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GLEN BURNIE, MD:  Glen Square, a senior assisted-living complex in the heart of Glen Burnie, MD now have a solar water heating system that will offset a large portion of their natural gas water heating system.

The solar system is financed by Skyline Innovations, Inc., a Washington, DC based third party solar developer, who engaged Solar Energy Services of Millersville, MD to design and install the 42 panel solar thermal system.

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WASHINGTON, DC:  Earlier this week Solar Energy Services, Inc. completed the installation of a solar water heating system on Capital Manor Cooperative’s residence building on the 1400 block of W Street in Northwest Washington, DC.

SES was engaged by third party solar developer, Skyline Innovations, earlier this year to design and install the solar water heating system consisting of 48 evacuted tube solar arrays and three, 1,500 gallon solar storage tanks.

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]FREDERICK, MD:   Solar Energy Services, Inc., (SES) a leading solar energy products and services provider, announced today that it will begin work this week on a large solar water heating system for the Frederick County Adult Detention Center in Frederick, Maryland.

The renewable energy system, equivalent to approximately 130kW of power, will consist of 57 Apricus (AP-30C) evacuated tube solar thermal collectors, collecting thermal energy to deliver to the building’s water heating system. With each collector holding 30 tubes, the completed system will generate more than 2,500 gallons of hot water per day for the facility, using a total of more than 1,700 solar tubes.

SES Vice President and founder Roger Perry noted that prisons make excellent applications for solar water heating. “The occupancy is constant and all the hot water needs for laundry, bathing, cooking and cleaning are substantial.  Aside from the environmental benefits, this system will pay for itself in a short period of time.”

The solar project is funded in part by ARRA funds, but also from the sale of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). In 2011, Governor O’Malley signed a bill into law to include solar water heating in the state’s solar goals, thus allowing solar water heating systems to benefit from the sale of SRECs.

About Solar Water Heating

A very mature solar technology, solar water heating is 3 to 4 times as efficient as solar electric (photovoltaic) technology and therefore can be very cost effective where there is a regular, daily requirement for hot water. Residential, multifamily, prisons, hotels, dormitories, military barracks, industrial processing, health clubs, car washes and restaurants are all very good candidates for solar water heating systems. The solar systems are designed to provide preheating for all domestic hot water, allowing the traditional heating source to provide any supplemental thermal energy as required.

About Solar Energy Services, Inc. and Solar Water Heating:

With more than 30 years of experience, Solar Energy Services (solarsaves.net) is a leading solar firm in the mid-Atlantic, with a unique expertise on commercial scale solar water heating. Based in Millersville MD, SES provides design, installation and service for commercial, institutional and residential applications.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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The solar clock is ticking – don’t wait for solar energy costs to come down

The installed cost of a solar electric system has come down dramatically in the past several years – by 50% in most cases. However, homeowners considering investing in solar would do well to act sooner rather than later. Declining financial incentives and the threat of increasing panels costs (due to US tariffs on chinese solar panels), mean that the cost of solar energy could start to go up very soon.

SOLAR ELECTRIC (PV)

Whole house solar electric systems are being installed every day in Maryland. The system can be sized to offset some or most of a home’s electricity bill and are grid-tied; the homeowner’s utility-provided energy is still readily available for them in times of no-sun. Also, when there is more sun than needed – the extra energy serves to turn the homeowner’s meter “backwards” – crediting their utility account. Current grants and tax credits, coupled with unprecedented low solar panels costs, means that most of the solar electric systems currently installed pay for themselves in around six years and are warrantied for 20 to 30 years. That’s 20 to 30 years of ZERO rate increase.

TYPICAL 5kW SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM

• Estimated System Cost $21,000
• Federal Tax Credit $6,300
• MD State Grant $1,000
• AA County Property Tax Credit @ 75% $1,875
• SREC Payments* $6,700
• Total Incentives $15,875
• Net Cost to Homeowner $5,125
• Payback in Years 5 – 7yrs
• 25yr Annual Energy Savings +$800 per year

SOLAR WATER HEATERS (thermal)

The solar panels used to heat a home’s water for laundry, showers etc. are entirely different from those used to provide electricity. They require much less space and are substantially less expensive. A solar water heater sized for a family of four provides 75% of the home’s annual hot water load and CAN PAY for itself in around 3 years.

Again, this is a system slated to last 20 to 30 years. Gas or electric is used as a back-up system.

