From June 1st to September 31st, electricity for Colorado homes will cost up to $0.15 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Traditionally this year, electricity from Xcel Energy in Colorado has run around $0.105 per kWh.

With the new two tiered rate system just released by Xcel, every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity above 500 used by a residential home in a given month will be subject to this much higher fee. The average household electricity consumption in Colorado is around 700kWh per month - which means the average family would pay the 2nd-tier rate on about 200kWh of their usage.

Here's a simple breakdown

Traditional Rate System:

700kWh (Usage) x $0.105 (Avg. Electricity Rate) = $73.50

New 2-Tier Rate System:

Tier 1 - 500kWh (Usage) x $0.10 (Avg. Tier 1 Rate) = $50.00
Tier 2 - 200kWh (Usage) x $0.15 (Avg. Tier 2 Rate) = $30.00
Total = $80.00 ($0.115 per kWh)

This would represent a 9% increase. For bigger users of electricity, this new tier will represent a significant increase in their summer electricity bill.

Fortunately you have a remedy - solar energy! Solar is producing best during these summer months, and can drive your usage into the lower tier or eliminate it altogether.

Solar just got more valuable in Colorado.

(Alamosa, CO – May 21, 2010) – Astralux Power Systems, a leading solar energy integrator in Colorado, has finished a 19.74 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system installation on the Crouse Organic Farm in Alamosa, Colorado. This project was partially funded through the Colorado Government Energy Office’s (GEO) New Energy Economy Development (NEED) grant program. The Crouse solar project was one of 17 projects to be funded out of over 200 applicants. The NEED grant program was created with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The Crouse Farm solar project is an integral step towards transitioning into a “green farm of the future”. This certified organic farm is currently producing 500-600 tons of alfalfa hay annually. The electricity produced by the solar energy system will offset an estimated 55% of the 64,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity needed to irrigate the farm’s crops. The system will also prevent approximately 24,000 pounds of coal from being burned annually. Located in Alamosa, the Crouse farm will provide Southern Colorado with a model for a sustainable and energy efficient farm. This project will also showcase solar energy in an area of Colorado lacking in renewable energy installations, as this will only be the second grid-tied solar energy system in the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative service area.

“We strongly believe transitioning our farm to renewable energy, in this case solar power, is a win-win scenario for both the farmer and the environment”, said Ken Crouse, owner and operator. “This project, along with our current transition into certified organic crops, will significantly reduce our carbon footprint. Furthermore, we believe this transition will ultimately provide Southern Colorado with a GREEN model farm of the future. We intend to arrange field trips with local schools to our farm, thus enriching the minds of our youth and helping to create a sustainable road map for the future farmers of America.”

“We believe projects like this are at the essence of the Recharge Colorado initiative,” said Jesse Malcomb, Vice President of Business Development for Astralux. “This solar energy system helps increase our state’s energy independence while allowing this farm to continue producing an important crop for the local economy.”

About Astralux
Astralux, established in 1992, is a Boulder, Colorado-based solar energy integration firm and was originally founded to research and develop silicon and semiconductor materials and devices. Leveraging its extensive R&D in advanced solar energy technologies, Astralux created the Power Systems group which has developed proprietary engineering, design, rendering, and installation solutions for the solar energy integration industry. This technical expertise allows Astralux to offer the exclusive SolarCare™ protection plan, providing the longest and most comprehensive labor warranty and performance guarantee in the industry. Since 2007, Astralux Power Systems is fastest growing solar energy integrator in Colorado.

From the GEO Website:

"Coloradans can soon tap into millions of Recovery Act dollars and take steps to save money, boost the economy and save energy as the Governor's Energy Office and partners prepare to launch a sweeping, statewide rebate program April 19. This initiative is designed to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy to tens of thousands of Coloradans and will provide nearly 75,000 rebates worth approximately $22 million."

