Monthly Archives: September 2015

Solar technology is quickly gaining favor among small business owners in the United States. To date, many business owners, large and small, have discovered the benefits solar energy offers. If you have not yet committed to adding solar panels to your commercial building, have a look at some of the best reasons small business owners are getting in line to do just that.

Save Money with Solar

One of the main reasons people switch to solar, whether for home or business, is the staggering potential for cost savings. When you run a business, your monthly electricity bill can get out of hand fast, especially when it’s hot out and you have customers and employees to keep cool. Installing PV panels at your facility is a surefire way instantly drop your company’s overhead and operating costs. You can actually begin to see savings on your energy bill immediately after your panels are installed. Depending on how big your business is and how much you typically spend on electricity, you can expect to save thousands of dollars per year when you make the switch to solar.

If the upfront cost of solar technology has you feeling nervous, keep in mind that you have access to several types of rebates and tax credits. This allows you to quickly recover a significant portion of your investment

Establish Energy Independence

Installing an alternative energy system makes your business significantly less vulnerable to the unpredictable and often-unstable municipal power grid. In the event of a natural disaster or extended outage, the right type of photovoltaic system will allow your business to go on operating, or at least maintain critical systems and equipment. You’ll enjoy immense peace of mind, knowing that your company’s lights, security and backup systems are working, not matter what.

Improve Your Public Image

Saving money and establishing energy independence are not the only benefits of installing PV panels at your commercial facility. Adopting alternative power is also a great marketing move. More and more, people do their best to support businesses that go green or demonstrate their commitment to sustainable technology. You may even earn some free PR coverage when you send out a press release, mention your commitment to solar in your marketing materials or post it on social media. This means you basically get free publicity for saving money, which should appeal to any business.

Make a Wise Investment

If you are looking for a way to invest further in your business, PV panels are a safe bet today. After all, you will begin to save money immediately, and you will earn back the initial investment within a few years. Adding solar panels to your roof will also improve the building’s value and salability, so if you own it, your property will be worth more.

The benefits of adopting solar technology keep mounting, especially for businesses and commercial building owners. Call Intermountain Wind and Solar today to learn more about how your business can benefit from installing solar technology at your facility.

A solar inverter is the critical piece of equipment needed to transform the sun’s energy into usable electric power. An inverter is necessary to convert DC electricity to AC power for use in your home or business. You have a few options when it comes to this important component of your solar energy system, depending on your goals and requirements. Read on to learn some of the pros and cons of different inverter options.

String Inverter

The most common type of solar inverter is the string version, which can be used in both residential and commercial applications. This grid-tied option is known for being particularly efficient, which is what most people seek when they adopt solar technology. It’s also durable and relatively inexpensive. This will appeal to you if your goal for adopting solar is mainly to save money on electricity. An additional benefit is that you can remotely monitor this type of solar inverter, which is especially helpful if you have a business or rental home.

The main downside of string inverters is that the panels are strung together in sequence. So, if one panel is a little shaded and therefore produces less energy, the whole string of panels produces less.

Micro Inverter

Another grid-tied option is the micro inverter. This option was once a popular choice, but by the early 2000s, it was phased out because it was not as efficient or inexpensive as other options available at the time. However, it’s back now, and it’s considered better than ever, due to the improved technology used to make it. One of its best features is power point tracking, which allows homeowners to monitor how well their solar system is working. Additional benefits of this type of solar inverter include lower DC voltage, which is safer, and a simple, flexible design that allows it to be angled in various directions.

One of the drawbacks is the higher cost per watt, which tends to be double that of a string inverter. The installation and maintenance costs are also a little higher.

Stand-alone Inverter

This type of solar inverter is not tied to the electrical grid, which means if you’re working toward full energy independence, this is what you need. In this scenario, any energy that your solar panels generate will be stored in a battery, so you can use it during periods of full shade or darkness. The main advantage of a stand-alone system is that you will not be affected if the power goes out in your area. Stand-alone inverters are usually more expensive than other types; however, most customers believe that true energy independence and disaster readiness are worth the small difference in cost.

Other inverter options are available today, and the technology of existing options is improving almost daily. Choosing the right solar inverter for your system requires a bit of research and planning, and you must prioritize your goals. Contact Intermountain Wind and Solar to learn more about solar technology. Serving customers throughout the Intermountain West, IWS can answer all your questions about solar energy and how to choose the right solar inverter.