TYPICAL 4-PERSON SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM

• Estimated System Cost $9,000
• Federal Tax Credit $2,700
• MD State Grant $ 500
• AA County Property Tax Credit @ 75% $1,875
• SREC Payments* $3,200
• Total Incentives $8,275
• Net Cost to Homeowner $725
• Payback in Years 1 – 4 yrs
• 25yr Annual Energy Savings +$400 per year

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]ESSEX, MD:  Earlier this week NABCEF-certified Solar Energy Services, Inc. was engaged by Amber Enterprises, Inc. to provide the DC wiring installation at the newly installed 1MW solar application at Back River Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Johnson Controls, Inc. is the project manager of this 1MW solar photovoltaic system which has 4,116 ground-mounted, southerly-facing solar panels.  The 4,200 American-made panels, installed in the past three months at a cost of about $4 million, have begun to supply about 5 percent of the energy — up to 1,000 kilowatts per hour — needed to run the plant on Eastern Avenue.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The cost of the residential solar system has come down dramatically in the past five years. With 4 separate grants and incentives, Anne Arundel County residents are catching on.

LET THE SUNSHINE IN – Residential solar energy systems are being installed every day in Anne Arundel County where local business owners Roger Perry and Rick Peters are working hard to keep up with rising demand. Their rapidly growing 18 person firm, Solar Energy Services, Inc. (SES) installs and services solar electric, solar water heating, and solar pool heating systems in Maryland and DC, with the majority of their residential customers located within AA County. When asked why he thinks solar has taken off even in these tough times, SES president Rick Peters said there are many drivers, but economics lead the way. “Rising utility bills, decreasing cost of solar panels and generous financial incentives all combine to give homeowners the opportunity to pay off 25yrs worth of BGE energy in about 6 years, not to mention the environmental and societal benefits.”

One House – two solar systems:

Most solar shoppers are unaware that there are two types of solar energy for the home. Whole house solar electric, commonly referred to as PV (Photovoltaic), is what most people think of as solar energy. However, a solar water heater can offset 75% of your annual hot water energy. Roger Perry quickly points out that if you have a large sunny roof, there is plenty of room for both systems. He and Peters both have solar water heating and solar electric on their homes.

The clock is ticking…

Each of the 4 different substantial incentives for a residential property owner in Anne Arundel County currently has a limited life-span, with the idea that solar can be competitive without them in the future. Peters notes that the current average payback on a solar electric system is about 6 years, for a system that lasts 25 – 30 years. With solar hot water, a 4 year average payback with a similar system lifespan. The payback is even faster if you have a large family (lots of hot water use) or if you need to replace your water heater anyway. Rick Peters leaves us with some food for thought, “You can invest your money in a lot of different places these days, but most are very uncertain, or producing a very low return. On an annual basis, the return on solar energy is quite predictable, and the economic return is hard to beat with any financial investment strategy.”

TYPICAL 5kW SOLAR ELECTRIC (PV) SYSTEM
Estimated System Cost	$27,500
Federal Tax Credit	$8,250
MD State Grant	$2,500
AA County Property Tax Credit @ 75%	$1,875
SREC Payments	$10,000
Total Incentives	$22,625
Net Cost to Homeowner	$4,875
Payback in Years	6.09 yrs
25 yr Annual Energy Savings	+800 per year
25 yr Lifetime Return on Investment	>250%

 

WASHINGTON, DC:  Installation of a 14 panel solar thermal system was completed at an apartment complex in historic Adams Morgan earlier this week.

Solar Energy Services, Inc., a Maryland based solar contractor, was engaged by Skyline Innovations to design and install the solar water heating system that will act as a pre-heat to the 33 units that use the building’s conventional heating system.

Real Estate Agency Literally Giving Away Money for Solar Installations

At the risk of appearing to favor one of the cooler real estate agents in town, I’ll just pass on the news that Green D.C. Realty is putting up its own money to entice homebuyers to put solar thermal installations on their new purchases. They’re calling it a “solar home coupon”: You buy a house with them, and they give you $2,000 towards the setup with Solar Energy Services, which will also help arrange near-term financing to tide you over until the federal and city tax credits come through.

As we saw with my story a few weeks ago, local solar companies are trying really really hard to get people over the hump to their first solar purchase. Green D.C. Realty is betting that the incentive will bring in enough business to make good on their investment.

WASHINGTON, DC:  3501 13th St. NW is the latest address to have a solar thermal system installed.  The multi-family housing unit now has solar collectors on the roof, installed by Maryland solar contractor Solar Energy Services, Inc. to pre-heat the building’s existing conventional water heater.

The solar system includes 32 solar thermal collectors, south-facing on the building’s roof, closed-loop plumbed to 2, 806 gallon tanks.  The system is expected to significantly reduce the building’s utility bill by offsetting their water heating load with solar.

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD:  Solar Energy Services, Inc. just finished installing a solar water heating system at Laurrapin Grille in Havre de Grace, MD.  The system includes two, 80-gallon tanks and four, 4′ x 8′ solar thermal panels on the southerly facing roof.  The system is expected to offset the restaurant’s hot water load by at least 50%.