Fostering the creation of local communities of people interested in solar is a big part of 1BOG’s mission. Our community outreach department is one of the hardest working groups in the company – each day they work the phones, tweet, email, Facebook (is that a verb yet?), and conduct old-fashioned personal community outreach, all in an attempt to rally people across the country to spread the solar message! In the course of these community-building efforts, we’ve been impressed by the enthusiasm many Christian leaders have for advancing the clean energy revolution in the United States.

Particularly among Christian evangelical groups, support for renewable energy is impressive. This support has its roots in recent history – way back in 2006, over 100 prominent Christian leaders from across the country created the Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI). ECI calls for immediate action on human-induced climate change and recognizes the pressing need to convert to renewable energy. Supporters of this initiative include high-powered evangelical Christian pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Orange County, CA (more details about 1BOG’s Orange County solar group discount). And just this month, four conservative Christian leaders urged the passage of federal legislation that would help move America more rapidly toward electric vehicle adoption.

Here at One Block Off the Grid, we’re excited to partner with all types of religious groups to spread the word about solar because we recognize that these organizations are essential hubs in their communities and sources of both inspiration and information to their members.

Would you like to share information about solar energy with your church, synagogue, YMCA, workplace, or other community group?  Send an email to community [at] 1BOG.org and we will provide you with resources, suggestions, and support.

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Can solar panels work in the fog?

The short answer: YES, solar panels do work when it’s foggy. Fog and clouds, unlike shade, allow some sunlight to reach your roof. The amount of power you’ll generate depends on the thickness of the fog; if the cloud cover is at its worst, your panels might produce only 5-10% of the energy they normally do, but a thin layer of fog has much less impact on solar energy output. Even if you live in an area with lots of foggy days, what really matters is how much sunshine your roof receives over the course of a whole year, not on a given day. Your utility company will look at the yearly data in order to calculate how much power you’ve generated overall.

To see how this works, take a look at the famously foggy city of San Francisco.

Solar power in San Francisco

Because it’s surrounded by water on three sides, inland heat tends to draw cool ocean air across San Francisco, often enveloping it in fog. There’s actually an advantage to the relatively cool weather in SF: solar panels work their best when they don’t get too hot. In cities that constantly bake in the sun, solar panels operate slightly less efficiently. And SF isn’t always foggy. Summertime fog often burns off by mid-day– conveniently timed with the sunniest part of the day, when solar panels can work their hardest– and not return until nighttime. In other seasons, like spring and fall, bright blue skies are common. Overall, SF compares well with other cities in the sunny state of California, and a solar panel system there can actually produce more power over a year than the hot inland city of Sacramento (see the San Francisco Solar Task Force presentation, PDF). We checked in with a 1BOG member in the foggiest part of San Francisco, near the Pacific Ocean, to see how his solar panels were performing.

Producing extra energy, even in the fog

1BOG member Thomas Beutel lives in the Outer Sunset District and keeps careful tabs on his solar panel output, even posting daily stats on Twitter. His 3.85 kW system can produce a maximum of 28kWh of electricity each day, and on foggy days it typically produces 10-15kWh. The sunny months of March, April, and May easily balance out the foggier summer. Last year, Thomas receieved a production credit of $83 from his utility, PG&E. Proof that even in the foggiest part of one of the foggiest cities in the country, solar panels work well enough to reduce your utility bill to zero!

One advantage of fog

Depending on the type of fog you experience, it may even give your solar panels an advantage. If you live near the coast and marine fog rolls out around 10AM and back in around 4pm, that bright layer of fog in the early morning can actually help boost production. That’s because the early morning sun hits your roof at an obtuse angle, and the fog helps more light reach the panels than would if the sky was clear, according to solar expert Doug Livingston.

Do I need to calculate the fogginess of my neighborhood when choosing the size of my solar system?

Your solar installer will know how to correctly size your system based on your location, so it’s not something that you’ll have to worry about. The “insolation tables” that organizations like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory produce show figures for particular areas that include factors like fog (if you happen to live in San Francisco, you can also just type your address into this handy map to find out details about how much power you can produce). If you live in an exceptionally foggy location, you may have a slightly bigger system than someone who lives in a sunnier city.

Don’t forget to sign up for 1BOG’s home solar group discounts: we have discounts running in San Francisco, the rest of the Bay Area, and across the country.

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Ten Countries with the Most Installed Solar Energy (in MW*)

We hear a lot about how Germany and Spain have increased solar energy greatly in recent years with supportive government policies. We also hear a lot about China’s big clean energy push. And, despite trouble getting the US federal government to do much for solar energy, we know that the US is still continuously moving forward on this front. But have you ever wondered which countries in the world have the most installed solar energy?

