Choose Your Home Solar Panel System with SolarTown

August 3rd, 2010

In the last several months, we have had increased interest from those wanting to manage their solar installations. Some of those who have contacted SolarTown are handy around the house and fashion themselves as DIY solar installer. Some are simply taking an active role in managing their solar installations. They are not the type to get on a roof, but they are ready to hire a roofer and electrician. And then there are plumbers or electricians who are making the transition to the solar installation business and need our assistance.

All of these folks are people who now make up the SolarTown community. They are interested in working with SolarTown to choose solar energy systems. If you fall within one of these categories, we can help you, too. We have a lot of online resources to assist you. We also have technical customer assistance to guide you through the process of installing your own solar energy system. In this blog entry, we want to demystify the process of how SolarTown can help you succeed with your solar energy project.

At Solartown, we know that our success depends on yours. Whether you’re looking to buy your home solar panels and hire a contractor, or to roll up your sleeves and get on the roof, our mission is to help you make the most of home renewable energy. Let’s take a look at how SolarTown can help you plan your solar installation.

Surf Our SolarTown Learning Center

We have compiled a lot of great resources in our Learning Center for those who want to learn more about solar energy products. These resources can help you with anything from learning the solar lingo to knowing how to choose a solar module. Our goal is to simplify the world of solar energy and help you make the most informed decision possible–as well as to learn some interesting things along the way. Go to the Learning Center and click on “Solar Panels” in the right hand column and the materials relating to your home solar panel project will appear. As you get started, you have to read some of our introductory materials. Here is a short list of must-reads:

Ask an Expert at SolarTown

After you’ve cruised our Learning Center, you may have some specific questions or you might be ready to start designing. Search our Ask an Expert pages to see if someone has already asked the same question or had a similar issue. If not, send us your question and we will respond promptly. We will post our answer from one of our solar experts on the site for you and other members of our community.

Let’s Talk Solar Energy Systems

Every solar energy project is unique because of layout, roofing, shading and other issues. Electricity rates and weather conditions may also affect your selection of home solar panels. There are always new challenges but by sticking to some basic principles, we can help you can make some good decisions. Remember, SolarTown isn’t going to design or install your array for you – we’re here to help you pick the right products for your solar energy project.

Whenever you want to talk with a technical representative, you should Contact Us and you will have a chance to talk with our solar sales representative. During the initial contact, we will flush out some details about your solar energy system:

  1. Overall project feasibility. What are you trying to do? Do you want to use your solar energy system to supplement your utility supplied energy, offset it completely, or is this an off-grid system?
  2. Energy Analysis. Do you know how much power you use and how much power you’d like to produce?
  3. Site Selection. Do you know where you want to install the solar energy system?
  4. System Installation. Do you want to do this yourself or do you want to work with a general contractor, local electrician and roofer?

During this discussion, we will try to guide you through the major considerations so that you can make an educated purchase. At SolarTown, we want to stand out by helping you figure out what you need. Our goal is to empower your choices by teaching you about your options. After this conversation, you will have to start making some important decisions about your solar energy system.

Big Decisions to Make for Your Solar Energy System

The next stage in our discussions is for you to start making some important choices about your solar energy system. This is the critical stage where we can help you make the best selection for your circumstances. There are many components to your solar energy system with a bunch of features, but you need to know which ones are right for you.

 We are trying to help you make sound choices because you are going to have to live with your solar array for many years to come. Once we have a good understanding of what you’re looking for, and you’re comfortable with the direction the project is going in, then we’ll start to discuss specifics and we’ll work with you to choose the best parts for your project. At this point, we’ll be discussing some major decisions that you will need to make about your system:

  1. More Site Information. We will help you determine how many panels are appropriate for your installation. How many panels will fit in the space available?  
  2. Quality/Cost Tradeoff on Solar Panels. There is generally a strong relationship between efficiency of the solar modules and how much output you can expect. We’ll discuss with you what your budget is and what are you trying to achieve with your solar energy system. We can suggest discount solar panels if you are price sensitive and we can suggest higher efficiency panels if output is your most important selection criterion.
  3. Solar Inverters. We will discuss with you the differences between micro and string solar inverters, the nerve center for your solar energy system. What features do you require for your solar inverter? Inverters have many different features and the performance of your array hinges on the inverter you choose.
  4. Solar Racking. We will discuss with you solar panel racks. Rack systems continue to change much as roof rack systems do for automobiles. Critical to any of them is a secure mount – whether in the ground or on the roof the base of your rack needs to be firmly connected to the underlying structure.
  5. System Layout. We will outline various options you may have for the layout of your system.
  6. Monitoring System. We will also talk with you about a monitoring system for your system. A good monitoring system is essential for understanding how your system is performing and for trouble-shooting an array if any problems occur.

