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RENEWABLE ENERGY |
Phoenix Environmental is a solar and wind designer and installer with licensed engineers and electricians. | ||
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What is the Process?The general schedule for getting a renewable energy system includes: site reconnaissance to check wind or solar resources, system design, apply for grid connection (if applicable), permitting, installation, and commissioning. Contact us to set up a site review to determine your specific site potential for solar and/or wind. |
Renewable Energy Contact Info: |
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Types of Renewable Energy SystemsGrid-tied – A grid-tied system simply sends all the renewable energy to the grid. If the grid is down, then no power is produced to avoid injury to electrical line workers. There is no backup power with a grid-tied system. These systems are the lowest cost ($8-10 per watt installed), require the least amount of maintenance, and are the most popular.Off-grid – An off-grid system supplies energy 100% of the time to the user, is not connected to the grid, and is usually remote in nature. The cost of connecting to the grid can be higher that using home grown renewable energy stored in batteries. Minimizing energy use is key to controlling the overall cost of the system. These systems are more expensive that grid-tied systems at ($10-13 per watt installed). These systems often have a small generator as a backup. Grid-intertie – A grid-intertie system is a combination of the grid-tied and off-grid systems. It has batteries for backup power in the event that the grid goes down and also sends excess power to the utility company. These systems are more expensive that grid-tied systems at ($10-14 per watt installed). Hybrid System – A renewable energy system that uses both wind and solar sources. This is particularly useful in Michigan where is it windy in the colder seasons, but sunny in the warmer seasons. |
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Tax Credits/Selling Electricity/RebatesSolar – 30% dollar for dollar tax credit for residential and commercial installations with no cap or size limit.Wind - $500 tax credit per 0.5 KW of wind turbine size. A 2.0 KW wind turbine would qualify for a $2000 tax credit. Farmers qualify for special grants and loans. There are several options for use and sale of renewable energy: Net Metering – Michigan net metering rules require the utilities to credit your bill at retail rates for renewable energy generation up to the total annual electrical usage. Under this scenario, sizing the system so it produces slightly less that your annual consumption will nearly eliminate your electric bill. Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) – for every 1,000 KWh of renewable electricity qualifies for one (1) REC. A 1KW solar electric system will produce approximately 1,100 KWh annually. Michigan utilities can buy these RECs to comply with Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The utilities can count 2009 RECs more than once The current market value of one (1) REC is approximately $20-$30. DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are now offering incentives to go solar. For more infomation or to sign up for the DTE Energy program, go to www.dteenergy.com/solar. For more information on the Consumers Energy program click here. Up to date information on available tax credits and rebates can be found at www.dsireusa.org or contact us. |
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FinancingFinancing is key to most renewable energy projects. There are several options for financing depending on the size and type of installation (residential, commercial, or municipal). Contact us for more information. |
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Additional Services
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