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Articles by the ConsultantsReducing Before Producing I want to introduce you to the concept "reducing before producing". It is more cost effective to reduce one’s energy consumption before considering solar. Solar is a great way of stabilizing energy costs and achieving energy independence, but should be the final step, not the first step. Let me give you a case study: In 2003, I had solar electric panels installed on the roof of my house in Santa Rosa. Fortunately I ran out of roof space before I ran out of PG&E bill. My system originally offset about 60% of my old PG&E bill. Through energy efficiency measures that I have implemented since I installed the solar panels, my offset is now about 95%. In other words, I have the right size solar system for my needs. If I had a larger roof, I surely would have had more solar electric panels installed 7 years ago, only to find out that I would have spent too much money on solar. Don’t let this happen to you! Before installing solar electricity, get an energy audit done and find out where your home or business can make improvements to reduce your load (envelope sealing, insulation, duct sealing, plug loads, lighting, HVAC/appliance improvements, to name a few). Then look at solar. You will find that you will need fewer solar panels, and energy efficiency improvements also address the health and comfort of your living/working space. Clean energy is comprehensive. Be sure to explore all of your options and remember that you can accomplish these measures with no out of pocket expense through the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program. Positive benefits of government programs for solar Did you know that government incentives can pay 40% of the cost of going solar? There are state rebates and federal tax credits available that make solar more affordable than ever. Combine these with the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program, and you can go solar with no money down and enjoy payments less than you pay to PG&E. These payments are fixed (unlike PG&E), meaning you can turn an unknown escalating energy cost into a known, fixed cost. When you go solar, you improve your own bottom line and also help in the following ways: create local, green jobs; contribute to greenhouse gas reductions and better air quality; curb our dependence on foreign fuels and funding other governments who do not have our best interests at heart; and you become a shining example of doing something positive in your own neighborhood! I ask people who have already gone solar if they are happy with their decision. They invariably give me an emphatic "YES!". Solar makes you seem smarter as time goes on, knowing you have removed yourself from the volatile energy markets and that you are your own power producer. There’s a tremendous satisfaction people receive when they make this decision. Check it out for yourself…you will be happy you did! Solar is Affordable Going solar in Sonoma County has never been as affordable and easy as it is right now. Between the never ending PG&E rate increases, excellent government incentives and the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program, producing clean energy at your home or business is now an economical reality. Imagine locking in your electric bill for the next 20 years. You can turn an unknown escalating cost in to a lower, fixed cost. Yes, it can now be less expensive to go solar than not! Solar is only part of the equation. The other part is energy efficiency. By trimming the electricity and gas usage, your home or business can be made more comfortable, healthy and efficient. Besides saving money, solar and efficiency deliver other important results. When you make clean energy improvements, you help create green jobs locally. You use less "brown" energy that contributes to greenhouse gases. You help address foreign oil concerns. You also increase the value of your property with clean energy improvements. Best of all, you do not need to come out of pocket to finance these projects. With the launch of the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program, you can obtain the funds needed to complete your projects from the county and pay it back through your property taxes. Most property owners are able to offset enough of their PG&E bills so that the county payment is less than the old energy payment. The time is now to learn more about your clean energy options! What does energy independence really mean? As oil prices rise, the United States declares that it wants to be free from the market constraints that foreign countries place on our ability to secure more oil. As a result, all forms of domestic energy production are now being considered, some clean, some not so clean. As PG&E raises its electric rates, many property owners are declaring that they want to be free from the utility market. Fortunately there is a cost effective way to accomplish this. More solar electric systems are being installed in Sonoma County than ever before. People want to be in control of their financial destinies, and relying on the sun is a great way to do so. As we say in the solar business, "the sun never raises its rates!" Once you have a solar electric system producing clean energy, you are no longer concerned when PG&E announces another rate hike. For many, the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program is a great tool to accomplish your energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. Our county will provide the upfront financing and property owners can use their energy savings to repay the county. Energy independence also means being able to produce energy in a crisis. Imagine a huge earthquake devastates the Bay Area. Sonoma County is without electricity for months. Those with solar can easily reconfigure their solar systems to keep food cold and lights on. Think about it…clean energy at a lower price than PG&E, with the bonus of being energy independent when you just might need it most. Going Solar is Easy Going solar in Sonoma County has never been as affordable and easy as it is right now. Between the never ending PG&E rate increases, excellent government incentives and the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program, producing clean energy at your home or business is now an economic reality. Imagine locking in your electric bill for the next 20 years. You can turn an unknown escalating cost into a lower, fixed cost. Yes, it can now be less expensive to go solar than not! Best of all, you do not need to come out of pocket to finance these projects. With the launch of the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (www.sonomacountyenergy.org), you can obtain the funds needed to complete your projects from the county and pay it back through your property taxes. Most property owners are able to offset enough of their PG&E bills so that the county payment is less than their old utility payment. Solar is only part of the equation. The other part is energy efficiency. By trimming your electricity and gas usage, your home or business can be more comfortable, healthy and efficient. Besides saving money, solar and energy efficiency improvements deliver other important results: • Create green jobs locally. • Increase the value of your property. • Use less "brown" energy that contributes to greenhouse gases. • Address foreign oil concerns. The time is now to learn more about your clean energy options! What does Clean Energy have to do with Cancer? by Barry Cogbill It’s not a question one would normally ask. At first glance it might not seem like too much. I decided to put some thought into this, as I was diagnosed with lymphoma about 6 weeks ago. It’s a very survivable cancer, but requires 6 rounds of chemo nonetheless (only 4 to go!). My first reaction to the news from the doctor was, "what do we do about it?". For some reason, I felt no fear, and the more I learned about the disease and it’s treatment, the more comfortable I felt about being able to not only survive, but thrive during this remarkable period of time. My second reaction to the news was, "I am not going to let my growing business suffer as I deal with restoring my vitality." And I have not. I have been extremely fortunate that my treatments have been going very well, and the outpouring of love, kindness and support from friends, family and colleagues has been a wondrous and amazing gift. It may sound strange, but this has been an incredible experience. If you find yourself blind-sided like I was, remember to take a deep breath, analyze your options, and keep in mind that there’s never been a better time in the course of human history to combat disease. So what else does clean energy have to do with cancer? Or for health in general? The clean energy revolution is delivering better air to breathe, removing more harmful things from the earth, and providing for healthier living spaces. The reasons to implement solar and energy efficiency options go far beyond the financial bottom line. Do your own exploring and see for yourself how clean energy and healthy living can go hand in hand.
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