Energy By Choice

It’s too early to say with certainty, but 2012 is shaping up as the year that winter forgot. All of December and the first week of January saw atypically mild temperatures throughout much of the U.S.–most dramatically in the usually harsh states of the far north and parts of the Plains. Fargo, N.D., hit 55°F on Jan. 5, breaking a more-than-a-century-old record for the warmest day in January. In December, at least half the U.S. had temperatures at least 5° above normal. At the end of 2011, less than 20% of the lower 48 was covered with snow, compared with more than 50% at the end of 2010. Ski resorts face the possibility of a dry, warm winter leaving slopes bare.

Is climate change the culprit? It’s important to remember that one season does not make a trend, and the warm temperatures of the past month and a half aren’t driven by any single variable. The winter of 2010/2011 saw unusually heavy snowfall in much of the U.S. and Europe experienced some of the coldest temperatures in history. And even this winter, Alaska is being buried in snow – a stunning 67” in one town during a 9-day stretch. Still, it’s undeniable that truly cold temperatures are becoming less and less common. In the U.S. since 1980, nearly every year has seen annual average temperatures higher than the long-term average.

To many people, that’s not a bad thing. But warmer winters can change nature in dangerous ways. Western bark beetles, which have ravaged pine trees in the West, are thriving because they’re no longer being knocked out by cold winters. A decline in mountain snowpack in the West can mean less water for dry states that are accustomed to meltwater runoff in the spring.

Climate change disrupts the rhythm of the seasons, that regular passage of time and temperature we assumed was fixed. As we keep altering the climate, who can tell what else might follow into unplanned obsolescence?

Excerpts from Time Article, by Bryan Walsh, Jan. 23, 2012

Officials from LIPA, BP Solar, Brookhaven National Lab, and a host of government officials and environmental leaders officially marked the completion and commission of the Long Island Solar Farm (LISF). The 32 megawatt LISF installation is the largest solar array in the eastern region boasting over 160,000 solar panels, producing enough energy to power up to 4,500 homes while reducing use of fossil fuels. This is the largest solar project in New York State seen as key to Long Island’s energy, economic and environmental future.

With the nuclear crisis in Japan, the coal mine explosion in West Virginia, and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention the Middle East in turmoil, it makes you wonder: Isn’t there a cleaner, safer and more reliable way to produce our energy? Do we really need to be putting ourselves in constant catastrophic danger or continue to line the pockets of foreign countries?

And why go so far? Here on Long Island, we are limited. The only source of electricity is LIPA, a traditional provider that uses, for the most part, traditional energy sources. Did you know LIPA owns 18 percent interest in the Nine Mile nuclear power plant and buys power from various on- and off-island suppliers that use a combination of gas, nuclear and oil as their main source of production?

Also, LIPA’s rates are among the highest in the country and are expected to continue to increase each year. If it feels like a monopoly, you’re right — but there is a way out!

Let’s change this picture around and move from gloomy gray to bright yellow. The sun can make you smile in more ways then you realize. Did you know that enough sun rays fall to the earth’s surface every minute to meet the world’s energy demands for an entire year! Why not collect some of those rays and convert them into electricity to power your home and business?

You can be reassured that this is one of earth’s natural resources that will not deplete, and as far as we know — the sun is expected to stick around for at least another 4.5 billion years. So no worries … collect away! You may not be able to shop around for electricity, but you can produce it yourself, and it’s easy!

Yes, it’s that simple — and practical! Alternate energy resources are not pie-in-the-sky, they are reasonable and affordable and will enable you to free yourself from a tradition you may not be so happy with.  A simple explanation of how solar works:

• The sun beams shine down on solar panels that sit on your roof, preferably facing south with little to no shade and ideally at a 30 degree angle.
• The panels absorb the sunlight beams (photons) and convert them into a direct electrical current.
• The electrons flow out of the panels and into an inverter. The inverter functions as the brains of your system and converts the DC current into AC current, which is what your TV, dishwasher, computer and all other appliances around your house need in order to run.
• If you produce more electricity then you need, the excess goes back into the grid and is banked with LIPA in a net meter account. Your excess kW hours are there for you to draw from at night and non-sunny days.

Isn’t it interesting how a little sunshine can turn a depressing scenario into sheer bliss? Of course, we should give LIPA some credit here as they also understand the power of the sun and are encouraging you to go solar to the tune of up to $17,500 in rebates.  Your investments comes down even further with a 25% tax credit from New York state (up to $5,000) as well as a 30% tax credit from the Federal Government.

So remember, when the sun spills over and radiates plumes of heat, we just call it a beach day! Enjoy that sun … make it work for you and help rid us of those dirty dangers.

Survey by Kelton Research finds continued widespread public support for development of solar energy, federal incentives for solar, across political spectrum.

WASHINGTON – Americans overwhelmingly support the use and development of solar energy as well as federal investments for solar, according to a new national poll. These and other findings were reported today in the 2011 SCHOTT Solar Barometer(TM), a nationally representative survey conducted annually by independent polling firm Kelton Research.

For the fourth consecutive year, the survey found that about nine out of 10 Americans (89 percent) think it is important for the United States to develop and use solar energy. Support for solar is strong across the political spectrum with 80 percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Independents and 94 percent of Democrats agreeing that it is important for the United States to develop and use solar.

The survey also found that Americans want federal incentives for solar. More than eight out of 10 Americans (82 percent) support federal tax credits and grants for the solar industry similar to those that traditional sources of energy like oil, natural gas and coal have received for decades. Seventy-one percent of Republicans agree, as well as 82 percent of Independents and 87 percent of Democrats.

Furthermore, when asked to select an energy source they would financially support if they were in charge of U.S. energy policy, 39 percent of Americans chose solar over other sources such as natural gas (21 percent), wind (12 percent), nuclear (9 percent) and coal (3 percent). Among Independents, solar is more than twice as popular as any other energy source (43 percent for solar compared to 20 percent for natural gas).

“In this tough economy, Americans want to see solutions coming from Washington,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “For members of Congress trying to find ways to create jobs, solar is a win-win. Thanks in part to proven policy successes like the 1603 Treasury Program, the solar industry has doubled its workforce in the last two years and now employs more than 100,000 Americans at 5,000 businesses spanning every state. And solar enjoys overwhelming support across all political affiliations – Republicans, Democrats and Independents. It’s clear that solar has the strong support of the American people. Now it needs the support of U.S. policymakers in extending job-creating policies like the 1603 program to make sure solar continues to work for America.”

One challenge that the solar industry faces is educating the public about how they can become consumers of solar power. Despite the cost of solar modules decreasing by 30 percent since the beginning of 2010 and residential solar leasing models that allow consumers to go solar with no upfront cost, 48 percent of Americans cited cost as their biggest concern with choosing solar energy.

“For the fourth year in a row, an overwhelming majority of Americans agree on the importance of solar power,” said Rachel Bonsignore, Associate Director, Kelton Research. “This year’s survey continues the trend of remarkably consistent support for solar.”