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The Path to a More Sustainable Life

Feb 10

28

The “Toyota Way”

Posted by Mac on February 28, 2010
Posted in Rants, Raves & Musings  | Tagged With: , , , | 2 Comments

I thought I’d never see the day, but there it was in a full page ad in the Sunday Oregonian (and god knows how many other newspapers.)  In huge and straightforward type are the printed words …

“Our Pledge To Toyota Drivers.”

It seems Toyota is getting serious.  I gotta hand it to them, after months of perceived inactivity (and possible shushing of the depth of the known safety problems), they are now coming straight at this thing.  

Yeah, they’re getting all “Tylenol” on us. 

I won’t spoil it, if you should want to read it, but the key points are:

  1. Quality, Quality, Blah, Blah, Blah
  2. Safety
  3. We Promise

True be told, I haven’t been following this situation as closely as I should considering there are two Toyotas in the family.  Noriko is keeping up though.  There are massive recalls in Japan.  She reads Japanese internet sites daily and tells me that people in Japan are shocked by these events.  In some case, this is a blow to their national pride.  Noriko can’t even look me in the eye.  She, like many of her Japanese cohorts, has always looked up to Toyota with pride and satisfaction.  To do things the “Toyota Way” was a very good thing.  There was no debate that Toyota made the best cars in the world.

The first big purchase Noriko and I made together as husband and wife was our Toyota 4Runner.  We love it.  Our dogs love it.  Home Depot really loves it.  I’d say we are loyal Toyota customers.  As such, I suppose we should expect some respect from the company. 

Hey, they said they appreciated our support! 

In Japan, when someone makes a mistake, they bow and humbly apologize.  They look down in shame as they beg for forgiveness.  They are, in fact, actually shamed, and you kinda feel sorry for ‘em.  They apologize, take their lumps, and move on.  This ad was signed by Jim Lentz, who is President & COO of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.  Lentz didn’t exactly apologize.  He reassured.  He explained.  He said he appreciates our loyalty.   He didn’t apologize for anything.  I’m not saying he owes us one, I’m just accustomed to seeing a “We’re Sorry” in such ads. 

Timing is everything, so the timing of the televised Winter Olympics was a golden opportunity for Toyota to get their message out.  Out they did.  Tonight, during the closing of the Vancouver Olympics, Toyota ran a series of commercials telling us they’re on top of things and oh, they appreciate our support.  They are so appreciative – they want to thank us – so they’re offering 0% financing on all vehicles in stock at your local Toyota dealer.  

Well, doesn’t that make us all feel better?!   Gee, thanks, I guess.

If you wanna know more … go to www.Toyota.com to get their entire side of story.

Feb 10

26

Is Facebook the new Town Hall?

Posted by Mac on February 26, 2010
Posted in Rants, Raves & Musings  | Tagged With: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Facebook offers a global soapbox, so let’s use it.  Facebook offers many of us a place to communicate, and a lot of this communication is awareness (and education) of all issues, including my own favorite topics – sustainability and solar energy. 

I think Facebook is the new Town Hall folks! 

Remember … that’s the place where people used to gather to do things like see old friends, share pictures, discuss and share ideas.  People went to town hall meetings to discuss the issues that confronted them.  This involved providing education of the topic at hand – which in turn – stimulated discussion.  Technology has transformed the way we communicate. These postings/comments are representative of those old-school discussions.  Yes, people today do seem less cordial when making their point or expressing themselves, but old-schoolers did their share of mud-slinging when the conversation got a little heated. 

Facebook affords opportunity to reach a varied and engaged community.   I relish the comments no matter the POV because as long as we’re talking about solar – it’s all good.  Using this medium to advocate and educate for things we believe in will enable us to get better connected in today’s virtual neighborhood.   That’s my two cents.

Whatdoyouthink?

Feb 10

24

Free Introductory Solar Workshops

Posted by Mac on February 24, 2010
Posted in Solar  | Tagged With: , , , , , | 1 Comment

For more information go to http://www.solarizesouthwestportland.org/

Feb 10

21

Residential Solar – So whatz the cost?

