10/20/2004 It's hot, hot, hot: Minnesotans are going solar and getting off the grid
Kelly Westhoff
Walk or drive by Christine Ziebold's Southwest Minneapolis home and you can count the solar panels on her roof: 19 total. "They are a big poster on my house," Ziebold said. "It's a signal that I don't want to support this dirty business."
The dirty business Ziebold is referring to is the business of making electricity. She points to mercury pollution from coal-burning power plants and the risks associated with nuclear waste storage as just two examples of the environmental problems that have resulted from the production of energy. They are also two of the reasons she decided to invest in renewable, clean solar energy for her home.
Zeibold isn't alone. In homes and businesses across the Twin Cities, owners are installing solar energy systems to cut their energy costs and help the environment. During a recent Twin Cities tour of solar homes, 20 Minnesotans opened up their homes and businesses to shine light on the uses of solar energy.
Ziebold's choice to go solar wasn't cheap. She spent about $15,000 on those 19 rooftop panels. But she's certain the investment is worth it, for her and the environment. "Look," she said flatly. "Some people spend $30,000 on a truck. I spent it on panels."
And the energy savings? Ziebold won't know how much she's saving until at least next year. She captured the first jolt of electricity from her solar system on July 4, Independence Day. She did see an immediate and dramatic drop in her energy bill, however. Her energy statement for July 2003 showed that she used 368 kilowatt hours of electricity during the month. Her July 2004 statement showed just 11 kilowatt hours. The rest of her electricity was supplied by the sun.
Ziebold does not expect that her solar panels will take her off the electricity grid and erase her monthly utility bill completely. Before she designed her solar system, she did an audit of her home's energy costs and found her electricity (lighting and air conditioning) and her natural gas (furnace and water heater) expenses were about equal. As a result of the audit, Ziebold decided to invest in two different types of solar panels: one to replace the electricity she purchases, the other to replace her natural gas.
The top row of panels lining Ziebold's roof are the traditional solar panels that collect sunlight and convert it into electricity that can be used in a home. These are photovoltaic (PV) panels, and they are similar to the solar panels in many calculators
and landscaping lights.
The remaining eight panels are solar heating panels. A water-glycol antifreeze mixture circulates through the panels on the roof, collecting heat from the sun. The antifreeze mixture then circulates back into the house and heats water in an insulated holding tank in the basement. The heated water then works in place of natural gas to fuel furnaces. It also can be used as residential hot water.
Overall, Ziebold expects to cut her yearly heating costs by a third, but those savings won't bring her a return on her investment for about 30 years, she said. "You can't do this for the savings," she admitted. "Nobody does. You can't look at it this way. I did it because I think we need to change our ways."
Manna from heaven
Ziebold is not the only Minnesotan trying to change our energy ways.
Renewable, solar energy is gaining the attention of many home and business owners. It has even gotten the attention of federal and state governments.
That's partly because of our state's abundant sunshine. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Minnesota's solar resources are comparable to those of Jacksonville, Fla. and greater than Houston, Texas. Minnesota's long summer days are great for producing solar electricity when it is needed most to run air-conditioning systems.
The Minnesota Department of Commerce offers a rebate to homeowners who install solar panels. The rebate covers 20 to 30 percent of a homeowner's installation cost. Xcel Energy funds the rebate program as part of a 1994 legislative ruling to discourage nuclear power plant use. Rebates are available through 2005.
In addition to rebates, solar panels purchased before August 2005 are exempt from state sales tax. Property tax incentives are also available, and businesses can apply for federal incentives if they install solar systems. The various rebate and tax incentives are a small part of a larger federal program called the Million Solar Roofs Initiative that aims to install solar energy systems on one million roofs across the nation by 2010.
J. Drake Hamilton is Science Policy Director at Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ME3), a nonprofit organization that lobbies for government policies that make it easier for private citizens and business owners to invest in solar systems. ME3 has helped make many of the rebates and tax incentives available today.
According to Hamilton, finding alternative energy sources makes sense for the state. Most of Minnesota's energy comes from coal-fired power plants, but Minnesota has no coal mines. So approximately 75 percent of the raw materials used to make Minnesota's electricity comes from out-of-state. "If you add up all the dollars Minnesota spends to import energy every year, we export $10 billion from the state," she calculated.
"Solar- and wind-generated energy systems would not only save the state money, they would also curb pollution and foster high-tech job growth," she said. "If Minnesota could be seen as a cutting-edge state for renewable energy, other states will spend their dollars here."
Sharing the sunshine
Although Hamilton spends her days lobbying state lawmakers to bring clean energy technologies to Minnesota, she doesn't have solar energy in her own home. Her roof is too shady.
Instead Hamilton devised an alternative plan to bring the benefits of solar home to others. She gathered a group of like-minded neighbors and approached a small West St. Paul coffee shop that had the perfect, sunny roof for solar panels. The idea was that the neighborhood would raise money to install solar panels on the roof. Old Man River Café owner Jon Kerr agreed.
"When they told me the idea I had a strong impulse of moral feelings about it," recalled Kerr. "This would be a kind of demonstration project to show others what they could do, to see clean energy in their community."
