the last time around, Tampa Electric’s Solar Photovoltaic allotment of rebates evaporated in one minute – less time than FPL applicants found themselves having to secure a lucrative rebate. TECO’s solar rebate program, which released funds this morning at 10 am, was expected to run out of funds on the first day like the FPL program, but this is a record time for rebates to be snatched up. This is NOT a “first-come, first served” application process like the utility companies would have you believe. It is basically a lottery, but aRead More →