Posted by Mac on February 21, 2010
Posted in A Sustainable Life • Solar  | Tagged With: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Hi. I saw the description of your solar panels on the solaroregon.org website.  I live in Medford, OR and I have a few questions in addition to your useful bio on the Solar Oregon site … before I take the next step.  Thanks for your time.”   - Shad Keene

Thanks for your questions, Shad.  I’ll do my best to answer accordingly. 

As a Solar Ambassador, I do get emails from folks who ask me specific questions about our solar installation here at naturehouse.  They want to learn more about solar photovoltaic energy, so thought I’d pick this email I received from Shad and answer his/her questions on my blog in order to get this information out to everyone who may have a similar interest. 

——————————————————————————————————-

Shad, the most common question is about cost and one cannot talk about cost without factoring in available incentives, so I’ll change the order of your questions and combine these two if you don’t mind.

Q:  What was the total cost out of your pocket?  What benefits/incentives did you receive for the solar installation?

A:  In order to receive the incentives (which you do want), you’ll deal with two costs really … the upfront cost that you pay the solar contractor who does your install and the net cost which is what you’ve paid after tax credits and rebates.  Both of these numbers are contingent upon the size and quality of the Solar PV system you install.  In our case it is a 4100 watt (4.1kW) system using 20 Sanyo HIT 205w solar modules (the most expensive you can buy today), and a Fronius IG Plus 3.8 Inverter with a Datalogger (remote system monitor) kit.  For us, the numbers are as follows:

Total system cost (invoiced)                         = $ 30,165.

Out of pocket cost (after ETO rebate)          = $ 20,940.

Net Cost (after tax credits)                          = $  8,658.

Therefore, for $8,658 we’ll have an average of 20% of our annual electrical costs provided by our solar system at a fixed cost for the next 25 years.  In our area PGE is looking for a rate increase of 7.4% this year (with certainly more increases to come), so naturally these savings should also be factored into your purchasing equation, but more about this later as we’re talking about the cost to install in this question.

INCENTIVES (Oregon-centric):  There are three  major incentives you’ll need to factor into your equation…

  • Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO) rebate
  • Oregon State Tax Credit
  • Federal Tax Credit

The ETO rebate is based upon the size of your system (and the rebate amount per watt available from your local utility for net metering) and is paid directly to your installer.  This amount gets deducted directly from the top line (invoice) cost which reduces your out of pocket expense.

In our case … $30,165 minus ETO rebate of $9,225 = $20,940 which represents our out of pocket cost.

The Federal Tax Credit is 30% of this out of pocket cost … so for 2009 tax year we’ll get a credit worth $6,282.  A tax credit is much better than a deduction as it comes directly off any tax liability you may owe.  So, we reduced our $20,940 cost by $6,282 and the net is now $14,658.

The Oregon State Tax Credit is $6,000 but it has to be taken over 4 years ($1,500 per year).  $14,658 minus $6,000 = $8,658 net/net after four years.  

This is the real cost you are asking about.

 System Payback

To get a better idea re: payback period … take the net cost of $8,658 and divide by the amount of energy you’ll self-generate and reduce from your annual utility bill.  Again, in our case this is estimated at $800 per year (current rates), so we’re looking at a full payback in 8-10 years or so.  This payback can be accelerated if electrical rates continue to go up year over year, which is a distinct possibility, and also contingent upon what conservation measures one might make to reduce consumption and energy loss.

 Q:  How big (dimensions) were the panels that were installed?

Each Sanyo module (panel) is roughly 31” x 62” and is 1.8” thick as framed.  They each weigh 35 lbs.

Our array consists of 20 such modules, 2 rows (series) in parallel, 10 mods in each series.  

They are attached to our poolhouse’s composition roof via QuickMount waterproof flashing using UniRac SolarMounts.
 

Q:  What was the process you went through (general steps)?

Hmmm… this broad of a question requires a multi-layered answer, so start with my blog posts on solarflareblog.com entitled “Solar Power at naturehouse, Intro”  and  “Residential Solar PV:  How to get started” then check back with me with your more specific follow-up question(s). 

Books are written to explain the totality of this question and I haven’t had the time to do so (yet).
 

Q:  What has been the actual electricity generated (kwatts preferably) from the panels?  I saw some estimates, but curious on what the actual numbers have been?

