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.

One Fort Collins community is taking full advantage of the substantial group discounts offered by the Astralux Energy Partners Program. Thus far 8 households in this neighborhood have committed to going solar.

Client services representative Osea Nelson helped build this group of solar enthusiasts. "It's great to see entire communities going solar - we are able to give sizable discounts when we can install several solar systems in one area," Osea commented, "you see an almost viral mentality - when one home installs a system, others in the neighborhood start to get interested and want to learn more about solar - even if they haven't considered it before."

Other solar energy group purchasing programs are offered by 3rd party companies who charge installers for collecting these groups, which means extra costs to cover their fees. Astralux Solar offers the Energy Partners Program directly, so solar customers know they are getting a true discount for gathering their community together to go green.

Astralux now has Energy Partners Groups in over a dozen Colorado communities including Lakewood, Boulder, Stapleton, Pueblo, Alamosa, and Denver.

Some solar energy integrators are offering kVAR units with their systems. These companies claim that this unit increases the value of the system - saving you up to 20% or more on your electricity bill than a solar energy system alone.

But do these units really save you money?

Who better than the EPA's Energy Star program to address this issue.

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Do Power Factor Correction Devices (sometimes called Amp Reduction Units or kVAR Units) really save money? Can they earn the ENERGY STAR label?

ENERGY STAR does not qualify any Power Factor Correction Devices. Please send us an email at logomisuse@energystar.gov if you see one that claims to be ENERGY STAR certified.

Power Factor Correction Devices claim to reduce residential energy bills and to prolong the productive life cycles of motors and appliances by reducing the reactive power (kVAR) that is needed from the electric utility.

We have not seen any data that proves these types of products for residential use accomplish what they claim. Power factor correction devices improve power quality but do not generally improve energy efficiency (meaning they won't reduce your energy bill). There are several reasons why their energy efficiency claims could be exaggerated. First, residential customers are not charged for KVA-hour usage, but by kilowatt-hour usage. This means that any savings in energy demand will not directly result in lowering a residential user's utility bill. Second, the only potential for real power savings would occur if the product were only put in the circuit while a reactive load (such as a motor) were running, and taken out of the circuit when the motor is not running. This is impractical, given that there are several motors in a typical home that can come on at any time (refrigerator, air conditioner, HVAC blower, vacuum cleaner, etc.), but the unit itself is intended for permanent, unattended connection near the house breaker panel.

For commercial facilities, power factor correction will rarely be cost-effective based on energy savings alone. The bulk of cost savings power factor correction can offer is in the form of avoided utility charges for low power factor. Energy savings are usually below 1% and always below 3% of load, the higher percentage occurring where motors are a large fraction of the overall load of a facility. Energy savings alone do not make an installation cost effective.

Power factor correction devices are NOT eligible for a federal tax credit.
[Source: Energy Star - http://bit.ly/cN2F3S ]
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And here are some other articles addressing the kVAR issue:

(1) From Eco Factory - "Skeptics who have tested the KVAR units for energy savings found that it had no effect on the speed of the meter"
http://www.ecofactory.com/news/are-kvar-units-scam-091809

(2) From NIST - "Specialists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have recently explained why the devices actually provide no savings by discussing the underlying physics"
http://www.nist.gov/eeel/quantum/power_121509.cfm

The Verdict: You can decide for yourself, but there seems to be overwheming evidence from very legitimate sources that kVAR units may not be all they are cracked up to be.

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

The widespread acceptance of solar energy will require the solar PV industry to mature to the level necessary for adoption amongst the entire population, not just the early adopters and green enthusiasts.

There are several common concerns amongst current and potential solar buyers, more so for those population groups that are less inclined to adopt a new or unique technology (late adopters and laggards). These concerns are mostly due to the lack of general information about solar energy, including a lack of knowledge of laws and initiatives on both the state and federal level that greatly mitigate the risk of going solar.

The following are some of the primary concerns commonly expressed by potential solar adopters, excluding the most important factor in the majority of solar installations – financials.

Reliability of Solar Energy Providers

With well funded national solar integrators and well established local players, this is becoming less of a concern for potential solar buyers. Further remedy to this issue involves better brand-building practices by the major solar integrators to increase awareness and familiarity - establishing “brand names” that people will know and trust.

