Maybe it’s because I’m passionate about renewable energy, or maybe it’s because I work for 1BOG and spend most of my waking hours thinking about increasing solar energy, but I can’t help associate Independence Day with our modern struggle for energy independence.  While it’s not 1776 and the Red Coats aren’t on the horizon, we should still be thinking about ways to improve our country and stand up for our ideals.  By generating our own clear power right here at home, we are reducing our dependence on oil and those that control the commodity.

While of course I’d love to encourage you all to run out and purchase energy systems instead of fireworks this 4th, I know that’s not the answer for everyone.  So while you’re standing around the BBQ munching on watermelon, sipping on a beverage, think about ways to decrease your dependence on “dirty” energy.  Whether that means investing in renewables, insulating your homes, changing your light bulbs, driving less, or even just recycling the can or bottle in your hand. Every little bit helps to make our country a little bit more independent.

So, happy Independence Day from all of us at One Block Off the Grid.

What are they made of?

Photovoltaic solar panels are used for most residential installations. These panels use silicon, a semiconductor, to generate energy. Silicon, also used in computers, is an expensive material responsible for about 60% of the overall cost of a solar electric system

How do they work?

Solar panels collect solar radiation from the sun and actively convert that energy to electricity. The solar panels are made up of several individual solar cells that function similarly to large semiconductors. When the solar cells are exposed to sunlight, they convert the energy from sunlight into usable electrical energy. The energy generated from photons striking the surface of the solar panel causes electrons to be released, and electric fields in the solar cells pull these free electrons in a directional current. Metal contacts in the solar cell harness the directional current (DC) to generate electricity. This conversion of sunlight to usable electrical energy has been dubbed the Photovoltaic Effect.

How do homes get the power from them?

An inverter turns the DC power generated by the sun and the Photovoltaic Effect into alternating current (AC) which is usable energy that powers your home.

Say goodbye to our old, ridiculously slow solar map, and hello to our new map with clustering. It’s blazing fast. Zoom in and out to see how many people are signed up in your neighborhood.

As people who are interested in solar energy on their homes sign up at 1bog.org, a little bogman appears nearby (it’s randomized a litte). When that person gets solar on their home, the bogman turns orange. (We’re not done uploading all the orange guys, should be about 250 of them).

Map courtesy of many late nights by Kalvin. Let us know in the comments if there is anything you would like to see us do with the map.

I just got done flying back from Denver and boy are my arms tired. Badum-ching. Seriously, I hate flying, and flying over the Rockies into Denver during a thunderstorm is… bumpy.

We were meeting with some of the finalists for the group purchase campaign for solar energy in Denver and surrounding areas (yes, Boulder is included). We should be making our final solar company selection towards the end of next week and start solar home evaluations shortly after that. If you live in the Denver area and have not signed up yet, please do. We’ll keep you apprised of the program as it moves forward, and there’s no commitment.

Solar is getting a makeover.It used to be something that people thought was reserved for elite environmentalists. But now, thanks to social media, rebates, and group purchasing, solar is starting to be more accessible to the masses.  Not only is solar popping up maps across the country, it’s also popping up all over the social media space.  1BOG is part of this “new look for solar,” so check us out.

Do you want to know more about cool things going on in the solar industry? Have you ever wondered what the 1 BOG team is doing right at this very moment? Or wished you could somehow JOIN the team on this solar adventure, even if you live in Japan? Or maybe you just want to be invited to cool events that we’ll be attending?

Follow us, friend us, share what we’re talking about and then you’ll be talking about it too! Here are a few key sites for you to visit this weekend…

1BOG Twitter

1BOG Facebook Group

1BOG Facebook Fan Page

See YOU there.

One Block Off the Grid was founded with the intention of causing the tipping point in the adoption of affordable solar energy in as many places around the country as possible.  We’ve been enjoying the ride that has resulted from negotiating on behalf of communities for discounts on solar installations, and have learned some important lessons along the way.  One of those lessons has been that, despite innovative financing, increasing rebates, and lots of solar education, solar is sometimes not the best option for everyone.  Perhaps there are big trees blocking the sun from an otherwise willing roof.  Perhaps electricity isn’t consumed much in some households.  Or perhaps cost is just simply prohibitive.  There are many reasons why solar might not be right for some folks, and we’re well aware of this.

To help address this, and to help more people save money, green their lives, and lower energy consumption all at the same time, we decided to expand our model and offer group purchasing for home energy efficiency.  We searched far and wide, and eventually found Sustainable Spaces, and we couldn’t be more excited.  Sustainable Spaces is the Bay Area’s leading provider of energy audits and home energy efficiency retrofits.  We met with them a few times, only to come to the realization that we couldn’t continue our operation without offering the most cost-effective energy efficiency program out there to our members.  We negotiated a 15% discount on energy efficiency retrofits for our members, the largest pricing discount they’ve ever offered.  Basically, we went in search of an energy efficiency compliment to residential solar, and we hit the jackpot.