For 2010, the Colorado GEO solar rebate is set at $1.50 per watt (up to 3kW for residential and 10kW for commercial projects). Several rural and co-op electric utilities in Colorado are offering matching funds to the GEO rebate, bringing the overall solar rebate up to $3 per watt. This is more than the current Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy solar rebate of $2.55 per watt in Colorado.

Astralux has special GEO 3kW solar packages for Residential and 10kW packages for Small Business projects. These packages come with a free energy audit of your home or business.

Funds for the GEO solar rebate are first-come, first-serve.

http://www.astraluxsolar.com/Astralux_GEO_Solar_Package.pdf

Link: http://bit.ly/b6xdJ7

For the 3rd straight year, Astralux Solar will have a booth at the largest show in the west. 60,000 people are expected to attend the 48th annual Colorado Garden & Home Show. This is the LARGEST consumer show held in the Colorado Convention Center and boasts the highest attendance.

Come visit us at Booth #530. The show runs from the 13th to the 21st of this month.

Following in Xcel Energy's footsteps, Black Hills Energy is reducing the solar rebate for small category systems in Colorado (less than 10kW). The rebate will drop from $3.50 per watt down to $2.70 per watt, a reduction of 23%.

This $0.80 per watt reduction in the Black Hills Energy solar rebate will be effective at Midnight tonight (January 15th).

The Black Hills Energy solar rebate, like Xcel Energy, is a combination of a rebate payment and a renewable energy credit (REC) payment. The REC payment of the small category incentive (currently at $1.50 per watt) will decrease to $0.70 per watt, the rebate payment ($2 per watt) is fixed and thus will remain unchanged.

Xcel Energy has initiated similar reductions to their solar rewards rebates over the past several months. Xcel released a new tiered rebate system to inform solar integrators and customers exactly when and how their solar rebate would change in the future. The California Solar Initiative (CSI) has a similar method of distributing rebates.

If you are a Black Hills Energy customer in Colorado, please contact us today if you are interested in solar for your home or business.

Link: http://bit.ly/6kr28A

ColoradoBiz Magazine devotes its annual "power-list issue" to recognizing the people who drive growth, the often unsung heroes of business who keep cash coming in the door by connecting clients with the products and services they need to prosper.

Osea Nelson has been named to this list as the premier salesperson in Solar Energy. Read more about Osea's story...

Our own Jesse Malcomb is running for one of the three available Board of Director seats for the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (CoSEIA). Read his bio below and remember to vote by January 13th.

Following my passion for alternative energies, I currently serve as the VP of Business Development at Astralux Power Systems. With this position, I have been able to leverage my technical background in Government R&D with several years of renewable energy market research and analysis experience. My focus has been to implement strategies to cost]effectively identify and educate receptive market segments that have otherwise been neglected or ignored by the industry. As a corollary, I have developed a deep qualitative understanding of the local solar market. I have been involved in the Colorado solar industry since the start of the "rebate era" in 2006.

My goals for CoSEIA would involve helping the organization focus on working towards greater consumer awareness or "forward equity". We are at a saturation point in the Colorado solar market, and reaching out beyond the typical solar niche markets is the key to the long term success of the solar industry. The catalyst for this outreach must be CoSEIA, as this wonderful organization is the foundation of the Colorado solar industry. I hope to bring my years of proven marketing and development expertise to expanding the reach and awareness of CoSEIA.

Link: http://bit.ly/7kYlqR

Gov. Bill Ritter announced the award of 14 New Energy Economic Development (NEED) grants to recipients across Colorado for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that will help create and retain jobs, strengthen local economies, and save money and energy. The Colorado Governor's Energy Office created the grants from funds available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Astralux Power Systems was one of the 14 awarded, out of nearly 200 grant applications. Astralux received $60,000 to design and install a 20kW solar energy system for the Crouse Farm in Alamosa, Colorado.

