Say Hello To T5 Lighting And Lower Lighting Bills!

T5 Lighting Retrofit Solutions

Increase your light while reducing your total lighting energy consumption by over 50%.

Benefits:
• Retrofit leaves current fixture in place, no need to buy new fixtures.
• No disposal of existing ballast, they are bypassed and abandoned in place.
• No need to shut down large areas to replace fixtures.
• No disturbance of ceiling and potential for release of contaminants into the air.
• 5 Year warranty on retrofit adapter (ballast).
• Financing as low as 3% available for loans up to $70k.
• Lowest Mercury content of all Fluorescents.

Easy installation directions are included. Simply remove your old T12 or T8 bulbs, disconnect the old ballasts, and then reconnect the wires direct to the fluorescent housing end wires.

De-lamping: If your fixtures are 4 light fixtures, you simply remove the (4) current T8 or T12 inefficient bulbs and replace them with (2) T5 bulb/adapters. The T5 bulb installs into the adapter which has its own extremely efficient built-in ballast. Then the adapter with bulb is installed into the existing fixture just as you have installed the current inefficient bulbs you are currently burning.

Let us do a free analysis of your current lighting and provide you with a written proposal that will show you the astonishing savings in your electrical utility cost including your tax incentives, rebates available and your estimated ROl. Learn more at our website.

How One Local Company Decided To Truly Go Green

It all started with an ugly commercial metal roof. Empty, lonely, and unhappy...

We then added some metal rails and other mounting hardware.

They were then secured to the roof to withstand 90+ mph wind.

We then attached some microinverters to keep track of each individual solar panel and measure unique performance. The entire installation process was overseen by 1 of only 10 NABCEP certified solar installers in Georgia.

The brand of microinverters is Enphase. They are THE BEST on the market to date and come with a really useful web-based monitoring service to make sure your panels are always running at max efficiency.

Once the panels arrived we lifted them via forklift to the roof.

The panels were then installed ontop of the racking system at the optimium tilt angle to accept the highest amount of solar sunlight.

Here is another view. The panels are connected together via the racking system and electrical wires and the microinverters.

Here is a closeup of the array. These are American-made panels from Mage.

When the sun sets at the end of the day, our client will see utility savings on average of $614 dollars every month. Over it’s expected 35-year life the 20kW system will generate approximately 1015 RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) equivalent to offsetting 868 tons of CO2, planting 20,712 trees, or offsetting 27,740 gallons of gasoline. Energy Roofing Systems educated this client on federal, state, and local tax incentives that helped make this project possible. The Federal Clean Energy Grant is covering 30% of the total system cost while the Georgia Clean Energy Tax Credit picks up another 35%. Additionally, local utility provider Sawnee EMC is providing a $3,000 dollar incentive and a guarantee to purchase any excess energy this system generates.

Please visit our website, twitter page, and facebook acount to learn more about our company and our commitment to helping businesses improve their bottom lines by adopting clean, affordable, and renewable energy sources.

Planning For A Plug-In Electric Vehicle

Solar carports like the one pictured above could play a big role in the plug-in electric vehicle market in the near future.

From Sawnee EMC: Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PEVs) are powered by rechargeable battery packs, which use stored electricity to operate the vehicle. The battery packs can generally be charged from two (2) types of outlets: Level 1 (120 volts) and Level 2 (240 volts). The difference in voltage affects the period of time which the battery is charged. Below is a brief description of the two (2) charging levels for residential use.

Level 1 Charging

Level 1 charging is accomplished by using a standard 120 volt, A/C outlet which is commonly found in a residential setting. PEVs may be plugged into a 120 volt outlet, providing a convenient, "anytime and anywhere" power source.

Depending on the battery size and how far the vehicle was driven (e.g., how low the battery's charge has been reduced), Level 1 charging takes between 8 to 15 hours to fully recharge the vehicle's battery.

Level 1 charging requires a dedicated 15 or 20 Amp outlet in the area where the PEV will be charged.

Level 2 Charging

Level 2 charging is done using a 240 volt, A/C circuit, much like that used for large electric load in your home such as an electric clothes dryer, electric stove or a central HVAC system. Level 2 charging will generally requires a dedicated 240 volt outlet in the location where the vehicle will be charged.

Depending on the battery size and how far the vehicle was driven, Level 2 charging generally takes between 3 to 8 hours to fully recharge a battery, or approximately half the time of a Level 1 charger.

Other Factors to Keep in Mind When Deciding Where to Charge Your PEV

When selecting where to charge your PEV, remember that most residential garages generally do not have a dedicated 240 volt circuit to facilitate the faster (Level 2) charging.

Also, the vehicle manufacturer may specify what Electrical Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) should be used with their vehicle which will determine the exact equipment you should install.

Finally, if the PEV is kept outdoors, special, weather-proof equipment may be needed.

