What are the Benefits of Commercial and Pro Solar?

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Why does your business needs commercial solar installation? How can it help you drive down costs?

1. The cost of traditional energy is increasing. Renewable Energy World maintains that 49 out of 50 states have seen an increase in average cost per watt for electricity in the US. On average, retail electricity costs increased by 5%. Meanwhile, power from the sun is essentially free.

2. Installation costs are expensive, but federal and state governments often provide credits to offset them. The Federal Investment Tax Credit gives a 30% tax credit for solar electricity systems.

3. Businesses can take advantage of net metering and sell their excess power to utility companies. Certain state laws require utilities to purchase power from businesses generating solar power, further cutting costs.

4. Government solar financing programs are available for large-scale projects. The loans are typically from 7 to 10 years, and often have no or extremely low interest.

How much your business can save will depend on how much it already uses, but you can typically save up to 70% off your normal costs over time.

 

Green Tips for Businesses

So it's 2012, and you want your business to go as green as possible. Need some tips? Look no further:

LED Lights, of Course!

According to The Green Insider, about 80% of the power LED lights consume is converted to light, which makes it more efficient than regular incandescent lights. ("A typical incandescent bulb can only last for about 750 hours while an LED light can be used for 30,000 hours. They cost more than the other kinds of lights, but you can use them for a longer period of time. In the long run, you’ll spend more money replacing incandescent bulbs than on buying a single LED light.")

Reduce Power

INC magazine recommends asking employees to set their computers to shut down after 30 minutes of inactivity, and turn them off at night (with printers, copiers, and other electronic devices.) The EPA reports that this can save $50-$150 annually and per device. Screens should be black, too (screensavers usually keep monitors running at full power.)

Climate Control - With Trees!

According to INC magazine: Businesses that strategically incorporate trees into their landscaping plans can save up to 30% of their cooling costs, according to the San Diego Office of Sustainability. (They can also reduce wind speeds by 50%.)

Telecommuting and Video Conferencing

PC World recommends using GoToMeeting, Skype, Google+ Hangouts, and other telecommuting software for meetings. The World Wildlife Fund reports that 1600 kilograms of carbon emissions can be saved for in-person meetings where employees need to fly to a destination--and you can also save for your travel budget.

General Home Greenery Tips!

Need some tips for making your home more green-friendly? Check these out:

Insulate Your Walls & Attic

If your home is well-insulated, heat will escape less quickly, and you'll require less energy to warm up (especially during the winter months.) Having properly installed fiberglass, cellulose, and foam installation materials can lower your heating costs tremendously. Make sure to get your contractor's expertise and approval!

Upgrade Your Windows

Window performance is one of the most important things to take into consideration when it comes to greening your home. (You don't want leaky windows.) Replacing them with an energy efficient model, or weatherstripping them, could save anywhere from 7 to 24% of your heating and air conditioning bills, according to the US government's Energy Star website.

Clean Green

Use environmentally-friendly products to keep your house clean. Go as simple as possible: plain soap, baking soda, vinegar, borax, and water. Also, make sure to take care when getting rid of toxic cleaners: many communities hold "toxic recycling days," for example.

What is a hybrid car?

Currently, less than 1% of cars on all roads worldwide are hybrid. According to a report from today, oil industry giant Exxon Mobil predicts 50% of cars will be hybrid by 2040.

So, what are hybrid cars and why does Exxon Mobil predict that they'll take over the world?

Hybrid cars are cars that run partly on gasoline, partly on electricity. (Some hybrid cars use other fuel sources, like solar power, but the most common ones are hybrid electric vehicles.) The Toyota Prius is perhaps the most popular of these, as the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. Many hybrid vehicles have a 20-30 mpg fuel efficiency advantage over gas-only powered vehicles.

Hybrid electric vehicles use features like regenerative braking--which means they convert the kinetic energy of the vehicle (i.e., the energy generated from the vehicle's movement) to charge the battery (instead of wasting it as heat energy, like regular vehicles.) Full-hybrid to mild-hybrid drivetrains exist. The best part? The purchase of a hybrid vehicle often comes with a tax benefit!

Forbes' Holiday LED Guide

Forbes.com has a very handy guide to buying your family LED lightbulbs for the holidays. Check it out here:

1. Cree Home-Depot EcoSmart downlight:

The EcoSmart downlight, according to Forbes, costs $39.97 and and consumes 10.5 watts. The downside is because it's a downlight, it doesn't fit in lamps or very many ceiling cans.

2. Lighting Science's Definity Bulbs

Forbes says that LS's bulbs are the most innovative on the market. They're working with Google on a bulb that can be controlled by an Android phone. Next year it will release a $15 bulb that gives as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. These bulbs range from $10-$50, and have a high price/performance ratio.

3. The Enhance Lite from LEDnovation

The LEDnovation light is more efficient than most other LED bulbs--the caveat is that it's difficult to find them and they tend to be expensive: in the $60 to $90 range. As Forbes says, it's more of a bulb "for connoisseurs."

4. The Noribachi Topaz

Similar to the Enhance Lite. It's super-efficient, and points out a little more light than the Lighting Science bulb, but costs double at $45 to $50. Another bulb for the connoisseurs.

5. The Pharox Line from Lemmis Lighting

Slightly less efficient, but still moreso than traditional incandescent or CFL bulbs. It costs $20-$25 online--the "Honda Civic of bulbs."

6. The EnduraLED from Philips

The EnduraLED doesn't rank highly on Forbes' list, mostly because it doesn't emit as much light as some other ones--though it does sell for the same price. The brand has a 60 watt equivalent for $24.97 and a 75 watt from $39.97.

7. General Electric 

It costs $34.98, which is much more than other bulbs that put out the same amount of light. Forbes says: skip it.

8. Switch

Switch, which used to be called SuperBulbs, has a bulb filled with liquid. According to Forbes: "The liquid, perhaps a basic mineral oil, helps dissipate heat by continually circulating. (Switch initially wanted to use gel, but gel doesn’t circulate.) Better heat flow lets Switch use fewer chips but run them at higher voltages, thereby increasing performance and reducing cost at the same time." The problem? The bulbs aren't out yet.

9. MSI

While MSI has contracts with companies like Macy's, the product itself isn't that great--although a ring at the base of the bulb allows users to adjust power consumption and light output.

10. VU1

The VU1 isn't exactly a bulb; it contains an electron gun that that shoots energy, like how old tube televisions used to work. The pale green light it emitted turned this Forbes contributor off.

11. Lumiette

Lumiettes are another non-LED company with a television background. According to Forbes, the bulbs should last 35,000 hours or more, but cost half as much as they do. Unfortunately, it produces far less light than the others. Forbes says: stick to the LEDs.