A:  Since we installed last December (Winter is the worst time for solar access), it is way too soon to really know the answer to your question, however since El  Nino has been kind enough to host above normal sunshine in February, our system is now humming along with about  10kWh per day = 10,000 watts daily.  Over this past week, we’ve pushed a number of kWhs to the utility grid as we’re producing more than we’re using.  Since we’re net metering, this will reflect back as a “credit” on our next electric utility bill (PGE).

Note:  One kWh is produced when your PV array has produced 1000 watts for one hour.

Q:  What will be/has been the maintenance necessary for the panels and how long do you expect them to last?

A:  Little maintenance is required except to keep dust or debris from accumulating over time.  I’ve only cleaned them once so far as our Oregon rain does a nice job of keeping our panels clean.  This took about 15 minutes of my time. 

These Sanyo modules are expected to last 25 years (warranty is 20 years power output).  The Inverter will most likely need to be changed within 10 years, but that’s okay because this technology is changing so quickly that upgrading will be something we’ll want to do before then anyway.

I hope my answers provided some insight and are helpful in making your own decision on whether Solar Photovoltaic energy is right for you.  Medford is a fabulous place to have a solar system.  Keep in touch!

Feb 10

21

Can we grow a Solar Forest?

Posted by Mac on February 21, 2010
Posted in A Sustainable Life • Rants, Raves & Musings • Solar  | Tagged With: , , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Whew. What a week this has been in Portland, Oregon!

There’s so much happening that’s its difficult keeping up.  The Trailblazers traded for center Marcus Camby.  Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and other black leaders are here talking about PPD (police) actions.  There are protests in the streets.  The Oregon BETC is under investigation.  Mayor Adams is facing a second recall attempt.  PGE wants to raise electrical rates by 7.4%.  Jobs are down and taxes are up.  

This entire churn is under an umbrella of Spring-like weather here in Portland while the rest of the country is barely surviving a severe winter experience.  I’d like to think this is an El Nino phenomenon and not another sign of climate change.  This remains to be seen but I gotta tell you, the birds, trees and flowers all love this early sunshine.  So do our solar panels!  They’re humming along generating more power than we can use so we’re putting electricity into the grid this week (in mid-February!) and that’s some good news.

Also in the news this week, The Oregonian newspaper had two major stories about Solar Power.  These articles are related to things right here in our own backyard.  The first article entitled “Solar power bargains” (by Dylan Rivera) highlights the Solarize Portland campaigns sponsored by the City of Portland BPS, Energy Trust of Oregon, Solar Oregon, a number of neighborhood associations, and volunteers like myself.

Check out the story for yourself … 
 http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/02/solarized_portland_on_a_missio.html

“Oregon’s Solar Future” written by Amy Hsuan, asks the question “Can Oregon ride solar technology to prosperity?”  She writes about the German incentive model called a feed-in tariff and wonders if the German subsidy model will show us the way to growth of our own “Solar Forest.”  I intend to post articles of my own on the subject of feed-in tariffs as Oregon is planning to roll out our (pilot) version this summer. 

In the meantime, check out this story http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/02/oregons_solar_future_could_hin.html

Feb 10

18

Where’s the Beef?

Posted by Mac on February 18, 2010
Posted in A Sustainable Life • Rants, Raves & Musings  | Tagged With: , , , , , | 1 Comment

FOOD, Inc … curse you!

We received the movie FOOD, Inc. from Netflix and it’s been sitting on the table for over a week now.  We’ve been avoiding it.  I think it is because we’re scared after watching the theatrical trailer.  My wife says she may not be able to handle it.  Not sure I can either.  The tag line is “you’ll never look at dinner the same way again.”  Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of! 

Told in a documentary style, the plot is an unflattering and candid look inside America’s corporate controlled food industry. I doubt it will be the feel good movie of the year. The movie explores the food industry’s detrimental effects on our health and environment. This message will be punctuated with scenes of slaughterhouses and food processors and the like. Although we probably don’t eat as much red meat as most Americans, I do like a steak or a tri-tip now and then.  I have a feeling I may never eat meat or chicken again after seeing this movie.  Will I be able to stomach it after watching how beef is grown and processed in this country?  I give it 50/50.

Why watch it then you ask?  Ignorance is bliss, right?!  Well, it’s a right-of-passage thing for my journey to living a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle. I’ve sat through Fast Food Nation, Super Size Me, and King Corn, so this one is next in my awakening.  I have to face my fears, don’t I? 