A certified organic farm, currently producing 600 tons of alfalfa hay annually, the electricity from this system will help offset the nearly 64,000kWh of energy needed to irrigate the farm’s crops. Located in Alamosa, the Crouse Farm will provide Southern Colorado a model for the sustainable and energy efficient farm of the future. Crouse has already begun arrangements for school "field trips" to his farm with the hope of creating a sustainable road map for the future farmers of America. This project will also be able to showcase solar energy in an area of Colorado thus far neglected in renewable energy efforts.

Grant Summary - Astralux Power Systems: This Boulder-based company received $59,940 to install a photovoltaic system to offset irrigation costs at the Crouse Farm located in Alamosa, CO. Contact: Jesse Malcomb, Astralux Power Systems.

Osea Nelson has been named one of the Top 25 Salespeople in Colorado by ColoradoBiz Magazine. Osea has been a Client Services Representative for Astralux since 2008, and is a big reason for Astralux's success over the past 2 years.

Everyone at Astralux congratulates Osea for this distinction and for all of his accomplishments in the solar energy field.

I set out to write a blog this week addressing the changes people make and the attitudes they have after they get solar power in their homes. I assumed I would find a plethora of happy customers exalting there new contribution to the environment, and I also assumed that maybe some had become more lax on their energy conservation activities around the home since their energy is now practically free. Instead, I spoke with happy customers who had made no change in their daily routines, as they already were energy conscious before solar, and continued with this mindset even after solar was installed. Their opinion towards the solar panels on their home is that it is their duty to the world. I was surprised to not immediately find the answer I was looking for, but instead to speak with individuals who were truly energy conservationists.

In my mind, the moment I knew I was getting free energy, I would feel no remorse in running the dryer two more times, or leaving my computer on all day. This was a response I expected from at least one of our former solar customers. Instead, I spoke with two of Astralux's past customers who had a completely different attitude. Most of the customers I spoke with replied with a "Why wouldn't I?" sort of attitude towards their solar arrays.

Mr. Alex Wyche, who’s system was installed in May of 2008 said "It [solar] doesn't change anything - we consume less electricity, see our electricity bill cut in half, there's no action on my part, it's invisible." His opinion on the matter is "Why would you not if you have a place for it? It's just a matter of time before they pay for themselves. We have been very pleased."

I later spoke with Mr. Richard Bluhm who shared that he installed solar on his home in September of 2008 for "altruistic reasons". "I know things are desperate. What I do is a drop in the bucket compared to what really needs to be done. We're so far behind." Although Mr. Bluhm has a very substantial 9kW system on his home (the average is about 5kW), which produces about $125 a month of electricity, he admits "I go around turning everyone else's lights out in my home."

Speaking with these individuals opens a new window into how we all should see our energy usage. If we have the means, the location and the ability to install solar - why not? Furthermore, even when we do begin to incorporate significant sustainable energy solutions into our lives, such as solar energy, we must still remain vigilant to maintain an overall energy conscious lifestyle.

We would all benefit from every citizen of this tiny blue planet to adopt this same attitude. The more individuals who contribute their "drop in the bucket" adds up and eventually we will have a puddle, which then could amount to a full bucket. If you have a south facing roof, what is holding you back? If a 3kW system has the same effect on the environment as taking one car off the road per year and 5,208 pounds of coal from being burned each year, imagine the impact if even 10% of Americans made that upgrade.

Link: http://seia.org/cs/solar_bill_of_rights

At the Solar Power International 2009 Conference that took place in Anaheim, CA October 27 - 29, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Rhone Resch presented a call to action with the Solar Bill of Rights. This document brings to light the issues facing the solar industry today. The solutions to these problems are critical for the widespread acceptance and availability of solar power in the United States. Along with other solar professionals, I urge you to read this document and pass it along so that action can be taken to aid in the general usage of solar power in our country, and world.

