Aaron Layman's Katy Texas Real Estate Forum

Lennar Homes Brings Enphase Micro Inverter Solar Packages To Katy's Woodcreek Reserve

Lennar Homes has started offering solar energy packages on several of its newer Houston area communities, including their new Texas Reserve Collection in Woodcreek Reserve.  After attending a demonstration of the Lennar product line in Woodcreek, I came away more excited about solar energy prospects here in the Houston area.  The reason?  Solar micro inverters.

Lennar is using a rather basic 3.5 kWh system with Westhinghouse panels.  The system output on these packages won't eliminate owner's electric bills, but they'll certainly help mitigate costs.  What's really intriguing is that the packages Lennar is using incorporate the new Enphase micro inverters.  The micro inverters replace the traditional inverter on a string solar PV setup.  With micro inverters on each panel, you get individual readouts on the output of each panel and optimized output in the system.  The cost of the micro inverters are higher than a single traditional string inverter, but they have a longer warranty and they simplify the installation process.  Solar panel prices continue to drop, and I expect the price of micro inverters will do the same as more manufacturers enter the market.

In speaking with the Lennar rep yesterday regarding their 3.5 kWh solar package, he pegged the cost of the system at just over $20,000.  That's apparenlty the upgrade cost for Lennar home buyers on these new solar packages.  I doubt Lennar is paying anywhere near that for the packages they are installing based on a search of Enphase grid-tie systems.

I found a larger, 4.23 kWh Enphase grid-tie package for only $13,750.  I would expect Lennar has some bulk buying power on their Westinghouse systems bringing the real cost closer to $10,000 before installation.  Costco is also offering starter packages with Enphase inverters which suggests these new micro inverter packages are getting more mainstream.  With an available 30% federal tax credit on a solar installations, the price/payback prospects for solar are getting better by the day.

The good news for Lennar home buyers is that their new Enphase grid-tie solar systems are using some rather cool technology and they are easily upgradable.  The true value of the systems is highly debatable, however, considering the rapid decline of panel prices and the recent introduction of micro inverters.  New micro inverters offer exciting opportunities for homeowners to manage their electric consumption, and they should precipitate a large increase in solar installations.  Here's a brief tutorial on how the Enphase grid-tie micro inverters work.

 

Improved Efficiency, Abundant Supply Lowering Price Of Solar Panels

The demise of Solyndra was a blow to solar energy supporters, but it also provides some important insight into the rapidly evolving solar energy industry.  Abundant supplies of cheap panels manufactured overseas made it impossible for the now-defunct Solyndra to remain profitable even with a huge federal subsidy. 

Now there's news of another breakthrough in panel construction which promises to boost panel efficiency by another 25% while lowering manufacturing costs by an equal or greater percentage.  The NREL recently announced the new Optical Cavity Furnace fabrication process which uses optics rather than radiant or infrared heat.

A June 2011 price projection suggest PV module prices could reach the target of $1 per watt by 2013.  That could spell significant relief for homeowners wanting to put a dent in their power bills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dow POWERHOUSE Solar Shingles Offer Innovative Alternative To Panels

Earlier this month DowSolar lauched their new POWERHOUSE solar roof shinglesin the community of Spring Mesa in Colorado.  The new solar roof shingles, to be sold throughout the U.S., offer a less expensive and more attractive alternative to traditional solar panel installations.  The POWERHOUSE system includes the shingles, inverter and a monitoring system showing real-time energy readouts of energy production and consumption.  The shingles will only be available in select markets until Dow's new production facility in MIdland Michigan becomes operational in late 2012.

 

 

Falling Price Of Solar Panels Makes It Easier To Enjoy Sunny Days

Solar panel prices have been falling precipitously this year, down almost 30% compared to a year ago.  Running your home on solar energy has never been more affordable.  The huge drop in panel prices combined with the solar energy tax credit make it more affordable than ever to take advantage of abundant Texas sunshine.

