DC solar energy

[from Cliff Valenti]

I am getting solar energy installed this week, thanks in part to a grant through the DC office of renewable energy. The system is going to cost a total of $26,000 but I got a grant for $12,000 - plus a $2,000 federal tax credit, so its really only going to cost $12,000. The system I am getting will provide all of my electricity for about two-thirds of the year. It's a great program!

Comments

[kris]

you've now had your system for about 2 years... is it what you expected? anything you would change? was solar solutions reliable? Do you know if Virgina has any grants similar to the energy grant you got or where i would even start looking>

THank you for all your help

[Cliff]

Hi Leslie, I am hoping to have the first tour around October, but I might have a neighborhood thing sometime before then. I don't mind people dropping over once in a while either, though..

[Leslie]

Thanks for sharing this with us. When will your first open house be? I'm very interested! I'm also inspired that you are taking the steps to do this. I hope more of us can get on your bandwagon.

[Cliff]

Yes, you can sell your extra power back to the grid. That is a federal law, however the utility companies have fought this for a long time claiming it is unsafe for there workers, as they need to control where the electricity is coming from. As a result, if the grid goes down then your power gets shut off even if you have the panels. As a result, I have had to add an extra mechanism to my system: If the grid goes down, my power will be shut off until I pull this lever near my electrib box that takes me off the grib.

[DC1974]

I've looked into this for our neighbors. We are both from California, and although the DC program pales in comparison to the programs out there. (And I don't know if there is even an option to then sell your power back to the grid. Like you could in California.) There ARE contractors out here. They are mostly in Maryland. Google something like: solar home Washington, DC

[Cliff]

The grant I applied for is available once a year. You have to have your application complete and turned in my March 01st of the year. The application has to be perfect or they will reject the request. It is actually pretty detailed, but I'm willing to help people filling them out. The grant I applied for requires that I have 2 open houses for 3 years. You can get more info on it at: http://dceo.dc.gov/dceo/cwp/view,a,3,q,601863.asp

I live in a typical row house with a flat roof. I'm right across the street from the Old Soldiers Home so I have great east-west access to the Sun. As long as your get 4 or 5 hours of direct sunlight a day your in good shape. This whole neighborhood has no problems there. I'm using a new company called "Solar Solutions" to do the install. I tried dealing with Chesapeak Wind and Solar but they were really unreliable, and stood me up for several meetings. Unfortunately, I was just informed by Solar Solutions that my mounting racks weren't in yet so they will be doing my install next week instead.

For hot water we went with a Reni tankless system (gas). It doesn't make sense to heat water so you can store it and waist energy keeping it hot. We have had it a year and love it. Water gets hot immediately, and our gas bill is really low.

Next on my list is going to be adding a rain-catcher sprinkler system, as well as adding an energy star coating to our recycled-rubber roof.

[Son]

Wow that is great news! I was looking into this few years back, and all I could find were contractors in CA and the West Coast. Could you provide more info on this, namely:

1. Contact info of the DC Office of Renewable Energy.
2. Name of the grant program you qualified for.
3. Type of house you live in --- is it the typical attached row with flat roof and porch.
4. The direction your house faces.
5. The name of the contractor you are using.
6. If you heat your water or house via electric?

Thanks!

[mike]

Do you have the information who installed it? And how long did the installation process take.