As we make a greater shift towards a sustainable lifestyle, we begin to incorporate different types of alternative energy into our daily activities. We commonly refer to this as green or renewable energy; however there seems to be some confusion as these two are not the same. Let’s try to debunk the common misconceptions and get a better understanding of these two terms; renewable energy and green energy.

According to the EPA, renewable energy is a resource that can restore itself over a human’s life span with minimal environmental impacts (1). These resources include; sun, wind, moving water, organic plants, waste material (biomass), and the earth’s heat. Unfortunately, some renewable energy can cause small environmental impacts to our planet. For example, a large-scale hydroelectric dam can produce energy, however, it can also create problems for fisheries and land use. Another example would be large municipal solid waste turned into energy.

Green energy falls as a subset of renewable energy and is described as having the highest environmental benefits. According to the EPA, the U.S. voluntary market defines solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and low impact small hydroelectric sources as green energy (1). We see here that solar falls under green power which allows one to provide the highest environmental benefit to our planet. Although we categorize solar energy as renewable energy, it is better described as green energy meaning it has the highest environmental benefits. Solar energy collects the sun’s rays and transforms it into energy that we can use to power our homes, cars, buses, planes, lights etc. Solar energy has the highest environmental benefits because while producing clean energy it also produces minimal waste. We know that in a perfect world we would have an energy source that produces no waste or pollution at all. As of right now that is not possible, but green energy comes pretty close to it!

So when considering what type of energy you want to power your home take a look at the graph below to see what energy sources have the highest environmental benefits.

If you have any questions about solar energy or how you can go solar please call 361-360-1800 or schedule your FREE energy consultation with us today!

Solar energy has been on the rise in recent years, making it an affordable alternative energy source. This is just one of the many reasons why you should go solar. Here are a few more:

1. BIG SAVINGS: When you go solar you are simply replacing and reducing your current electricity bill. We aim to offset you current bill completely allowing you to receive a bill of $0 a month.
2. Avoid utility inflation: It has been projected that the price of utilities will continue to increase. By going solar, you become 100% self-reliant on generating your own energy. You will no longer depend on a utility company to provide you with energy. While you may see utility costs go up, you will see solar energy costs go down. Technological advances have made solar energy very affordable and will only continue to go down in cost.
3. Increase property value: When you add solar panels to your home it’s like adding a new appliance to your house. When you remodel your home, the value of your home tends to go up. The same thing happens when installing solar panels! The value of your property will increase, however, say you want to take the panels with you – we can do that. We will uninstall your solar panels and then reinstall them on your new home.
4. 100% independent: As mentioned earlier, by going solar you will be self-reliant and will not depend on any conventional energy companies to power your home. Fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy resource, its supply is limited and will eventually run out – unlike solar, a renewable energy resource.
5. Protect the environment: This is a pretty big one for all you environmentalist out there. Solar energy is a renewable energy source meaning it is unlimited and replenished within a human’s life time. The sun is an unlimited energy source that we can rely on unlike fossil fuels that have an expiration date. Additionally, burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other by-products that contribute to air pollution. When going solar you reduce your carbon footprint by eliminating your reliance on fossil fuels for your electricity and ultimately your contribution to air pollution. Our monitoring systems will show you exactly how much CO2 you are reducing when using your system. We aim for a sustainable planet, so that our grandchildren can experience all that we have today.
6. Incentives and Rebates: Although the price of solar has gone down, the government and local agencies have incentives and rebates in place in order to lower the cost even more. The government offers a 26% Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which allows you to deduct 26% of the cost of your solar energy system from your taxes. In previous years the ITC was at 30%, however in 2020 the percentage decreased and will continue to decrease. In 2021 the ITC will be at 22%, then further reduced down to 10% for commercial and 0% for residential in 2022. It is important to take advantage of the ITC before it runs out. Local government and agencies do offer other rebates and incentives, but these vary between states and cities.
7. Solar is EASY: When you choose to go solar with Solar Power Integrator we do all the work for you! All you have to do is provide us with your electricity bill and we do the rest; from system design to permitting to installation and lastly inspections. You just get to sit back, relax and wait for your system to turn on. Once the system is operational you will start see money back in your pocket!

Energy consultant going through a zoom meeting

We know that times are tough right now, but we want to help you save money where you can. During the pandemic, you might’ve seen a spike in your electric bill simply due to the fact that we were staying home. That required a lot more energy usage whether it be from working at home, teaching your kids classes online or even just hanging out. We know how important it is to save money in a time like this, so let us help you by explaining what measurements we are taking to protect you and our energy team!

So you’ve decided you want to take a look at how much you could save by going solar. This whole process can be done remotely in order to avoid any kind of contact. First, we would need you to send us a copy of your light bill from the past month. This will help us size up your solar system properly based on your electricity consumption. Without this information we would not know how big or small of a system you would need to offset your utility consumption.

Next, we would conduct an energy consultation. Usually we would come to your house and show you your savings report; however we are now able to do this remotely via Zoom. This can be done over the phone or on a laptop, whatever works best for you! We will show you exactly how the panels will look on your roof and where they will go. We will explain to you exactly why we can put panels in certain areas and what area will generate the most power on your roof.

Once we finish the design, we will show you your savings report. This will tell you how much you will be saving, how much the system will generate and the offset of the system. We aim to offset you at 105% in order to eliminate your electricity bill, however keep in mind this is based on your roof compatibility. If you decide you don’t want panels on your roof we also do ground installations. All of this is explained during your zoom conference with our energy expert.

Lastly, our energy expert will explain your payment options; cash or financing. If you choose to go with one of our financing options then they can get you preapproved right over the Zoom conference. Once we have you preapproved we send over our contract for you to sign through DocuSign. All of this can be done remotely without any contact needed.