Recommended Solar Energy System

After our consultations, we’ll have enough information to recommend a system for you – complete with the home solar panels, solar racking, and solar inverter that we’ve worked with you to choose. If you are a homeowner, we will discuss how you can take advantage of our Solar Loan Program.

Once you have a solid design, the solar installation process is straightforward – and even if you’re not used to poking around in your breaker box, we can help simplify your project and minimize your use of an electrician’s time. Now, we know that questions can arise during the installation work, which is why our support isn’t over once we sell you the system. Each array is different, and we will continue to answer questions from our customers after they have purchased their systems. We’re always glad to help – and remember, you can do it!

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The Senate to Climate Change Advocates: Drop Dead

July 27th, 2010

The death of the energy bill has left a lot of people pointing fingers at each other, and a lot of people wondering if we cannot now take action on climate change,  then when—and by whom? A Washington Post article today identifies some very unhappy House Democrats who went out on limb last year to support the energy bill and combat climate change. They now understandably feel hung out to dry.  I think that the New York Times columnist Paul Krugman best summarizes the events of the last few days: “Greed, aided by cowardice has triumphed.”

The Senate leadership is now working on a skeletal version of what once was a comprehensive energy bill. But instead of a steak dinner, the Senate intends to serve up some peas next week. From preliminary reports, the central vision of the bill is raising the liability for oil spills. An energy bill—hardly. No one will be particularly happy.

I have spent a good deal of my career working on developing legal infrastructure in newly independent countries. One of the constant refrains in my work has been promote a stable legal regime that is transparent, stable and predictable. The fits and starts on energy legislation undermines the support for renewable energy in general, and solar in particular. The Time’s Ecocentric Blog, summarizes the hazards of our inabilityto undertake a long-term policy supporting renewable energy: “Too often U.S. policy on renewable power has been like a truck stuck in rush-hour traffic: stop-and-start. Generous tax subsidies help the wind or solar grow—but when they’re allowed the expire, the industry suddenly collapses.” Without leadership, we will miss yet another opportunity to combat climate change.

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Solar Loan Program by SolarTown

July 15th, 2010

Ever since we created the SolarTown community, our customers have complained that the financial burden of going solar was simply too great for them to embark on the journey. Starting today, we are offering our customers some relief: a solar loan program with one year of no payments and no interest.solarloan

If you are a DIYer, you now have this solar loan program as an option so that you have time to receive your economic incentives and you don’t have to go out and get a home loan or put the entire purchase on your credit card. If you are an installer who has in the past had to advance the cost of the equipment for your customers, you can now have your customer place an order for a solar energy system with SolarTown. You will of course still do the installation—but without having to come out of pocket for the solar energy equipment.

Economic Incentives Make Solar Energy Systems Affordable

The problem has been that the gross cost of solar energy systems is prohibitive. The system cost even without installation could easily run $25,000. To support this fledgling industry, the federal, state and local governments, and even utilities have stepped in with economic incentives. Depending on which state you live in, of that $25,000, you might get back $10,000 or even $15,000 in tax credits and rebates. But you might have to wait until the next tax season or wait in a long line for months before you get the money.

No Payments and No Interest for One Year

We have often heard from installers who want SolarTown to “float the rebate.” Up until now the answer has been no. That has now changed with the solar loan program that we are announcing today. Under this solar loan program, qualified residential customers who purchase their solar energy products from SolarTown will have no payments and no interest for up to one year.

This is how it will work. The SolarTown customer will select his or her solar energy products from SolarTown. Most probably, these will be home solar panels, solar water pump systems or other large purchases. The minimum amount to qualify for this program is $1,000 and the maximum, $45,000.

