Is solar electricity affordable?

Rememeber ENRON? Remember the energy crisis of 2001? Electricity rates are higher now than they were then and will stay that way for some time (thank you Gray Davis and the PG&E bailout). PG&E announced an 6.5% rate increase this year. What they do not advertize is the disproportionate increase at the higher tiers.

Take a look at this article...

"It looks like residential customers are really going to get hammered,"

Given the high cost of electric power here in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, solar electricity is extremely affordable in situations where monthly electricity usage is 200% of baseline or greater. The power that solar is replacing is this very expensive "over baseline" tiers (first).

Since solar electricity can cost less than PG&E, installing a solar electric system means that solar electricity will cost you less money than you pay to PG&E -- solar electricity is free compared to your current PG&E electric costs!

How?

California rebate and Federal tax incentives can cut the cost of solar-produced electricity to less than what PG&E charges. You can be cash-flow positive Day 1!

Financing the cost of solar electric systems via home equity loans is very affordable with current interest rates and the tax benefit of deducting interest expenses.

Most homes, ranches and farms find that much of their electric bill is at "over-baseline" prices for each monthly billing cycle, even with the conservation programs they've put in place.

Alternative billing programs available from PG&E (time-of-use metering) may save you even more by "selling" your solar-powered electricity back to PG&E at premium rates (31+ cents per kWh) during peak hours, while "buying" power at night at a fraction of that cost.

Sky Power Systems can provide a free site evaluation and financial analysis for you, and show you how your own solar electric system can be free of charge after the savings from your electric bill are factored in -- contact us today!

Is solar pool heating free?

Energy costs continue to rise. In the last few years, the price of natural gas has almost doubled. On the other hand, the sun’s energy is free, and more and more pool owners are taking advantage of this opportunity to save money and avoid future price increases.

Over a 15-year period, you could spend five times or more on heating with gas what you would spend on installing a solar heater today. Once your solar heating system is installed, there are no more heating bills to pay. Then, the only cost of solar pool heating is the money it costs to run your filter pump (which you would also have to run when using a gas heater). While you are filtering your pool water, you can also be heating your pool via your solar panels. You can save on your filtering and solar pool heating costs by a) using a thermal cover, b) keeping your filters clean and c) using an energy efficient pool pump.

Replacing an old single speed pump with a multi-speed or variable speed pump has been shown to save between 50 and 90% on your energy consumption. These pumps also have the advantage that they are whisper quiet (~10dB) and the Return On Investment is typically 18 months or less. Sky Power Systems offers these pumps as a great way to save you money and save the environment. PG&E is offering $100 rebates to pool owners installing these pumps as a part of their energy efficiency program. See PG&E's website for more details.

Many pool owners switch to solar because it meets all of their heating needs. But, even if you continue to use a gas or electric heater as a backup, solar heating is a smart investment that will save you money, year after year.