The concept of net metering is important to understand if you are considering adding solar panels to your home or business, and it is one of the many benefits of going solar. For a better understanding of how alternative energy and PV solar can benefit you, check out the facts about net metering.

An Explanation of Net Metering

This process makes it possible for municipal or private electric utility companies to properly credit customers for any energy their PV solar power system may generate. When your home converts the sun’s rays to electricity but doesn’t use it all, the meter runs backward, and you are given a credit on your bill. You will see this credit on your bill as kilowatt hours, and that amount of power will be automatically banked toward your next energy bill. In this way, not only are you drawing less energy from the electric company, but you are also saving money on any electricity you do have to buy. And because most homes create more energy than they use during the day, especially on a sunny day, most people benefit significantly from net metering.

How the Meter Works

You are compensated whenever your house generates extra power because the excess energy is sent to the power grid, providing other homes with energy. This happens with the help of an electrical converter that turns direct current, or DC, from your solar panels into alternating current, or AC. If you want to save even more money than you already do with your solar panels, you can install a time-of-use meter. This keeps track of when you use power, charging more for the electricity used in the daytime than at night. Since panels produce all of their energy during the day, you should only have to pay the reduced fee for the energy you use at night, making the time-of-use plan a good choice for many customers.

Excess Energy Generation

If you live in a particularly sunny state, like Nevada, your house might actually generate more energy than you need every month. When this happens, you can expect to receive a credit on your bill most months. If the amount of your credit is higher than your bill, it typically rolls over to the next month. If you still have some credit remaining after a year or more, your utility company might pay you for the excess energy you generated. This is yet another reason installing solar panels makes sense.

If you have any questions about net metering or are ready to install solar panels on your home in Nevada, Utah or other states in the Intermountain Region, contact Intermountain Wind and Solar today. Generating free power is great for your bottom line, but getting money back is even better. If you’re tired of being obligated to your local electrical utility, contact Intermountain today to learn more about net metering.

State-specific solar incentive programs are designed to assist residents in adopting the newest solar power technologies in their areas. Utah’s programs are some of the best in the country, and one of these provides rebates to home and business owners for installing new PV panels. If you are considering adding an alternative energy system to your home or commercial facility, read on to learn more about the Utah Solar Incentive Program.

How Solar Incentive Programs Work

The Utah Solar Incentive Program is open to owners of both residential and commercial buildings. Utah electric companies, including Rocky Mountain Power, allow state residents to register for the lottery-based offering each year. The enrollment period traditionally begins in January and ends several weeks later. If you are accepted into the program, you have to send in a deposit to reserve your rebate (about $100 for residential properties). If you have a commercial property, your deposit requirement is $20 multiplied by your solar system’s AC rating (a complex calculation your solar provider can explain and provide). Once you have the system installed, you get your deposit back along with your rebate.

Calculating the Amount of Your Rebate

The amount of your rebate depends on a few key factors, including the size of your system, how efficient your panels are, the direction they face, their shading and their azimuth or orientation angle. The range for rebates is between 70 cents and $1.15 for each system watt. More specifically, residential solar panel installation results in $1.15 per watt, with a maximum limit of $4,600. The solar incentive for small commercial projects is 90 cents per watt, with a maximum of $22,500, while large commercial projects are eligible for 70 cents per watt, up to 1,000 kW.

How to Qualify for the Rebate Program

If you wish to take part in this program, you must be a resident of Utah with a utility company account in good standing. Complete the application and follow the instructions listed on the utility company’s website, and submit any additional requested documentation. Once you are selected to receive the rebate and submit your deposit, you must identify a contractor and have your solar power system installed at your home or small business within 12 months. If you plan to install a system for a large commercial building, you have 18 months to complete the project. In addition, you must hire a solar contractor that is licensed to do business in the state of Utah.

In addition to the Utah Solar Incentive Program, you may be eligible for a variety of other rebate and tax credit programs designed to make solar power affordable for everyone. Contact Intermountain Wind and Solar today to learn more about adding a PV solar power system to your home or business. Not only will you realize immediate savings on your power bills, you will also take the first step toward true energy independence.

