Buy Solar Energy Panels

If you are a homeowner thinking of buying solar energy panels because you are excited by all the rebates and incentives that are available from the federal and state government might I suggest that you first call Sustainable Spaces in San Francisco and get a home energy efficiency audit before you buy solar energy panels.

If you could save up to 40% on energy cost BEFORE buying a solar energy panel system wouldn’t you want to know what you could do? A home energy efficiency audit may not be as expensive as you think. Sustainable Spaces performs audits starting at $395.00 for homes up to 2,000 square foot house. After you have reviewed and implemented their audit recommendations you may find that you can look at properly sized renewable energy systems such as solar and wind. These systems will be smaller as the home now uses much less energy.

About Sustainable Spaces
Sustainable Spaces has been in business since 2004.Their main purpose is providing homeowners with a resource for finding and fixing the root causes of wasted energy in their homes. They are a BPI-accredited and licensed general, solar, HVAC and insulation contractor, the company’s integrated team of HERS-certified Home Performance Specialists, environmental engineers, and specially trained Home Performance Retrofitters combine customer service with building science innovations and engineering solutions to transform homes into the most efficient, healthy versions of themselves.

Sustainable Spaces excels in giving homeowners the best plan of action for reducing their carbon footprint while continually increasing the homeowners level of comfort. Their comprehensive audit reviews how each component — windows, walls, ducts, appliances, heating and ventilation — interrelates in a systemic way to measure energy efficiency, air quality and comfort.

In conclusion, why would you spend more on buying a solar energy panel system larger than what you really need without doing your due diligence up front and finding out what you can proactively do to reduce your energy cost up front.

Solar panel energy systems are not cheap and although it’s the right choice to make to reduce your carbon footprint why spend more and invest in a bigger system than you need?

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The solar energy market is much like the stock market these days. It’s fluctuating up and down as we speak but in a good way. Solar energy is in high demand in the United States and its causing the industry to grow up.

Two years ago I received a quote for buying solar panels for my house and I was extremely bummed when the ROI far exceeded my intention of going green and saving money. I basically was being penalized for wanting to do the right thing and move responsibly “off the grid” by paying for all my future electricity usage in advance.

I still hold fast to the hope that even though I am just a residential customer I can still participate in the solar energy movement in a manner that fits our family’s budget.

A few movements in this industry are causing me to hope a little more.

1) Europe’s demand for solar panels is slowing down but the United States demand is going up as we realize we have a big carbon footprint to diminish

2) There is an supply overload of silicon in the marketplace as many factories were established to produce the material needed to manufacture solar cells. Most of this increased production hails from China.

3) Solar technology is changing as we speak. One big cost prohibitive challenge pertaining to residential solar panel installations is that all the solar panels are connected to one inverter. (inverters help convert and direct the energy produced) A company called Enphase is close to developing a  inverter that can be attached to each solar panel which will maximize output and also make solar panels more affordable to residential customers as they we be able to add as they go. These panels with built inverters are predicted to be available next year and should cost under $1000.

These are just a few changes that are happening at the moment. Six months from now residential customers should have more cost effective and quality solutions when they buy solar energy panels for there home.

Solar Energy Panel (1)

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I know the big craze these days is investing in solar panels for your home or business to save money on your electric bill and to jump on the bandwagon to start reducing your carbon footprint. Trust me I’m one of those people who are chomping at the bit. But I think it might be prudent to spend a little bit of money on a home energy efficiency audit prior to making a significant investment in solar panels. Let me explain……

First, you can sign up for a free on line audit with your utility company and get a very sketchy general idea of whether or not you can make any immediate low cost changes. Mostly you’ll be encouraged to replace your appliances with energy star products, change light bulbs to cfl’s and seal doors and windows. The good news is by checking out your utilities website your find appliance rebates.

If you are really adamant about buying solar energy panels, having a professional energy audit is advisable. Two years ago I received a quote for installing solar panels in my home which is 2,600 square feet. $30,000 later I choked and glumly decided to not proceed with the project as the ROI was too long.

Spending approximately $400 for a professional energy audit will generally provide specific details that may surprise you. An energy auditor will do a room-by-room examination of the residence, as well as a thorough examination of past utility bills.

A few questions to ask your auditor in advance are if they will be conducting a blower door test, and if they will include a thermographic scan. Some audit companies may also provide a PFT air filtration measurement but it is rarely offered. Some other equipment they may bring may included infared cameras, furnace efficiency meters and surface thermometers

To make the most use of the energy auditors time and experience do a little preparation in advance.

1)     Have copies of at least 12 months of your utility bills so they can look at trends and patterns in your usage.

2)     Note any existing problems you have such as condensation and uncomfortable and drafty rooms.

3)     Let them know if anyone is home during the daytime

4)     What is your average thermostat setting for summer and winter

5)     How many people live in the house

6)     Do you use every room?

Upon completion of you home energy efficiency audit your auditor may make recommendations such as a solar attic fan, foam insulation, or energy efficient windows to name a few. If you decide to make your house more energy efficient prior to installing solar energy panels you might discover the price of installation may go down as you will not need the solar panels to generate as much energy.

The following website provides a list of qualified contractors that perform energy audits throughout California. The California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) Find a qualified contractor by calling 888-352-2722 (in Northern California) or 888-357-1777 (in Southern California).

Their Green Home contractors are highly trained in advanced building techniques and building science theory. Every Green Home contractor must demonstrate a high level of competence both in the field and in their understanding of building science before qualifying for the CBPCA Green Home Energy Upgrade program.

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