Carbon Emission Reduction & Solar Energy for Congregations

Bob Bruninga, Annapolis Friends Meeting351 Dubois Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401http://www.aprs.org/AFM-environment.html

Chesapeake Interfaith Environmental Group and Chesapeake Bay Foundation 6 Feb 2014

(rev m)

Solar Power for Electricity Electric Vehicle Support

Lighting

Church Fossil Burning Costs

Solar Power for Electricity Electric Vehicle Support

We include EV’s because about half of our easily-fixed spiritual energy is spent driving to church

At AFM we currently burn Propane for heat (not shown here)

Big Picture!

Lighting

ElectricDriving

When is the Payback ???When is the Breakeven ???

Paying for at-home Garbage Pickup -

is from Day ONE !

Tired of hearing:

When is the Payback ???When is the Breakeven ???

Paying for Sewage Plants – is from Day ONE !

Tired of hearing:

When is the Payback ???When is the Breakeven ???

Paying for Solar Power - is from Day ONE !Because that’s when we Stop Beating Mother Nature and stealing from our kids future.

Tired of hearing:

1 House, 1 Year -consumes 4 Tons

of coal worth of electricity

Yes, we have 100 years of coal, but there won’t be anything left of WV!

Big Picture!

OUR PRESENT LIFESTYLE

IS NOT SUSTAINABLE!

Or part of the Solution?

Are we part of the problem?

SOLAR Panelsare equal to trees

forCarbon elimination

Each Panel = 8 Trees.

Our system = 312 trees!

= (3 acres of trees)

Solar panels eliminate carbon just like trees!

When is the Breakeven ???

Carbon Benefit - is from Day ONE !If you compare based on carbon impact

Buy trees or solar! CARBON

Lighting: Save 4 to 1 Energy!(breakeven in 5 days!)

Only 1 in 4 households do it!

Cost 50 cents.

Save $50 over the life of the bulb!

House with 50 bulbs saves $2500

$2

Solar Power is here. 50% energy savings!

35,000

2012

2013

Solar Cost! Equaled Utility in 2010Half the Utility in 2013

2009

It’s a Whole New World!

• Cost effective in EVERY state since 2009!

Grid-Tie

Grid-tie Revolutionized Solar

• No Batteries!

Every Watt Produced is valued at full Retail Rates!

Grid-Tie

Angles - less important with Grid-Tie

Amazing, even due East, you still get 85% effectiveness!

Angles - less important, More Roof is!

Amazing! Increase power by 60% to 100% on other side!

• Federal gives 30% tax credit. No limit

• State of Maryland Grant – In 2010 for our 8kW system was $7000 – In 2011 was $5000– In 2013 was $1000– In 2014 is ??? (argh!)

• AA County Real Estate Tax credit– $2500

• Total Gov’t Tax Credits return ~ 40% of investment!

Government Incentives!

• Federal gives 30% tax credit. No limit

• State of Maryland Grant – In 2010 for our 8kW system was $7000 – In 2011 was $5000– In 2013 was $1000– In 2014 is ??? (argh!)

• AA County Real Estate Tax credit– $2500

• Total Gov’t Tax Credits return ~ 40% of investment!

Government Incentives!

But not for tax-exempt Churches!

• Workaround = Solar Lease or PPA

• Example Lease Program

– 0 money down save 15% over 20 years &

– 100% down save 50% over 20 years on Today’s rates! &– But rates will probably go up X 2 over same time– So result is paying about 1/4th for electricity?

• Faith Groups are in it for the long term… Just do it…

Work-Around for Churches!

Grid Solar Power = Emergency PowerGrid Solar Power = Emergency Power

• COMPLETELY DIVORCE any thoughts of “COMPLETELY DIVORCE any thoughts of “emergency emergency powerpower” from ” from Economical powerEconomical power..

• Solar power (grid-tie) Solar power (grid-tie) is for is for ECONOMICAL POWER!ECONOMICAL POWER!

• Emergency powerEmergency power has completely different optimal has completely different optimal solutions. (Short term and Armageddon)solutions. (Short term and Armageddon)

2121

$400$10,000

2222

Solar Power *is* EconomicalYou have $24,000 in the bank.Lets say your electric bill is $200/mo. Or $2400/yr or $24,000 over 10 yrs

Keep $24,000 in a bank at 1%. Continue to pay $200/m for Electricity* After 10 years, you have paid $24,000 with NOTHING to show for it* And every year you have uncertainty in ever rising prices• And you will keep paying > $24,000 or more every ten years• And your Savings in the bank has only grown by $2400

Buy a $40,000 solar system now, ( With incentives, Pay only $24,000)* Have maintenance free electricity for LIFE* It is generating $2400/year return on investment (10%) for LIFE* You OWN this $40,000 energy system and all it’s equity for life* After 25 years it is still producing 80% of today’s power! (and will continue)

Don’t wait, Solar is the best investment there is!

