Green Features

Staying COOL on the Cheap Solar-powered central air eliminates costly utility bills.

THERE’S JUST NO WAY AROUND IT — THE WORLD IS GOING GREEN. Still, of all the alternative sources of energy being developed and perfected, only one stands out as a reasonable option for home consumption: solar power.Turning sunlight into energy is not a new concept. Almost three millennia ago, people were already using magnifying glasses to focus sunbeams on combustible materials to generate fire. (And perhaps little cave kids were using them toburn ants.) Scores of scientists since, including Archimedes
and Albert Einstein, pioneered advancements in the technology to lead us to where we are now—with the ability to use solar energy to power everything from wristwatches to space probes.A little closer to home, you’ll find that residential solar panels have advanced far beyond the options available just ten years ago. The changes are not just in function, but also in form and cost. Solar has gotten cheaper to install and utilize, and that trend promises to continue. In fact, the federal government has set a goal to reduce solar power to the same cost as traditionally generated electricity by 2015. Additionally, the government has made installation more affordable for home owners via rebates and tax credits. “There’s a 30-percent federal tax credit on whatever it
takes to install solar,” says Bob VonHagen of Flynn-Aire in Kings Park, N.Y. “If you want solar panels but your roof isn’t strong enough to hold the weight, or if you need new shingles, or if your electrical system needs an update, those repairs can qualify as part of the installation — you can incorporate those expenses into the 30-percent tax credit.” For Long Island residents, VonHagen also recommends investigating the New York State’s 25-percent tax credit (up to $5,000) and energy rebates from the Long Island Power Authority. Solar power is also simply getting better. The use of multiple inverters with panels has increased efficiency; now if one panel malfunctions or gets shaded, the others can still generate power. (Not long ago, one non-functioning panel could stall the whole array.) Additionally, more electrical products are being designed to better coordinate with a solar power system, the biggest
benefit of which comes in summer. “One of the largest uses of electricity in your house is air conditioning,” VonHagen says. “Now you can, in essence, run your air conditioning system for free based on the output of the solar panels.” Lennox recently introduced the SunSource product line — an air conditioning setup that integrates seamlessly with solar technology for maximum efficiency on both ends of the system. Using SunSource will not only reduce your cooling bills, but may also qualify you for an additional federal tax credit of $300. The process for having solar panels installed in your home is straight-forward, and rarely wrought with problems.
“A contractor will come in and pre-qualify the house,” VonHagen says. “They’ll ask some very basic questions. Does the roof face the right way? Are you in an area that’s heavily wooded and you can’t cut down trees? Is the roof structure strong enough to hold the weight of the panels?What’s your electrical system like?” Once the solar panels are installed and working, the contractor will provide computer software to monitor the performance of your system. Then you get to bank all those dollars per kilowatt hour you used to give to the power company. As the reasons for not going solar melt away year by year, VonHagen says that he still sees just one remaining obstacle for homeowners. “The biggest stumbling block for some is the appearance of the panels,” he says. “If the front of a
house faces south, which is the ideal direction to aim the panels, the homeowner may not like the appearance of them facing the street. But once they find out how much they can write off and what their potential savings are, people often get over that hurdle — especially since the panels have become slimmer and a little bit better looking.” While part of the problem, they can also be part of the solution. Our existing housing stock represents one of the single greatest opportunities for energy savings. Residential remodeling construction using a comprehensive, wholehouse approach to improving energy efficiency and home comfort is a way to have an immediate and measurable impact on the health of the environment, our families and our pocketbook.”If your remodeling plans including a new central air conditioning unit, consider the Lennox XC21, the most quiet and efficient model
available today, according to the company. The XC21 uses a dual stage compressor that allows it to produce more even temperatures compared to single stage units. The SilentComfort fan motor blades are made from composites to reduce operating noise. Additionally, this model can be pre-wired for solar panel power and is eligible for LIPA rebates (see related story, page 28), Lennox rebates and a federal tax credit. Bob VonHagen, owner of Flynn-Aire, a premier Lennox dealer in Kings Park, said the model uses a more environmentally-friendly refrigerant and replacement installations can generally be done in one business day using existing ductwork within a home.