Below are the top ten countries in the world according to installed photovoltaic (PV) solar energy capacity. Think you know the order? You might be surprised…see if you can name all ten countries in the right order before continuing on.

1. Germany (9,785 MW) -

Germany is clearly the world leader. In 2009 alone, Germany installed 3,806 megawatts (MW) of PV solar energy capacity, which is more than Spain’s total capacity and almost eight times more than the U.S. installed last year. “The combination of a proven feed-in-tariff (FiT) scheme, good financing opportunities, a large availability of skilled PV companies, and a good public awareness of the PV technology, largely contributed to this success,” European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) reports.

Germany is expected to remain the top purchaser of solar panels throughout 2010 and may add 5,000 MW of new solar power this year. The feed-in-tariff program will begin to cut incentives this year, and growth will eventually slow. Still, over the long term, Germany has a goal of using 100% renewable energy by 2050, so it is likely that Germany will remain a strong market for solar power.

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2. Spain (3,386 MW) -

Spain was the world leader in newly installed PV solar energy (2,605 MW) in 2008 due to the government’s focus on creating a national solar energy industry, but its new installed capacity decreased tremendously (to just 69 MW) in 2009. The reasons for this drop are attributed to complexity and delays related to a new government subsidy program and a decrease in energy demand due to the economic crisis. With expectations that both of these will improve in 2010, and considering its excellent sun irradiation and PV potential, Spain is expected to bump up its solar energy capacity again this year.

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3. Japan (2,633 MW) -

Japan is third globally and also a country worth emulating. Government residential PV programs, net-metering, high national solar energy goals to reach 28 GW by 2020 and 53 GW by 2030, as well as the support of local authorities and the private sector make Japan a world leader in this field. Japan invested $9 billion in stimulus money in solar energy in 2009, and the prime minister also announced a plan to install solar power at 32,000 public schools.

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4. United States (1,650 MW) -

Supportive state-level policies are a major driver of growth in the US. With many large ground-mounted solar projects in the pipeline, installed capacity in the US is expected to grow significantly in coming years. Additionally, national legislation promoting solar energy (if it comes through) could move the US forward considerably. The cap on the federal solar tax credit was lifted in 2009, promoting growth in this industry. Despite the recent recession, the US market for residential solar panels doubled in 2009, and increased 37% from 2008.

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5. Italy (1,167 MW) -

Mixing net-metering and a well-segmented FiT (combined with a lot of sunshine), Italy has become a world leader in solar energy. In 2009, Italy experienced the second-largest solar energy growth in the world. Every two months, Italians install more solar power than California does in an entire year. (To put that in perspective, Italy is slightly smaller in land size than California, with a fairly similar population). “The future growth of the market will depend on the streamlining and harmonisation of administrative procedures, combined with an adapted decrease of the FIT in the third Conto Energia to cope with the expected price decrease,” the EPIA reports.

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6. Czech Republic (465 MW) -

A generous FiT and simple administrative procedures have put the Czech Republic on this list. Per capita, it installed more new solar power than any other country besides Germany in 2009. The market growth has probably boomed unsustainably (and a little unexpectedly), however, and if appropriate policies aren’t put in place to slow it, the nascent solar bubble is expected to bust in the coming years.

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7. Belgium (363 MW) -

The image above shows Belgian solar flowers. Belgium was also a bit of a 2009 solar energy surprise. Belgium’s success was from “a well-designed Green Certificates scheme (which actually works as a Feed-in Tariff), combined with additional tax rebates and electricity self-consumption.” Belgium is not expected to do so well in 2010 “due to a foreseen tariff decrease.”

8. China (305 MW) -

China gets a lot of attention these days for its clean energy push, and for good reason. China is a major solar panel manufacturer but hasn’t installed a ton of PV itself yet. However, it now has 12 gigawatts (GW) of large projects in the pipeline and if those projects are implemented China is expected to jump closer to the top of the list. According to China’s national energy plan, it is expected to reach a total of 20 GW by 2020. Nonetheless, as with many things in China, the plans remain vague (to the rest of the world) for now.

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9. France (272 MW) -

France has a well-designed FiT for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), so BIPV dominates the market there. They’ve put protections in place to help avoid abuse of the system, and may revise the tariffs to accompany price speculations. One key issue of concern in France is that although many MW of solar energy have been installed, a lot of them have not been connected to the grid. In 2009, 285 MW of capacity was installed but only 185 MW connected to the grid. This is a major issue that needs to be resolved.

