Insight From Our Intern on Solar and Sustainability I never could have imagined learning as much as I did in my time interning at Sustainable Energy Group. Not only did I learn about solar, the renewable energy industry and the energy grid, I had the privilege of working alongside inspiring and insightful people, who all [...]
POWER OUTAGES – PART 2 – PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS How much would a generator cost? How much would batteries cost? There are plenty of online tools and other resources available to give you relatively quick answers, but are they the right answers? Backup power systems can run from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars, [...]
California’s Quantum Leap in Building Standards Last May, the California Energy Commission (CEC) announced a ground-breaking update to the state’s building energy efficiency standards. Starting January 1, 2020, all new buildings in California must have solar. The standards (according to Title 24, Part 6, Building Energy Efficiency Standards) also contain a number of energy efficiency [...]
Q and A With Ray This Q & A pertains to California's Quantum Leap in Building Standards. The questions answered here come from inquiries into concepts, technologies and standard specific rhetoric found in our article on California's rooftop solar mandate. What are heat pump water heaters? A heat pump water heater is an electric household water [...]
Do you have friends or family members who aren’t convinced that renewable energy is a win-win for human health and the economy? Share with them some scientific evidence to credibly explain the benefits of renewable energy and distinguish fact from fiction. All too often, the oil and gas industry’s marketing tactics and slanted journalism are [...]
Many Californians are concerned about rising electricity costs given limited choices in an underserved energy marketplace. Over 60% of California residents are served by only three of the state’s six investor-owned utilities (IOUs). [1] In the service areas of the three largest IOUs (Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & [...]
Why Going Solar Makes Sense (and Cents)! Here are a few reasons why solar is a smart, low-risk, high-return investment: High Valuation Solar electric systems have strong valuation due to their potential to reduce long-term energy costs for homeowners. As such, solar electric systems are recognized as marketable improvements to homes that, on average, significantly [...]
A Case Study of Solar Valuation from a Past Customer Sharon Sausedo, of Sausedo Realty, bought a property in Penn Valley that needed extensive work and upgrades before selling. She repaired and remodeled the house, and then put it on the market in late 2018. Prospective buyers saw the existing solar panels on the roof [...]
Heat Pumps – Efficient Appliances That Deliver Both Comfort and Savings A heat pump is sort of like an air conditioner, but with a reversing valve so it can both heat and cool your building very efficiently, with electricity! Heat pumps have evolved a lot over the past few decades, and there are several significant [...]