Yeah.  I plan to watch FOOD, Inc. this week and will let you know the outcome.  (burp)

Feb 10

16

FOOTPRINT

Posted by Mac on February 16, 2010
Posted in A Sustainable Life • Rants, Raves & Musings • Solar  | Tagged With: , , , , , | 1 Comment

FOOTPRINT - written by John H. Patterson (with Suzanne Olsen)

I am giddy with excitement and anticipation.  John Patterson, Portland’s Mr. Sun Solar himself, stopped by the house and delivered a copy of his new book FOOTPRINT for me to read and review.  It is one of the very first copies, still hot off the press, and I’m so grateful he asked me to read it.  Wants to know what I think!  I am honored to do so. 

John P is my solar guru.  The guy has forgotten more than I’ll ever know about passive & active solar, and the science related to carbon dioxide and climate change.  He’s been involved in the solar biz since 1980 and I consider John to be the voice of clean energy here in the Pac NW.  I’m happy to report that his voice now has a new conduit – the written page.  I suspect his book is going to be an important read for anyone interested in understanding how to determine, and then reduce, their carbon footprint.

I gotta say … I do like the title – FOOTPRINT.  It’s simple, but offers interpretation.  In the context of the climate change/global warming discussion, it literally refers to our human carbon footprint.   In his Introduction John points out that “Sustaining the lifestyle of an average middle class American in a twenty-four hour period results in the release of one hundred pounds of CO2.”    

FOOTPRINT can also mean the first step down a path where others may someday follow (e.g. Neil Armstrong’s footprint on the Moon.)   It connotes a pioneering spirit.  When I read the word I see Lewis & Clark in my mind’s eye.   

FOOTPRINT connects past to present and many cultures have the saying, ‘following in the footprints of our ancestors, those who came before us’.  

All these interpretations fit in the case of this book and certainly in the case of the author.  The full book title is, “FOOTPRINT – a Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Extinction”, by John H. Patterson.  Regardless of how one takes the subtitle this is a serious book about a serious subject.

I’ve only read the first two chapters, so to be fair it is way too soon to provide a critique or review.  John’s asked for a quick turn-around, so I’ll be reading it this week.   Once I’ve given him my review, I’ll share it my faithful readers.  I expect to really like the book, so I must take some care to remain objective, and caution myself not to swoon too much over the prose.  

Stay tuned.

Feb 10

15

Another one bites the dust

Posted by Mac on February 15, 2010
Posted in Rants, Raves & Musings  | Tagged With: , | No Comments yet, please leave one

Beside the ubiquitous Winter Olympic coverage there are two big stories of the day worthy of a post. 

First and foremost, I guess we can all rest easy now – Paula Abdul is coming back to TV.  Yeah, it’s splashed all over the internet.  Like Douglas MacArthur, she has returned!   My question is this … was she gone?   Huh?!  When did she leave?  Doesn’t one have to leave in order to come back?  I’m curiously ambivalent.

The other big story probably won’t be noticed by as many people (a sad commentary), but I betcha President Obama, and his home boy Harry Reid, both paid heed.  U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, centrist Democrat from Indiana, announced today he has decided not to seek a third term in Congress.  Someone cue the musical theme  “and another one bites the dust…”  

Hey, this wasn’t a guy in trouble of losing his seat in the upcoming election.  This was a family seat.  Bayh’s father, Birch, held that same seat for three terms in the Senate.  Although Indiana is viewed by Pols as a Republican-leaning state, Bayh figured he’d be re-elected and had reportedly raised $13 million for his campaign.  Now, his decision gives the Republicants another chance to pick up a Senate seat and this certainly can’t make the Demos very happy.

So, why is Sen. Bayh calling it quits? 

He said it was because it is time for him to “contribute to society in another way.”   In Washington speak this is short-hand for I can’t stand working in Congress one minute longer! 

Recently there’s been a slew of Democratic “possibles” that have passed on the opportunity to serve in Congress.  Joe Biden’s own kid said “no way” to any of that bullshit.  The departure of Bayh continues a recent exodus from Congress from both political parties, but Bayh’s reason seemed more substantial than just a politician who can’t face angry voters in November.

Bayh attributed his decision to the bitter partisan divides that have dominated Congress in recent years.