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10. India (120 MW) -

Similar to China, India has fast-increasing electricity demand and it has very high sun irradiation levels. It’s government has also been moving forward strongly on clean energy. It has a goal to reach 20 GW by 2020 as well. “Besides the National Solar Mission of 2009, the market expects much of the possible decision this year to define a longterm power purchase agreement that could definitively trigger PV deployment in India,” EPIA states. India could quickly rise higher on this list with proper government strategies.

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*Figures as of the end of 2009 via the European Photovoltaic Industry Association [PDF]

Have more to add or questions about this list? Comment below. Special thanks to Adele Peters for her contribution to this article. Sign up with 1BOG Home Solar for group discounts, or use our calculator to estimate the cost of solar panels for your home.

A big part of our mission at One Block Off the Grid is to educate people on the ins and outs of going solar. This is a tough challenge, because it is easy for the average homeowner to get confused by the all of the conflicting information and technical jargon that is flying around in today’s market. Some solar installers have even used this confusion to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers…

Here at 1BOG, it’s our role to cut through that confusion, so we’ve compiled a list of ten brand new articles we published at 1BOG’s Solar University that our members have found extremely helpful.

1. The Pro’s and Con’s of Solar Energy – Curious about why solar is such a good idea for homeowners and the environment? This article lays out some important points to consider.
2. Feed-in Tariffs (”FiTs“) – What homeowners need to know about this hot new topic. Europe’s been doing it successfully for years…and it’s already landed in the US. Learn more about Oregon’s Feed in Tariff program.
3. Facts and Statistics about Solar – Learn more about the history of solar panels and what is currently happening in the industry.
4. Solar Tubes – Explains just what the heck solar tubes are and how they work.
5. Solar Panel Trackers – There isn’t much good information out there about solar trackers. This entry helps summarize the data and gives homeowners the facts needed to ask their solar installer intelligent questions.
6. Solar Inverters – Here is a simple explanation of this piece that is found in every solar array – including what it does and why it is necessary.
7. Solar Pool Heaters – Want to keep your pool warm year round? Learn more about replacing that gas-powered heater with solar collectors for your pool.
8. Solar Panel Efficiency – There is lots of inaccurate information out there about how efficient solar panels are at converting sunlight to energy. Read this page to get the real low down.
9. Solar Powered Hot Tub – You might not believe it, but we get a lot of questions from homeowners about how many solar panels it would take to power their jacuzzi. Find out here.
10. Personal Solar Estimator – Finally, an easy and highly customizable tool that allows anyone to see how much money they would save by going solar. 1BOG’s solar estimator is the best on the web and makes exploring the advantages of solar quick and easy.

If you want more information about putting solar on your roof, check out the rest of 1BOG’s solar University for everything you need to know. If you want to talk to one of 1BOG’s helpful solar advisors (free!), sign up to become a 1BOG member now.

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1BOG’s Long Island campaign is just over a month old and it is already shaping up to be one of the most successful campaigns in 1BOG history! Recently, our solar advisor team noticed an interesting trend in the overwhelming interest we have received from Long Islanders – south shore homeowners in towns such as Babylon, Freeport, Massapequa, and more have realized that their rooftops are prime locations for solar energy.

While this probably won’t surprise residents of these sunny spots (I mean, locals have known all along that these towns are some of the sunniest on the island), this is the first time we have seen such a pronounced geographic trend emerge in one of our local campaigns. With the most heavily discounted 1BOG price in the nation (a flat $4.67 per watt installed) and 18-month interest free financing available through Mercury, 1BOG’s Long Island solar campaign is one of the most amazing deals for solar we have ever seen.

No matter where you live on Long Island, you owe it to yourself to sign up on 1BOG’s website and see for yourself how much you could be saving on your utility bill (and how much solar panels add to the value of your home). North shore residents, we know you get lots of sun too – and we wouldn’t want you to be embarrassed by your friends down south beating you in the race to go solar before the next drop in the LIPA Solar Pioneer rebate.

Learn more at One Block Off the Grid’s Long Island solar campaign website. And get out and enjoy that hot summer sun!

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Solar vs. Wind

• Wind turbines can take a lot of space and be noisy, so they’re better suited for rural rather than urban locations.
• Wind energy works best in windy places, not surprisingly. Solar power is versatile– Germany is currently the largest market for solar panels, even though it’s not known as a particularly sunny place. In other words: it’s more important to live in a windy place if you want to use wind turbines than it is to live in a sunny place if you want to use solar panels.
• Wind turbines require maintenance, and solar is virtually maintenance-free.
• Wind power can be less expensive to produce initially. On the other hand, the federal tax credit, state and local incentives, and SRECs are making solar power more affordable. 1BOG is also helping by negotiating group discounts for communities. In some places, you can recoup your investment in solar panels really quickly.

