Archive for the ‘Solar’ Category
January 24th, 2009
Check Out Go Green Expo in LA This Weekend
Stumble it!
Yesterday I got to check out the Go Green Expo at the LA Convention Center– and wanted to let you know that it’s running all weekend and open to the public. If you’re near the area, check it out!
The Go Green Expo has many exhibitors and speakers, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re into large-scale renewable energy, there are solar and wind options for you to see. If you’re into organic soaps and vintage fashions, you’re covered too. It’s quite a fascinating mix!
One company I really enjoyed visiting is SolaRover. SolaRover provides big solar panel set-ups on mobile carts. They can provide electricity for all types of commercial, industrial and emergency applications. Need some solar at your concert? Your school? Your natural disaster? Check.
Another company I loved seeing was Green Roots. They build green roofs and walls. (If you don’t know why green roofs are so great, click here.) The demo models they had at the show were of gorgeous succulents– I could just see them glowing green on a roof. They also provide green plant “walls” or “screens” for events. They are pretty cool.
I’m sorry to have to go negative, but I saw one company that made me sad. There is a guy with a booth who is promoting green models– yes, female models– supposedly for green events and promotions. His materials show a lot of leggy blonde ladies wearing short green dresses. Really? Is that what the green movement is all about? Perhaps he should go to the Detroit Auto Show.
Popularity: 4% [?]
January 18th, 2009
Green Tax Credits Available in 2009
Written by Dawn Killough, courtesy of Green Building Elements.com
(NOTE: We’ve just published an update (as of March 2 2009) on some of the tax credits included in the final stimulus bill here.)
As was previously reported on Green Building Elements, Congress was contemplating how to include the continuation of energy efficiency tax credits in the “economic bailout.” Well, they did it, and even managed to increase some of the incentives.
Here is a brief run-down of the credits available in 2009:
* Purchase of hybrid car or SUV: $250 to $3,150, depending on vehicle weight and fuel economy.
* Purchase of central air conditioner or heat pump: $300, only some Energy Star products qualify.
* Furnace or boiler: $150, only some Energy Star products qualify.
* Windows: up to $200, all Energy Star windows qualify.
* Insulation and sealing: up to $500, must meet model building code as installed.
* Ground source heat pump: up to $2,000, only Energy Star models qualify.
* There is a limit of $500 in tax credits for home improvements.
Homeowners should also check the DSIRE website for applicable state tax credits.
Businesses can also get in on the act. They are eligible for the hybrid vehicle incentives and incentives for energy efficient buildings. Businesses that sell new energy efficient homes (through 2009) or efficient appliances (through 2010) can take tax credits on these products that may reduce the cost to consumers.
For more on tax credits for businesses, builders, and consumers, see Tax Incentives Assistance Project, or The Alliance to Save Energy. Of course, you should check with your tax preparer for more information on how these credits effect you, and what paperwork needs to be completed.
Popularity: 14% [?]
January 15th, 2009
Dear President Obama: Let’s Turn The White House Green
President Obama, we humbly beseech you to make your new home, The White House, a model green home. You have an incredible opportunity to make it a home from which all Americans can learn, and of which we can all be proud. What better way to start our country off on a bright new green path to the future than by making The White House the Great American Green House?
We’ve been encouraged by some of the things you’ve said about your intentions to make your home more eco-friendly, and we’d like to offer some thoughts on how you might flesh-out your green home renovation program.
First, let’s ground ourselves in some numbers. The White House is over 55,000 square feet and has 132 rooms. There are over 35 bathrooms and the building has three kitchens. Using our Household Environmental Impact Calculator, (and a few resources like the CBECS data for commercial buildings as your house doubles as an office building) we estimate that that The White House has a carbon footprint in the range of 1.2-1.5 million pounds of CO2 per year, uses somewhere around one million gallons of water, and generates over 50,000 pounds of trash each year. As a point of reference the average 2000 sq. foot American home has a carbon footprint of 65,000 pounds, uses 90,000 gallons or water and generates 3,800 pounds of trash per year. So The White House is no low-impact house! We have our work cut out for us.
Fortunately your predecessors have already taken some steps in a positive direction. President Carter famously installed a solar water system in 1979, which was then unfortunately taken down by President Reagan. However, in 2002 a new solar system was installed to power lighting for the grounds. Apparently the toilets have been changed to low-flow models and many of the water fixtures have also been upgraded. President Clinton commissioned the Rocky Mountain Institute to do a study on the White House and make recommendations for environmental improvements. We’re not sure how many of those got made– you’ll want to kick the tires on that one. (Perhaps someone from RMI could comment here?)
Here are some ideas we’d like you to explore for turning The White House a nice shade of green:
1) Let’s get the entire building off the grid. You could install more solar panels, and/or augment the system with a wind turbine. You could also look at geothermal energy options. We think it would quite feasible to generate enough power for the building using renewable energy sources. This would serve as a great example of clean-power living, and would actually save the government money in the long run.
2) How is the insulation situation? I’m sure you have attic insulation but let’s have a look inside the walls. I read that there are hundreds of year’s worth of copper wiring in many of the walls– let’s clean them out and blow in some soy foam or denim insulation. Full insulation could reduce heating and cooling costs by 5-10%.