Quick Application for the Loan

Once the order has been prepared, the customer will talk with a Bank representative. To maintain confidentiality of your consumer information, we will not stay on the line as the Bank representative takes your application over the phone. Of course, you will not qualify if you have a bad credit score. The Bank will give an answer within about ten minutes.

Application Approved and Solar Energy System is Shipped

Once your application has been approved, we are able to finalize the order and prepare the order for shipping. Once the order has been completed, you will send us the approval.

No Payments and No Interest for One Year

You can immediately start enjoying solar energy from your solar energy system and sit back and wait for your rebates and tax credits. You have up to one year to pay off the loan with no interest.

Our solar loan program is not the panacea for all residential customers who want to install a solar energy system, but it is a huge leap forward. We look forward to your visiting us at SolarTown and taking advantage of the new solar loan program.

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White House Correspondent Paul Brandus Meets with SolarTown

July 15th, 2010

At the grand Hotel Sofitel, not too far from the White House, SolarTown met with Mr. Paul Brandus, a White House correspondent with a huge interest in green issues.

Brandus is a strong advocate of renewable energy, relating a story on how he personally asked President Obama when solar panels would be installed on the White House, on three separate occasions. Although no solar modules have yet to grace the President’s residence, Brandus expressed his desire to see the 132 rooms of the White House heated by the rays of the sun and the power of the wind, calling the act a great symbolic value to the nation.

Incorporating solar and other forms of alternative energy into the lives of Americans is still a major challenge. Interest in environmental-related topics is only illustrated when major catastrophes such as the BP oil spill occurs. After the disaster dies down, the interest responds accordingly. Brandus believes that it will take awhile for solar and renewable energy to fully assimilate into everyone’s lives.

Brandus goes on further to discuss that even though Obama has a vested interest in renewable energy, the administration is already dealing with a full plate of issues and concerns. Alternative energy is not on the top of Obama’s list. With the midterm elections coming up in the fall, the recent BP oil catastrophe, as well as the economic state the country is in, Obama’s administration has more pressing matters to handle and renewable energy is just not a priority at the moment.

Conversation then turned to other topics. Although Brandus had recounted dispiriting news for the renewable world, he stressed that Obama and the administration are still advocates of green energy and are still intent on pushing it forward. With persistent time and support, renewable energy will triumph.

Mr. Brandus also distributes a daily radio feature called “West Wing Report” to more than 200 radio stations across the nation via Capitol News Connection, as well as a blog detailing coverage of the Obama administration.

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The Death of PACE?

July 14th, 2010

The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs are a creative and effective approach to financing solar energy systems. Many were looking for a solar financing solution and after a very limited experiment in Berkeley, PACE expanded like wild fire to 23 states.

Related News Articles:

     PACE Will Not Go Down Without a Fight

     PACE Program Challenges Grow

 The reason for its rapid expansion was apparent: people want to go solar, but they don’t have the big bucks to shell out on day one. If you are looking at a monthly electricity bill of $150, it is hard to have an intelligent conversation with someone about putting up $40,000 for a residential solar system. Solar, yes, but please don’t ask me to come up with $40,000 in these difficult economic times.

PACE was a great way for people to go solar without the pain. Just put it on your property tax bill, and you would pay the assessment along with your property tax bill over the life of the solar energy system.

There was just one problem, and I must confess that even though I am a lawyer, I did not immediately apprehend the gravity of the issue. And I was not alone. The problem now seems obvious. If you hold the mortgage, you do not want a superseding lien to come before you in the event of foreclosure.

Let’s take a home that was purchased for $400,000 with a mortgage of $360,000. Now the homeowners want to install a solar energy system on their roof and put the $40,000 payment on their tax bill. The value of the property declines and is now worth only $350,000 and the homeowner defaults. With one stroke of the pen, the bank holding the mortgage now is in second position behind this new assessment for the solar energy system of $40,000.

PACE may not be for everyone and there are other choices available, but we hope that legal clouds hanging over PACE are resolved. Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y. has introduced legislation that may save PACE.  We hope that his efforts succeed. It is a program that can help a lot of people go solar.

