Comments on: Cordero Has Gone Solar http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/ Flying, Playing, and Working - Preferably in That Order Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:14:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Doug Wright http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-3 Doug Wright Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:26:58 +0000 http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-3 This is beautiful! As you know, we are also a 2-hybrid family with solar panels. We have a much smaller installation than you - about 1/3 if I remember right. But we also have flourescent bulbs throughout the house and it was designed to be "green" meaning that the ac system, insulation, ect. was done with energy conservation in mind. We moved recently from a smaller house with none of this and our energy payments are a fraction of what they were. I need to get as scientific as you and actually do the measurements! I also agree that the primary benefit of this is reducing our carbon "footprint". One could argue that this would be the right thing to do even if it cost slightly more! I have a friend in Canada who recently switched to a green energy provider (they can see the windmill on the island in their township!). It costs him twice as much, but he figured out a ways to reduce his consumption to half of what it was. Another good way to reduce carbon footprint if you can't go solar! This is beautiful! As you know, we are also a 2-hybrid family with solar panels. We have a much smaller installation than you - about 1/3 if I remember right. But we also have flourescent bulbs throughout the house and it was designed to be “green” meaning that the ac system, insulation, ect. was done with energy conservation in mind. We moved recently from a smaller house with none of this and our energy payments are a fraction of what they were. I need to get as scientific as you and actually do the measurements! I also agree that the primary benefit of this is reducing our carbon “footprint”. One could argue that this would be the right thing to do even if it cost slightly more! I have a friend in Canada who recently switched to a green energy provider (they can see the windmill on the island in their township!). It costs him twice as much, but he figured out a ways to reduce his consumption to half of what it was. Another good way to reduce carbon footprint if you can’t go solar!

]]> By: Tom White http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-21 Tom White Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:23:29 +0000 http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-21 Nice writeup Alan. I took a look at Heritage; seems like an up-front company. This is on our remodelling plans for the future. Nice writeup Alan. I took a look at Heritage; seems like an up-front company.

This is on our remodelling plans for the future.

]]> By: Ken Boak http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-692 Ken Boak Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:26:42 +0000 http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-692 Alan, Nice sight - a big solar array on the roof. The solar is really making a big dent in your air-con bill, and helping to pay back on your initial capital investment. In energy terms however, it will probably take around 7 years before it's paid back the kWh it too to manufacture it and transport it. Here in the UK here, we don't really need air-con, - just as well because we don't get anything like the sun of Southern California. Solar pV is of marginal benefit here, and the cost per peak watt is far more than you pay in the USA. Instead, I have found ways of trimming my power bill down to just 2600kWh per year, and I have now invested in a vegetable oil fuelled combined heat and power system that heats the house in winter and generates all my power too. I'm installing a woodstove/furnace for home heating to offset my natural gas consumption. I hope to make a big dent in my 13300 kWh per year natural gas consumption. Working from home has reduced my annual mileage from about 12,000 to just 6000. Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year Ken London Alan,

Nice sight - a big solar array on the roof.

The solar is really making a big dent in your air-con bill, and helping to pay back on your initial capital investment.

In energy terms however, it will probably take around 7 years before it’s paid back the kWh it too to manufacture it and transport it.

Here in the UK here, we don’t really need air-con, - just as well because we don’t get anything like the sun of Southern California.

Solar pV is of marginal benefit here, and the cost per peak watt is far more than you pay in the USA.

Instead, I have found ways of trimming my power bill down to just 2600kWh per year, and I have now invested in a vegetable oil fuelled combined heat and power system that heats the house in winter and generates all my power too.

I’m installing a woodstove/furnace for home heating to offset my natural gas consumption. I hope to make a big dent in my 13300 kWh per year natural gas consumption.

Working from home has reduced my annual mileage from about 12,000 to just 6000.

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year

Ken

London

]]> By: akucheck http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-694 akucheck Wed, 26 Dec 2007 04:08:18 +0000 http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-694 Ken: Thanks for the comments. Clearly, a solar solution is not one-size-fits -all-everywhere; in SoCal it's an easy call. And I haven't seen numbers on embodied energy for solar panels; that would be interesting. A good friend long ago pointed out that while my Insight gets very good mileage he gets even better numbers by working from home and walking or biking where he needs to go. True, true. Also not universally applicable, though. Have a great year, stay in touch. ak Ken:

Thanks for the comments. Clearly, a solar solution is not one-size-fits -all-everywhere; in SoCal it’s an easy call. And I haven’t seen numbers on embodied energy for solar panels; that would be interesting.

A good friend long ago pointed out that while my Insight gets very good mileage he gets even better numbers by working from home and walking or biking where he needs to go. True, true. Also not universally applicable, though.

Have a great year, stay in touch.

ak

]]> By: John Marshall http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-697 John Marshall Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:07:29 +0000 http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-697 Alan: As I write this, I am waiting for my Heritage rep to get here with contact in had for the installation of a 28 sanyo panel system. We hope to have enough room on the roof to be able to add more panels in the future, expecting that some sort of a plug-in hybrid car is in our future for the little trips around town. We just bought a low miles 2007 E-320 mercedes diesel. Drove it back from denver and recorded an honest 36.5 mpg. With ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, great new technology (turbo charger, 7 speed transmission, common-rail direct injection, a particulate trap etc.) I get at or near hyrid mileage with lots of passenger and trunk room. Our solar installation is designed to hit nearly 100% of our current usage, and I have a suspicion that we will encounter 'usage creep' as my wife tells me to stop following her around flipping off the lights. Alan: As I write this, I am waiting for my Heritage rep to get here with contact in had for the installation of a 28 sanyo panel system. We hope to have enough room on the roof to be able to add more panels in the future, expecting that some sort of a plug-in hybrid car is in our future for the little trips around town. We just bought a low miles 2007 E-320 mercedes diesel. Drove it back from denver and recorded an honest 36.5 mpg. With ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, great new technology (turbo charger, 7 speed transmission, common-rail direct injection, a particulate trap etc.) I get at or near hyrid mileage with lots of passenger and trunk room. Our solar installation is designed to hit nearly 100% of our current usage, and I have a suspicion that we will encounter ‘usage creep’ as my wife tells me to stop following her around flipping off the lights.

]]> By: Rob http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-1116 Rob Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:59:53 +0000 http://blog.kucheck.net/2007/06/09/cordero-has-gone-solar/#comment-1116 Excellent technical and customer service feedback. Heritage Solar should be turning your cost back as well! I've requested a quote as well. $21k is cheaper than a stupid car, and with all the other insane costs of living, we'll likely stay here in Riverside awhile. I like the ROI especially and the fact that costs are quickly recaptured by home equity. Personally I look forward to blasting the A/C during the 105 degree days. In the past we usally run about 90 degrees in the house because we cannot afford to run the A/C. In addition, I signed up for the SCE 'shut off' device for my A/C, which will save another $200 off my bill, but they rarely use that option (per a doctor who referred me to this program). Excellent technical and customer service feedback. Heritage Solar should be turning your cost back as well! I’ve requested a quote as well. $21k is cheaper than a stupid car, and with all the other insane costs of living, we’ll likely stay here in Riverside awhile. I like the ROI especially and the fact that costs are quickly recaptured by home equity.

Personally I look forward to blasting the A/C during the 105 degree days. In the past we usally run about 90 degrees in the house because we cannot afford to run the A/C.

In addition, I signed up for the SCE ’shut off’ device for my A/C, which will save another $200 off my bill, but they rarely use that option (per a doctor who referred me to this program).

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