The New York Jets Training Facility Solar Roof
Search our New Jersey Solar Energy Map in the area for other solar projects.
How Much is the Tesla Powerwall?
$3500 for 10kWh and $3000 for 7 kWh
Website pricing is $5,500 for 10 kWh
The Tesla Powerwall is rechargeable wall mounted energy storage product. The Powerwall is intended for backup power home & business use for solar self-consumption, time of use load shifting, backup power and off-the-grid use.
Please let us know below how much it costs you to install the Powerwall and what you paid for it. Add your locations to our map of solar energy.
What is a Solar PPA Power Purchase Agreement?
A solar (PPA) power purchase agreement is a financial agreement where a solar developer arranges for the design, permitting, financing, and installation of a solar roof, solar farm, or solar parking lot on a customer’s property at little to no cost. The developer sells the solar energy generated to the host customer at a fixed rate that is typically lower than the local utility’s retail rate. This lower electricity price serves to offset the customer’s purchase of electricity from the grid while the solar developer receives the income from these sales of electricity as well as any tax credits and other incentives generated from the system. PPA agreements typically range from 10 to 25 years and the developer remains responsible for the operation and maintenance of the system for the duration of the agreement.
Benefits of PPA's to the property owner
- No or low upfront capital costs for the solar system: The developer handles the upfront costs of sizing, procuring, and installing the solar system. No upfront investment and the customer is able to save money as soon as the system becomes operational.
- Reduction of energy costs: Solar PPAs provide a fixed, predictable cost of electricity for the duration of the agreement and are structured in one of two ways:
- Fixed escalator plan, the price the customer pays rises at a predetermined rate, typically between 2% - 5%. This is often lower than the projected utility price increases.
- A fixed price plan, on the other hand, maintains a constant price throughout the term of the PPA saving the customer more as utility prices rise over time.
- Limited risk: The developer is responsible for the solar system performance and operating/maintenance risk.
- Better leverage of available tax credits: Developers are typically better positioned to utilize available tax credits to reduce system costs. For example, municipal hosts and other public entities with no taxable income would not otherwise be able to take advantage of the Section 48 Investment Tax Credit.
- Potential increase in property value: Solar systems have been shown to increase property values. The long-term nature of these agreements allows PPAs to be transferred with the property and thus provides customers a means to invest in their homes at little or no cost.
- Extension: At the end of the PPA contract term, a customer may be able to extend the PPA, or have the developer remove the system or choose to buy the solar energy system from the developer.
- Transferable: PPA's agreements are typically transferable if a sale or the property occurs.
Colorado, for example, first entered the market in 2010, and by mid-2011 third-party installations represented over 60% of all residential installations and continued to rise to 75% through the first half of 2012. This upward trend is evident throughout states that have introduced third-party financing models.
Apparently, Walmart is a big fan of PPAs and has entered into a lot of agreements at some stores.
What is a Solar Utility CCA or Community Collective Aggregation?
A Solar Community Collective (aka Solar Farms) Aggregation (CCA) is an optional buying group organized by a municipality or a group of municipalities to benefit electric customers. (CCA) is a state policy that enables local governments to aggregate electricity demand within their jurisdictions in order to procure alternative energy supplies while maintaining the existing electricity provider for transmission and distribution services.
- Came out of the Utility Deregulation Act of 1997 to enhance the competitive market
- A CCA would enter into an electricity supply contract for all customers who remain on default service within a given municipality.
- Customers can participate in the long-term fixed rates
- Customers are automatically enrolled, unless they opt-out
- Solar & Wind - more options to generate power using renewable energy and distributing power on the grid
- Choice - No longer "stuck" with utility default rates
- Stability - Municipality can seek long-term rates to avoid market volatility
- Savings - CCA obtained rates are generally below to substantially below average default rates.
- Economic Development - Stable and lower utility rates provide a competitive advantage for businesses choosing locations
- Pro-Consumer - Contract terms and conditions are designed to protect consumer rights
- No Penalties for Consumers - Opt-out anytime and go back to default service or choose another provider
- Environment - less fossil fuels used by traditional coal, gas and nuclear power plants.
Top 10 Solar Roof Business Installers for 2016
The Minneapolis-based retail giant topped all other American big businesses installing solar, according to a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Here are the top 10 solar retail stores. To date, top US corporations have added nearly 1,100 MW of solar roof energy — in over 38 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC. In 2016 alone, US corporations have added 142 MW, more than all of 2015, which topped out at 129 MW. Read more.
- Target — 147 MW
- Walmart — 145 MW
- Prologis — 107.8 MW
- Apple — 93.9 MW
- Costco — 50.7 MW
- Kohl’s — 50.2 MW
- IKEA — 44 MW
- Macy’s — 38.9 MW
- General Growth Properties Inc. — 30.2 MW
- Hartz Mountain Industries — 22.7 MW
Why is the Midwest failing to Harvest Solar?
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| World Solar Farms Map
Warren Buffet seems to love shipping coal and oil around on trains in the Midwest. Wow has he failed to provide any leadership in the Midwest. The entire World is far ahead of the Midwest with harvesting solar. Search the map for "solar farms" and you will know what I mean. I am quite embarrassed to be honest as a native of Iowa.
Apparently, Berkshire Hathaway has a new renewable energy investment group and have behind the investment of a solar farm in Minnesota. Read more. |
Idaho's First Solar Farm is HUGE!