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SolarTown Working on Financing Solutions for Solar Energy Products

July 1st, 2010

Financing of solar energy systems has been a major concern to us at SolarTown since we launched this store and community. The average cost of a typical solar installation is north of $30,000. This amount is substantially reduced with the federal tax credit and some state or local rebates thrown in. But you have to wait months, sometimes many months, to take advantage of the incentives. There are currently alternatives available, but none very appealing. SolarTown has been working on a solution to financing of solar energy systems and we hope to be able to announce the program shortly. 

Installer Financing Not Attractive to the Intallers

There are some installers who will defer collection of their charges for the installation. But installers are particularly ill-suited to become finance companies.  If an installer has even a modest book of projects, it can be stretched pretty thin.

Even a small installer, say one with just ten projects pending,  may be out of pocket a quarter of a million dollars just waiting for credits and rebates to come in. If these payments are delayed from the state, then there are going to be a lot of installers out of business.

Read our news article on what happened in New Jersey when funding for the state rebate program was “redirected.”  Installers understandably freaked, and you would too if your livelihood was at stake. Installers have called us, wanting to buy our solar energy products, but they want us to “float the rebates.”  Up until now, we have not been able to accommodate them.

Traditional Bank Financing Not Well-Suited for Solar Market

The homeowner can get a second mortgage on his or her house to finance the solar energy system. There are not many homeowners, even green mavens, who want to go through the hassle of a second mortgage to finance a solar energy system.  A secured line of credit is probably somewhat more attractive and suited to the solar market. You can tap your line of credit and then when you receive the tax credit or rebate, you can simply pay off the line of credit. The catch, of course, is that you have to have sufficient equity in your home for these options.

There are a courageous few who may finance their solar purchases through a credit card. You could purchase your solar energy system from SolarTown with a credit card and pay it off over time—at exorbitant credit card rates. We are pleased to report that we do not know of any of our customers who have followed this approach.

Less Traditional Financing Not Catching Fire

There are other solar financing programs available as the solar industry struggles to meet the needs of the solar public who do not have the hard cash around to purchase their systems. One promising solution has been the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs, first innovated in Berkeley, California. If you have been reading our news articles about PACE, you know of the turmoil surrounding these programs as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have indicated that they do not want their homes encumbered by a potentially superior lien. We hope that the controversy will be resolved so that these excellent programs can go forward.

Solar leasing is also a promising solution to the financing conundrum for the solar industry. These programs, still in their infancy, allow homeowners to pay little money down and enjoy the benefits of solar energy on their roofs usually at a cost below prevailing electric utility rates.

We have talked with homeowners and installers from around the country and their view is uniform: financing looms as the major impediment to the growth of the solar market.  Options available to the homeowner who wants to go solar are not particularly. Sure, the solar modules will last for 25 or 30 years, but when you are reaching deep into your pockets, the short-term pain is severe even if you are the most devoted solar fan. We at SolarTown are working on a financing solution for at least the short-term as you wait to get your rebates and credits and we are hopeful that we will be able to announce our program later this month.

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SolarTown and Friends Go to Great Falls

June 28th, 2010

There is nothing better to break up the summer heat of Washington, DC than a trip to Great Falls. SolarTown staff, interns and friends made the trek to Great Falls over the weekend. The Maryland side has the views for those who want to take a glimpse of the magnificent gorge and then return to their cars. From the Maryland side you can walk along the C&O canal, which was a great feat of transportation, but before it was completed the new technology, trains, had made the canal obsolete. But 150 years later, it makes for great scenery.

SolarTown Goes to Great Falls

SolarTown Goes to Great Falls

For the heartier, there is better hiking on the Virginia side. Of course, SolarTown took the Virginia side and caught some views of the falls. We are still wondering what happened to the kayakers who were climbing a seemingly inaccessible rock with their kayaks in hand.

SolarTown is very pleased to have interns this summer from Penn State, Brigham Young University, the University of Virginia, DePaul University, and Princeton University.  They are working on solar news stories, solar videos; they are reviewing the solar energy products we have on the site; they will watch a solar installation; and they are working on analyzing some of the social economic incentives and other policy issues. Some of them are pictured here, and you will see some of their work on SolarTown.com in the coming weeks and months.