8% - 10%

Considering your future of death, taxes and utilities, you can do something about your utilities!

Design Solar to about 90% of need

The more we invest in renewable energy,

The more we become Energy conscious

The less we waste

The more efficient and sustainable we become!

Appliances also are getting more efficient.

Generally Solar converts begin to save energy

and reduce their remaining Utility Bill to ZERO!

Solar

Utility

Electric Need

Solar

Solar Zero-down LEASE Example

For $0 down and monthly lease, can beat utility by 15%* & *assuming utility rates rise an average 2.9% annually

Usually design for 90% of usage (assume savings and Improving appliances)

Zero Down Lease

Annapolis Friends Meeting Pre-Pay Example

(BGE=14¢)8¢

SREC’s =$250/mWhr

Annapolis Friends Meeting 9 kW Array

Completed 31 Jan 2014

Annapolis Friends Meeting 9 kW Array

Inverter

Circuit Breaker Sturdy (don’t do this at home!)

System Components

Roof Issues: * Is 20 yrs old, plenty of life (but not another 20)* Is shaded

We chose a ground mount system

Annapolis Friends Meeting 9 kW Array

Orientation chosen to maximize Solar & minimize neighbor view

Annapolis Friends Meeting 9 kW Array

Typically, Arrays follow the lay-of-the-land. But with our steep slope, we chose to keep horizontal & adjust edge, but had to pay an extra $1000 for unique engineering

Annapolis Friends Meeting 9 kW Array

Tilt angle chosen was 25 deg instead of 35 deg to reduce visibilty ( less than 1% less than ideal)

Notice also that orienting to SE or SW would only lose less than 3% from ideal.

Choosing Tilt Angle

50% Energy Spent Driving to Church

http://aprs.org/EV-charging-everywhere.htmlBob Bruninga, PE

IEEE Transportation Committee

50% of Church’s energy/emissions due to driving!With the Solar array, EV driving is 100% renewable

Charge at Home (and at work)

http://aprs.org/payin-to-plugin.htmlBob Bruninga, PE

IEEE Transportation Committee

Public Charging is like looking for $10 gas!

Charging While Parked

http://aprs.org/payin-to-plugin.htmlBob Bruninga, PE

IEEE Transportation Committee

Oh the Horror!

http://aprs.org/payin-to-plugin.htmlBob Bruninga, PE

IEEE Transportation Committee

Reality with EV’s isPeople see thisAnd think $50

$1 a day

Our Legacy experience

20¢/hr

120v outlets solve 97% of charging-at-work

http://aprs.org/payin-to-plugin.htmlBob Bruninga, PE

IEEE Transportation Committee

Church

Charging Load at 120v:

http://aprs.org/payin-to-plugin.htmlBob Bruninga, PE

IEEE Transportation Committee

1 Coffee Pot = Level 1 EV charging

Pay $20/moFor 20mi commute

Plug-in at work (double range, quadruple area)

Charge at home only = 16 mi range (chevy Volt)

Charge L1 at work/home = 64 mi range

from 2200 gal/year down to 100 gal/year

And we help Environment

And save money!

Solar Water Heating – WAS Best Application for solarfrom 1950 - 2005

Best energy capture per sqft… back in 1950-2005

Solar PV is now EQUAL to Thermal hot water… !

Heatpump water heating is a game-changer !

Solar PV is actually BETTER than Thermal hot

water… !

If 100% hot water not used EVERYDAY…then Excess solar everyday is lost

With PV, 100% of solar energy gives full retail value,Independent of how you use it!

So, Lets do the right thing…Move forward with clean Energy

Bob Bruninga, Annapolis Friends Meeting351 Dubois Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401http://www.aprs.org/AFM-environment.html410-293-6417

Chesapeake Interfaith Environmental Group and Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Church Fossil Burning Costs

Solar Power for Electricity Electric Vehicle Support

We include EV’s because about half of our easily-fixed spiritual energy is spent driving to church

At AFM we currently burn Propane for heat

ELECTRIC

Lighting

ElectricDriving

But we should add Heating Energy (Propane)

Solar Power for Electricity Electric Vehicle Support

Our biggest fossil burning is for Propane heating!

When we convert to a G.S. heatpump we will need to DOUBLE our solar, but we CAN! and we will be carbon free!

At AFM we currently burn Propane for heat

Lighting

ElectricDriving

Church Heating CostsPropane…

Actually our biggest Energy cost is our Propane heating.

Switching to Ground Source Heatpump will be our next major Environmental Project

Switching from Propane to Ground Source Heatpump

Our heating costs will go down 60% AND being electric, we can replace that with solar for additional savings!