There was an opinion piece, written by a physics professor, in the New York Times last week. It's not earth-shattering, just points out that while solar hot water is less well known than photovoltaic, electricity-generating panels, is more efficient and less expensive.
They are easy to install and do not have the dramatic reduction in production caused by partial shade that plagues the photovoltaic panels.
He also mentions tax credits, and this part is confusing. The Times posted a correction, which does not help that much. I went to energystar.gov and found this:
Solar Water Heating
* At least half of the energy generated by the “qualifying property” must come from the sun. Homeowners may only claim spending on the solar water heating system property, not the entire water heating system of the household.
* The credit is not available for expenses for swimming pools or hot tubs.
* The water must be used in the dwelling.
* The system must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC).
Credit is: 30% of cost, up to $2,000
There is a link to IRS form 5695 for this.
For photovoltaic panels, there is a straight 30% credit, with no cap.
Sweet.
The caps were raised and deadlines extended with the 2008 stimulus package. And these postings don't seem to reflect the 2009 stimulus package just passed. The numbers I have seen on that suggest a 30% credit is still in place, but perhaps the $2,000 cap has been removed for hot water. I'll keep my eyes peeled to see if I can confirm this.
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Showing posts with label energy star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy star. Show all posts
Energy efficient washing machines & dryers
The New York Times has an amusing short video about energy efficient washing machines. Washing and drying can use a substantial fraction of the home's energy, so cutting back here is important. Front loading washers use less water (and energy) than top loaders, and may lengthen the life of your clothes. Energy Star washers use about half as much energy as normal washers. The Energy Star site has tips here, and links to lists of qualifying washers.
Dryers are not Energy Star rated, because there is little difference among them, but the more sophisticated dryers will carefully calculate the heat needed. But nothing beats hang-drying for low energy use! If your towels are too stiff after hang drying, you can briefly fluff them in the dryer.
Dryers are not Energy Star rated, because there is little difference among them, but the more sophisticated dryers will carefully calculate the heat needed. But nothing beats hang-drying for low energy use! If your towels are too stiff after hang drying, you can briefly fluff them in the dryer.
No Fridge?
The refrigerator uses a lot of energy, even if it is EnergyStar. The New York Times had an article about people who do not have 'fridges: Fridgeless wonders. Turns out, that is a little misleading. they have a freezer and a cooler, and use bottles filled with ice to keep the cooler cool. They have to shop more and plan more when cooking. It would not really work in rural areas, where the store is a drive away (unless you visit it almost every day anyway).
For really serious energy conservation in the fridge department, Sunfrost makes small, highly insulated fridges. They're meant for off-the-grid, solar power situations (I think there is a propane fridge too). They're pretty pricey.
Another way is to use a smaller fridge ... our fridge at the cottage is of a standard size, and was usually pretty empty, so I am thinking of going with a smaller one, as they use less power than the average sized fridge. The average-sized (18-21 cu ft) fridges use 385-415 Kwh/yr; a 14 or 15 cu ft one uses about 355 Kwh/yr, and a 10.3 cu ft fridge uses 309 Kwh/yr; all of these are Energy Star, top freezer, with no ice maker (the most efficient configuration). Smaller is better, but going without a refrigerator in a rural area could lead to more shopping trips, and a net energy cost.
For really serious energy conservation in the fridge department, Sunfrost makes small, highly insulated fridges. They're meant for off-the-grid, solar power situations (I think there is a propane fridge too). They're pretty pricey.
Another way is to use a smaller fridge ... our fridge at the cottage is of a standard size, and was usually pretty empty, so I am thinking of going with a smaller one, as they use less power than the average sized fridge. The average-sized (18-21 cu ft) fridges use 385-415 Kwh/yr; a 14 or 15 cu ft one uses about 355 Kwh/yr, and a 10.3 cu ft fridge uses 309 Kwh/yr; all of these are Energy Star, top freezer, with no ice maker (the most efficient configuration). Smaller is better, but going without a refrigerator in a rural area could lead to more shopping trips, and a net energy cost.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
