About 6 months ago my washer began making a horrible noise. It sounded as if metal was scraping on metal as the drum turned. In denial that something was seriously wrong with the machine, I continued using it. After heading down the path of denial for about two more months, the machine eventually gave me a tell-tale sign that it was time to part ways – it started to smell as if something was burning. I live on the third floor of a condo complex, so the idea of either accidently burning down my complex or flooding the units below mine was enough to send me on a mad internet search to find my next washer. How exciting! A new washer! Okay, not really. I could think of several other things I would like to spend that money on, but I decided if I was going to spend the money, I was going to upgrade from the very basic machine I had been using. So, I spent hours comparing prices, features, credit plans, delivery options…the whole nine yards. I finally narrowed down my selections to my top few and headed into my local home improvement store. Despite all of my research, I ended up buying a washer that was a step above what I originally had my mind set on. It was priced just right and had all of the features I was looking for, and lucky for me it was also Energy Star rated, meaning it met energy-efficiency standards. Because of budget limitations, originally I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to afford this type of washer. It’s too bad that my washer hadn’t waited a few months to break, because the cost wouldn’t have been as much of an issue. Until the end of this year, SRP is offering a $75 rebate for new washers that meet energy-efficiency standards. The new machines must use 35 percent less water and 50 percent less energy. APS hopes to implement a similar rebate program in 2010. So, if you are an SRP customer and ready to buy a new washer, now is the time to upgrade. Take it from experience; you’ll notice a big difference with your energy efficient washer.

Holly
Public Relations

So, I just read a slightly confusing article that popped up today on the Phoenix Business Journal’s Web site. The article discusses the Arizona Corporation Commission’s approval of a request for an additional $143 million in commercial solar system incentives to be given out by APS. My personal feelings about this approval aside, based on the content of this article, it doesn’t seem as if there is much favor by the commission for their own decision. The article is riddled with negative comments by the commissioners, while casually mentioning that the incentive increase will benefit the solar industry. Well, of course it will! The more solar installation projects in the works, the better the solar industry will fare.

However, on the flipside, there are comments by several commissioners stating numerous reasons why they hesitantly approved the incentive increase. According to one commissioner, there is concern over whether the systems will continue producing energy through the life of the incentive, which could be 10 to 20 years. To that point, with proper maintenance, most solar systems should last 25 to 35 years. Another commissioner questions whether or not APS has been pushing homeowners to buy into solar systems the same as businesses. This is a valid point if it can be proven that APS is not marketing solar systems to residential customers, but there is nothing in the article that suggests they are not. To play devil’s advocate, there could be many reasons why residential solar installs have not been in as high of demand as expected. Such factors include the number of single-family, currently lived-in homes in APS zones, HOA regulations that may prohibit or delay home owners from installing solar, the inability for homeowners to secure funding, or simply a lack of urgency to make a commitment. This was a big decision the Arizona Corporation Commission made, especially since the increased incentive could affect APS customers. They must expect that some people will be very happy with the decision and others will not be pleased. The commission will be more likely to gain supporters of their decision of they can provide some positive reasons, because they definitely exist.

Holly
Public Relations

This dynamic industry has just added another incentive for homeowners to “Go Green!” Now customers will benefit monetarily with a “Buy-Back” from their utility company.

One of the biggest advantages of a solar-powered home has been “net metering.” Under this program, the homeowner sells a portion of the electricity they produce to the electric company, either APS or SRP. The meter actually runs backward indicating their solar panels are producing more power than the home requires. This excess electricity flows back to the utility company’s grid and creates a credit on the homeowner’s utility bill.

In the past, at the end of the year the utility company would zero out all credits and start fresh as of January 1st. The Arizona Corporation Commission has just approved APS to actually pay solar customers for any credit they have as of December 31 each year! For some customers this can be a significant check to look forward to each year.

The program, EPR 6, allows customers to install a PV solar system that would produce up to 125% of their current demand. APS will buy-back any remaining credits at the end of the year at the following rates:

• Standard Plan – 6.187 cents/kWh
• Time of Use Plan –
  • On-peak 6.59 cents/kWh
  • Off-peak 5.963 cents/kWh

This truly is an incredible time for customers to “Go Green!” It all adds up: The sizable rebates from APS and SRP, a 30% Federal tax credit that can be taken in its entirety the following year with a carry- forward of five years on any unused portion, the $1000 State tax credit and now the ability to receive a check from the utility company all combine to make this one of the best investments a person can make.

Contact Harmon Solar to find out more about saving money on your electric bill.

Lisa
Solar Energy Consultant