Green Building SOLAR POWER
The Use of
Solar Power An interview with Brad Burkhartzmeyer of Sun’s Eye Power.
In the South Sound
S
olar power is probably the cleanest, most viable form of renewable energy and it can be used in different ways to help power your house. Many gardens now use solar lights or solar garden water features. The availability and wide use of solar power in gardens shows exactly how versatile it is as a source of energy. So how does solar work in the South Sound? We asked Brad on the basics of using solar energy in our community. GL: Do we get enough sun in the South Sound for solar energy? BB: On average, the South Sound gets 3.7 sun hours per day. Of course that varies from season to season. For example, in the summer time that number jumps to 4.6, but in the winter it drops to 1.5. GL: What does that mean to the average home owner? BB: It helps to look at global sun hours. For example, the sunniest place on earth gets approximately 8.0 sun hours a day. Denver gets 5.5. So if you look at our average number, we aren’t doing too badly. Of course, in the winter months, we would have to rely more on the power grid. GL: How does a solar system work for a home owner? BB: In the state of Washington, citizens are paid to create solar energy. It doesn’t matter how much they use. We have a separate solar meter that reads the amount of solar energy the system is producing. GL: How long does it take for system to pay for itself? BB: On average, it takes 12-15 years for a homeowner to pay for a system. If you are business, it takes about 4 years. As a business, you can depreciate the equipment and there are tax advantages. Panels
Bring Solar Home
The Benefits of Solar Energy • Generate Your Own Power • Add Value To Your Home • Our Systems Qualify Toward Built Green Certification • Advantageous State & Federal Sun’s Eye Power: Financial Incentives Make It The Local Source For All Your Affordable For Your Lifestyle Solar Projects • Licensed, Experienced Installers
BRAD BURKHARTZMEYER 4009 Nor th 19th Street • Tacoma, WA 98406 253.414.4099 • www.sunseyepower.com Page 18 l Green Living 2009
Contractor #BBELEI*022BK
A Powerful Solution For Your Future
come with a 25 year warranty. Once the system is paid for, you get free electricity. That is assuming That is assuming the electricity prices stay the same. If rates increase, payoff time would be shortened. GL: What types of people are requesting solar systems? BB: There are the 50+ customers that are the same types of people who are buying hybrid cards. They have money and are concerned with the environment. They are doing it for personal and political reasons and want to save the environment. The second group is people who are interested in being independent and living off the grid. Many live in isolated places and they don’t have a lot of money. They start small and build their systems. They store the power in batteries and use it out of the batteries at night. Businesses are also starting to install solar panels. Google is a good example. They have solar panels on their roof and parking lot and have been successful in incorporating it into the corporate environment. GL: What is the average electricity usage for an American household? BB: The average household uses between 12,000 kilowatt-hours to 20,000 kilowatt-hours per year. In comparison, Germany households use an average of 5,000 kilowatt-hours per year, more than half the average American. It would take a lot of panels to generate that much power. The important thing about solar is that you learn to conserve and know that you are producing a portion of your electricity. GL: What is some advice you can give our readers? BB: When it comes to houses, smaller is sometimes better. The larger the house, the more energy you need to support it. And most importantly, understand your energy use. Saving energy is a lot cheaper than creating power. A few suggestions: • Turn off the lights off during the day. • Use solar tubes or skylights to bring in more light in dark areas of your house. • Turn off electrical items that you are not using. • Check your insulation and increase if necessary. • If you haven’t already, install double pane windows. • Use energy efficient furnaces and appliances. Think small and energy efficiency.
For more about Sun’s Eye Power, please visit their website at www.sunseyepower.com.