13-Year Old Uses Fibonacci Sequence In Trees For Increased Solar Efficiency

Amazing discovery by one Aidan Dwyer who studied the way leaves were arranged on plant stems and applied the findings to an array of solar panels.  His design increased output by 20-50 percent!

"I designed and built my own test model, copying the Fibonacci pattern of an oak tree. I studied my results with the compass tool and figured out the branch angles. The pattern was about 137 degrees and the Fibonacci sequence was 2/5. Then I built a model using this pattern from PVC tubing. In place of leaves, I used PV solar panels hooked up in series that produced up to 1/2 volt, so the peak output of the model was 5 volts. The entire design copied the pattern of an oak tree as closely as possible. ... The Fibonacci tree design performed better than the flat-panel model. The tree design made 20% more electricity and collected 2 1/2 more hours of sunlight during the day. But the most interesting results were in December, when the Sun was at its lowest point in the sky. The tree design made 50% more electricity, and the collection time of sunlight was up to 50% longer!"

Shopping For Elecricity in Katy, Houston Texas

It's time for this Realtor/blogger to shop out the electricity plan for our Katy home.  Our fixed rate plan is set to expire in the next month, so I thought I would check current rates in the Houston area.  The big name carriers continue to be some 20 to 25 percent above the competition.  I've been hearing ads from TXU lately about their fabulous fixed rate plans (no variable rate plans from TXU), but their fixed rates are all high.  Centerpoint, our local transmission provider, is even higher.

Electric Provider	KWh Price For 12 Month Fixed Rate
Mega Energy	10.6
Spark	10.8
Gexa	10.9
Reliant	13.4
TXU	12.7
Green Mountain	13.4

While shopping for a plan, I was looking for a provider with a good 12 month fixed rate and reasonable complaint statistics.  It looks like this year's winner is going to be Mega Energy.  They are one of the newer companies in the area, but they seem to be offering some of the best rates and also have one of the lowest levels of complaints.

Prices for solar panel modules continued to fall in the first quarter of 2010.  I recently priced out a 4.8 kW grid-tie system for only $3.54 per watt.  The cost of the system was under $12,000 after the 30 percent federal rebate.  If we see similar price reductions in the market going forward, the argument for going solar will be too compelling to resist.  Things are shaping up such that I hope to pull the trigger by fall and make a sizable dent in my electric bills.

Senate Bill 545 Would Improve Outlook For Solar Energy In Houston Texas

Senate Bill 545, authored by Sen Troy Fraser, could finally put Texas on the Solar Energy map.  Despite our abundant sunshine, Texas has lagged the nation when it comes to incentives for solar energy.  SB545 could put half a billion dollars into the solar industry over the next five years, providing rebates for homeowners and utility-scale projects.

Fraser's bill would also require electric companies to buy a customers surplus electricity at fair market prices or credit customer's bills.  The bill also includes provisions that would require home builders to offer solar as an option to new home buyers, and prohibit homeowners associations from disallowing most solar installations.

This legislation is long overdue, and it could bring significant relief to Houston area residents, where deregulated electric companies have dragged their collective feet on any real solar initiatives.  The net metering provision of SB545 would force Centerpoint to quit talking about "Smart Meters" and start making them standard equipment.

When Houstonians have the opportunity to sell power back to the grid on the hottest summer days, we will be looking at a dramatically different energy landscape.  Deregulated electricity has not lived up to its promise, and Senate Bill 545 could give homeowners more control over their power consumption and budgets.  After passing the Senate, the bill is now scheduled to go before the House.  If you would like to contact your representatives and encourage them to fast-track this important legislation just visit http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

For a synopsis of Senate Bill 545 visit http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist24/pr09/p040809a.htm

Want Lower Electric Bills In Katy/Houston Texas? Look At Berkely California

While local electric providers' rates have dropped in recent months, they have yet to mirror the precipitous drop in natural gas prices.   Centerpoint, our local gas provider, just this week announced a drop in monthly natural gas bills.  One would think this confirmation of lower natural gas prices would bring a new round of rate reductions among electric providers.  After all, electricity prices in our deregulated market are tied to natural gas.