Below is the Solar Bill of Rights from the SEIA website. http://seia.org/cs/solar_bill_of_rights

SOLAR BILL OF RIGHTS©

To secure a policy environment that allows solar energy to compete and empowers consumers to choose, Rhone Resch declared today, October 27, 2009, in the City of Anaheim, California, a Solar Bill of Rights©:

We declare these rights not on behalf of our companies, but on behalf of our customers and our country. We seek no more than the freedom to compete on equal terms and no more than the liberty for consumers to choose the energy source they think best.

1. Americans have the right to put solar on their homes or businesses. Restrictive covenants, onerous connection rules, and excessive permitting and inspections fees prevent too many American homes and businesses from going solar.

2. Americans have the right to connect their solar energy system to the grid with uniform national standards. This should be as simple as connecting a telephone or appliance. No matter where they live, consumers should expect a single standard for connecting their system to the electric grid.

3. Americans have the right to Net Meter and be compensated at the very least with full retail electricity rates. When customers generate excess solar power utilities should pay them consumer at least the retail value of that power.

4. The solar industry has the right to a fair competitive environment. The highly profitable fossil fuel industries have received tens of billions of dollars for decades. The solar energy expects a fair playing field, especially since the American public overwhelmingly supports the development and use of solar.

5. The solar industry has the right to equal access to public lands. America has the best solar resources in the world, yet solar companies have zero access to public lands compared to the 45 million acres used by oil and natural gas companies.

6. The solar industry has the right to interconnect and build new transmission lines. When America updates its electric grid, it must connect the vast solar resources in the Southwest to population centers across the nation.

7. Americans have the right to buy solar electricity from their utility. Consumers have no choice to buy clean, reliable solar energy from their utilities instead of the dirty fossil fuels of the past.

8. Americans have the right, and should expect, the highest ethical treatment from the solar industry. Consumers should expect the solar energy industry to minimize its environmental impact, provide systems that work better than advertised, and communicate incentives clearly and accurately.

On Tuesday, Xcel announced that they are planning to reduce the solar energy rebates by $0.50 in the next month or two, and they want to reduce their portion of the rebate to $0.05 by 2014. The Solar Rewards program currently provides residential and commercial solar systems with a $3.50 per watt rebate. This consists of a $2 rebate that is required by the state, as well as a Renewable Energy Credit (REC) that can amount to up to $1.50 per watt, depending on the optimization of the system. The REC is what Xcel is hoping to reduce.

Xcel is planning to make this reduction after the next round of Solar Rewards reaches 500 kilowatts, which is projected to be by the end of October or by the year’s end. Before any changes can be made, this plan must be approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Currently, Gov. Bill Ritter and CoSEIA (Colorado Solar Energy Industry Association) are in full support of the proposal and Xcel. They have made substantial efforts to fulfill the requirements for utility companies to get 20% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.

The solar power rebates are continuing to drop, which means the time to act, is now. With the other discounts Astralux offers, solar power on your home or business is very affordable, but there is very little time to waist.

More information on Xcel’s proposal can be found at http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/10/26/daily29.html

It’s not! As advancements are made daily in the solar power world, it can become very confusing to the average homeowner as to how to go solar, the steps to be taken, and why it is important. Solar power is no longer and seen as being the eyesore on the weird neighbor’s roof, it is becoming a basic necessity for every home and building in the world, and just as easily obtainable. Although I cannot speak for every solar company out there, I can at least explain what Astralux offers and the first steps to take to check it out for your self.