At his Indianapolis news conference Bayh said, “To put it in words I think most people can understand, I love working for the people of Indiana.  I love helping our citizens make the most of their lives, but I do not love Congress.  After all these years, my passion for service to our fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned.”

Okay sir, we got it, you’re sick of the place.  So are we all quite frankly. 

I think it’s time for people with a conscious to stand up and speak out about how parallelizing partisan politics has become.  The never- ending chess game is not only tiresome for voters, but now for the players too.  Some may think it took courage to do what Bayh is doing, but I think what would be even more courages if some well-established Republican senator follows suit and makes the same decision – for the same reason – and makes the very same statement.   Both sides would benefit, both sides would suffer.  However, it will show everyone this isn’t working for either side and certainly not for the American people.  It may start to shake things loose and any crack in the status quo will be a good thing.

Problem is … the work of the people will suffer in the process as well.  We need the kind of people who’ll tell the truth about Washington there to represent us.  We need good people to stand up while they’re still in Congress and make real changes while on the public payroll.  Is it that impossible?   Many will answer yes.

I wouldn’t be an optimist if I didn’t believe that things can change for the better if enough legislators, who feel the same way Sen. Bayh feels, will pledge to work together for the common good of our country.  That’s a novel idea, to work on our problems instead of worrying about whether their political party or personal lobbyist is served.  Is it too much to hope for that as a nation we can move forward with some common purpose and dignity? 

All the while the Democratic Donkey and Republican Elephant dance their passive-aggressive dance in the moonlight and fight ever on.

Feb 10

13

Ronnimac, Solar Ambassador

Posted by Mac on February 13, 2010
Posted in A Sustainable Life • Solar • Solmac Solar  | Tagged With: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SOLAR OREGON Volunteer Orientation - Hadley at the door, Karrie next to pole

This morning I spent a few hours with a bunch of strangers at SOLAR OREGON headquarters in Portland.  This meeting was called by Karrie Hamilton, SO Volunteer Coordinator, to pull together a group of people that have an interest in seeing more solar energy in Oregon.  Most everyone in the room was a SO member and several of us were volunteers, which was the whole point of the meeting.  Karrie and Hadley Price, SO Business Development Director, conducted an orientation session to those of us who’re interested in volunteering for the organization.  There is much work to do.

We all have our motivations that drive our behavior … for me this one is simple, it is for the cause.

As a member of SOLAR OREGON I am a relative newcomer (the organization itself has been around for 30 years), but because I believe in the cause, and in this non-profit group of advocates and educators, I signed up to be a Volunteer.  More importantly I signed up to be what they call a SOLAR AMBASSADOR.  So far there is only a small handful of us and we want some company. 

The Solar Oregon –Solar Ambassador Program is for those of us who already own solar.  As solar pioneers (so to speak) we are often the best advocates, and as such we act as quasi-representatives of the organization.  Our goal is simple … help others bring solar power into their lives.

As Ambassador, my role will be to connect with others who want to go Solar. 

I am expected to

•    Inspire people with my enthusiasm for solar
•    Share my reasons for going solar
•    Describe what it’s like to live with solar

No problemo! 

Solar Oregon members attending Volunteer Orientation

Lots of enthusiasm in that room for Solar Energy!

Karrie and Hadley provided information and background to what needs to be done.  Besides supporting public outreach events like informational workshops and trade shows, they listed off some immediate needs for ANYONE willing to donate time to do things like …

  • Answering phones – answering questions
  • Data entry
  • Software – Java development
  • FAQ development
  • Promotional Design
  • Marketing
  • Membership activities

For members, there are seven Committees one can join to work more on the policy and the operational side of the organization.  Don’t know if I’m ready for that yet, but I did sign-up to work the booth at several upcoming trade shows, including the Energy Trust Better Living Show, March 26-28, at the Portland Expo Center.  This show is highly attended and I’ll be sure to get a workout, but what a great opportunity to tell people about solar.  I’m looking forward to it.

SOLAR OREGON – http://www.solaroregon.org/

SO Solar Ambassador Profile page   http://www.solaroregon.org/solar-ambassador/?appSession=054119022763424&RecordID=73&PageID=3&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=1&CPIsortType=&CPIorderBy=

Feb 10

4

Let’s Solarize Southwest Portland!

