Renewable Energy,
Why Not Now?
Resources
could be depleted very soon
if we do not
change the way we live in our world!
This is not a
scare tactic, It was on the news, It's
our new reality.
Hydro
prices are 5.0 cents per kWh, and 5.8
cents per kWh over 750 kWh, but with the
debt reduction and other expenses added
to our bills, it's more like 11 -12
cents per kWh.
We are currently paying far less for
hydro than it costs to generate.
When the price freeze expires, energy
costs will go up considerably, possibly
as much as 40 cents per kWh or more.
Plan ahead or brace yourselves for the
turbulent and uncertain times ahead.
You don't have to jump in with both
feet, start with a small back-up system
and add on as you like or can afford,
systems are modular to allow for this.
The first step is conservation, then
talk to us about Solatube and other
affordable solutions.
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Solar is affordable.
Solar can have excellent returns
in specific markets such as
solar pool heating and remote photovoltaic. And while there may be high initial installation
costs, solar systems have a very
long life - representing an
excellent return on investment.
Some products report paybacks in
as little as 3-5 years. |
|
There is more sun in Canada.
In the populated areas of
Canada
the yearly solar average
actually exceeds that of the two
countries that are leaders in
solar energy usage - Germany and
Japan. PV cells work better at
cooler temperatures making
Canada a perfect candidate for
solar power. |
|
Solar is efficient.
The efficiencies of solar
hot water heating systems exceed that of many
natural gas boilers. Photovoltaic systems run at a
similar efficiency rating as portable generators - but
without the pollution and maintenance needs. |
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Solar is a proven and powerful.
Solar energy technology is
actually older than fossil fuel technology. The ancient Greeks
used passive solar heating to keep their homes warm as early
as 1500 BC. There were solar hot water heating systems installed in North
America as early as 1892. |
|
Solar can make a significant
contribution.
It is estimated that passive
solar already supplies over 15% of the average home owner's
heating needs in
Canada -
and this is without most homes being designed to take advantage
of the sun's energy. An average solar domestic hot water heating
system will reduce conventional heating needs by 30 - 60%, while
a solar pool heater can supply 100% of the summer heating needs. |
Food for
thought
Lance Armstrong (professional cyclist)
can peddle a max of 600 watts and has an
average of 245-280 watts of power
generation. A fit human can do 150 watts
of electrical work for hours at a time.
Electricity as human work means you get
6 humans of work an hour per kWh. Or, if
you spend $600 on a 150 watt PV panel,
you have a human's worth of work every
hour of sunshine for 20+ years.
What a 'gift
of labour' electricity is!
Where do I start?
-
Energy Saving Tips
-
Solar
Array Sizing