The first step in considering solar power is a free consultation. To schedule one, you would simply call our company, in which we will transfer you to one of our highly professional and trained salesmen. One of these gentlemen will speak with you regarding what you are looking for in a system, how much of your energy costs you would like it to cover, and investigate your roof so that they can take measurements and look for any obstructions to provide you with the best possible quote. The information the salesman receives from you and your roof is then passed along to our design engineer who will map out a perfect design for your solar panels, and provide you with a SAT, or a Solar Analysis Tool. This packet of information will provide you with the size of your system, the costs and rebates, the environmental benefits of your system, the electricity you will save, your return on investment, client testimonials, as well as a computer generated photograph of what your home will look like with solar panels. From here, it is your choice to continue or not, but the next step would be to sign the contract, which would then lead to the install, which is typically completed by two or three months.
One of the largest concerns posed by homeowners is the upfront costs of a system as well as the maintenance. For that reason, Astralux has created the SolarCare program. This program includes the SolarCare WarrantyTM, SolarCare Energy PartnersTM, and SolarCare Same-as-Cash FinancingTM. The SolarCare WarrantyTM provides the longest and most comprehensive warranty in the industry, which includes maintenance, service, cleaning, and monitoring. SolarCare Energy PartnersTM provides community members a fantastic opportunity to reduce the initial costs of solar. When three or more neighbors decide to go solar, they will receive significant Energy PartnersTM rebates which can amount to up to thousands of dollars, on top of the other state and federal tax rebates. Finally, Astralux offers Same-as-Cash FinancingTM which is for up to 12 months, no money down, no interest and no equity required.

With energy costs rising over 75% since 2002, solar power for your home can lock you in at energy rates 10 – 50% lower for the next 25 years. With the generous rebates the state and federal government currently offer, now is the perfect time to go solar. The rebates are limited, so now is the time to capture the power of the sun!

More information can be found at our company website: http://www.aessolarenergy.com

As the 2009 Solar Decathlon winds to a close, the winners have been announced, and now the houses are open for continued public viewing. It is important to reflect back on the Solar Decathlon, its purpose, what it means for the participants as well as solar as a whole.

As many heard, the awards ceremony that took place this morning pronounced Team Germany as the overall winner of the competition. They finished with a final score of 908.297 out of 1000 points, just barely beating the second place winner, University of Illinois at 897.300 points and Team California in third place with 863.089 points. All of the teams produced fantastic homes and it is always interesting to see what they do with their homes and design ideas when they get back.

The Department of Energy began the Solar Decathlon in 2002 and holds it every other year on the National Mall. It is a chance for the top 20 college teams in the nation and world to compete in 10 different contests, which are architecture, market viability, engineering, lighting design, communications, comfort zone, hot water, appliances, home entertainment, and net metering. The purpose of the decathlon is not only to promote renewable energy and the potential of zero energy homes, but also to foster the education, teamwork and knowledge in the participants, who are the future architects, engineers, builders and communicators of our world. Furthermore, the Department of Energy uses this event as an opportunity to educate the public about renewable energy, efficiency, and the benefits of solar power, as well as to promote R & D in the renewable energy field.

The Solar Decathlon is an exciting event and we want to extend our congratulations to Team Germany and all of the fantastic competitors. It is always interesting to follow and more can be seen at http://www.solardecathlon.org/.

Climate change is an ever debatable topic in our society. The questions of whether it is a conspiracy theory, the natural cycle of the world, or more, typically arise when it is addressed. Rather than igniting a heated debate based on theories, it is important to tackle the changes that need to be made to better our environment. Very few will debate that our country, and much of our world, is far too reliant on fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources are finally becoming a common topic in the world, and people are realizing the importance of adopting them. As solar power technology advances and becomes more accessible, it is vital to look into the impact one home’s conversion to solar power can have on the world, and the potential solar power has.

One of the tools Astralux uses when proposing a solar job is what is referred to as a SAT, or Solar Assessment Tool. This uses standard predictions of energy prices, average energy use, pollution and more to calculate the effect one solar system can have on the environment, and the owner’s pocket book. A standard home’s solar system size is generally around 5 kW, but for this example we will look at a hypothetical home installing a smaller, 3.36 kW system, and its impact. Based on our calculations, a system this size will prevent 5,208 pounds of coal from being burned every year, and take the harmful emissions of 1.1 cars per year off the road. Over 25 years of the system’s life, it is estimate that it will prevent 222,276 pounds of CO2, which is the leading green house gas, 640 pounds of NOx, which creates smog, 579 pounds of SO2, which causes acid rain, and 39 pounds of particulates that cause asthma. Furthermore, over 25 years this hypothetical solar system will offset the energy of 324,556 miles driven on an average car (or 12,982 miles per year), 1,058,456 hours lighting a 100 Watt bulb, or 58 average American televisions. To summarize, in 25+ years, this solar system would offset 85% of the average human’s harmful emissions.