Issues with Neighborhood Codes and Covenants

Many states now have laws prohibiting HOA’s from banning solar installations. However, the industry doesn’t have the resources to sue every association who ignores this law. More importantly, solar integrators don’t want to antagonize the very people they are trying to convert to solar energy. Thus, integrators are reaching out to local neighborhood committees to inform, educate and quell concerns over solar in their communities.

Vulnerability of Solar to Weather Extremes

With manufacturers improving their cut sheets and marketing materials to list hail, fire, and wind ratings / capabilities – this is becoming less of an issue. Also, there are now several real-life examples of solar PV systems holding up in extreme weather (as with the tornado and hail storm that hit Windsor, CO in 2008).

Uncertainties about System Longevity

This is an ongoing concern, as there is no hard evidence of the longevity or output reliability of solar energy installed today. In fact this information (outside of stress tests in laboratories) will not be available for a couple of decades. To address this, some solar integrators have begun to offer production guarantees with their systems – compensating solar owners if their systems don’t perform to specifications.

System Efficiency in Converting Sunlight to Electricity

The efficiency percentages of solar cells and panels themselves sound unimpressive to the lay person – 8%, 12%, even 20% sounds like a low figure. Integrators must put these numbers in perspective; they can’t let potential customers get hung up on these percentages. Converting 12% of the sun’s energy, the cleanest and most abundant energy source available, is pretty darn good. The efficiency figures are only relevant when comparing different panels to each other, or when comparing to the efficiency of converting fossil fuels to electricity.

Health and Safety Concerns, During and After Installation

A most pressing concern is potential roof damage during system installation. Nearly every potential solar homeowner expresses concern about leaking and damage to the roof surface, especially on concrete and Spanish tile. Extended warranties on labor and reliable integrators have been the solution to this issue.

The concern of vandalism and theft has risen drastically in light of recent news of stolen and defaced solar panels. There are several companies with solutions for these concerns, with security systems designed specifically for solar systems.

Maintenance and Warranty of a Solar Energy System

This is an issue that is being solved through comprehensive labor warranty and maintenance programs offered through many solar integrators. The extended solar panel and inverter warranties are also very comforting to solar adopters.

Technological Advancements in Solar

“With all the cool new technologies I keep hearing about, won’t my system become outdated technologically?” Or another one, “Won’t the solar panel costs keep coming down? I hear that there are new technologies that will be 10% of the cost of what solar is today?” These are questions that come in nearly every day from people thinking of going solar.

The answer to these questions vary, but center around the theme that solar is now - both financially and technologically. There are many promises of better and cheaper solar panels in the near future, but the current solar rebates and credits are likely much larger than these potential future savings on solar. The current US solar integrator market is still in a shakeout, and still highly fragmented. This has led to solar installation prices dropping to drastically low levels. Thus, potential solar adopters can either take advantage of a subsidized, buyers market today, or gamble on the promises of ultra-cheap and ultra-efficient solar of the future.

There are other concerns, but these are reoccurring issues from potential solar adopters. With the US approaching 100,000 solar installations, the solar integrator industry is making great strides in addressing these barriers for the many interested, but discerning, home and business owners.

-Jesse Malcomb

Everett Rogers popularized the Diffusion of Innovations in 1962, a theory of how and why new ideas and technologies are adopted by a population. The adoption of solar energy can be analyzed through the following intrinsic characteristics that influence a purchase decision:

Relative Advantage
Potential solar energy adopters want to know how electricity generated by a solar system is better than electricity generated by the utility. With correct engineering and design, the electricity produced by a solar energy system is no different than the electricity delivered by the utility grid. Solar energy can be more reliable and secure than utility electricity when integrated with a backup system – enabling a truly uninterruptible source of energy for the building.

Solar also has a financially advantage to increasingly costly traditional utility electricity. Solar energy both reduced the fixed cost of electricity for the building owner and hedges against further electricity price increases. The environmental benefits of solar is yet another advantage as it eliminates all of the harmful externalities caused by producing energy with coal or other fossil fuels.