The key here is that charging is an essential component of the safe, reliable and cost effective aspect of operating your PEV and will require a great deal of thought and planning.

NISSAN LEAF:

Priced at $32,000 with a $7,500 dollar federal tax incentive. Buyers of the Nissan Leaf will need to pay an additional $2,200 for the necessary 220/240V charging station and installation. Uncle Sam will throw a $2,000 tax credit your way for that equipment, though.

Starting from a depleted battery, it takes 7 hours to charge using 220/240V (depending on amperage), and about 20 hours using 110/120V. It will take about 30 minutes to charge a battery up to 80% using a 480 volt quick-charge station (these will be introduced in the future and there has been no word on how much one of these super charging stations will cost yet).

Based on a US average of $0.11/kWh, a full charge will cost about $2.75. It could be even less, if your area has time-of-use rates and you charge at off-peak hours.

CHEVY VOLT:

Priced at $40,000 with a $7,500 federal tax incentive.

The Volt's 16 kW·h (10.4 kW·h usable) lithium-ion battery pack can be charged by plugging the car into a 120-240VAC residential electrical outlet.

The 240V Voltec charging station can be purchased for $490 not including installation. Other charging stations are in development but pricing has not been determined.

At 240 V, the Volt will recharge in 3 hours as opposed to 6 hours at 120 V.

At the U.S. average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical Volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile.

The coming popularity of plug-in electric vehicles is no doubt a good thing for the environment when considering how much greenhouse gas emissions can be decreased as a result of driving a clean, electric vehicle, but are we really gaining anything if the electricity to charge these vehicles comes from dirty energy sources like coal plants?

Powering your garage and your home with a solar array seems like a reasonable solution.

Updated Solar Incentives In Ga

We've updated the solar incentives in GA section on our website. The update can be viewed here.

Protect your home from Hurricane Earl

Worried East Coast residents brace for what is expected to be a Category 4 hurricane that goes by the name of Earl. The Federal Emergency Management Agency warned people along the Eastern Seaboard to prepare for possible evacuations on Tuesday, as Earl whirled across the Caribbean with winds of 135 mph. The hurricane is expected to remain over the open ocean before turning north and running parallel to the East Coast, bringing high winds and heavy rain to parts of North Carolina. Forecasters are cautioning that it is still too early to tell how close Earl might come to land. Dennis Feltgen, spokesman for the National Hurricane Center, said that not since 1991 with Hurricane Bob has such a powerful storm had such a large swatch of the East Coast in its sights. “A slight shift of that track to the west is going to impact a great deal of real estate with potential hurricane force winds,” Feltgen said.

On Monday, Earl delivered a glancing blow to several small Caribbean islands, tearing roofs off homes and knocking out electricity to people in Anguilla, Antigua and St. Maarten. In Puerto Rico, nearly 187,000 people were without power and 60,000 without water. Gov. Luis Fortuno said cruise ships were diverted and flights cancelled across the region. On Tuesday, strong winds from Earl’s outer fringes whipped palm fronds and whistled through doors in the Turks and Caicos Islands as tied-down boats seesawed on white-crested surf.

Each year, hail causes about 1.6 billion dollars worth of damage to residential roofs in the United States. In general, hailstone damage can be categorized into two types: aesthetic damage and functional damage. Aesthetic damage is simply damage that has an adverse effect on appearance, but does not affect the performance of the roof. Functional damage results in diminished water-shedding ability and a reduction in the expected service life of the roof.

The most effective way to reduce hail damage is to use impact resistant materials for roofing applications. Underwriters Laboratory has developed a test, UL 2218, to evaluate the impact resistance of roofing material. This test evaluates materials by dropping a steel ball onto the roofing panel twice at the same location. The material must show no evidence of fracture, cracking, splitting or any other failure, which would result in an opening of the roofing material. The sizes of the steel balls are from 1.25 inches to 2.00 inches.

There are many different types of materials available for roofing applications, and metal is one of them. While metal roofing is primarily used for commercial applications, it has become an attractive alternative for residential roofing because its relatively lightweight, meets UL2218 Class 3 or 4 specifications, and may have a Class A or B fire resistant rating.
Metal roofs have good impact resistance and are very likely to survive hailstones without functional damage, but can be vulnerable to aesthetic damage since hail can cause permanent indentations in the roofing panels.

Protect yourself and your home from Hurricane Earl with a SmarterRoof from Energy Roofing Systems that is wind tunnel tested up to 200 mph and rated to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. The metal is made from Galvalume substrates which combine the proven corrosion protection of zinc with the barrier protection of aluminum. The end result is a superior substrate that will provide years of service life for most applications. In fact, Galvalume substrates are warranted from the steel mills against perforation due to rust. A standard shingle roof has no defense against a monstrous hurricane like Earl. The SmarterRoof is designed to be installed on top of your existing shingle roof using a 3 part metal fastener system with a full trim package to keep your roof sealed water tight. All of their roofs are tax credit eligible and Energy Star rated to reduce your energy bills 30-40%.