Whether you plan to live completely off the grid in the future or you choose to remain tied to the municipal power system to augment your alternative energy generating system, Intermountain Wind and Solar can help you get started with solar. They are the experts in solar energy for Utah as well as Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada. Contact them today to learn how affordable solar power can truly be when you use the Utah solar incentive program.

Solar power has become increasingly popular among new home buyers throughout the Intermountain West as well as the rest of the United States. Consequently, this increased consumer interest in alternative power generation is making solar energy extremely popular with homebuilders as well. If you are in the market for a new home, it will be easier than ever to find a one with photovoltaic solar panels already installed and ready to go. Take a look at this growing phenomenon and how it can benefit you.

Many New Homes Offered with Solar Panels

Builders across the country now include solar panels throughout their new subdivisions. KB Home, Pulte and Nexus Energy are just a few popular examples. Though some builders still charge extra for energy-efficient upgrades like this, many now offer them as standard or included features. One of the reasons builders can do this is that materials for solar projects have dramatically decreased in price in recent years. Builders also benefit from tax incentives and utilize programs that help pay for new homes to have energy-efficient features.

The Benefits of Alternative Energy

The main benefit of buying a new home with solar panels already installed is that you will never have to deal with high electric bills, no matter how much you run your heater or air conditioner. After all, many people who switch to solar power find their electric bill reduced by 50 percent or more. Relocating is already costly enough, so the ability to save right away on utility bills would be helpful for any new homeowner. Not to mention, solar-equipped homes tend to sell faster and for more money than those without this amenity. Additionally, it is approximately 20 percent less expensive to install solar on a home as it is being built, compared to a pre-existing home.

The Growing Popularity of Solar Energy

The obvious answer to solar power’s growing popularity is that homeowners want to save money on utility bills. But that’s not the only reason many people desire this valuable home upgrade. They also want to have more control over their energy independence. Reducing your dependence on the unpredictable and increasingly expensive municipal power grid is a highly desirable outcome today. If this is your goal for the future, consider purchasing your next new home with an alternative energy generating source already installed.

If you aren’t in the market for a new home, or if you plan to build your own custom residence, you can also enjoy the benefits of having PV solar panels installed. Intermountain Wind and Solar, serving Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah and Colorado, strives to help customers throughout the Intermountain West gain their energy independence. Contact them today to learn more about adding solar power to your home.

As more residential solar systems go online in Idaho and other intermountain states, homeowners association approval is easier to obtain than ever before. Nevertheless, some HOAs still will not approve solar panel installations, or at least not without a fight. If you are worried about whether your HOA will let you install solar panels, read on to find out how to navigate the potentially arduous approval process.

Be Aware of the Rules and Your Rights

Begin by checking the rules, or covenants, conditions and restrictions, for your neighborhood. Many HOAs restrict solar panels in several ways, usually by making rules regarding their placement, color and how far they can extend above the roof. Once you know the rules for your subdivision, look into the solar access laws. In Idaho, these are called solar easement provisions, which provide property owners and their solar panels the right to access sunlight. If the homeowners association in your neighborhood gives you a hard time, pointing out this law may help your case. Plus, knowing that you are within your rights as a homeowner can give you the confidence you will need to push back against a difficult HOA.

Get the HOA’s Support

If your HOA seems wary about approving PV solar panels, you can improve your chances by helping the board members learn more about this subject. You will need to convince them that using solar energy will not reflect poorly on the neighborhood. In fact, it can do just the opposite, since it can improve the value of any home. Make sure the association is aware of this, and then show them pictures of the solar panels that have been installed by your contractor. This will make it obvious that today’s systems do not detract from a home’s appearance. You can also explain the amount of money you expect to save after installation. Since this is a detail that home buyers will be interested in if your home is ever on the market, it might also be of interest to the HOA.

Ask for Help from Experts

In some cases, having your solar panel installer talk to the HOA can help, since solar power experts know how to explain solar’s many benefits. Another option is to have your neighbors sign a petition indicating that they are in favor of solar power for all local residents. If the homeowners association board still won’t listen, they might need to hear from a lawyer instead. Sometimes just having a lawyer send a letter to the HOA can help. Ideally, you won’t have to bring a lawsuit against the association to obtain permission to make this necessary modification to your own property.

