Are You Considering Solar?

1. How do you want to use the sun?

• solar water heating appliance;
• solar pool heating;
• electricity producing photovoltaics;
• thermal space heating technologies;
• passive solar home design; or
• passive solar daylighting techniques.

2. Does our region get enough sun?

YES! Pennsylvania gets adequate insolation (i.e., solar radiation) to accomplish each of the tasks listed above. Insolation levels are used by system designers to calculate the amount of heat or electricity that can be produced with high tech or expensive projects.

3. Does your building get enough sun?

This question can best be answered with a solar site survey. Unobstructed sun from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm is best for solar applications; however capturing full sun from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm can still be very effective for some applications.

4. What are the economics?

The economic benefits will be a function of utility costs avoided and with PV include the amount paid for self-generated electricity. The costs will be determined by the technology and system design chosen. A solar project budget will take into account how much you want to invest to achieve the benefits of a given applicaton. Generally speaking, a PV installation will supply 20% to 60% of the electricity used in a typical home. The cost of a typical installation is approximately $10,000 to $15,000 or more.

At this time, the Sustainable Development Fund has a Solar Photovoltaics Grant Program that can help offset the cost of installing a solar electricity system. This exciting program works by subsidizing the cost of the installation itself, and through utility companies purchasing the electricity you generate at competitive rates!

For example, the following table shows how the grant program helps to offset the cost of a 2-kilowatt residential solar PV system, which will conservatively generate about 2,000 kilowatt-hours per year. This example assumes the customer consumes 7,200 kilowatt-hours per year (the state average) and that they are enrolled in ECAP's PV Pricing Program:

Installed System Price	$20,000 (estimate)
Initial Grant Program Rebate	$8,000 ($4 for each 2,000 watts of system capacity)

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Initial Cost to Customer	$12,000 ($20,000 less $8,000)

One-Year Performance Rebate

$2,000 ($1 for each 2,000 estimated kWh generated in 1st year)

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Net cost to customer	$10,000 ($12,000 less $2,000 after one year)
ECAP Credit	$513
PECO net-metering credit (T&D)	$313

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Net cost to customer

$9,174 (net cost after 2 years)

Additional resources for information on pricing and grant programs can be found by clicking here.

5. What are the environmental benefits?

The environmental benefits of solar energy use are dependent upon the fuels displaced by the solar application. When fossil fuels are burned to create electricity or to heat water, air pollution contributes to acid rain and global warming.

The Local Case Studies section lists solar energy installations, some with detailed write-ups about the installation. Reviewing these systems may also help you plan your solar project.

If you are interested in making a significant investment in a solar energy system for your home or business, you should contact a local solar professional (see the Solar Services Providers Matrix, a downloadable Adobe Acrobat™ document also listed on the Resources for Consumers page). Even without a costly investment, consumers have a wide variety of useful products that use the sun's energy to accomplish various tasks without polluting our air like solar security lights, walk-way lights, lanterns, flashlights, fans, and battery chargers.