Posted by Mac on February 4, 2010
Posted in A Sustainable Life • Solar  | Tagged With: , , , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

http://www.solarizesouthwestportland.org/

Clean electricity is on many people’s minds these days, at least here in the Willamette Valley it is.  This week a third Solarize Portland project kicked off, this time in my own neighborhood. The Solarize Southwest Portland campaign is sponsored by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), Solar Oregon, Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc (SWNI), Energy Trust of Oregon, Community Energy Project …  and yours truly. 

Yep, I volunteered to help organize and promote this project because I believe it could dramatically increase solar panels on Southwest Portland rooftops this year.

On Feb 2ndI met with about 20 folks who are similarly interested in installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on SW Portland homes.   I asked who there is interested in installing solar on their own home?  Everyone raised their hand, except for me, a woman from the Multnomah Village who already has PV, and Lee from BPS.  I was impressed by the enthusiasm of the group!  Several of us volunteered to be the RFP Committee, and we agreed to hold four informational workshops scattered throughout SW neighborhoods in March & April.

At this meeting I felt like a pioneer of sorts … telling others my solar story, sharing tidbits of information and answering questions.  I told them of my talk with the Energy Trust inspector who checked out our system (for the energy rebate.)  He verified that there are just a few homes in SW Portland with solar.  I figured that.  Too many trees, hills, and shade on the west side of the Willamette River.   It can be done… because we did it, but it has its challenges. 

The eastside is easier.  Southeast Uplift’s Solarize SE Portland campaign was a success by any measure.  It was the first ever Solarize Portland project (launched June 6, 2009) and focused on homes in the southeast (although some westsiders snuck in there.)  This campaign sparked a broader interest in bulk purchasing to bring costs down and now other areas of Portland have begun similar efforts. 

How it Works

Simply stated, neighbors get together and conduct a volume purchase.   This program helps neighbors organize themselves to simplify the process and reduce the cost of adding solar to their homes.  The program will help neighbors decide who to hire, what to budget, and where to start.  Those involved come together to choose a contractor, make purchase,  and install solar as a community to save costs by bulk purchasing of solar electric panels. 

We’ll start by drafting a Request for Proposal (RFP), interview candidates, and choose one or two contractors.  We’ll also conduct our own sales and marketing campaign.  I’m told that job grouping, constricted time period, and community led sales can contribute to a saving of an additional 15-20%.  This coupled with Oregon’s already attractive tax credits and cash incentives can bring the cost of solar electricity down by 80%.  In this program one can expect to recoup on their investment of a 2kW system in four short years.  They’ll save hundreds of dollars off their electric bill every year thereafter making this a pretty sweet deal for people who’ve been waiting for lower up-front costs.

This idea is catching on and I understand there are similar projects getting started right now in places around metro Portland, Pendelton, Salem, Wilsonville and Eugene.  This may be start of something big, folks.

A Look at the Numbers

Todd Farris, project lead, tells us the “sweet spot” for a quick return using this program is a 2000/watt or 2kW PV system.   He said, “if we work together solar can be affordable.  You can make a $10,000 payment up front and at the end of 4 years your total net cost for a 2KW system is $1000!”  Here’s how that pencils out …

                   $ 14,000                Estimated System Cost

         -          $    3500                Energy Trust of Oregon (rebate)

          -          $    6000                Oregon State Tax Credit (4 year x $1500 yr)

           -          $    3150                Federal Tax Credit

             =      $   1350 NET COST (after Incentives)

If you save an average of $300 yr on your annual utility bills, this is essentially a full pay back in four years!

I recommend using the Estimator on the Energy Trust website to play with your own numbers à

http://energytrust.org/shared-resources/solar-calculator/search/?siteName=energytrust2&versionName=residential&zipCode=97219

 

Q: Is Oregon sunny enough for solar?

A: Yes.

Even Portland and the rainy Willamette Valley receive as much sunshine annually as the average U.S. city.  In fact, solar is Oregon’s most abundant renewable resource.  Today, more than 17,000 Oregon households use solar energy systems to generate electricity or heat water.

 

Q: Is my home right for solar?

A: Depends…

Solar works best on south-facing roofs, though southwest and or west-oriented roofs may be suitable as well depending upon shading.  There should be little or no shading from trees, buildings, chimneys or roof gables on or adjacent to your home.