3) Let’s turn part of the lawn into an organic vegetable garden. Encouraging Americans to eat fresh, local, organic produce will cut down on carbon emissions and also help us live healthier lives. That green grass is lovely, yes, but it sure sucks a lot of water for a low return on investment. Eleanor Roosevelt started a Victory Garden at your house long ago…let’s bring back that wonderful tradition! Author Michael Pollan has also advocated this idea. It would be a great treat to serve visiting dignitaries “Roasted White House Garden Vegetables” with their meal, would it not?
4) Speaking of organics, let’s make sure there’s a composting system in place. What happens with all of the food trash from the kitchens today? Well a composter could reduce the building’s trash load by 25-25%. It would be easy to set up, and your gardeners could use the compost mulch on your vegetable garden.
5) We hear Michelle has picked her decorator… and we hope that they’ll choose to use plenty of eco-friendly product in your decoration choices. How about some cork floors? They are sustainable and absorb sound. Or some reclaimed American wood flooring could look very nice. For furnishing we recommend antiques (anything used is more sustainable than newly made) or eco-friendly furniture made of sustainably-harvested woods and other recycled materials. For paints, obviously make sure to use no-VOC varieties, so that you and your family don’t breath toxic fumes. We need you to stay healthy for at least eight years!
6) Let’s review the lighting. Is everything running on LED and/or compact fluorescent lighting? The Pentagon has just announced they’re switching to LEDs– so should The White House. And we’d also want to make sure that we had maximized the use of light sensors– no need to light uninhabited areas. Perhaps there is even an option for increased day-lighting? We could install some new solar tube lighting to save energy and money.
7) How about getting all of your vehicles to run on biodiesel? There are a lot of big SUVs rushing around you and your home… it would be wonderful to have them running on American biodiesel fuels. Energy independence starts at The White House! You could have a biodiesel pumping station right there on the White House lot. Maybe one day even Air Force One will run on biodiesel!
Those are just some initial ideas. We here at Low Impact Living can’t wait to see you inaugurated and we hope you settle into your new home very nicely. We’ll look forward to hearing news of your Green House plans!
Popularity: 10% [?]
January 9th, 2009
Obama Stimulus Package Good News for Green Folk
In case you missed it yesterday, President-Elect Obama laid out his economic stimulus package plans– and there was plenty of good news for us green folk. Green leaders around the country are applauding the plan. Quoted in Grist, League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski said, “This morning, President-elect Obama reaffirmed his commitment to invest in efficiency and clean energy technologies as part of his economic recovery package. [He is] ready to hit the ground running, he offered specific details that offer great hope for America’s future success.”
To read more laudatory comments from environmental leaders, visit Grist here.
To read the full text of the speech, click here.
In the speech Obama called for radically increasing the use of clean, renewable energy–both in government buildings and in private homes. He said, “To finally spark the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years. We will modernize more than 75 percent of federal buildings and improve the energy efficiency of 2 million American homes, saving consumers and taxpayers billions on our energy bills.”
That is music to our ears. As my Low Impact Living co-founder, Jason Pelletier, wrote earlier this week, we now have an outstanding opportunity for the government to drive private and public adoption and use of renewable energy and other eco-smart technologies. And as President Obama seems to understand, driving that adoption is also an excellent way to create new jobs for Americans.
Now let’s all pray that he can get this plan signed and get the green train to leave the station!
You can see a draft of the full plan here.
Popularity: 4% [?]
December 5th, 2008
Get Solar Panels Without Dealing with Extra Bills
Going solar seems to get easier by the day — both logistically and financially. Before, homeowners had to save up to pay the huge upfront cost of buying and installing solar panels. Now, would-be solar energy users don’t need to put up startup funds — nor do they even have to deal with an extra repayment bill!
The latest company making solar power accessible is Renewable Funding, a financial company with a new solar-friendly product called CityFIRST. CityFIRST basically allows homeowners to install solar panels with no upfront cost — using a solar installer or contractor of their choice — then pay for panels over 20 years via a line item on property tax bills.
To make this plan work, the city you live in has to work with Renewable Funding to offer this service. Berkeley’s already signed up! Renewable Funding works to educate and recruit city residents who want to go solar, then via “a unique bond transaction with the City,” will let those solar-friendly residents pay for solar panels incrementally on their property tax bills. In many cases, the utility bill savings from the solar installation will be enough to recoup most of the installment payment for the solar panels themselves.
As evidenced by Berkeley’s embrace of this new financing strategy for solar power, solar energy’s especially popular in California. The NorCal Solar Energy Association, a nonprofit, solar education group, recently released a study showing that Californians purchased more than $2.1 billion in solar electric technology between 1998-2007. The trend’s even more noticeable if you look specifically at Northern California. As The NorCal Solar Energy Association observes: “In the Bay Area, there are 11,563 solar projects - built at a cost of $746 million – producing more than 84 megawatts of electricity according to the new report that includes all installations as of December, 31, 2007.”
Interested in solar panels? Newbies can learn about how home solar systems work here. Then read our posts about power-purchase agreements and new solar-friendly tax credits to find out if alternative energy’s a viable option for you. Or to find a solar installer near you, click here.
Popularity: 2% [?]
