"A Free Source of Energy" Part 2

>Ken: The last time we talked about Solar, we mentioned the Federal tax credit of 30%. Some utilities also have rebates available. These rebates can total anywhere from 10% to 40% of the total cost of the system. If you add this to the tax credit, you can see the total final cost to you can be comparatively low. In California, the two major utilities, PG&E and SCE are offering $1.10 and $1.90 per watt rebates right now. With top tier utility rates topping $.42 per KWH, solar is looking better and better.

>Jason: Perhaps if you're in the top tier of your utility company, solar really is a good option. But I still think that most commercial properties, with rates between 8 and 13 cents depending on where you are in the country, would still not benefit from solar. Whatever. Believe it or not, after all these years, I never knew about the rebate for solar in CA. What about the rest of the country? This seems to vary quite a bit from state to state and among utility companies. See, this just shows how important it is to have all the information about a subject, especially one as big as energy conservation. So Ken, obviously I don't know as much as I need to about solar. Tell me about solar water heaters. Educate me, and all our readers.

>Ken: Jason! Do I detect a note of sarcasm in your post? You are right about varying rebates nationwide, check with your utility to see what they are offering right now. The tax credit of course is nationwide. If the utility rates you are paying average more than about 15 to 20 cents, you may want to look into solar.

Regarding water heating, if you are in a part of the country that gets plenty of sun, and you are using propane, or your natural gas prices are high you may also want to look at solar water heaters. This is how they work. A large (usually 100 gallons) tank of water will be located somewhere near a few thermal solar collectors. The tank may be on your roof, or directly below the collectors in a garage. In warmer climes, the water is circulated directly through the panels, heating it to approximately double the outside air temperature. In the area of the country I live in, the coldest daytime temps rarely go below 50 degrees. This 100 degree water is stored in the water tank and heated the rest of the way by natural gas or electric filament. In summer, the temp gets so hot the water needs to be cooled before being delivered to your home. Federal tax credits and utility rebates also apply here, so it may be cost effective to look into this form of Solar as well.

>Jason: Perhaps I was a touch sarcastic, but regardless, in finishing with the topic of solar, the solar water heater usually runs around $5000 installed before rebates. With a reduction close to 75% off your water heating costs, this can pay itself off in...oh about 12 years. This is a long payback, but out of respect for the solar salesman above, I'll tell you its a good deal if you plan on living at your current house the rest of your life. Anyway, we may never agree, but the bottom line is that solar will be pricey but what you get is your own, personal power plant. Until next week, dont pay too much for your power bill, and be energy smart!

>Ken: PS: I do not currently sell solar.