News
Southern Arizona’s Solar Forum shines
By Ellen Sussman, Special to the Sahuarita Sun
“Arizona is the sunniest state in the nation. So it stands to reason that Arizona has the richest supply of solar energy just waiting for you to tap into.”
So says Tucson Electric Power in a brochure available at Saturday’s Solar Forum at the Sahuarita District Auditorium, where about 150 residents, mainly seniors, came to become educated about solar hot water and solar electric.
Congresswoman Giffords’ “point person” on solar technology, Tamarack Little, was a speaker, and asked for a show of hands how many in the audience had installed solar power. Two hands went up.
Then he asked how many lived in a homeowner’s association and virtually every hand went up.
Little said HOAs can’t prohibit a homeowner from installing solar panels and technology, but it needs to be as unobtrusive as possible without inhibiting function.
To encourage homeowners to take advantage of solar energy and install solar technology, there are federal and state tax credits, plus utility rebates.
Of the solar power industry, Little said, “it’s a young and small industry but is expanding.”
A brochure by American Solar Electric explains how the technology works. “The three basic components of a grid-tie solar electric system are the solar panels, inverter, and bi-directional billing meter. The solar panels collect the sun’s energy and the inverter converts it into utility-grade electricity, which is fed directly into your property.
“Any unused, excess solar power is sold back to the utility and accounted for via the bi-directional billing meter.”
A solar hot water system has several important benefits: it lowers energy bills, pays for itself within five years, helps preserve water resources and cuts power plant emissions. Additionally, it reduces greenhouse gases, because when a homeowner uses less electricity or natural gas to heat water, less carbon dioxide is produced.
Although solar water heaters generally cost more than conventional water heaters, Tucson Electric Power’s SunShare program offers rebates for qualifying systems to help make those systems more affordable.
The benefits of solar electric are similar.
According to TEP’s brochure, “Photovoltaic solar systems are especially beneficial when they are installed on south-facing or flat roofs where there is little or no shade throughout the day.”
It’s important for anyone considering a solar hot water or solar electric system to be aware of tax credits and rebates.
Tax credits apply to the year that the system actually goes into operation. The federal tax credit is 30 percent, and beginning Jan. 1, 2009, there is no cap on residential federal tax credits. For the state of Arizona, the tax credit has a limit of $1,000. Both TEP and TRICO Electric Cooperative offer rebates.
A handout from Congresswoman Giffords’ office offered some pointers:
Installation usually takes two to four months from initial call to actual operation.
Variables, such as available roof space, slope of roof and difficulty of installation can affect the price.
Solar panels produce DC (direct current). However, almost everything in a home runs on AC (alternating current), which is what the utility provides. The power from the panels must flow through an inverter, which changes it to AC so it can be used for the home or pushed onto the grid.
Any homeowner considering the purchase of a solar system is advised to ensure that installers are licensed and are recognized by their utility company.
For further information: www.Giffords.house.gov and click on the sun, www.tep.com and www.trico.org.
Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.
So says Tucson Electric Power in a brochure available at Saturday’s Solar Forum at the Sahuarita District Auditorium, where about 150 residents, mainly seniors, came to become educated about solar hot water and solar electric.
Congresswoman Giffords’ “point person” on solar technology, Tamarack Little, was a speaker, and asked for a show of hands how many in the audience had installed solar power. Two hands went up.
Then he asked how many lived in a homeowner’s association and virtually every hand went up.
Little said HOAs can’t prohibit a homeowner from installing solar panels and technology, but it needs to be as unobtrusive as possible without inhibiting function.
To encourage homeowners to take advantage of solar energy and install solar technology, there are federal and state tax credits, plus utility rebates.
Of the solar power industry, Little said, “it’s a young and small industry but is expanding.”
A brochure by American Solar Electric explains how the technology works. “The three basic components of a grid-tie solar electric system are the solar panels, inverter, and bi-directional billing meter. The solar panels collect the sun’s energy and the inverter converts it into utility-grade electricity, which is fed directly into your property.
“Any unused, excess solar power is sold back to the utility and accounted for via the bi-directional billing meter.”
A solar hot water system has several important benefits: it lowers energy bills, pays for itself within five years, helps preserve water resources and cuts power plant emissions. Additionally, it reduces greenhouse gases, because when a homeowner uses less electricity or natural gas to heat water, less carbon dioxide is produced.
Although solar water heaters generally cost more than conventional water heaters, Tucson Electric Power’s SunShare program offers rebates for qualifying systems to help make those systems more affordable.
The benefits of solar electric are similar.
According to TEP’s brochure, “Photovoltaic solar systems are especially beneficial when they are installed on south-facing or flat roofs where there is little or no shade throughout the day.”
It’s important for anyone considering a solar hot water or solar electric system to be aware of tax credits and rebates.
Tax credits apply to the year that the system actually goes into operation. The federal tax credit is 30 percent, and beginning Jan. 1, 2009, there is no cap on residential federal tax credits. For the state of Arizona, the tax credit has a limit of $1,000. Both TEP and TRICO Electric Cooperative offer rebates.
A handout from Congresswoman Giffords’ office offered some pointers:
Any homeowner considering the purchase of a solar system is advised to ensure that installers are licensed and are recognized by their utility company.
For further information: www.Giffords.house.gov and click on the sun, www.tep.com and www.trico.org.
Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.
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