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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 19 February 2007 |
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Florida has recently approved measures that provide significant rebates, tax credits and other incentives for installing alternative energy systems in homes and businesses. Systems covered are: - Two kilowatts or larger for a solar photovoltaic system; or
- A solar energy system that provides at least 50 percent of a building’s hot water consumption for a solar thermal system; or
- A solar thermal pool heater
Application for a rebate must be made within 90 days after the purchase of the solar energy equipment.
The equipment must be certified by the State of Florida and installed by a properly licensed contractor. The incentives are substantial. An individual residence with a 5kw photovoltaic system, a solar water heater and a solar pool heater would qualify for over $25,000 in rebates and other incentives. A commercial installation with a 25kw photovoltaic system and solar water heater would qualify for over $105,000 in rebates and other incentives. With current prices on photovoltaic systems, a typical homeowner using a home mortgage to pay for the equipment would see an immediate savings. The saving in electric bill and taxes would more than offset the increased mortgage payment. This is especially true of new construction since integrating energy systems in the design phase results in substantial savings compared with retrofitted systems.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 10 April 2007 )
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Written by Denson Smith
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Saturday, 16 September 2006 |
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Geothermal heat pumps save money in operating and maintenance costs. While the initial purchase price of a residential geothermal heat pump system is usually somewhat higher than that of a comparable gas-fired furnace and central air-conditioning system, it is more efficient, thereby saving money every month. If the geothermal heat pump system is being financed with a mortgage, the energy savings are almost always greater than the increase in loan payment. A geothermal heat pump system will immediately result in more money in your pocket each month. Special Energy Star mortgages and other loans are available from many lenders. There are also many other tax incentives for installing this type of technology.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 24 February 2007 )
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Written by Denson Smith
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Tuesday, 05 September 2006 |
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Since there will usually be a number of acceptable design alternatives for any project, cost/benefit analyses help you select the ones that have the best savings potential. - Simple Payback Analysis
- Standardized Payback Equations
- Life-Cycle Cost Analysis
- Selecting the "Best" Alternatives
- Weighing Societal Impacts
Tools and calculators:
Depending on the aggressiveness of the design, experience has shown that it costs no more than 10% more to build high-performance buildings. Some high-performance buildings cost less to construct. Sometimes additional upfront costs can be justified because the investment will reduce operating costs through the life of the building. The added cost, if any, of system investment each year is compared to the cost of fuel saved each year. Total energy costs are, on average, about 50% less than those for conventionally designed buildings. In many cases, the right-sizing of mechanical systems through passive solar design offsets the costs for additional windows or controls.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 10 September 2006 )
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