The café took up a collection and neighbors responded. Kerr contributed from his own savings and a few large financial backers emerged as well. Yet Kerr stressed how many people donated more money than he could ever have imagined. "An awful lot of people came in here and gave anything from $5 on up," said Kerr. "They just thought it was the right thing to do."
The six-panel system cost about $12,000. The café began collecting donations in January 2003 and installed the system the following December.
"I think lots of people feel helpless in the face of greater environmental issues, you know, like the price of oil, but this was something they could contribute to and feel a part of," he explained. "Everyday people come in here and ask, "How are the cells going?'"
Watching solar panels soak up the sun may not be riveting entertainment, but Kerr's panels have attracted plenty of lookers. Jeff Sommers, co-owner of Izzy's Ice Cream in St. Paul, picked up on the idea of community-backed solar panels and organized his own local effort. Sommers plans to install 220 solar electric panels on Izzy's roof and hopes to do so before the snow falls. Sommers estimates the panels will reduce his energy cost by about one-third in the summer season, peak production and selling time for the ice cream business.
The Linden Hills Co-op in Minneapolis recently initiated a fundraising campaign to go solar. The co-op hopes to raise $64,000 this winter and begin installation of a 54-panel solar system next spring. "Our thinking is that this is a community-owned store and these will be community-owned panels," explained Paula Gilbertson, the co-op's general manager.
The solar system at the Old Man River Café doesn't produce enough electricity to erase the café's energy costs either. The six panels are, however, expected to generate enough kilowatt hours to equate the amount of electricity needed in one year to run the café's coffee roaster.
Kerr dreams of adding another six panels, but for now he is proud that his independently-owned coffee shop has spurred what appears to be a growing movement of community-supported solar projects. And he loves to say that he produces the world's first coffee roasted by solar power.
Cut energy costs and usage and tread more lightly on the planet
€ Replace older windows with more efficient ones and reduce heating and air conditioning costs by up to 38 percent, help stabilize indoor air temperature and humidity, and screen out UV rays that fade furniture.
€ Sign up for Xcel Energy's Windsource program and pay an additional $2-$10 a month to purchase blocks of wind-generated electricity. To learn more go to www.xcelenergy.com and enter your zip code.
€ Help Izzy's Ice Cream and the Linden Hills Co-op get their solar systems up and running. To donate to Izzy's, stop in or call 651-603-1458. To donate to the Linden Hills Co-op, call 612-922-1159.
€ Low-flow, aerating showerheads mix air into the water stream, reducing water consumption and water-heating costs by as much as 50 percent. Bathroom and kitchen faucets can also use aerators.
€ Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFL) provide the same amount of light as standard lightbulbs but use 66 percent less energy and have a longer lifespan. Replacing just one 100-watt standard bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
Going solar: is it worth the money?
€ Can you get off the grid?
Yes, you can build a solar system that will produce all the electricity your home needs, but most people opt for a smaller, less expensive system that satisfies a portion of their electricity needs.
€ What is the cost of a residential solar system?
A $12,000 solar system could provide 25 percent of the energy needed in a modest-sized, modest energy-consuming household. Once a system has been installed, additional panels can be added for a fraction of that cost.
€ Will it pay for itself?
Eventually, but it will likely take decades.
€ What if my system produces more energy than I use?
The utility company will buy your excess power. But if you don't produce as much electricity as you need, your home will automatically draw from the utility connection.
€ How do I know if solar is a good choice for my home?
Perform a solar site survey to determine your property's potential. Look for southern exposure on your roof free of shade from trees and other buildings.
A solar energy dealer can evaluate your property. For a list of local dealers that design and install solar systems, visit www.solarminnesota.com.
Also, perform an energy audit of your home. Contact your utility company for help.
€ Can I still go solar if I don't fully understand how solar electricty works?
Yes. Most people don't fully understand how their home's traditional electric system works but they still have electricity. Solar system dealers perform maintenance on their systems.
€ How do I find out about tax rebates and incentive programs?
Contact the Energy Information Center at the Minnesota Department of Commerce at 651-296-5175, or on the web at www.commerce.state.mn.us.
Looking for more bright ideas?
www.commerce.state.mn.us
Minnesota Department of Commerce offers a primer on solar energy, information on wind power in Minnesota, furnace replacement tips, and solar water heaters.
www.solarminnesota.org
Information on solar dealers in Minnesota, system requirements, tax incentives and rebates.
www.solartour.net
In October 2005, the national Solar Tour will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Bookmark the site now and see what your neighbors are doing next fall.
www.xcelenergy.com
Discover 60 simple ways to save money on your energy bill. Learn about Windsource and light bulb recycling programs.
www.mres-solar.org
The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society
www.greeninstitute.org
The Green Institute
www.me3.org
Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Environment
www.millionsolarroofs.com
Information on the U.S. Department of Energy's Million Solar Roofs Initiative
www.homepower.com
Home Power magazine focuses on renewable energy choices. Read articles about the many energy options available to homeowners.
www.energystar.org
Learn about products that have earned the Energy Star logo and how they can help you reduce your home's energy consumption and costs.