A question on your mind may be where we currently get our energy from. The answer to that is, 49.8% coal, 19.9% nuclear, 17.9% natural gas, 6.5% hydroelectric, 3.0% petroleum, 2.3% other renewables, 0.4% other gases, and 0.2% other. In general, one kWh from the standard energy company means, 2.1 pounds of CO2 are released into the environment and 1.23 pounds of coal are burned. Do the math using that with your monthly energy bill, and you can see the impact you are having. The United States total energy use is 3.3 terawatts in a year (1 terawatt = 1 trillion watts). Considering the sun produces enough energy in one minute to power the earth for a year, the question is how that can be captured. All it would take to detain enough sun to power the earth for a year would be 160 billion square meters of land. Granted, that sounds like a decent amount, but when you consider the size of the United States, it is very possible. Furthermore, the idea is not that this space should be a chunk out of the middle of Kansas; think of it spread out over the rooftops of 300 million Americans, and the goal is reached. America has the potential to reduce its need for fossil fuels and to better our environment for our future generations. That answer is solar and other renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, biomass, etc.

What are you doing to reduce climate change? The little actions count and make a difference, but the big steps are right in front of you and just as easily accessible.

www.blogactionday.org

As the new Solar Energy Marketing and Analysis Intern for Astralux Power Systems, I came into this position as a new graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in Business Marketing and a minor in Media Studies. As you may notice, there is nothing in that title that is even slightly technical, and no where in my education did I learn extensively about solar power. Two weeks ago I knew barely anything about solar, other than it is green, and that is currently the most common word in the English language. However, in these past two weeks I have been able to get a basic understanding of solar power, how it works, the industry itself, the great rebates, and how easy it is. Learning about this has been riveting and exciting for me, so I want to share that knowledge. If you have a technical background, don’t judge, if not, here is my best attempt at explaining solar power in basic terms that anyone can understand, and my way to share my enthusiasm of solar with you.

Let’s just dive on in! I will not go too much into how each individual solar panel works, more than there are three types, Single Crystalline, Poly Crystalline, and Thin Film. Single Crystalline is composed of sheets of silicone, which are sliced from a single silicone crystal. Because these crystals are cylinders, these panels are composed or circular pieces placed together, which creates a great deal of wasted space. Poly Crystalline is made up of thousands of tiny crystals on the panel, which allows it to be a rectangular shape. In the past this design has been less efficient, but that is changing as technology advances. Thin film is the final choice which is essentially a “sheet” that can be rolled out. This type of panel is the least efficient and needs the most surface area, so it does not tend to be as practical for smaller roofs.

Once a home or business has decided to look into solar, the process begins with a sales representative visiting the location. They measure the site, speak with the owner about what they would like, their energy needs, and then return that information to our designer, who will then map out the site for the highest output system available based on what the customer’s preferences. The optimal system would be on a location that faces due south and has a 40° tilt. The more optimal the system is, the higher the rebate will be. As the system strays away from that, the rebate will have to be calculated based on a percentage of the optimization of the system. The size of the system will also be established based on the space, amount of electricity used by the home, and the homeowner’s desires. These can range anywhere from 0.5 kW to 10 kW for a residential home. This can go up from there for any other building, but then the rebates would change. A typical residential system is 5 kW. The solar array (which is the word for all of the panels in a system) will then be placed however is desired, which can be a ground mount, on the roof, etc.