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Is Solar Energy Back on the Agenda?

June 25th, 2010

“The time to embrace a clean energy future is now,” said the President during his talk on the BP oil spill earlier this month. For much of the past year, the nation’s energy policy has played second fiddle to , well, everything else, but primarily health care and most recently financial reform.  Deadlines have come and gone, and with the mid-terms elections around the corner, it is hard to see how Obama will pick a rabbit out of the hat and push the energy agenda forward.

What is clear is that as states and local governments are cutting back on their solar energy programs, just at the time when the solar industry needs this support the most. The Maryland program cut its rebate program with only a few days notice. Take a look at our SolarTown news stories to read about some of the states that are throwing their renewable energy programs to the wind in an effort to close budget gaps.

This trend is even more pronounced abroad and as we reported last week, both Spain and Germany, solar world leaders are apt to cut back on their programs. In an effort to beat the impending reduction in the German feed-in tariff, solar module supplies have been redirected from the US to Europe. We received a call earlier this week from a project manager in Europe looking for a supply of a small quantity of solar panels for a project in Central Europe. “Twenty panels. I am sure that we can find one of the discount solar panels that we carry to meet your needs,” I said. “Not twenty panels—20,000 panels,” was the response.

This swift changing of the incentives can only disrupt the growth of the industry. It is causing some absurd supply disruptions. We are also getting calls from installers throughout the country who are desperate to find a certain model solar module—the one on which they bid a project, but that is no longer available.  The supply disruptions have hit the Canadian Solar panels especially hard, but we still expect to sell Canadian Solar solar panels, particularly the CSI 225 and the CSI 240 solar modules during the summer, but then we do not know what the solar winds will bring. Many suppliers are starting to market comparable brands like the Trina Solar panels and Solon solar panels, which are available through SolarTown.  

We still think that as module costs have been decreased, installation costs have decreased, and the economic incentives are still in place, now is an opportune time to go solar. But one feels that until the economic incentives particularly at the state and local level are stabilized, that there will continue to be some discomfiture in the air. Yes, as the president said during his speech, “small businesses are making solar panels.” But we still need to assure that homeowners will be able to install those solar panels on their homes.

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Solar Gift Suggestions for Father’s Day

May 30th, 2010

You are now deciding what to get your old man for Father’s Day.  Of course, you have already thought of the same ho-hum cologne or colorful tie. But your dad hasn’t worn a tie to work in four years—he probably is working for a renewable energy company or something like that. And the cologne that you gave him seven years ago is still safely packed away in his lower drawer in the bathroom—unopened. What to do?

Your dad is just hitting his prime, so get him something for the outdoors, something that he will enjoy, something that is forward-looking, something that is, well, solar. You would love to buy him a solar energy system for his home, but even with discount prices for solar modules at SolarTown, the price may still be more than would fit within your budget for Father’s Day. Now you are thinking of ways to get him into solar without the big bucks.

SolarTown has a good variety of solar gifts depending on the personality and preferences of your father, but here is a list of some of the solar gifts that you may want to think about giving for Father’s Day. Please look at the solar electronics section and the solar outdoors section of the site to see what we offer. If you want our ideas on some or our newer products, this may give you an idea of what some of your choices are.

Here is our list of our five favorite solar gifts that you may want to consider. There is a solar gift for any budget.

Solar Shed Lights: Your father likes working late around the shed, but it can get pretty dark in around the shed. Why not get your father a solar shed light so that he doesn’t have to trip over the rake when searching for his tools.

Solar Umbrella: Another selection for the more sedentary types would be the solar light umbrellas for your Dad. He can enjoy reading a book while under his brand new solar umbrella that he got for Father’s Day. 

Solar Battery Chargers: Is your father one to adopt new technology easily. Does he have an iPod? Take a look at our selection of solar electronics, especially the portable solar modules that will allow your father to take his devices far away from the closest electrical plug. You will have to select a solar battery charger that is large enough for the device that you want to power. If you need to power a laptop, then make sure that you will get enough juice to power the laptop. Most of these devices will power small electronic devices such as iPods or cell phone chargers.