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| Idaho's First Solar Farm is Huge |
Top Solar Upgrades for Your Home in 2016
Incorporating the use of solar power within your overall
home design is one of the best ways to reduce your household’s carbon footprint
while also saving an impressive amount of money on energy costs every year.
Luckily, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars in home improvements to
benefit from the power of solar. Modernize suggests introducing one or more of
these effective solar upgrades for your home that are sure to pay off in 2016:
The Lighting
One of the best ways to benefit from the use of solar is to
update your home’s lighting. This can be done by incorporating a few natural
lighting features into your space. Start by identifying areas in your home that
are used most often throughout the day, and which extra lighting will enhance
the use of said spaces.
These spaces can be fitted with solar skylights that reduce
the need for artificial lighting. In many cases, you should find that
artificial lighting isn’t needed at all until it gets dark outside. Many solar
skylights can be opened and closed with the touch of a button to increase
natural air flow throughout your home without costing you a dime on energy
costs.
The Windows
By simply applying solar insulation film to your home’s
windows, you will minimize sun glare, protect your flooring and furniture from
harmful UV rays, and improve energy efficiency, which means lower energy bills
at the end of the month. Solar insulation film is easy to install and comes in
a variety of colors, shades, and designs that should make it easy for you to
customize each room’s look and feel.
The Landscape
Placing solar garden lights throughout your front and back
yards will ensure safe travel in the dark so you can enjoy your outdoor spaces
no matter what time of day. But beyond basic garden lights, it’s a good idea to
incorporate solar in others ways if possible such as:
· Replacing your garage and gate
opener with solar-powered options.
· Incorporating solar fountains
into features that include standing water.
· Lining the sidewalks with solar
light strings to enhance visibility upon returns home in the dark.
In addition, consider setting up an outdoor kitchen that
features a solar fridge and oven.
The Water System
An smart way to save money on both energy and water heating
costs is to replace your electric or propane water heater with a solar powered
option. A solar hot water heater can save you up to 50
percent on your hot water heating costs, and reduce your household’s C02
emissions by about the same amount. You can save even more money as well as
optimize your water system’s pressure and functioning by installing a solar
water pump, too.
These fun solar update ideas can be implemented one at a
time, offering you gradual benefits that will continue to grow in time.
Savings Breakdown: When Solar Will Start Paying Off?
If you’re like most people who are thinking about investing
in a solar system for their home, you likely have plenty of questions about how
your investment will benefit you both now and in the future. You’re right to
question the payoff of solar, as it typically requires a hefty initial
investment of anywhere between $5,000 and $80,000 dollars to get started,
depending on the kind of system you want to implement.
Modernize
believes that it’s important to gain insight into when your solar system will
start paying off before you make an investment—here are some aspects to
consider that should help you make your final purchasing decision:
On the Grid or Off?
If you choose to invest in a solar system that can be tied
to your local energy company’s power grid, you can get away with a smaller
system and use traditional power as backup while still saving plenty of money
on your energy bills each month. On the other hand, if you purchase a grid-tied
solar system that fully meets your household’s energy needs, you should be able
to sell any leftover power you generate at the end of the month to the electric
company for a tidy profit.
Investing in an off-grid system will require a bigger
investment upfront, as you’ll have to provide your home with energy to meet its
daily needs plus a significant bumper for those days when it’s overcast or
stormy outside, and your solar panels have access to limited sunlight
throughout the day. With a grid-tied system you can expect to save about $1,000
a year on energy costs, and with an off-grid system you’ll eliminate your
energy costs altogether.
Looking at Tax
Incentives
Luckily, you can look forward to tax incentives as a result
of investing in solar power, which will help offset your initial investment
costs and minimize the time it takes for the system to pay for itself. The
incentives you are eligible for depends on the state in which you reside and
the type of solar system you plan to have installed on your home. Depending on
where you live, you may be eligible to receive a rebate for up to 70 percent of
the cost of your solar system purchase and installation. In addition, you may
be able to claim a deduction on your taxes for your solar system when filing
time comes around.
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| Solar Savings Breakdown |
To get a good idea about when your new solar system will
start paying off and whether or not the investment is a worthwhile one, you’ll
need to sit down and determine how much power your household uses on a daily
basis. There are many online calculators that will help you get the
job done.
Once you know how much power your home needs, you can figure
out what size solar system is required for your home and how much it’s going to
cost you upfront. You can then figure out what kinds of incentives and tax
refunds your state will offer you to estimate how much you’ll save in upfront
costs.
To determine your monthly energy savings, you need to figure
out how much power you will still be using from the energy company compared to
what you used before the solar was installed. You will pay the difference (if
any) to your energy company and keep the rest for yourself as savings.
It’s a good idea to sit down and speak with a professional
solar system provider to determine exactly how much power your home needs and
how much money you can expect to save.
Largest Floating Solar Farm in the World
Solar Farm on Japan's Yamakura Dam
In the fallout of the Fukushima disaster, Japan has rapidly escalated its commitment to solar energy. That presents a problem: utility-scale photovoltaic farms require a big chunk of real estate but Japan doesn’t have an abundance of land to spare. The solution: floating solar arrays.
With three floating solar farms (1.2MW, 1.7MW, and 2.3MW) already producing power in the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan now embarks on the most ambitious one of its kind: a 13.7 megawatt floating array that dwarfs its largest ancestor by nearly 600%. When completed, it will be the most powerful waterborne PV farm in the world.
Find a solar farm near me.