While we are waiting for our lower electric bills, we can look West for a more pro-active solution to our problem.  Berkeley California's Berkeley FIRST program allows homeowners to install solar PV systems with a 20 year amortized tax/loan from the city.  See the link below to the Berkeley FIRST program details.

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=26580

Berkeley's pilot program is a creative solution to the high upfront costs of going solar.  With relatively low energy costs, going green has been cost prohibitive for most homeowners, but the trend for future energy prices points in one direction.  Deregulated electricity in Texas has been an abysmal failure by most standards.  That's no surprise considering the large sums of cash that were spent lobbying the Texas Legislature.  The system was designed to protect large corporate interests, not homeowners.

Austin area residents have the benefit of a cooperative electric provider, and the Pecan Street Project should bring some relief to those seeking to lower their utility bills.  Houston area residents are going to have to work a little harder to see significant change with their power providers.  With the current deregulated market and a large corporation controlling a one-way power distribution channel, the odds are not stacked in our favor.

The hot, humid summer days in Houston normally bring our highest electric bills.  Solar PV systems could cut those spiraling electric bills and eliminate the the spike in demand often experienced with our electric grid on the hottest days.  We could soon look to our August and September electric bills with eager anticipation when solar panels work to diminish, or eliminate, our need for power from our local electric provider.  Increased domestic manufacturing of solar PV systems should bring costs down even more, making the cost-benefit picture more and more appealing.  Maybe it's time for Houston City Council to pick up the phone and give Berkeley a call.

Houston Playing Catch Up With Green Energy Initiatives

As reported in today's Houston Chronicle, Austin is making strides toward upgrading their local power grid as part of the Pecan Street Project.  With the help of businesses, the city owned utility and environmentalists, Austin hopes to become a model for green energy capitals in the United States.

Based on information currently available, Houston is making progress, but needs to do more.  Austin Energy already offers one of the better solar rebates in the country, rebating $4.50 per watt for the cost of an installation.  See the link below for details about the Austin Energy solar rebate.

http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Rebates/Solar%20Rebates/index.htm

In comparison, Centerpoint and Reliant are just now testing "smart meters" to help customers monitor their energy consumption.  After the sky-high electric bills we received this past summer I'm sure we will be dying to get our hands on one of those smart meters.

Houston took an important step with energy diversification when it recently courted Vestas Wind Systems.  Vestas, the world's largest supplier of wind turbines, recently chose Houston for its new research center. You can see the official press release at http://www.vestas.com/files//Filer/EN/Press_releases/VWS/2008/080602-PMUK-06.pdf.

The wind turbine research center is a welcome addition to the economy that will hopefully spur other green energy development in the area.  Alternative energy is a major component of Opportunity Houston's strategic growth plan, but there is certainly room for improvement.

Solar Investment Tax Credit Could Boost Demand In Katy, Houston Texas

There has been a lot going on in Washington lately so it's understandable that some good news has gone relatively unnoticed.  One such item is the investment tax credit for solar energy.  Congress extended the 30% tax credit for residential and commercial solar installations for another 8 years.  More importantly, the $2000 credit cap for residential properties will no longer apply after December 31st, 2008.  That means home owners will receive a true 30% credit on the cost of residential solar projects.

Home builders in the Houston area have not shown much interest in solar projects.  Much of the reluctance can be attributed to the lack of incentives.  With this increased federal subsidy for solar projects, we may just see our first solar neighborhood in Houston.  The benefits of energy efficiency and higher resale value could spur a green wave of building in the area.  The new law may also spur homeowners associations in the area to think about how solar projects will fit into the landscape. 

Many homeowners are already frustrated with high utility bills in the deregulated electricity market.  The new solar tax credit will make it a little easier to absorb the high upfront cost of a solar installation and ditch their electric providers altogether.  I have to admit that the possibility is pretty intriguing.  I have mentioned in previous posts that the Public Utility Commission of Texas currently has no clear plan for homeowners to sell electricity back to the grid.  Maybe now would be a good time for the commission to outline their plan!