Solar Portable Shower: Does your father go camping or backpacking. Maybe the ice cold shower that the camp ground offers or the dip in the freezing lake may not be his cup of tea. Then why not get your father a solar portable shower. It may not be like the hot tub he has back home, but when you are sharing the woods with the bears, any source of hot water will be exactly what he would want.

Solar Lantern: Your father likes to camp and go RVing or he simply needs some extra light when he is working outside. Then why not get him a solar power flashlight or lantern. We even carry a combination solar lantern with a radio.

If this is the Father’s Day that you want to get your father started along his solar journey, then there are many solar gifts to choose from and for every budget. We hope that you celebrate this Father’s Day with a solar gift from SolarTown.

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Waiting for Godot . . . and the Energy Bill

May 20th, 2010

Ever since Barack Obama was inaugurated as president, the air in Washington has been thick with expectation for a coherent energy policy. When Obama announced early in his administration that energy was one of three critical priorities—along with health care and education— hopes were high that this country was on a leadership path in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gasses.  We are still waiting and chances are not good that we will soon any significant breakthroughs any time soon.

While the Waxman-Markey clean energy bill that came out of the House of Representatives last June may have been flawed, many observers believed that even a weak bill was better than no bill. There is not currently a national renewable energy standard under which the utilities would have to meet a certain minimum electricity demand through renewable energy.  The Waxman-Markey bill would have at least set these minimal renewable energy standards for the entire country: 20% by 2020—but with many loopholes and opt-outs. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), which advocated a standard of 25% by 2025—without the loopholes—endorsed the bill despite the bill’s shortcomings. Hopes were high that a watered-down version of this bill would pass in the Senate, but again these hopes were dashed.

As the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December of last year drew newer, there was some optimism that the Senate would act to pass its version of the energy bill. Passage of the energy bill would have given the President ammunition to show global leadership in Copenhagen. One Senate committee did indeed vote for a bill, which contained an almost laughable renewable energy standard of 15%, which the UCS analyzed and with the loopholes translated into 7.2-10.2%. Yet, even this version of the bill could not garner broad support and momentum for the energy bill was again lost.

The spectacle of health care reform took center stage in Congress earlier this year and the energy bill again dropped off of the radar screen. But in the background, three senators, Lindsay Graham, Joseph Lieberman, and John Kerry, endeavored to develop a bipartisan approach to the energy bill. With recriminations going back and forth, and another domestic item, this time, immigration, threatening to upstage the energy bill, Lindsay Graham walked out , leaving Senators Lieberman and Kerry to launch their own one-sided bill—without the needed cover of a Republican Senator.  Some are happy that at least there is a bill that could attract discussion and debate. As others have pointed out, however, there is not even a national renewable energy standard in the bill.

The major factor affecting this newly released energy bill is of course the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The pundits are all over the place on the effect of the spill on the chances for the energy bill. One thing is for sure with the pundits; they are more often than not simply wrong. That opens the field to the rest of us.

There are two leading and disparate theories on the effect of Deepwater Horizon on the bill. First, some commentators believe that the disaster will congeal public opinion and that, in response, the Senate will have no choice but to move the bill forward. The other view is that the disaster will only splinter whatever bipartisan support there may have been for the energy bill. I subscribe to the latter view, particularly considering the upcoming midterm elections that have a way to accentuate the differences between the two leading political parties.

Obama adroitly determined that to garner bipartisan support in a very partisan atmosphere, he had to give on two critical issues: nuclear energy and offshore drilling. For many in the solar industry, this compromise may have been a bitter pill to swallow. But you talk about bad timing, and of course, there is never a good time for an ecological disaster, but just a month after Obama signaled his willingness to give on offshore drilling, the first major offshore drilling accident in US coastal waters occurred since Santa Barbara in 1969. The fail safe mechanism wasn’t so fail safe after all and every day we hear of another system or procedure that failed. Obama may have been swayed by shouts of Drill, Baby, Drill before the accident, but now he is more apt to be swayed by the sarcastic taunts of Spill, Baby, Spill.

Offshore oil drilling is off the table and without the offshore and nuclear compromises energy policy is sadly going nowhere in this country. Deepwater Horizon will eventually be capped, but we will still be waiting for Godot, and the Energy Bill for some time to come.

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