Solar also holds a relative advantage to other available renewable energy options. Solar energy is easier to integrate with residential and commercial buildings than other renewable alternatives (wind, geothermal, etc.), far more effective and reliable, and now more economically viable.

Compatibility
Potential solar energy adopters want solar energy to be compatible with their lifestyle and daily routine. Solar is highly compatible with the values and desires of the environmentally-conscious energy consumers. Studies have shown that increasingly more people value the reduction of fossil fuel use and higher efficiency usage of energy, to which solar energy helps achieve both these ends.

The electricity produced by a solar energy system is completely compatible with a buildings need for the energy. There is no difference between the electricity produced by the utility and that produced by solar energy.

Complexity
Potential solar energy adopters want the process to be simple and turnkey. The complexity of solar energy integration has decreased dramatically over the past decade. The purchasing process, provided by most solar integrators, is simple and requires only a few uncomplicated choices from the adopter. The plug- and-play nature of modern solar energy systems requires no interaction or responsibility from the adopter to operate.

Trialability
Potential solar energy adopters would ideally want to "try" solar energy before putting it on their building or land. Although solar energy cannot be "test driven" like a car, interested adopters can "trial" solar by seeing an existing installation in work. Remote monitors and internet interfaces can "show" how the solar energy system produces energy and how much electricity it is generating. Solar Home Tours around the country allow potential buyers to experience solar hands-on and talk to current solar energy homeowners.

Observability
Potential solar energy adopters want to see many systems already installed and operating. As an exterior feature, solar energy is visible on most buildings that have it installed. Solar is on display in very publicly visible areas - such as major airports, commercial buildings, and museums. With over 75,000 solar energy systems installed in the U.S., including hundreds of large and highly noticeable solar farms, there are plenty of opportunities for potential adopters to see solar at work.

In conclusion, it is apparent that solar energy has broken through many barriers to move towards adoption by several key social groups in America. Nonetheless, there is still much to be done - especially in the area of education and knowledge. The adoption process starts with these two essentials; if someone isn’t aware of what solar energy is or what it can do then it renders the rest of the process irrelevant. More resources must be allocated by the manufacturers, distributors, integrators, and state and federal energy departments to educating the population about solar energy – so we can then persuade, implement, and grow solar into a noticeable chunk of the energy solution in the United States.

-Jesse Malcomb

Link: http://www.astraluxsolar.com/images/res_solar_costs_in_co_large.jpg

One of the most frequent questions we get as a solar energy integrator is "Why should I buy now, won't the price of solar keep coming down?"

For the last 12 months, the price of solar has come down drastically, as much as 30% in some cases. However, the rebates for solar have also dropped by virtually the same amount.

As you can see in the graph (click link above to view), the price of residential solar is leveling out, while the rebates continue to decrease (per the new tiered rebate program from Xcel). Thus, the cost to the customer is now beginning to increase for the first time since the introduction of rebates in Colorado.

The price of solar will continue to slowly decrease, with supply levels still high and with more competition than ever between solar integrators - but it is highly unlikely we will see a drop in price like we saw in 2009. The solar rebates are finite, and will continue to decrease until the solar rebate fund is depleted.

There is always the possibility that solar materials will have a major breakthrough and further decrease in price - but will it decrease more than the current value of solar rebates in Colorado? That is the question to ask when you are determining whether to go solar - do it now and get the rebates, or wait and take a chance on solar materials prices significantly decreasing in the future.

Link: http://www.astraluxsolar.com/solar_energy_poll.htm

In our new poll, Astralux Solar asks what would be the most important financial factor in your purchase of a solar energy system for your home or business?

Please click here or the link above to give your answer!

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.

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/79JDZ6

2009 was an incredible and adventurous year for solar energy in Colorado, the nation, and the world. Here were the highlights:

1) Despite the recession, the amount of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems sold and installed in Colorado increased by over 90%.

2) Over $50 million in solar energy rebates were distributed statewide.

3) The small category (under 10kW in size) saw the greatest increase, going from 6.02 megawatts (MW) installed in 2008 to 12.5MW in 2009.

4) A European solar module supply gut led to solar system material prices dropping by as much as 50%...

Read More...

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.

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

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

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.