For more information visit www.energyroofingsystems.net or call 770-781-4267.

Data shows households are aging, homeowners choosing energy efficiency to protect against declining home values.

From AltEnergyMag:

Data shows less people are buying houses. According to recent data from the AJC and the National Realtors Association, “Nationally, sales of existing homes plunged in July to the lowest level in 15 years, despite the lowest mortgage rates in decades and bargain prices in many areas. One large factor: the expiration of federal tax credits aimed at pumping up the market.

Sales in July fell by more than 27 percent from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.83 million, the Realtors group said Tuesday. It was the largest monthly drop on records dating back to 1968. Sales were also down 25 percent from July 2009.”

This data can also be interpreted to say that more people are living in their houses longer. Lengthier occupancy rates means homeowners will run into more problems related to their aging homes.

Its a perfect time for people to get comfortable in their existing homes and focus on home improvements and other upgrades that will add value to their biggest investments.
Better home energy efficiency is a great way to increase the value of your home while simultaneously save you save you money on monthly utility expenses.

Energy efficient appliances are great and sure, those GA Power dogs are darn cute, but these small upgrades are not going to translate into considerable energy savings.

Did you know your roof is one of the leading causes of temperature absorption on your home, forcing your air conditioning to continuously run and significantly increase your energy costs?
The most common type of roofing is asphalt shingles which provides zero energy efficiency and needs periodic replacing.

An alternative roofing option is metal paneling which does provide energy protection, especially if you find an Energy Star rated metal roof.

There is a great company called Energy Roofing Systems (www.energyroofingsystems.net) located in metro Atlanta that offers such a solution which they claim will reduce your energy bill up to 40% and never need to be replaced.

Additionally, their “SmarterRoofs” as they are dubbing them, are an excellent base to install solar panels on top of.

According to a survey by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , more people are choosing alternative energy sources like wind and solar power.

Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the laboratory said energy use fell from 99.2 quadrillion BTUs (quads) in 2008 to 94.6 quadrillion BTUs in 2009, a drop of nearly 5 percent. Laboratory analysts said that while some of the decline was due to the economic recession, the drop also came about because Americans are using more efficient vehicles and appliances.
The laboratory said that electricity generation from solar arrays, wind turbines, geothermal wells, and hydroelectric dams all grew from 2008 to 2009, with wind power showing the most dramatic increase, from .51 quads in 2008 to .70 quads last year. “The increase in renewables is a really good story,” said A.J. Simon, an energy analyst at the lab. “It’s a result of very good incentives and technological advances.”

Installing solar panels on your house is a great way to take advantage of federal and state tax incentives while protecting against utility rate hikes.

Combined with solar technology, Energy Roofing Systems says energy savings with a SmarterRoof can be expected in the range of 55-70%.

For more information you can visit their website at www.energyroofingsystems.net

Ga Power To DOUBLE Solar Purchases

From ajc.com:

Georgia Power is doubling the amount of solar energy it will buy from independent producers, the chairman of the state Public Service Commission announced Thursday.

Speaking to a conference of solar entrepreneurs, Chairman Lauren McDonald said the utility will buy another 2.5 megawatts of sun-made energy capacity from homes and businesses with solar panels, bringing its total purchases to just over 5 megawatts.

One megawatt has the capacity to power 250 homes or one Super Target. The company will pay 17 cents per kilowatt hour for the first 1.5 megawatts and take bids for the rest.

The announcement was a welcome bone to an industry that had tried and failed to get more business this spring.

The Georgia Solar Energy Association took part in a commission deliberation in hopes of getting Georgia Power to both buy 2.5 more megawatts of solar power and collect the cost through ordinary rates, instead of through a premium-priced green power program.

They got neither.

Still, Georgia Power was buying only 500 kilowatts -- half a megawatt -- of independently produced solar power a year ago. The amount had jumped more than five-fold, even before Thursday's news. McDonald credited the industry's "youthful but cooperative" presence at the PSC for the growth.

In addition to the 5 megawatts Georgia Power will now buy through its solar energy program, it is also building one megawatt of solar capacity and will buy 1.4 megawatts through another program from two larger solar arrays. A solar project near Savannah will generate 1.2 megawatts. A solar array on a South Georgia pecan farm is producing 200 kilowatts.

Under state law, only an area's designated monopoly utility can sell energy in its territory, with a one-time exception for very large spaces. Solar businesses sell solar equipment to customers, but not the energy it makes.

Their customers may sell the power to a utility, but Georgia Power hasn't been buying new solar power for months.

Solar entrepreneurs have said Georgia Power crimps the market by buying only as much power as it has demand from customers willing to pay extra.

For more information about the GA Power Buyback Program and Solar Incentives in GA please visit this page.