If your house is too cold, too hot, too drafty, moldy, if allergies or asthma are issues for your family, if your power bills are too high, or if you’ve been looking to make home improvements that will pay for themselves, energy efficiency retrofits with 1BOG and Sustainable Spaces is probably a good bet!

Our name is One Block Off the Grid but we don’t work block by block and we don’t take homes off the grid.  It’s a more of a metaphor, so let me at least explain why we don’t take homes off the grid, what it means to have a grid-tied solar installation, and what are the benefits.

A grid-tied system is an electricity-generating system that is linked to the normal utility system of a household.  In other words, it’s simply an extension of your existing utility supply.  Being hooked into the grid allows for net metering which means:

If your solar panels are producing more electrical power than you’re using:

1. That solar-generated energy will be sent back into the  grid and can be used by neighbors others on the grid.

2. The utility company gives you credits for that extra energy: your electric meter will spin backwards, and your monthly electricity bill will be lowered. (We’ll talk about this a bit more when we cover net metering below.)

On the flip side, if you need more electricity than is being generated by your solar system (say at nightime):

1. Electricity will be drawn from the utility grid for you to use, just as it is traditionally done.

2. Your electricity meter runs forward.

Because of net metering, grid-tied system owners receive the full value of the electricity produced by their system.  It measures the net difference between the electricity you take from the utility grid and the electricity you feed to it with your own system.  Net metering is a consumer-based renewable energy incentive, and policies vary by state.

So if I have a battery backup system am I still tied to the grid?

Often, there’s confusion around grid-tied systems and battery backup systems; people wonder if they are still tied to the grid if batteries are included in their installation. Solar energy systems with battery backup systems are still tied to the grid.  The advantage of a battery backup system is that  power can remain available if the grid power goes out.  While this can be important in some places, batteries are an additional expense, only last 5-10 years, require maintenance, decrease system efficiency, and result in a more complicated system.  If power outages are a large concern, it is most often more economical and reliable to purchase a generator instead of a battery backup solar energy system.

Which has to go? The Tree or the Energy Production?

A solar easement is a right to sunlight. It is a restriction that attaches to your neighbor’s property, prohibiting anything on their property from blocking the sunlight reaching your property. While a problem with access to sunlight may never arise, anyone thinking about installing solar panels should consider trying to get a solar easement from their neighbors who could potentially block their access to sunlight.

In a few years, that tree that your neighbors just planted may shade the solar panels that you just invested in, or your neighbors may decide to sell their property to someone who wants to construct a 9 story condo building.

If you are able to get your neighbor to grant a solar easement, make sure that you get the easement in writing, signed and attached to the deed of your neighbor’s property. You will also want to record the easement with your city so that potential purchasers are on notice that there is an easement on the property. You don’t necessarily need an attorney to write up a solar easement, but you do want to make sure that it is explicit and as specific as necessary to ensure that you continue to have access to adequate sunlight in the future.

States that Allow Solar Easement

Many states recognize solar easements and will enforce them. However, solar easements must be granted by your neighbor. Neighbors may be hesitant to grant an easement over their property. The restriction not only limits their ability to use the property, but may reduce the value of their property because the restriction would apply to any purchaser of the property. Nonetheless, you never know until you ask. Some neighbors may be happy to plant a smaller tree, build that second story in a slightly different way, or make other small concessions to help out a neighbor or promote sustainable energy practices. For more hesitant neighbors, you may consider compensating them for the easement (a small investment now may avoid a potentially huge headache later).

Hundreds and hundreds of people have take our solar quiz. So how did they do? How much do people know about solar and what do they know? Find out which questions stumped them…

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT MORE THAN 50% OF OUR QUIZ TAKERS ANSWERED INCORRECTLY:

Basic Questions

California’s state rebate decreases as more people go solar - TRUE 47% answered correctly

7. Solar works better in cooler climates - TRUE 42%answered correctly

9. Solar is the most cost effective way to lower your electricity bills - FALSE 36% answered correctly

12. Solar panels are vulnerable to hail - FALSE 36% answered correctly

Intermediate

15. If I produce more electricity than i use, my utility has to write me a check because of net-metering laws - FALSE 43% answered correctly

16. Heliostats, or devices used to track the movement of the sun, can increase the efficiency of your solar system up to 200% - FALSE 19% answered correctly

17. In order to qualify for receiving the state rebate, installers must offer warranties of 10 years for their installation and inverters, and 20-25 years for panels - FALSE 14% answered correctly

19. When my power goes out, my solar system will keep my house running - FALSE 31% answered correctly

Advanced

Our advanced questions weren’t as hard as we thought and more than 50% of quiz takers got them right.  We must have smart quiz takers!