Fortunately, most HOAs are reasonable enough today to recognize the many benefits of alternative energy systems. If you suspect yours may balk when you try to go solar, HOA approval may be easier to obtain when you come to Intermountain Wind and Solar for help first. They have experience with homeowners associations throughout Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and Idaho. Contact them today for all the help you need to make residential solar power a reality.

Information about solar energy seems to be everywhere these days, so it’s easy to assume you know all there is to know about this subject. But you might be surprised to learn some things you don’t know. Check out some of the most common questions about solar energy, and find out if you know the correct answers.

Can Solar Panels Provide Electricity Even at Night?

The short answer to this question is no. One way to meet your after-dark power needs is to use electricity from your local utility company. However, many alternative energy customers install a battery backup system that will store the electricity your panels generate during the day. Efficient backup technology is a fairly new development and only recently become more readily available – and more affordable – in the consumer market. Once you purchase this type of battery storage, you are free to sign off the grid completely. Ultimately, this type of energy independence is the goal of many PV system users.

How Much Solar Energy Reaches the United States?

At high noon on a sunny day, approximately 9 billion kwh of solar energy strike the United States. If you can’t imagine that amount, it’s OK. All you need to know is that so much energy reaches this planet that the amount of sunlight we get in an hour and a half could power the whole country for one year. That’s the incredible power of sunlight. Now you can see why solar energy is so sought after by people looking for a more affordable way to power their homes and businesses.

Where is the Largest Solar Plant in the World?

The Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in Desert Center (in California’s Mojave Desert, just east of Palm Springs) is the largest plant in the world. The sun shines more than 300 days per year in this area, allowing the 8 million photovoltaic panels to generate a capacity of about 550 megawatts. The world’s second-largest solar energy plant is also in California — the Topaz solar project in San Luis Obispo County boasts a 550-megawatt capacity.

How Much Money Can Solar Panels Save You?

The amount you stand to save depends primarily on your current electric bills and what state you live in. Studies show that people who live in sunny states, like Utah or Nevada, can save $64,000 or more over the course of 20 years. As a resident of the Intermountain West, you can expect to save about $25,000 to $50,000 on average, and even more if your location is ideal for collecting the sun’s energy. For commercial customers with high electricity demands, the potential savings can be staggering.

Hopefully this little Solar IQ quiz helped you learn something new about solar energy. If you would like to learn even more about solar energy, saving money on your electric bills and gaining your own energy independence, contact Intermountain Wind and Solar today.

If you are looking for a sensible investment, look at solar power. The alternative energy industry is rapidly turning into one of the most lucrative areas for U.S. investors of all types. Investing in solar technology makes good financial sense for several reasons. Before you decide where to invest next, take a look at the benefits of investing in solar, especially if you live in the Intermountain West.

The Solar Industry Is Growing

One of the most persuasive reasons to invest in alternative energy is that you know this technology is the way of the future. In fact, it’s in an aggressive growth cycle with no hint of faltering. More and more businesses and homeowners alike are opting to install solar panels today, as is almost every municipality, county and state. Even the federal government is aggressively adopting solar technology. These and other strong indications point to the fact that the solar power concept is not going away anytime soon, helping to make this a solid investment.

You Can Reap the Benefits Right Away

The solar industry offers a few different ways for you to invest, but the most obvious option is simply installing panels on your home or business. When you invest outright for your PV solar project, you will see a return on investment almost immediately. In the “sunlight states” of Montana, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada, investors/users save hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year on their energy bills. In addition, having owned PV panels on your roof can significantly increase the value and salability of your home or commercial property when it’s time to sell. If you want to see an immediate return on your investment, solar technology is a wise choice.

You Can Choose from Several Ways to Invest

If you have faith in the solar industry’s growth, you’ll want to do more than install panels on your own roof. Consider investing in a variety of projects, some of which involve little risk. For example, you can buy a piece of a large private or municipal solar project and see interest rates above 5 percent. As you may realize, this is a better rate than you are likely to find with many other types of investment accounts. You can also buy renewable energy bonds with a similar rate, or you might simply choose to buy stock in some of the major solar power companies. These are just some of the fairly low-risk investments in this industry.

If you are interested in learning more about investing in alternative energy technology, contact Intermountain Wind and Solar today. Serving residential and solar customers in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming and Nevada, Intermountain is committed to helping its customers save money and become energy independent with solar power generating systems.