As the panels are installed, so is an inverter. The inverter is the box on your house that will invert the DC power the panels produce to AC power, which homes use. The size of the inverter is set to match the size of the system. There are two types of inverters that can be used; the first is a basic inverter, which means all of the panels will be connected in a series. The other kind of inverter is a micro inverter. One of these is attached to each individual panel, meaning they all act independent of each other. The advantage of micro inverters is that it will greatly reduce the effects of shading. When a normal inverter is used and there is shading on one or more of the panels, the system will produce significantly less. It is a similar effect to when you unscrew a light bulb from you strand of Christmas lights. When a micro inverter is used, each panel is independent, so only the panel subject to shading will be affected.

The final pieces of a solar install are the net meter and the monitor. The net meter is a digital piece on the outside of your home that measures the power produced by the panels, the power required by the home or building, and keeps track of how much power is needed from the power company’s grid and how much is pumped back into it. At the end of the year the power company will read this and if more was pumped back in than used, they will refund you for the number of kilowatt hours your system provided them with. A solar system will only pump what is needed by the house at that moment into the home; the rest of the power is stored on the grid. However, the power company will only allow a homeowner to install a system that produces up to 120% of their usage, so don’t get your hopes up, conserving energy is not entirely your next income stream. The final piece is a monitor which will be placed in the home for the owner to see what their system has produced, what they have used, and so much more. Some of the inverters even make this information available online.

Before I explain the rebates, here are some other basic facts:

• In one minute the sun produces enough solar energy to power the world for a year.
• For every kW of solar energy, approximately 90-100 ft of unobstructed roof space is required.
• A 3 kW system produces 4500 kWh per year, 375 kWh per month. A 10 kWh system produces 15,000 kWh per year and 1,250 kWh per month.
• In Colorado, on average, 1 kW = $150 of annual electricity offset, or $12.50 a month.
• A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 1,000 watts acting over a period of 1 hour.
The rebates in Colorado are one of the best parts of solar, because it takes something that seems so out of reach and makes it possible and affordable. This table is the best way to explain how the rebates from your power company, such as Xcel work.

Small Medium Large
Size 0.5 – 9.9 kW 10.0 – 500.0 kW 500.0+ kW
Rebate $2/W $2/W Request for Proposal
Renew. Energy Credit $1.50/W $0.115/kWh (for 20 yrs) Request for Proposal

Essentially the rebate is composed of two parts, the basic rebate, which will always be $2/W for a small or medium system, and the REC or Renewable Energy Credit. The REC is based on the optimization of the system and can be reduced, but $1.50/W is optimal. Medium systems, which are generally commercial sized, receive their REC rebate over time, rather than upfront, like the other rebates.

The cake topper to all of this monetary assistance is the 30% tax credit that is received at the end of the year after the system has been installed. This 30% is taken off of the initial cost of the system, before all of the rebates come into play, which is phenomenal!
In this blog I will not even begin to go into the numbers and environmental impact one system can have, but just imagine, it’s pretty fantastic. Look for that in another blog, because that really is one of the most important reasons to go solar. It’s not just money; it’s also about preserving our planet.

As I previously mentioned, solar and the rest of the renewable energy world is interesting, exciting, and essential for our future. Feel free to check out our website, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or contact us to learn more about what is going on in the exciting world of solar. Hopefully this all made sense and was as interesting to you as it is to me.

On September 30, 2009 Governor Bill Ritter held a conference call with U.S. Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, to announce further funding for Colorado's efforts towards cleaner energy. They announced that Colorado would receive $34 million in federal stimulus money for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Of that money, $9.5 million is allocated to expand the Renewable Energy Rebates and Grants Program. It is unknown how that amount will directly alter the rebates that homeowners and business owners receive for installing solar pannels, for now. However, with $9.5 million more being added to that pool, we can't be anything but hopeful and excited.