Solar vs. Hydropower

• Hydropower is typically done in large-scale dams rather than for homeowners (although someone with a rushing stream or river on their property might be able to use small scale “micro-hydro”); solar can be used almost anywhere.
• Large dams are extremely expensive to build.
• Flooding large areas of land destroys habitat and can force human relocation; solar panels can be installed on existing unused space like rooftops.
• Building large dams can cause geological damage leading to earthquakes.
• Dams can unfairly alter water supply between communities and countries.
• Building dams alters the natural water table level and can negatively affect wildlife such as salmon.

Solar vs. Biomass

• Biomass (wood or plants) is usually used for fuels rather than electricity production, though it can be used either way. Right now, most homeowners in the U.S. don’t have the option to purchase electricity made from biomass, though it’s available in a very small number of areas.
• Crops like sugar cane and other sources for biomass require land that could otherwise be used for growing food. Algae helps avoid this problem somewhat because it can grow in water. Solar doesn’t necessarily need to use land space, since it can go on existing roofs.
• Burning biomass creates CO2 emissions, though less than fossil fuels like coal. Solar energy doesn’t create emissions as it produces power.
• Solar panels have efficiencies as high as 19%, meaning that much of the sun’s energy is converted into electricity. The efficiency of biomass is much, much lower – perhaps less than 1%.

Want to learn more about how solar panels work or how much it actually costs to put solar on your roof? Signup at 1BOG for more information and to save 15% off the cost of solar!

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The 1BOG/Heliopower guy impressed me. He did a preliminary survey my roof
the way I would have wanted to see it done and seemed more interested in creating
a system I wanted rather than what he had to sell. However, he also explained why
what he had to sell was the right choice for me, and I went away comfortable that
I would get a system I could be happy with.

The “other guy” (whose name and affiliation shall not be revealed, except maybe
privately) was all about the hard-sell and only interested in closing a deal. He did
not provide me with any of the knowledge a person would need to make an
educated decision. In fact, I was quite turned off by the whole experience. Therefore,
he and the company he works for are no longer under consideration. Not at any price.

(See the whole 1BOG Nissan Leaf post thread for yourself)

It sounds like one of our Los Angeles community members is following our recommendation (and common sense) to get several quotes before purchasing his/her home solar array. In this case, the author says that a Heliopower (1BOG’s solar installer of choice in LA) representative came out to his house to conduct an on-site solar survey. During this visit, the representative took time to listen and explain how Heliopower could work with the homeowner to create a solar system that would work.

Of course, this is music to our ears! But then to top it all off, another person in the thread echoed similar praise for 1BOG and Heliopower – emphasizing that we helped make the process of going solar easy, educational, and personal.

Sign up for 1BOG and see how much you could be saving by going solar today.

Philadelphia, welcome to the clean energy revolution!

As featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer today, One Block Off the Grid is excited to announce the start of the first Philadelphia solar group discount in the city of brotherly love. With up-front, published solar panel pricing of $5.09 per watt depending on system size, going solar has never been more affordable for Philadelphia homeowners.

In fact, 1BOG’s price is 15% better than other published prices, meaning that you could cut your solar payback time by several years! For this campaign, 1BOG has chosen one of the best solar installers in the Philly area, Mercury Solar Systems. We were impressed by Mercury’s attention to detail and professionalism when we paid them a visit back in the spring, and with over 1,000 solar installations to-date Mercury is one of the most experienced installation companies in the mid-Atlantic.

Here’s what you need to know about the advantages of getting solar for your home with 1BOG in Philadelphia:

1. 30% Federal Tax Credit - That’s 30% of your out-of-pocket cost, given back to you anytime in the next seven years through your taxes
2. State and utility cash rebates that total up to $2.45 per watt! (That’s nearly half-off 1BOG’s negotiated price)
3. SRECs – Alternative Energy Credits generated automatically by solar panels can turn your roof into an ATM
4. 1BOG has partnered regional installer Mercury Solar Systems, one of the top installers in the mid-Atlantic. They will take care of all of the paperwork and legwork, removing the hurdles and headaches associated with going solar

For more information about going solar in Philadelphia, give 1BOG’s Philly solar advisor Jonathan a call at (215) 764-6040, email him at jonathan (at) 1bog.org, or sign up to use 1BOGs custom solar calculator to see how much you could be saving right now!

In Philadelphia, freedom from high utility bills now equals solar power!

What you’ll learn:

–The basic steps of going solar
–How to determine if solar is right for your home
–How to calculate your energy savings
–Solar rebates available from the government
–Newer, more attractive styles of solar panels
–Answers to your specific questions

Register here for this free webinar. It’s happening at 7PM Pacific on Thursday, July 29th.