Solar energy solutions are helping Americans comply with newly implemented RPS standards for energy generation. A Renewable Portfolio Standard, or RPS, is a law that requires electric companies to derive a certain amount of their energy from renewable sources, including solar, wind, geothermal and more. Although the United States has not yet adopted federal RPS laws, more than 30 individual states have adopted the standards. Many other countries around the world have approved similar standards, though they refer to them as Renewable Electricity Standards, or RES, laws. No matter what you call them, these laws benefit the public in numerous ways.

Cost Savings

One of the main advantages of RPS laws is their ability to save consumers money on their energy bills. This is because they increase competition among energy companies, which is good news for consumers looking for utility companies with the best rates. As a result, the public has access to renewable energy at prices that are more in line with energy from traditional fossil fuels. Anyone who is interested in using more natural energy sources will appreciate this.

Renewable Energy Growth

Many people in the United States are eager to find an alternative to traditional, expensive energy sources, which is why the growth of solar and wind power is so exciting. The fact that RPS laws encourage the use of renewable energy ensures that this industry will keep growing, allowing new solar plants and wind farms to develop. Even increasing incentives for homeowners and business owners to install solar panels is a step in the right direction when it comes to renewable energy growth.

Job Creation

Yet another benefit of RPS laws is the increase of jobs. For example, wind farms have created more than 10,000 jobs in states like Colorado and Nevada. Similarly, increased reliance on solar energy has led to around 55,000 new jobs in California, while Iowa boasts about 6,000 solar industry jobs. If you are interested in a career in solar or just appreciate job growth in this country, RPS laws should appeal to you.

Currently, neither Utah, Idaho nor Wyoming has implemented RPS standards. The unfortunate consumers here remain at their municipal utility providers’ mercy. Until this situation is corrected, it’s up to individual consumers to take matters in hand and install their own PV solar panel systems. Not only will solar energy provide significant savings, it will free you from the utility companies’ control and their inflated rate and fee structure.

Don’t wait for RPS standards to be adopted in your area to start saving money. Contact Intermountain Wind and Solar today to explore potential solar energy solutions for your home or business.

Financing individual solar energy systems can be daunting, but you may be able to get help from the C-PACE program, a relatively new concept designed to provide commercial enterprises and business interests an alternative funding method. PACE stands for “property assessed clean energy,” and these programs are rapidly becoming a favored method for financing alternative energy system purchase and installation. Read on to learn more about these exciting programs.

The Purpose and Origin of PACE Financing

The original model for PACE originated in California more than a decade ago. It was so successful that cities, counties and states have replicated it all across the country. To put the program into action, a city or state sells municipal bonds and uses the money to lend to property owners. The program emerged in response to the poor financial model of solar leasing, which many experts believe prevented this money-saving technology from proliferating as quickly as it should. The issue of ownership and transferability was also a significant problem with leasing. If the owner sought to sell the property, moving the system wasn’t an option, but transferring the lease to a new buyer was difficult. Although other alternative energy financing options exist today, not everyone has access to them.

How PACE Programs Work

Although they vary slightly from location to location, these programs are surprisingly simple and effective. The property owner orders a site assessment from a solar provider of their choice to verify that their property is appropriate for installation, and the provider issues an estimate for the work’s completion. The property owner submits his or her application and the estimate to the city’s PACE program administrator. Upon approval, the administrator issues payment to the solar provider, who goes out and installs the system. The property owner rarely has to spend any money out of pocket. The loan is broken down over a period of 20 years and added to the property’s tax bill using a competitive rate of interest. Should the owner desire to sell the property later, the new owner simply takes over the balance due on the loan.

Going Commercial with C-PACE

C-PACE was designed using the residential PACE model, adapted for the commercial property owner. Both Sonoma County, California, and Boulder County, Colorado, helped pioneer C-PACE programs. Commercial programs typically offer more flexible financing options, based on the assumption that commercial solar financing involves more expensive systems. Although C-PACE programs aren’t yet established in every location, Utah recently implemented its own C-PACE program*, which launched earlier this year.

In Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming and Nevada, Intermountain Wind and Solar offers its customers financing for alternative energy generating systems, including wind and solar. For little or no money out of pocket, you can start saving immediately while ending your dependence on municipal electricity. Contact them today to learn how to finance commercial solar for your business.