Much of the money will push Colorado's Climate Action Plan, the goal of which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% against 2005 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Some of the rebates will be awarded to homeowners for home improvements to make their homes more energy efficient. Furthermore, a significant amount will be used for rebates and homeowners and businessowners that use renewable energy technology.

With $9.5 million more being pumped into the rebate fund, we can only assume that the outcome will be beneficial to anyone choosing to go solar. As the government rebates increase, as well as other financial incentives, such as the Energy Partners Program, solar is no longer strictly for the extremely rich or the distant future, it's here and affordable now.

Sources: [www.denverpost.com], [www.9news.com], [http://www.facebook.com/astralux?ref=name#/profile.php?id=659981897&ref=ts]

Almost two months ago, Astralux introduced the Energy Partners Program™ and it has quickly become a huge hit. Part of our newly introduced SolarCare™ Package - the Energy Partners Program offers substantial rebates to Astralux customers who gather 3 or more people in their neighborhood or community to go solar. These group rebates can be as high as $500 per kilowatt, meaning thousands of dollars off an already heavily subsidized solar energy system.

In just the first month of this program, dozens of homeowners have gathered “Energy Partners” in their communities to enjoy this extra solar energy discount.

With no middleman to gather these community groups, like One Block off the Grid (1BOG) and other similar companies, there are no referral fees for Astralux to pay. The group discounts go directly to the customer. Thus, the Energy Partners Program promotes widespread adoption by further reducing the cost of solar installation.

So what makes the Energy Partners Program so enticing?

1) Consider that solar energy system prices are at an all time low, as low as $5.50 per watt from Astralux in the Colorado area.
2) Utility Rebates and Tax Credits in Colorado pay for 75% of that cost.
3) The Energy Partners Program pays for up to another 10% of the cost.
4) This leads to solar being installed at as low as 15% of its original cost, or just under $1 per watt.
5) With an average system size of about 5000 watts, that’s a brand new solar energy system for under $5,000!
6) At that price, you’re looking at solar energy that will pay for itself in only 6 years! For a system that is warranted for 25 years.

Just think about that for a second.

These aren’t just extravagant claims, hypothetical’s that would need a miracle breakthrough to actually become tangible. These are actual figures that Astralux customers have already experienced.

These conditions create an ROI that is truly competitive with other investment opportunities, and more importantly brings the cost down enough to allow for more households to afford the upfront cost of solar.

Add in the SolarCare Same-as-Cash Financing Program, which allows for homeowners to go solar for no money down and without any equity required, and you have a recipe for a broad market with the numbers needed to push solar pass the threshold of simply a novel technology and into a practical financial solution for any and every homeowner.

To learn more about our Energy Partners Program or what else Astralux is “cooking up” to break solar into the mainstream, visit our website at www.AstraluxSolar.com.

Link: http://www.gardeningcolorado.com/fall/live_green_zone.htm

The 2009 Colorado Fall Home Show features hundreds of exciting and useful home improvement products. But, if you are looking for that special and unique product this year, you will find it first in the 9NEWS Live Green Zone.

Astralux has been selected as one of these "special and unique products" and will be on display this weekend at the Colorado Convention Center.

The 9NEWS Live Green Zone islocated at the top of the escalators near the show entrance. Make note of where the products are exhibited and see them for yourself on the show floor.

Astralux will be located at Booth 1811. Come visit us and learn more about Solar Energy in Colorado.

Astralux has confirmed that Black Hills Energy, based in Southern Colorado, will be reducing its nation-leading solar energy rebate by $1 per watt - from $4.50 to $3.50 per watt - on September 1st.

This news is also fueling rumors that Xcel Energy may also reduce its solar rebate as well, anywhere from $0.50 to $1.00 - also on September 1st.

If you are a Black Hills Customer and are interested in solar energy, you must act fast! We can reserve the $4.50 per watt rebate for you before it goes down on Tuesday. Contact us to secure your rebate before it is reduced by over 20%.